There have been MANY posts on this and on other boards about buying welders; what to get.....how big and powerful....wire or stick....AC only or AC/DC. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] There ARE A LOT of choices out there, especially in hobby-grade welders. I often see the statement: "I want to weld up to 1/4" material with it....that's about the thickest I'll ever have." [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Just in the last few days, I have come face to face with WHAT I ALREADY KNEW, and that is buy the biggest machine that you can afford. You just never know what you'll get into, and I have yet to hear anyone say: "Dang it! I wish I had bought a SMALLER, LESS POWERFUL machine!" 120V mig welders are neat and they are cute and handy to roll around, but they are LIMITED. I tried using one at an auto repair shop to weld nuts onto broken off 3/8" studs....a sort of routine shop repair situation that anyone could easily have, even under "hobby" conditions......no dice, there just wasn't enough power to get that heat in there and do the job. I ended up using their 225 AC Lincoln buzz box and stick electrode. I used the 120V mig as a place to set my coffee cup. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] BE AWARE that there are limitations to these little machines that can leave you wanting. Maybe hold out for something a little more potent. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]