Is your welding supplier useless?

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It seems that all of them here are useless except for buying Gas and sometimes cable.If you need a connector or a torch part all of them (we have a Norco, Oxarc and A&L gas) give you the "we can order it". Well I can order it too and have it at my door without making a 2nd trip and without a long explanation of what I need with the counter drone.If Lowes and Big-R can stock 1/6" 6016 rod and steel cast iron rod, why cant the Welding suppliers.Just a rant after burning some fuel this morning trying to buy stuff from the welding suppliers only to come up empty and getting most ot what I needed at a big chain store and ordering the rest online.
Reply:I can get most anything..down to "o" rings for the cap of a tig torch if i need one from the supplier we deal with..but they needed to back order the 3/32 4043 i wanted..got it 2 days later ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:The more you use your equipment the more you will have need for a welding supplier.  They are still a good source of replacement stuff.  I am not too picky about rods, though I usually get them from a welding supplier. My supplier is a great resource.  Having a good relationship with suppliers can get the prices to be  quite competitive with mail order without the wait.
Reply:Ours is pretty good.  Good prices, good support, a rep comes out to visit us regularly.  In fact he'd be willing to make the drive once a week if we needed it.  He also saves us shipping costs on some ordered items by bringing them by on his regular visits.  I do wish that our purchasing practices allowed us to buy from them on some bigger ticket items rather than spending six months on a bidding process.  Its maddening to try to order new welding hoods/respirators, to get approved for the money, and then to spend six months waiting for them.  Okay, I think it's actually been a bit longer than that now.Oh, it's AirGas West, Palmdale California.  I have no idea how Air Gas distributors in other places work.  But if you're in the High Desert, I'd recommend them.Kalroy
Reply:I feel your pain. I had to deal with my old supplier yesterday...............should've closed that account.  They do not want to get you what you want...they want to get you what they want to sell.  I tried to get some 98/2oxy and they told me I don't need that for MIG, I need 75/25. Well, the spec'd process I was doing said otherwise.  They have no clue and do not want to get one either. ...dang...there goes my blood pressure again. Fortunately, I have a new supplier that is pretty good. They can get most of what I want. Sometimes quickly, sometimes not.....but they are very good to deal with. Keep looking around, you may find someone to help you...although you may have to drive a bit to find them.
Reply:I have got to agree with Aric. I too am in eastern washington, Kennewick to be exact and have been dealing with Norco and Oxarc only to pay premium prices for everything. When I need something, I buy through my job and pay them the cost. Its the only way to pay a reasonable price. Any time I go to the stores its like they smell blood.Recently I have discovered that a friend works for A&L gasses inside sales and he quoted me some very good prices on gasses. I don't know what else they carry hopefully I have found someone I can trust in a company that sells me what I need. If you PM me Aric, I will give you his name.Bill
Reply:You want to try getting stuff in New Zealand Aric, it can drive you mad!!  I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.
Reply:If you are in Western Wa, these guy's are pretty good, never had a problem with them and have a pretty knowledgeable staff and a full line of speciality gas in about any mix you want http://www.centralwelding.com/
Reply:im glad the supplyer i go to give's me what i ask for and most the time wen i ask and now there open on saturdayChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:My local WS is a small privately owned company that I've had an account with for years. They handle a good supply of items and are Miller, Lincoln, Milwakee, Dewalt, Ellis, Tweco, Weldcraft and Victor dealers. They carry a large supply of all different types of welding and filler rods. I know that evryone has heard this, but they DO REALLY try to make customer service their bottom line. I've never had a problem with them and if there is something that I need and they have to order, it usually gets to me within a very few days. They have 6 or 7 stores in a wide area, so if I'm away from my local area, I can find one of the outlet stores, pretty close to me.One of the main reasons I use them is the fact they have their own bottle refilling stations and I just drop off my empties and pick up full ones. I could even have them drop off and pickup my bottles, since I'm right on their route.They also repair and rebuild welding machines and cutting equipment in their shop. For being a small family owned WS business, it's pretty much a one stop shop for all your needs.I've had dealings with other shops and have had problems, so I know what you're talking about. The only thing I can say is to shop around and I'm sure that you'll find someone else that will meet your needs.Last edited by Diverbill45; 09-02-2006 at 07:50 PM.
