This thread sounds wrapped up but I have to comment. Having never welded before, I recently purchased the Millermatic 175 MIG welder for my project. It's going to need lots of work.
Anyway, once I received some scrap metal from a friend and got it plugged in, it wasn't long before I was running some pretty darn good-looking beads.
I've since received some lessons in stick welding from a coworker and it's amazing how easily the wire feeder makes the job. I'm sure you are set on what you want but, if I had it to do all over again, I'd still go MIG.
Now I want a plasma cutter!
