re: I want to learn to weld..

Ok I have read through this entire thread and there are a good many people in here that just like for others to read what they type because most of it is dead wrong.

If you are just wanting to build your own pit or just want to play around with welding find a friend that has a set up you can play around with. Have them teach you. For what you are wanting to do it will be easy for you to learn enough skills to do that. Make no mistake you will be disappointed, it absolutely will not look like a store bought pit.

If you don't have a friend and are dead set on buying your own set up you can get everything you need at Harbor Freight. Don't let anyone talk you into going and buying a Lincoln, Hobart, or Miller machine set up. This is professional level stuff and for what you want, why spend that kind of money. Plus, you might hate it ( this is why you try to find friend with a set up first )

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Any of these will work, even the cheapest ones. You do not need a set up with a shielding gas. You can use a number of different wires in these, fluxcore and hardwire that do not require gas.

This is all the welding shield you will ever need. I see professionals use this. It is auto darkening which will freak you out your first time using it being as you are a novice. You can even put a cheater lens ( magnifying lens ) in if you wear glasses.
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Also, do not listen to these guys telling you to buy a leather jacket, that is a waste of money.
This is the most you will ever need
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In fact in your case I would just wear a button up denhim shirt and a set of these.
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Remember you are not trying to be a pro, so why invest a ton of money.

Now if you legit wanting to really learn to seriously weld. Again if you have a friend who has the equipment, I would tell you to learn TIG first. That is the only process that can have a very large learning curve but if you learn it the rest are very very easy.

I have taught more welders than I can ever begin to remember. First thing I do is make them watch me for a period of time, then I turn them loose and tell them to do exactly what they watched me do. Then after awhile I will tell them to now take what you learned from me and adjust it for you. Everyone welds a little different and has their own techniques. I leave them with this, I can teach anyone to weld in a short period of time. What I cannot teach you is what to do when things go wrong and they absolutely will and you will only learn that with experience.