Buying a welding machine

Here are some tips and knowledge I have condensed about buying a small garage welder.

Summary
I just spent about a month researching 110-120 volt welders. There are many choices and many details to consider. Make sure to learn a little bit about welding before you buy. Good place to start is looking at these terms Welding Terms

Go with a Italian or US made welder if you want a better quality. If you are worried about cost than Chinese is the way to go.

110/120 volt --- 135 -140 amp welders
Eastwood 135 chinese made - gets pretty good reviews and is backed by 3yr warranty $299 - You can get free shipping if you sign up for there mailing list. You may have to wait a few days they will send you a coupon.
The lincoln "Pro" line is Chinese. $320 These are the ones at Home Depot. 
The Lincoln Mig 10 Pak "Power" line is Italian. $429 on overstock + shipping 
Hobart Handler 140 made in USA (at least assembled here) Norther Tools $489 free shipping
Longevity Migweld 140 is Chinese. $329 on amazon free shipping with Prime
Miller (makes Hobart) made in USA - Didn't look to much at miller but they are pricy.

Tips
* Make sure to look at the Duty Cycle on any welder. None of these run 135-140 amps. The duty cycle stated, on most of these is 20% at 90 amps. This means you can weld for 2 minutes out of 10, with 8 min break. The duty cycle at 140 amps would be like 30 secs out of 10 mins. 
* Also be aware you will need a DEDICATED 20 amp circuit for any of these 135-140 amp / 110-120 volt welders. 

I just bought a Longevity Migweld 140. It had pretty good reviews and lots of options. Infinite adjustment on wire speed and power and the option for a spool gun for aluminum welding. 

http://www.longevity-inc.com/resources/welding-videos

Use
From my research these machines have the power to weld up to 1/8 steel. 3/16 is pushing the capabilities, especially for a novice. Learning some basic technics you will probably be good up to 1/8. Again all this depends on the skill level of he welder. 
Beveling and preheating metal before weld can allow you to achieve strong welds on thicker metal. Research and practice some advanced techniques before you work on and projects. There are some good videos on you tube.

Safety

Having the right gear is important also. Welding is dangerous. Fire and burns seem to be the biggest hazard. Get  a atuo-darkening helmet. Wear lots of leather, organic materials will protect you better. Leather is the best.

Know how your machine works. Undersand the basics of arc welding. 

Arc welding uses Current to produce heat. When the electrode from the spool gun touches the metal (your ground clamp is attached) it completes a circuit. Resistance in this circuit, particularly at the weld point, causes heat to build up very quickly. Heat also builds in the machine. This is why you have to follow the Duty Cycle. 

This is what I have learned over that past month of research. Now I need to learn to weld.