New to Welding, what welder should i buy?

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Hi, ive never welded before, but i want to start.  I just want to weld small things like bicycle frames and stuff.  I know there are differnet kinds like arc, mig, and others.  I was wondering what type and what voltage welder (that is the least expensive like 100-200$) it would take to weld a bike.  Thanks.
Reply:You can do a bike frame with MIG and get some decent results. Depending on the material you want to do though, you might be limited. If you're going to just make one from mild steel you can try an HF MIG....that's about all you'll be able to buy in that price range. You might also be able to find a used stick welder around that range. What plans do you have for material?John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:I am new to welding also and I just bought a lincoln pm140. You cant get much for your budget. I would save some more money. Northern Tool sells a Clarke Gmaw/Fcaw welder with a cart for around 500 bucks. Dont buy a cheap Fcaw only welder from harbor freight. you will be sorry. btw the lincoln works really well. My budget was the same as yours when I started looking. The more I looked the more I realised that I needed to spend more to get what I really needed. If you need a 60# boat anchor, buy a $200 welder. If you need a welder (Mig/mag,Fcaw/Gmaw will work best for your needs) buy a 4-500 dollar unit. You may find a used one for less, but not much, they hold their value pretty well. You only need to be 2% smarter than what you are working on.Lincoln pm140hacksawa big hammer
Reply:I am going to say oxygen/acetylene. Thin wall steel tubing joints were welded by O/A for decades in the aircraft industry. O/A welding offers the beginner a good view of the puddle, lets you learn to control the puddle and heps you learn to two hand coordination required for TIG. Plus you'll need a torch sooner or latter for bending, cutting and brazing.
Reply:Well what im really doing is attaching a chainsaw to a bike so ill need to weld steal and i think the bike might be aluminum, dont know if that welds.  I already tried once to make the bike work but had to go to a shop and have someone else do the welding, it would be much easier if i could do the welding.  All three answers are very different so im more confused?  If im going to have to spend 500$ i really dont think i want to buy one,  for the others i think i could find some used ones on ebay so, whatever would be cheepest would be good.  Thanks for your help so far.
Reply:You'll need to start with a steel framed bike if you want to weld something made of steel to it.   I'm with Tresi on the recommendation of an oxy-acetalyne welding rig.   You can find a complete rig used on Craigs List usually in the sub-$300 range.  Either that or a used 120v MIG by Miller or Lincoln can sometimes be found the craigs list for under $500 with the gas cyl, etc as a complete unit.  For new, you're not going to find much of anything worth spending money on, in your price range.That said, I'm really curious what this project is going to be used for...  I haven't seen a bicycle with a chain saw mounted to it before..??  Maybe a prop in a horror movie?
Reply:I get the feeling you want the end product, the bike/saw combo, more so than learning how to weld. You're going to have a bit of a learning curve with whatever you buy, and it may seem more trouble than it's worth.I say farm it out and save yourself the money. My 2 cents.- John
Reply:I just saw this older post and thought it might help the next new person.Kill two birds with one stone.   With the budget you have, use the money for a night class at a local votech or community college.  Mine was 1 night a week for 8 weeks.   1) you get to learn to weld and 2) they usually let you work on your project in class and you get to use some supplies for free.
Reply:You can get Lincolns weldpak hd for 259 bucks at lowes/home depot. It is fcaw only, has a low duty cycle, but welds well and is reliable. It also uses standard lincoln consumables so they are easy to get. I have one for repairing stair rails and burglar bars on site. Best 250 bucks I ever spent.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:Anything by Miller or Lincoln should do the trick. I wouldn't recommend buying the best right off the bat because you may not know what you really want in your welder yet. My $0.02.Love welding?  http://industrial-tools-equipment.com
Reply:Originally Posted by nofmxcHi, ive never welded before, but i want to start.  I just want to weld small things like bicycle frames and stuff.  I know there are differnet kinds like arc, mig, and others.  I was wondering what type and what voltage welder (that is the least expensive like 100-200$) it would take to weld a bike.  Thanks.