How much is enough

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So I'm trying to post some pictures to illustrate my question. How much welding rig to start with?These first two illustrate the opposite ends of the spectrum. But here is an example of what happens sometimes. We end up loaded to the hushpuppy.So I quess what I'm looking for is pros and cons of buying way more rig than I really need to start out with, allowing myself lots of room to grow. I was raised with the "you should never have more than you need" mentallity, but trying to grow a business can be tough. So my thought is to save my pennies and pay cash for more than what I need to start and if the growth comes I'm ready, and if not oh well. I've looking at used heavyduty mechanics rigs (F800s) and such and have found some in desent shape pretty cheap.By the way in our little corner of the world a mobile welder will be doing mostly heavy equipment repair and some general fab(fencing handrails etc.) maybe a little steel building erection work.I'm driving a 99 chevy 2500 right now and I've got a 16' bumper pull trailer. No welder right now since my ancient hobart engine drive gave up after hurricane Katrina. I'm looking at buying another truck one way or another to keep one free for parts running hay hauling etc.Ranger 250 GXTSmith Gas Axe
Reply:Buy the FreightlinerLook what other guys drive, and if they are able to keep their rigs.  Then buy an old truck and set it up to do what you need to do.  New trucks cost too much, and often wind up back on a lot somewhere.Old one ton with a welder and a gin pole usually won't let you down."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Buy what you can afford in cash.  The number one reason a small business fails is due to lack of cash flow.  ANY payments can sink you when the work is scarce.Miller 185Lincoln Weldanpower 225Lincoln 225 buzz boxCheap-o C&H 110v (my first welder)
Reply:Ok, so you swiped my freightshaker.  It is enough truck for me, to do everything I need to do in the fields that I work.  I fix logging, drilling, ag, construction, etc etc equipment, and OTR trucks.  Engines, trannies, rear ends, hydraulics, electrical, undercarriage, buckets, etc etc.  Fix them, weld them, use them.  That said.. my first truck was a 3/4 ton 4x4 that had a torch and a road box and a POS hobart engine drive.  I moved as fast as I could out of that into a one ton dually, oil field pipeliners rig with an SA200, added my road box and air compressor.  As I added tooling, it was time to step up again.. that time to a C-60 chevy.  Way underpowered, drank lots and lots of gas... and basically carried everything that is on that black truck.  I sold it, went to a KW T-600 because I wanted air brakes, air ride and a real engine/tranny combo.  Great setup, engine wasnt worth fixing so I went into the freightliner.  It is too much truck for my current job so I am going backwards again, back to a one ton dually and an f-450.  I would say, if you plan on putting together any kind of a welding outfit to make a living with, find a one ton truck, maybe with a 10 foot bed and go from there.  Its pretty easy to overload one, so maybe an F-450 or 550.  I would stay away from all the two ton class trucks, simply because of fuel economy and they are gutless.  They have light duty drivetrains with a big spring pack.  The five ton class of trucks, air brakes, diesels and medium duty drivetrains are fine, but will wear out pretty fast. The 32-35000 pound gvw trucks with big drivetrains, big engines, big brakes are for multipurpose rigs like mine.  Gotta start somewhere, I would start in the one ton class if all I did was welding..Last edited by cablecat; 01-16-2010 at 07:32 PM.
Reply:I couldn't help but borrow the FL cablecat. My dad used to work for a local REA (power company), they use several F450/550 truckslike this but with a bucket boom.He said never buy one because they are over loaded their entire working life. He said thats why they trade up very regular. Yeah I'm looking to make a cash investment and just have to cover my operating costs. I know one local guy that bought one of these and just threw his welder and box on back.Ranger 250 GXTSmith Gas Axe
Reply:Wow I ran accross my own rig on the internet!  LOL  It all depends on what you wanna do.  My rig works for me, although it is overloaded.   An F450 or 550 would serve me better and allow for future expansion but I roll with what I own cause it's paid for, in good condtion and it gets me where I need to go.   I wouldn't want, nor do I need, anything as big as a class 6,  7 or 8 truck.The first truck I did a mobile welding job with was my '87 Dodge Ram 50 4cyl longbed, very similar to the one in the first pic.   Last edited by DesertRider33; 01-16-2010 at 10:42 PM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Pretty much anything beats a bicycle...[B]Forever learning[B].
Reply:Hey guys cheap is the way to go to start id say , unless you have fat pockets , i started out with a 95 3/4 ton sierra 2 wheel drive doing general welding with 422000 kilometers on it lol  ,,, you do what you can to start and some times one job can be a great kick in the pants financially to put you in batter equipment ... this was my first mobile unit,, over loaded lol Attached Imagesbrentc