A laser welder that has the capacity to weld more than thin sheet-metal is probably going to be either in the KW range, or the kilo-Buck range, or more likely both.
Welding takes practice, I was taught to gas weld sheet-metal about 50 years ago and there is a learning curve. I can stick weld two pieces of metal together and they'll stay stuck, but the welds will not be pretty. Pick a welder, MIG, TIG, or stick and just practice with it. There are welders that can weld in all three modes, but how well do they do it is what I wonder?
Your welds may, probably will, look like ratsh*t at first but with practice they will get better. Test your welds to destruction, clamp the weld in a vise parallel to the jaw and hammer that sucker over. When you can get the parent metal to give before your weld, then you're on your way. That's the simplest way to give yourself some confidence in your welds. A weld may look beautiful but not survive the testing, or the weld may look like squirrel-sh*t and hold while the parent metal fails, squirrel-sh*t is a couple steps up from rat-sh*t. More likely you'll find that some fairly crappy looking welds will be stronger than you thought. I strive for pretty and strong welds, but will settle for strong. We aren't trying to build nuclear pressure vessels here.
Above all else remember - "A grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't."
