Based on my personal experience, don’t just go for a “cheap enough to just get by” welder. I personally think the welder that I use is the perfect all around welder for garage use. It’s a Miller 211. It’s got the option for 120 or 240. 240 is much better to use, but the convenience of having 120v is awesome. It’s a Miller so it’s a high quality rig, but it’s small enough and cheap enough to not kill your wallet or take a ton of space in your garage.
I’ve used a few different brand welders and still think Miller really worth saving a few hundred extra bucks on good equipment that is super easy to find consumables. Lincoln is nice but just not as good as Miller. Never used ESAB, but I’ve heard everything from great to crap. Harbor Freight is cheap, but it just won’t last as long or run as well. I’ve considered getting a cheap welder for my own garage for quick fixes, but I don’t think it’s worth it unless you really get a good deal.
Don’t waste your time on something too small like a 140 IMO. At least get a 180, so you have room to grow into bigger projects.
I hear the newer
harbor freight welders aren’t as bad as the old ones but that’s a lot of money to spend on something that’s harbor freight quality, when for a few hundred more dollars you can pick up a good used Miller 180 or 211.
But the biggest thing is going to be, get what you can really afford and start practicing as much as you can. A good machine doesn’t mean **** if you don’t take the time to learn how to use it properly. Look for deals on used equipment (especially if you can’t afford a newish Miller.) You can always pick up a used Lincoln or something and run it for a while then upgrade, but that might end up costing more money. You know the saying Buy once, cry once.