If anyone in the AZ area needs a quick lesson, i would be glad to instruct. I have a Lincoln Powermig 200 series and has performed better than anything I have ever used. When considering a welder, look at the duty cycle. The higher rating on the duty cycle the better and longer welds you can do. Also, again just from my experience, using a tank of Argon CO2 mix performs much better than the self coated wire. General tips: if you are welding something structural, try to weld on flat surfaces so the penetration of the weld will sink into the material better. If you cant, weld in a downward direction. I know the price of steel is up there, but if you can find a junk yard or just some scrap steel, try a few different settings and hand techniques to get different looking welds. If anyone needs any other assistance, please dont hesitate to ask. I can always take some pictures and maybe the jolly ol fella will bring me a video camera for christmas!