What kind of equipment do I need?
The first decision you need to make is what kind of equipment you need to achieve your goals.
Keep in mind that the 115 volt wire feeder is capable of handling 22 to 12 gauge welds and you may be able to weld 1/8 inch thick material with proper preheating. But be careful, the maximum preheating is limited to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The other is a 230 volt machine that can weld materials from size 22 up to 3/16 inch.Proper preheating can increase the range to 1/4 inch. If you need to weld plates of various thicknesses, consider a 230 volt welder. 

Remember, if you are going to do very regular aluminum machining, you will need a heavy-duty welder. The 115 and 230 volt compact MIG welders can be used for occasional aluminum welding, but it is not recommended to use them for complex and heavy aluminum welding, otherwise it should consider welding equipment exceeding 200 amps. After you have determined the input voltage, the other question you usually ask when choosing a welder is, do I need a continuous voltage regulation model or a tapped coil model? The continuous voltage regulation model allows you to steplessly adjust the set voltage within the machine's voltage limits, making it more adaptable, allowing for more efficient adjustment and precise control. This allows you to adjust more easily during welding operations.