On Thursday, December 26, 2013 8:11:53 AM UTC-5, KC wrote:

Yeah, that's where they told me to start. Jess and I have a bud across
town who is a welder by trade, said to call him as soon as I get a
machine and he will head over to start the lessons I already have a
couple projects in the works.

Get some scrap metal and practice! Since my first project was (and still is) some auto body work, I went by a friends body shop and got some body panels that were pulled from wrecks. Cut a chunk out, weld it back in, repeat.. Tough to do at first without blowing holes through it. Figured out later that thicker metal is easier to weld, you just have to worry about getting enough penetration instead of too much.

Get a decent quality welding helmet. Gotta protect those eyes.