Welders and welding tools...

[roguegeek]

There's a couple pieces of body work needing to be done. One is closing holes in the firewall. Another is installing an access panel for my fuel pump. A couple other misc things here and there. Some of these things I anticipated at the beginning of the project and, therefore, didn't have done when the car was at the body shop for body and paint. I could always just send it back, but I think this is a good opportunity for me to learn how to do some basic welding. I've watched countless YT videos in the last week and feel like I have enough of an understanding to point me in the right direction. Now I need to start acquiring some tools and add the skillset.



MIG welding seems like the right place to start due to the application I'm looking at (mostly sheet metal) and ease of use. I'm guessing a decent MIG welder that's capable of also doing aluminum is going to get me pretty far. Should I go for one of those multi-process welders that will let me play with all different types of welding or is it better to get a dedicated MIG welder? I like the idea of playing with it all. I'm also looking for recommendations on all the tools and accessories needed as well. Protective gear, tanks, etc...

My quote for my next round of body work was around $1800, so if I can take that money and put it into reliable equipment that I can learn and has room for me to grow into, I'll consider that a win. My garage is currently running on 110. I will be putting in 220, but it's not happening until my garage organization project starts after this car is done, so it would be nice to find a welder that capable of 110 and 220.

Any feedback is very much welcomed. Thanks!