Over the years I’ve had many projects that I wish I had a welder for. It’s time for me to get one. The Lincoln stick buzz boxes last and have been around for years. I want stick, but I want mig or tig too.
It really depends on what you want to do with it.
I do a lot of automotive steel sheet metal repair, so I went with a Hobart MVP wire feed. It does a lovely job.
I’ve also got an aluminum gas welding setup for doing old aluminum sheet metal, oxy acetylene and a Meco midget.
Both are great, require practice, and are job specific.
They last because they do NOT have all the fancy electronic junk inside them.
I have a Lincoln Idealarc MIG welder and a Miller Dialarc TIG welder. Both machines were made in the early 70’s, they are essentially bulletproof. I would recommend finding an older Miller, Hobart or Lincoln machine. They are transformer machines rather than the newer rectifier machines. The newer welders are like the newer cars, they are basically throw aways.