I had took welding shop in high school but we only learned oxy/acetylene torch brazing, and arc welding with sticks. It wasn't until I got my brothers together and we all chipped in and bought a Lincoln HD100 pack flux/mig welder for my dad 3 years ago for X-mas, that we basically taught our selves. I like the Lincoln we bought because it is still house 110, is set up as flux core at the moment (shielding gas is produced by the flux in the wire) but has provisions to be set up as a MIG (uses separate inert gas argon/c02). The flux core definitely creates more slag (tiny weld balls that surround the welding area) and MIG produces a cleaner weld without slag. Eventually I would like to buy a tank and regulator to do the swap maybe next X-mas. We also have a Millermatic 180 but uses a 220 line, this was my little brothers "make a wish" gift shortly before passing from cancer, but it too is also set up as flux core. I recommend to just get a welder and start practicing ha ha we use "L" frame from bed frames for most of our "projects" and our first project was a welding cart to hold the welder. we used bicycle traning wheels for the rear and old casters we had lying around for the front ha ha. works like a charm.
