Welder purchase soon...

My birthday is coming up, and I think I'm gonna ask my wife for a new welder. I have a Campbell Hausfield 110V MIG already, which is okay for light stuff, but I wanna make sturdy bumpers and other stuff and am considering the Lincoln 225 AC stick welder. It seems like a good buy in the 200-300 dollar range for a 220V machine that can do heavier materials. Is there anything I am missing in this line of thinking, or am I on the right track in picking out a new welder?

AC/DC is nice, but if you can only swing enough for an AC machine, they work well too

Lawn Cher, I run the Lincon 225/125 AC/DC model K1297 and really like it. I use it in the DC mode on all but the really heavy stuff. The DC setting leaves a smoother finish so I don't have to do near as much grinding as I do in the AC mode. When I do need the max penitration I use the AC setting, for me this is normally 1/4" plate or thicker. I basically run the same combo as you're thinking, small MIG machine (Miller Sidekick) in conjunction with a basic buz box and it works out really good.

Lincoln 225/125 AC/DC buz box
http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/equipmentdatasheet.asp?p=2494

I personally don't like welding with AC... yes it gives you less arc blow. but I like the smoothness of DC.
I personally don't like the big tombstones so much anymore. but thats because I have a millermatic 172 mig and a miller maxstar 140. the 172 will burn 1/4" steel with ease and the 140 will do both dc tig and dc stick. the 140, while kinda $$$ wieghts in at a light 13 pounds. so its highly portable and yet with 140 amps you can burn quite a bit of stuff. but if your budget is 200-300 then search ebay for a dc machine
the challenger cost around $600 and the 140 cost around $1000. cheaper for the stick package on ebay and more $$$ for the tig package.

i'd look for used AC/DC rather than new AC

I have a 230A AC stick welder, and I haven't yet found anything I couldn't do with it by adjusting the output a little. I've welded 1/4" many times, and it does well on even 1/8" if I take my time and turn the heat down. I'd probably have a tough time w/body panels...
I can personally weld much better with a stick welder than with a MIG. I seem to see the puddle better and can get into tighter places. I just took a welding class and got to use all 4 methods. (torch, stick, MIG, TIG), and I felt most comfortable with a plain old stick welder. So that's what I bought and I'm happy with it. :thumbup: