Rehmann

[matt1978]

That's 2 markets

Sorry, I have re-edited now, so no one else can mock my grammer!!

 

[irondarren]

One thing that data plate does say, is save your money and buy an IFL or a Lorch, or Esab or anything other than this poorly put together chinese made bit of junk. Problem is many people have to buy them and use them to find out, and when they use something of a reasonable quality they realise they have been missing out

 

[Drains]

Sorry, I have re-edited now, so no one else can mock my grammer!!

Spoilsport.

Anyway, it wasn't your grammar at fault, it was your maths

 

[matt1978]

One thing that data plate does say, is save your money and buy an IFL or a Lorch, or Esab or anything other than this poorly put together chinese made bit of junk. Problem is many people have to buy them and use them to find out, and when they use something of a reasonable quality they realise they have been missing out

To be honest thats what I have been struggling to get my head round with this whole DIY/Hobby market. Its opened my eyes in the short time I have been on this forum.

 

[matt1978]

Spoilsport.

Anyway, it wasn't your grammar at fault, it was your maths

O.K, so I can't write properly and now your pulling me up over my counting. Kick an iliterate man when he's down!!

Tory government, Comp school education at its finest!!

 

[snowcat]

O.K, so I can't write properly and now your pulling me up over my counting. Kick an iliterate man when he's down!!

Tory government, Comp school education at its finest!!

Oh excellent, someone else can get mocked for there poor grammer and confused maths.

 

[Drains]

To be honest thats what I have been struggling to get my head round with this whole DIY/Hobby market. Its opened my eyes in the short time I have been on this forum.

Where I served my time all the mig sets were NBC. Point and shoot, lovely. I didn't touch a welder for ten years, then for a wee job, (on a budget), got a SIP little something. I was the only person I knew who could make it work. (and it was rubbish when it got warm). Then I got a Clarke 190 odd mig, and couldn't believe the difference. Then I got.... an old NBC 300 machine, which was, and remains, almost as dear to my heart as Drainetta....

What I never knew, like you Matt, was that there was so much variation out there. When you're raised in wealth, you don't know what poverty means (apparently). I guess it's the same with welding (and lets face it, all tools)

 

[irondarren]

problem is most DIY ers wont spend the money because they claim they dont use it enough. Trying to explain to them that a cheap chinese made 140amp MMA inverter for under 200 quid wont be a patch on a lorch H140 (guess here but around 400quid?), because it will out strip it on duty cycle reliability and actual welding performance, will handle speacial electrodes etc with no problem, and they don't believe you. Try explaining that the european restrictions on pollution and health and saftey all add to the cost of the machine. They would rather spend less money and buy the cheaper option despite knowing full well that china has no worries about pollution or the health and safety of its workers. There is a vast gulf between DIY and the professional Markets

 

[matt1978]

yeah good point well put!

But the bit I don't get is that, people who use welding as part of a greater hobby, eg, car repairs or something wouldn't dream of buying/using the cheapest components for there car etc.......or would they??

People who do it as a hobby, also must have or had "proper jobs" lets say they are a Carpenter...... they don't see any problem with buying the cheapest mig they can get away with but they would baulk at the idea of buying "Draper or Silverline" tools for their carpentry.

Because the welding industry is my trade and my way of making a living (and has been since I left my ****ey comp school) , it surprises me how many people get tempted by some of the Chinese cack of ebay. This being a prime example.

I am not saying that they are wrong, just that it has opened my eyes.

 

[Drains]

They're not wrong. It's economics. In my book, tools should pay for themselves, simple as that. If it's a wee job that'll take a bit longer with crap kit and more fiddling/skill, then do it that way. If you will lose money cos you've got crap kit, then spend more.

TBH, that's how I look at most of my tools, and my purchasing. Don't buy because it's quality, buy because you need it, and because it'll serve it's purpose.
"Fit for purpose":- a fine phrase.

 

[irondarren]

Not sure thats the way to look at it simon. If its a one off job, that you are unlikely to do again, then ok a silverline tool will do as long as it finishes the job. But if its something that will get used again then its worth buying quality, which is something that escapes most people and actually costs them more because they end up buying a new one because it breaks.

 

[Drains]

Not sure thats the way to look at it simon. If its a one off job, that you are unlikely to do again, then ok a silverline tool will do as long as it finishes the job. But if its something that will get used again then its worth buying quality, which is something that escapes most people and actually costs them more because they end up buying a new one because it breaks.

I think we are making the same point really. Diy, one-off etc. buy cheap,. If it's your living, buy proper.

And you are quite right in inferring 'buy cheap, buy twice'
Axioms are great, eh?

 

[weldequip]

After 16 years of trying to tell people this I have decided to give up and am now going into Osterich farming... you get much more for your money. (You only get one egg per box, they won't fit in the fridge, pan of boling water or your egg cup but Hey!... they are huge... you get much more for your money!)
weldequip

 

[Robotstar5]

Ostrich Eggs

Will there be any discount for forum members
What sort of warranty are you offering
and have you found a carrier that can deliver without breakage?

 

[matt1978]

And when you finally hard boil them, you can dip a whole loaf in. More of a Platoon as apposed to soliders!

 

[peterd51]

Hi,

I used to work for an ostrich farming company 'till it got closed down by the DTI.

We have a couple of eggs on display at home, big buggers, take some cracking (although they're 'blown' so there's a small hole in the bottom).

Regards
Peter

 

[lexi]

The price of anything is what people are prepared to pay. If you pay less you lose less. Do all you guys put your cheap microwaves in to get fixed? Who cares if the machines are not professional, when they are cheap. These machines have siemens inverters in them.........and they work. The bloody things are only for joining two bits of metal together.

When my mum bought her first telly it cost 150quid which was probably 25 times the weekly wage......we all know the rest. If you can go out and buy a cheap Mig for £160 then what`s wrong with buying a Tig for the same. A lot of people in the trade don`t like it cos it aint black magic no more.

Alex

 

[irondarren]

The price of anything is what people are prepared to pay. If you pay less you lose less. Do all you guys put your cheap microwaves in to get fixed? Who cares if the machines are not professional, when they are cheap. These machines have siemens inverters in them.........and they work. The bloody things are only for joining two bits of metal together.

When my mum bought her first telly it cost 150quid which was probably 25 times the weekly wage......we all know the rest. If you can go out and buy a cheap Mig for £160 then what`s wrong with buying a Tig for the same. A lot of people in the trade don`t like it cos it aint black magic no more.

Alex

Nothing to do with anything being black magic or anything. A good quality welder will with good quality welding rods produce a good quality weld to a coded standard, even to X-ray standard. Something a cheap nasty welder won't do. But if its for something that doesn't matter to much, then fine but for something structural thats a different matter

 

[weldequip]

Lexi is a hobby user & you are a professional user Darren so there is a difference. I fully understand Lexi's point of view but he (and others) must appreciate that it will be just like that cheap microwave when it goes wrong. Take the side case off to try & have a tinker... and there lies the 'black magic'!
They are so cheap to buy that they are not worth repairing, and they are so cheap for a very good reason... you cannot buy a true German quality machine for that kind of money!
More & more "professionals" cannot resist the prices, which is a false economy. DIYers, I understand the use/cost ratio.
Horses for courses.
Why am I not selling the stuff?... ask yourself that. I could import them direct with relatively little outlay & stick them all over the net.
They will no doubt get better & better, but until then I will stick with the stuff that is proven... with good technical back up.
weldequip

 

[weldequip]

and have you found a carrier that can deliver without breakage?:laughing

Now there's a challenge! Probably easier to develop a time machine that can travel at 3 times the speed of light!
weldequip