Buy the biggest welder you can afford with the money you can spend.

The difference between a 110v and even the 175/180 class 220v machines is huge. There's MUCH more to a welder than the material thickness it's capable of welding.

The ONLY reasons IMHO to buy a 110v machine are 1) cash 2) portability 3) lack of 220v service. Service is easy to put in. Portability isn't a big deal unless you plan on dragging it to friends to weld. Cash is the biggest issue.

You can find a complete 1-3 yo Miller 175/180 with tank/cart and occasionally helmet for around 450-750. Just have to look. Craigslist is a good place to start. There's a Lincoln 250 in Tulsa for $700

And the comment about it's just for this... never works out the way... You'll end up doing other projects that require more oooomph. DAMHIK!

I've had the Lincoln 3200HD and two 140s. Stinkin thieves!

I really like them and never had a need for anything larger. I've easily welded everything from sheet metal to 1/4" without ever saying "I wish I had a bigger welder."

The portability is a biggie. I've hauled it around to several different places (stolen from two other homes ) to use it for structural steel and building the off road buggy amongst other things.

Unless you get into something really crazy, I doubt you'll out grow one of these. If you do, save your pennies as best you can and get a SECOND welder. That way you've still got one that can be used wherever you go.

I've seen some guys break important stuff on their cars at the track. They needed a welder. If they had the 110V unit, they could have powered it off a generator and fixed their ride.

You can do a bunch with the little $400 units. More than most people think.

However, if you decide to build ocean-going container ships or multi-lane freeway bridges, something larger would be handy.

even though its not the question get a Miller mig 140.
they die hard and run anywhere.
ive had them all and i mean in ###
and the miller is the only one still going and my 10 yr old nephew said it was the easyiest to run too.
yea i got a Miller Syncrowave tooo so i can compare to the best.

OK, I'm going to throw this out there because I've had a good experience with mine:
Clarke 180EN 220V/180A MIG

I searched for several months to find a used Miller, since there's a Miller store not far from me. Not sure what was going on, but you couldn't touch a used 110V unit for less than $700 back then (6-7 yrs ago), and I really wanted a 220V for the extra flexibility. I finally got to where I NEEDED a welder for my LCA project and couldn't find the Miller I wanted, I bit the bullet and ordered the Clarke. I got it delivered in 3 or 4 days for about $560, including the cart, autodark helmet & regulator. FWIW, the cart is functional, but a PO$, and would make a good project if you have the time. I also ordered a small pile of consumables, but most TWECO-style gun parts will fit.

I wired my garage with a single 220V outlet near the door, and made up a 15-20' heavy extension cord so I could reach anywhere in the garage and most anywhere under the carport. So far, I've made an engine cradle, a set of boxled LCA's, subframe connectors, torque boxes, and a number of small engine accessory brackets. The unit has worked perfectly, with the only problems I have ever seen related to me forgetting to turn the gas on (snap-crackle-pop), forgetting to turn it off (empty tank - again!), and wire so old it gets crud on it and doesn't push well. Those have all been easy fixes. Some day I hope to have time to weld more often and avoid all three situations.

Is the Clarke a great welder? Probably not. It doesn't have the infinite power/feed adjustments that other higher-dollar units have, but it seems (to this rank amateur) to do the job I need it to do. I've called their tech support (in OHIO) a few times for questions about how to weld or what to do, and they've always been helpful. For me, it was - and is - a great "starter" welder, and should last me a long time given the limited amount of welding I do.

Clair