I got the Lincoln Weld Pak 100 at Home Depot ($300). Comes with the flux wire. I soon converted to MIG for an extra $100 plus the tank and the gas. MIG uses a finer wire, and the inert gas acts as a shield to keep oxygen away from the weld, which eliminates most spatter. I felt I needed this to do a good job of welding in patch panels. The welder came with a Mickey Mouse hand-held face shield, which I soon replaced with an auto-darkening helmet. I need both hands to hold and guide the gun. I had never welded before and I found this setup to be very easy to use and a lot of fun. You'll be amazed at all the things you'll find that need welding once you have one.
I have experience with a cheap wire feed from Sears and there is a big difference. The tip is always electrically hot, which is a pain. The Lincoln is not hot until you squeeze the trigger--a much better setup and well worth any extra money.
