Bye bye diesel welders

[Jim Davey]

Sold off the last of our old diesel welder/generators today, a man comes to pick them up Monday. At one point we had 32 of these bad boys out earning revenue with plans to chop them all in for new ones in batches of 5 over 2-3 years but that was before Red D Arc arrived on the scene. I can't compete with a firm that can put a 500 Lincoln Vantage (list price over £24,000 with running gear) out for £50 a week.

I'll be getting a couple of newer 300 amp CC/CV machines in to cover the odd contract that crops up but these will be stripped for the engines (all have good Kubota D905 or D805 engines) I expect.

Middle one in the bottom picture got rolled on a motorway by a client.

 

[Shox Dr]

50quid. That must be on long term

 

[Richard.]

You ain't the first and won't be the last to say that. Red D arc undercut most fleet hirers but it's not always what it's cracked up to be. I hired two gen sets off them for a week of site work few years back now. All was going well and delivery was on time but the state of them let them down. Gen no 1 wouldn't start with a full tank. (Heater plugs failed) and gen no 2 was chucking oil out everywhere by the 3rd day. Granted they sorted it with better sets but it's grief you don't need. Went to hew dons after that. Paid a bit more but got Miller big blues.

 

[Jim Davey]

50quid. That must be on long term

Not particularly, and even if it is that's suicidal money for expensive plant that devalues quick with customer abuse/neglect and filthy sites.
They are welcome to that business if they want to fund it.

 

[Jim Davey]

They pay well under 50% less than list price bud. Probably costs 12-13K for them to add a 500 to the fleet, maybe less. And they can sell it at 4-5 years old for between 8-10K so not so crazy, but you can't compete against that kind of buying power or will to take business regardless of cost as an independent hire outlet.

 

[Jim Davey]

Me neither, they must subsidise the costs with revenue from higher profit contracts elsewhere, I'm sure where business is undefended the go in at higher rates, I'm just "lucky" to be sat by a major shipyard and refinery.

 

[TechnicAl]

If I recall correctly I remember someone saying that Red D Arc were buying Lincoln Gennys cheaper than Lincoln UK were buying them from their parent company.
I also heard that when they get smashed or go missing they love it because the Insurance money is always more than the value

But I wasnt involved so its only heresay

 

[Jim Davey]

Probably Al, they are Lincoln North Americas biggest client and get a better deal than any dealer here or abroad so I guess that's probably not far off the truth. Makes it near on impossible for anyone to go up against them on the same kit.

 

[Richard.]

If I recall correctly I remember someone saying that Red D Arc were buying Lincoln Gennys cheaper than Lincoln UK were buying them from their parent company.
I also heard that when they get smashed or go missing they love it because the Insurance money is always more than the value

But I wasnt involved so its only heresay

Hens why they are not well maintained or looked after. Makes sense.

 

[Jim Davey]

All the ones I see locally look in tip top shape Richard, I can't fault the turnout of the gear. At least round here, I've heard some people struggle to get decent setup info on the pulse-MIGS though. That's won me a few jobs to be fair so I hope they don't address that issue anytime soon lol.

 

[ronan]

Can't imagine the insurance companies swallowing that for too long before they get stroppy and awkward.

 

[TechnicAl]

Can't imagine the insurance companies swallowing that for too long before they get stroppy and awkward.

The firm doing the hiring usually pays it not the owner so the insurer can be anyone

 

[Richard.]

All the ones I see locally look in tip top shape Richard, I can't fault the turnout of the gear. At least round here, I've heard some people struggle to get decent setup info on the pulse-MIGS though. That's won me a few jobs to be fair so I hope they don't address that issue anytime soon lol.

Really. The ones we got were sheds. As I say one of them wouldn't even start from the off.

 

[HughF]

Got anything going that needs a bit of mechanical work but has good electrics? Not that I need another project, but you know, I'm always tempted

 

[Jim Davey]

Diesel welders come in for a really hard time on site, people push them around with JCB buckets, fill the tanks with water and dirty fuel, run them out of oil and shot-blast all over them to name just a few of the commonly occurring perils lol. It's hardly surprising they can develop reliability issues fairly early on in life.

 

[Jim Davey]

Got anything going that needs a bit of mechanical work but has good electrics? Not that I need another project, but you know, I'm always tempted

I did until yesterday mate, a dealer came and agreed to take the lot. Sorry.

 

[HughF]

No probs... Probably a good idea you already let them go, spent too much this month

 

[colnerov]

Diesel welders come in for a really hard time on site, people push them around with JCB buckets, fill the tanks with water and dirty fuel, run them out of oil and shot-blast all over them to name just a few of the commonly occurring perils lol. It's hardly surprising they can develop reliability issues fairly early on in life.

Hi, ahh yes building sites. A mate of mine worked for a plant hire company and was always having to go a get kit working again, on one occasion he went to fix a dumper that "had just stopped and won't go again". Sure enough it wouldn't, checks the filter and there is a mix of sand, water and fuel in it. Drains the tank into a bucket, flush the fuel pipes through, replace the fuel filter, put a jerry can of fuel in it and away it goes. Job done. Next day same story "had just stopped and won't go again" check the filter, same mess in there. Driver says " It's not fuel I've just put diesel in it". "where did you get the diesel from?". "It was in that bucket over there"

Colin

 

[Bill Edwards]

Do you do anything with smaller, easily portable ones Jim?

 

[Jim Davey]

Yes, they are a more popular line for us than the big ones now. And a lot more economically viable as they cost far less to buy store and run and therefore show a return much sooner.

We use these...