Bought my first welder...now what?

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Hi y'all!  I just bought my first welder...a Miller 211.  My experience with welding is minimal, I ran a golf course maintenance shop for a while where I'd get to play every now and then with our MIG and stick welders.  I already have a helmet/gloves/jacket/basic tools.  I guess my first question is....as far as the welder itself goes, what do I need to add or upgrade to my welder?  What size bottle and filled with?  Buy a used bottle on Craigslist?Welding will be mostly hobby stuff like shooting targets.  Thanks to everyone posting here...and elsewhere where I can learn something.Cheers
Reply:Show us some pics of your welds.ChrisAuction Addict
Reply:For a bottle an 80 CFH bottle with 75/25, or a 20 pound co2 works fine for most hobbiests. CL is fine to buy bottles, most small bottles are owner bottles, just check with your LWS first about what they will fill.
Reply:Post your location for a more detailed response. I would try for a 125 tank of 75 / 25. Contact local suppliers on their policy before buying a used tank from craigs list. Many tanks out there may not be currently certified.
Reply:Originally Posted by ducati07I just bought my first welder....my first question is, what do I need to add or upgrade to my welder?
Reply:Now find a place that will give you a good deal on metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by ducati07Hi y'all!  I just bought my first welder...a Miller 211.  My experience with welding is minimal, I ran a golf course maintenance shop for a while where I'd get to play every now and then with our MIG and stick welders.  I already have a helmet/gloves/jacket/basic tools.  I guess my first question is....as far as the welder itself goes, what do I need to add or upgrade to my welder?  What size bottle and filled with?  Buy a used bottle on Craigslist?Welding will be mostly hobby stuff like shooting targets.  Thanks to everyone posting here...and elsewhere where I can learn something.Cheers
Reply:I would get the biggest tank you could get.  The bigger the tank; the cheaper to refill in the long run.Forney C5 Arc WelderLincoln Idealarc 250-250 Ac/Dc Arc WelderMiller Bobcat 225g PlusLincoln PowerMig 200Forney O/A Rig
Reply:Originally Posted by PipelinerAnother welder. Welders get lonely when left alone. It needs a companion.
Reply:Thanks for the replies....and thanks for letting me know about the tanks being certified since I wasn't even thinking about that.  Do these tanks have a given length of time they can be used?  Like paintball tanks for example, have something like a five year life...then they can't be filled any longer.I'd sure like to add a tig, probably after I buy a stick welder.  I'm located in Redding, CA and will get some of my metal at Gerlinger here in town...in the scrap section to start.
Reply:Originally Posted by ducati07Thanks for the replies....and thanks for letting me know about the tanks being certified since I wasn't even thinking about that.  Do these tanks have a given length of time they can be used?  Like paintball tanks for example, have something like a five year life...then they can't be filled any longer.I'd sure like to add a tig, probably after I buy a stick welder.  I'm located in Redding, CA and will get some of my metal at Gerlinger here in town...in the scrap section to start.
Reply:Originally Posted by ducati07Thanks for the replies....and thanks for letting me know about the tanks being certified since I wasn't even thinking about that.  Do these tanks have a given length of time they can be used?  Like paintball tanks for example, have something like a five year life...then they can't be filled any longer.I'd sure like to add a tig, probably after I buy a stick welder.  I'm located in Redding, CA and will get some of my metal at Gerlinger here in town...in the scrap section to start.
Reply:There have been guys who posted photo's of bottles manufactured in the early 1940' passing test and still being used. Believe the hydro-test is every 10 years? You need an Argon/Co2 (75/25) mix for a Mig welder to weld steel, not straight Argon. True you should get the biggest you can as its cheaper for refill in the long run. Ex: 80 cubic bottle was $27 on an exchange/refill where as a 125 cost me $25 a month later. These are the sizes typically considered "owned" bottles. I run 80's on my small Migs for portability reasons but if it was on a cart in the shop all the time I would have a 125 on them.