borrowed welder - what else do i need??

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Hello all,First let me say that I have never welded before.  I have a friend that is not using his welder (NO idea what kind but i am pretty sure is FCAW/MGAW with no bottle) and he said I can borrow it for a while.  There are no classes within an hour drive of me so I am just going to wing it.  I know that I need to get a new spool of flux core wire and maybe a new tip.  I have an old leather jacket I don't care about but pretty light weight leather.  Need Gloves, Mask, Grinder, Wire Brush, Hammer (not sure how much stuff he will lend me with the welder)  What I need to know is .. What else do I need to get in place before I start pushing arc??  And what do I need to have as far as screening weld arc from passerbys as I will be welding in my driveway?  I would like to set up an area at the end of my drive for welding but not even sure if the cord for the welder will reach my driveway, how long is the "power cord w/ plug" for a 115v MIG welder anyway?  heh .. I am sure I will have more questions as soon as everything is in place and I get my first tangle of wire ;-)dmac257
Reply:Here is some help from Miller Welding.http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/mig_handbook.pdf
Reply:As someone who got on this road just awhile back, this is fresh for me. Get to the library and check out "Gas Metal Arc Welding Handbook".If you are a self-starter, you will come a long way in book-smarts in a short time and then this forum will light up for you as it will make a lot more sense when you observe those who are asking experienced questions. So plan on lurking endessly and learn how to search for answers, there is a lot of talent hanging out here.Any tool requires an investment in fresh consumables - that will be helpful when you get your own unit or just be a bonus for your friend when it returns home. Find a dealer that you can trust and explain your situation. Most of your money will go to a good helmet which will last you a long time if you buy right.I got rid of my low end FCAW machine very quickly in favor of a GMAW (MIG) since you can't really don't get pretty welds from an FCAW, at least I didn't. I wanted to make sure I was learning something I would really be able to use.Taking classes is not an option for me either, but with the resources we have today, you can learn all you need to know to begin the long road of learning this skill properly. And congratulations, it is always good to learn something new.For me, welding has opened up yet another skill I found I have some sort of aptitude for - one that will payoff in may ways since I have hired welding service out to others many times in the last several years with some large projects coming up. I have needed this skill for a long time, however the more I learn, the more I respect the depth this field has.Millermatic® 211 Auto-Set™ with MVP™Miller Diversion™ 180 AC/DC TIGEvery air tool made...if it can be driven by air, I want it.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Neon Sign Fabricatorwww.casinoneon.com
Reply:ABC fire extinguisher is good.A table.Pedestrian shield could be 2-3 sheets of plywood, hinged together. No, they won't catch fire that easy.Bucket of water to cool your practice pieces so you can keep welding them and they won't totally melt them.Practice scrap that isn't too thin as this will just frustrate you.You Tube videos are a good start. Grab some popcorn.Don't where flip-flops...............200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.