Reply:Im surrounded by big box stores and 1 welding supply store.  The ws store is great for gases since he runs a bottling outfit but he is terrible on prices for welders and welding supplies. A 5lb package of 6011 rods is $22.00 and I can pick up the same thing at the big box stores for $7.00 and he wonders why I don't buy more.  It's the same for welders, he actually sells the Millers above the price listed on Millers site.......go figure.  I will look to him for gas but as for the rest the internet and big box for me.Michael
Reply:Like any retail business, they're all after the mighty dollar. If you're running a small business; you're apt to do the same price gouging as these guys. If you have regular customers, you may give a discount to show app. for loyalty. A guy that walks in and says hey weld my widget. If you gotta knock off a regular job and do it - he's gonna pay premium for it.If you find a reasonable supplier, hang on to 'em.Weldtek
Reply:Originally Posted by WHughesI have got to agree with Aric. I too am in eastern washington, Kennewick to be exact and have been dealing with Norco and Oxarc only to pay premium prices for everything. Bill
Reply:The welding supply store here is great. They have had everything I've ever needed in stock, and their prices for consumables and torch parts are about the same as anything I can find online. The name is C&C Oxygen.
Reply:No my supplier is not useless, I deal with 2 different AirGas stores. I deal with one person at each store. The one in Glasgow KY is Darrell Wood, the one in Bowling Green is Junior Duvall.  No matter where we work in the eastern US I call one of these 2 and they will have the store closest to us ship what we need. When we have problems they will be there with company reps. and help us through the problem.  When we are doing tie ins or shut down work during the holidays one of these guys will be on call in case we have problems. When we are bidding a large job they will help determining how much comsumablies we will use.
Reply:Living in the DFW area means lots of choices.  We've got the national, chain gas sources (Airgas, Praxair, etc),  several smaller independents, lots of big box stores, and general stores that carry welding supplies and sundries (Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, and, dare I say, Harbor Freight).  I've had good luck in all.  I even had an independent WS in Fort Worth try to GIVE me a barbed brass fitting, because they thought it might inconvenience me to put it on a debit card!  I paid for the fitting, and thought to myself, that's how to keep me coming back; gotta love it!  Needless to say, I will continue to give them my business.cricman
Reply:I'm a hobby/home project welder.  My supplier provides 1-3 day turn around on filling my cylinders at reasonable prices, is usually competitive with big box and internet for consumables, occasionally has to order stuff not in stock, sells filler rods in 1 pound minimums, gladly answers my welding questions, and has free coffee.  Never bought a welder from them, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.TeddCoHTP Microcut 400 & Invertig 160DC  Smith Dual Guard MD-510 OA Rig  Lincoln SP135+  Hobart Stickmate LX 235/160
Reply:Originally Posted by 383bigblockIm surrounded by big box stores and 1 welding supply store.  The ws store is great for gases since he runs a bottling outfit but he is terrible on prices for welders and welding supplies. A 5lb package of 6011 rods is $22.00 and I can pick up the same thing at the big box stores for $7.00 and he wonders why I don't buy more.  It's the same for welders, he actually sells the Millers above the price listed on Millers site.......go figure.  I will look to him for gas but as for the rest the internet and big box for me.Michael
Reply:I second the recomendation of Central, which is in Western Washington- they are great. They usually have everything I need in stock, including repair parts for most millers and lincolns, but if not, they have a whole bunch of stores, with trucks driving between em daily.And they will special order me anything I want, quick.Good prices on machines, too, usually they will try to match internet prices, might not always make it, but they try.Cheap rentals on stuff like gas drives and mag drills, when you need em.So I got no complaints.