davefr wrote:

I'd like to learn basic welding for project work/small repairs around
the shop. I don't plan to do anything fancy and most of the work will
be with mild steel.

Which welding technology is easiest to learn and less forgiving for a
newbie?? (acetylene or arc)

Does anyone have a favorite site welding site for newbies?

I personally cannot imagine anyone learning to weld out of a book. On the
other hand, most of what you need to know you can learn from a book. Then,
regardless of which technology you choose, you should really try to watch
someone doing it. Ideally, take lessons.

If you get an AC/DC "buzzbox" style stick welder and 7014 rod, it's pretty
easy to weld acceptable joints, at least on properly fit up steel in the
horizontal position. I've made some pretty complicated structures doing exactly
that. However, later I learned how to weld with 7018 and you can use this on
tool steels, or many of them anyway.

I started with an O/A setup but I found it too hard to control the heat and
anything I tried to do which was thin would warp badly.

Lately I've been learning how to do brazing. Hope this works out ..

GWE