[Paul F]

You will want both MIG and TIG. If you say you want to get the right one the first time, get a name brand; Miller, Lincoln. Get 220V with at least 150amp capacity. Do not get 120v unit.

Books and videos are a waste of time for me. They tell you the very basics and in fact, I have found them to be misleading. You just can't explain what's going on in a book or a video. You have to see it and do it first hand.

Go to a junior college or, practice yourself and when you get stuck go to a local welder and hire him for an hour to show you what you are doing wrong. This is definitely learn by doing. For TIG, I think a mentor is very helpful to get you some fundamental knowledge you may never figure out on your own.

For smaller projects, if you are going to fabricate on the floor or your bench, get a sheet of metal to lay everything on. Very handy to just put the ground electrode on the metal plate and then lay your project on the metal sheet. You can tack your project to the sheet to steady it or position it if need be.

Buy 2, 3, 4 cheap 4 1/2" grinders from Harbor and set them up with cutoff wheel, grinding wheel, and 80grit and 120 grit wheels.

Like everyone has said, practice, practice, practice.