Finally realized

admin

How much cheaper it is to buy wire in bigger rolls than what I had been.  I didnt know of larger rolls of wire than 1lb that I had been buying at Home depot.  I went there today to get some more and they were all out of 1lb rolls but had a 10lb roll for $35.  I had been paying $8 for 1lb so I was real happy when I seen how much I could save.  I dont really feel qualified enough to go to the real welding supply place here and not to sure what they would think of my "weld pak 100" or flux core wire so I stick to HD.  I had to buy the 2" sleeve also for the bigger rolls but it was only $5 bucks.  I was going to buy some metal there also but they wanted $7.50 for 6 feet of 1 1/4" x 1/8" angle and thought that seemed a little overpriced when comparing to you guys getting it at 50 cents a pound at the metal yard.  Live and learn I guess.Dave
Reply:Suck it up and check out some real welding suppliers, most of em won't really bite you, and when you find a good one, you'll know it cause you'll feel welcome.You can always tell them you got the little one as a gift, and now yer thinkin about something bigger, and if they offer to demonstrate and let you test drive you know you found a good place.Last time I bought a 30# spool, the price was under 2 bucks a pound as I recall.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Your pricing at a welding supply will vary depending on what or how much you might use, or how low the rep will go for you. I pay about a $1.00 lb. for 44lb. rolls. I had to chew my pricing down from what I was at 3 years ago.J P Streets Welding LLC
Reply:Franz in right on. Do check out your local welding supplier or at least give them a chance. If you have more than one, locally, check them all out. Chances are that you will hit it off with one of them and when you do you’ll find them to be an invaluable resource. Short (Long?) story to follow:When I first wanted to get a welder I went  to my local Airgas supplier and told them what I was interested in doing.  I’m not unfamiliar with wholesalers in the trades and have dealt with many over the years as a one-time contractor and cabinet maker. Unfortunately I was way too green and had not done nearly enough research about what I really needed for what I wanted to accomplish in the long term. My initial need was to repair some expansion chambers for my two-stroke road race motorcycle. Sure I could have gotten someone else to fix them but I’m a true (red, white and) blue DYI kind of guy. Not the Home Despot kind but self taught in virtually every discipline that was necessary for me survive by not working for someone else for most of my adult life. I told the Airgas guys what I wanted to do and they directed me to a unit they thought would fill my needs, explained what its capabilities were and what fit into my budget at the time. I chose, and they sold me, a Lincoln SP 125 Plus MIG welder, a roll of  Flux Core wire and included with the sale was a regulator/flowguage for gas shielded welding, a hood and gloves.  I managed to repair my pipes with the flux-core but there is no way that I would post pictures for you guys. I’d be way too embarrassed. I was truly a newbie of the first order and they were ugly beyond words but they worked. My only prior experience with welding was with an Oxy gas rig brazing my chambers and it was many, many years ago. At the time I bought the 125  I thought I would be doing more welding but I kind of let that slide for a year or so. Don’t get me wrong. Watching those broken pieces join back together was intoxicating and was the impetus for me to move away from wood working and into metal working. Fast forward a year and a half or so. I’d been doing a lot more research. Focused in on what my longer term goals were and started to gather up some of the shop tools I thought I would need. Most of which revolve around wanting to maintain, repair, modify (sometimes extensively) and build (hopefully from the frame up) racing motorcycles. Some $$$’s later and countless hours of  reading way past my bedtime, every possible catalog, book, brochure and printed Net info I could get my hands on, I now have many of the things I think will be necessary for me to accomplish most of what I want to do. My choices for purchase include items from Harbor Freight, Sears, Travers, Enco, Smithy, J&L, Rutland Tool, ProTools, EBC, Aircraft Spruce, Arc Zone, Tig Depot and numerous other suppliers of tools, metals, supplies and consumables. Most of all, to bring it back to the subject at hand, when I was ready for a “real “ welder I went back to my Airgas guy to buy my Miller Syncrowave 250. After a couple of trips (they are about six miles from me) of kicking tires and purchasing some minor pieces of gear and consumables we got down to negotiating for the 250 DX.  When all was said and done the price I paid was only two hands full of dollars off of the best Internet price I could find and there was no attempt to try and “get me” for a lease on the Argon gas bottle which I purchased, was fairly priced and came filled, at no additional charge. A few month later I was kicking tires for a Plasma cutter and ended up with a Hypertherm 600 . Same great service and a good price. Recently, not having visited for a few months, I went by to order some ERS80S-D2 and mentioned that I might be interested in getting an MM210 or the comparable Pulser but I wasn’t sure which and probably not until the late Fall. They did not have the Pulser on hand but without hesitation he said “ Give me a call and I’ll arrange for the rep to bring a Pulser by so you can try them both out”. That to me is good service and guess where I’m going to buy my next welder?Allen
Reply:Where do you guys find these "magical welding supply houses"? I have heard of them and have searched, but all I find are lying SOB's who could care less about a hobby weldor. The SOB seems to specialize in saying he has an item in stock and after you drive 45 miles go: OOPs I'm sorry, our computer says we had some in stock. GRRR!
Reply:I bought my MM251 from the local Airgas, and I buy 99% of my consumables there, too.  A 35# spool of wire was $28.  They treat me right.  But the truth is, in many aspects I'm teaching them as I go, and I think we both know that, so they are more than willing to get me stuff to try.  I give them valuable feedback.There was a point that TSC carried everything I needed for welding, but that point is now long gone.  The local Airgas currently "imports" supplies for me from another larger store, and has offered to stock some things for me.
Reply:Dave;Some  things that you have to look at are. How long will a roll of wire will last you? What is your shop like? If you have humid conditions and don't weld a lot your wire can rust and cause all kinds of diffulcties feeding through your gun. Of course you can remove the roll of wire between uses, but thats a pain. Sometimes it's more convient to pay more and use a smaller spool.
Reply:The lying SOB with the computer thing happens across all fields of suppliers, not just welding suppliers.  When somebody tells me the computer says they have X# in stock, I generally ask them to go check that, cause if it ain't in stock when I get there, they will have to unhook that damn computer and put it in my truck.   I make them aware if I can't get the one that's on the shelf, I'll use the one in the damn computer.Appreciation Gains You Recognition-
Reply:Thanks for the info and help guys.  I have also notice on the internet sites that the more wire you buy the cheaper it gets.  I dont think my mini welder could handle a 44lb. spool of wire.  I wasnt sure it would take the 10lb roll but its doing fine.Jim, I live in northern California so humidity isnt much of a worry but I dont think Id really need more than 10lb at a time just to be safe.  I also threw one of those moisture bags in there with wire to maybe help it.  I noticed in your pictures in another thread you have a Mastiff.  I had a Bull Mastiff for 10 years when he finally gave up.  I pretty much grew up with him, got him when I was 8 and he was 8 weeks.  Hope to get another one some day but dont have room for one where im at now.Dave
Reply:He's a three year old  english Mastiff, named Judge, "AKA" Dogzilla. He really doesn't take up a lot of room. He's usually happy to lay around where he can be most in the way Attached Images
Reply:Judge is a nice lookin Mastiff.  My bull mastiff was fawn with a brown mask.  I emailed a couple breeders to see about another fawn with brown mask and they said they are kind of rare.  I dont know how true this is since Ive never got into breeding them or any of that stuff.  I dont have a scanner or id post some pics.  Just dont let him eat your welders.Dave