220V Plused spray MIG welders?

[Sberry]

But could you get the prices as a walk in? As a small user? Are you coat tailing to get it at the cost you mentioned? The guy could build the trailers no problem but the issue is cost and profit. Gonna do all this work to get the stuff to build one for himself? Find 3 others to buy one like it?
The real way to save money on a trailer is to keep eye open and buy used. Even then new ready made is really competitive. I build once in a while but usually with free stuff and for specific purpose. The aqusition, the material, the prep the design, all costly for 1 off. Different if a guy doesnt care how long it takes or what it cost. Avg guy would be difficult to do it in 100$ in gas and wire even if he was thrifty.
Just like the welding machines you sell. Couldnt put it together at 50 cents an hour if you found all the parts for free.

 

[Sberry]

I would like to test a 150 class from you guys. I dont need it but I get asked a lot about recommendation and I really think that machine is revolutionary due to some of the features and the cost. I have heard good things. Especially in relatively recent times. I had a bud bought one similar in a different country, he is not a career welder but said it worked well and was some super cheap price.
Lots of stuff inflates in cost, this had dramatically deflated, lots of tools like that. If you would have told me 20 yrs ago that my go to battery dri;ll would cost 50$ now I would have said fos. The cost has probably stabilized but the modern tools are now so good and cheap that doesnt make much economic or use sense to chase up brands names for a lot of it and so many good clones now available of elite that much is now at disposable pricing really.
Some places cost is not so sensitive but cant think of a single reason I need that tool truck to ghet something that works can be bought for 20 cents on the dollar, some 10 cents and some as low as 5 we beat the snot out of with a 4# hammer still works just dandy. Lots of it now has long service history,,,,,, wayyyyy better than when we got it in the middle of a bind or thought it might sit in re,mote boxes, it blended in and a lot of it has become the go to tools. Some of the best adjustables I own are flea or ATD level. Used to be flea tools were India junk but now they are simply white box and snatched off the line before they were brand stamped and packed for other sales venues.
The BD 4 1/2 grinder is as good as the yellow bastards I broke a whole garage full of, 1/3 the cost and as good or better when one considers the cost + the3 fact never need to fix the fuggin cords on them.

 

[Sberry]

At this point would have been glad to give a 150 a spin. When I bought my Max the MVP had just came out and the green were just starting and some of the others were having some growing pains but,,,,,, it would have been neat to get it 25% the cost for sure, makes for great return even with minor work, now have all the features. Doubt a user could ever tell them apart.

 

[Sberry]

I remember when HF showed up, a bud had a catalog and bought that stuff and seems had to pretty much fix everything before you used it. Import welders were a bit like that, the things kinda worked but the build quality was poor. The finish on that green machine looks fantastic.
I got a Bud bought one or similar. He should have bought 2 and still should buy another but has poured gobs in to old used sale junk that never did work right and even at charge card prices should have bought a new small engine drive.
Anyway, bought a import, not sure which one but worked super good. I actually told him to as I recall and had all the what if questions. Its a straw argument but still hear all about the what if reasoning. Anyway, runs the living snot out of it in a small welding biz he makes his living from. Use dit every day. Had it about 5 years and it pukes up a part, I cant recall but he calls and wants to know anyone can fix it. Was maybe 350 for repairs if it worked to this well worn machine and it was really tuff to splain to this really smart guy that he could stock every part for it for 600 or 650, thats what I told him.. Youi can get ity all brand new,,,,,all put together, 5 years newer, under warranty, great warranty, pot odds hundreds better than a lottery ticket, all packed in a box plug it in.
For his purpose at the time he paid 500 to do what a 5K Miller would do for him. Cost him a 100 a year. Miller would have to last 50 years at that rate and bought with yesterdays dollars assuming you had it then to start with.

 

[Sberry]

Had a salesman stand there face to face about trade in value...Made it sould like a bargain to get 5K more for it in 10 years if I wanted to sell it if I spent 10k more today. Remember the old argument against Dodge, its trade book was a few hundred less,,, for a truck you paid 3K more for when you bought it.
I have heard the same about the Snap tools, if I buy this for 300 today it will be worth 150 used when I retire in 35 yrs,,, well I have seen beat to snot HF wrenches with the good ones missing sell for more than new at auction. Could replace a 150 inverter every time the warranty was up for 100 a year. I bet the majority of them will still be working 10 from now.

 

[Sberry]

Same for Stanly and some of that turd Cman, but the Stanley for sure, brutal tuff, sold at Walmart, if I had to start over wouldnt even bother buying "good" tools. So many outlets today its often easier to let them shelf it or order till its needed and buy adequate and useful over bling first and a guy isnt out much if it does go south or leave/lost. Not even worth insuring. I bought a DC buzzer for 100 less than retail in 83 maybe, 82 and gave up 225$ with some lead and a couple connectors. A 150 Everlast cost new today less than the regular retail then and does the same work even better in some sense,,,, this has got to be the ultimate in return on investment for tool cost, has skyrocketed the math.

 

[Sberry]

Has reduced operating cost from engine drive in so many places that its really revolutionary, fuel, maintenance, weight, dollars on the shelf or behind the seat.
Was a chore the other day to do a little handrail and the helper says, weld it in place vs pre engineer it all. We would have grabbed a forklift and got a machine but there is an outlet 6 ft and a machine weighs 11 pounds makes a lot of difference. Only down side is the engine is idle another day and wouldnt hurt it a lick to run it once in a while but this has so retired most of them dont even keep batteries in them anymore.
I had a portable the other day and took 1/2 day to fix one up to do 1 hr work,,, ha

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

But could you get the prices as a walk in? As a small user? Are you coat tailing to get it at the cost you mentioned? The guy could build the trailers no problem but the issue is cost and profit. Gonna do all this work to get the stuff to build one for himself? Find 3 others to buy one like it?
The real way to save money on a trailer is to keep eye open and buy used. Even then new ready made is really competitive. I build once in a while but usually with free stuff and for specific purpose. The aqusition, the material, the prep the design, all costly for 1 off. Different if a guy doesnt care how long it takes or what it cost. Avg guy would be difficult to do it in 100$ in gas and wire even if he was thrifty.
Just like the welding machines you sell. Couldnt put it together at 50 cents an hour if you found all the parts for free.

No. I walk in. But first I shop around on the phone...and compare and not shy about telling them I think it is too high, if it is too high. I figure out what I need and figure out how much waste I have and what I can use it for for other projects, or if it is worth it to build two. People automatically assume that these places won't deal with them or offer a better price. A lot of times they like to give the small guys a break, as it could be their future "business". My guys deliver for free if I have 150.00 worth of steel. I had a young guy fresh out of welding school, with some decent skills just turn 3 grand on a trailer after costs. I told him where and how to look for materials. Yes, he had initially found much higher prices, and I told him where to look and what to look for. If you can't make 30% on a trailer, something is really wrong. You should be able to double your money at least, but 30% is doable without much sweat. For example, I have built a lot of 5x10 equipment trailers with mesh bottoms. Cost is about 550 (give or take) dollars, and I sell them between 900 and 1100 dollars depending upon the exact equipment on it.

 

[Sberry]

Are you in the business of selling trailers, is it a hobby? There is always other reasons people quit doing it, I think there is a guy on GJ does this out of his garage. He been at it in a while and I never asked him any math. I have met him at my place but dont recall if it was full time, wife works etc, just dont know the details.
I had a bud tried it a while had a full shop and already operating, I think they saw it as supplemental and could afford it, they dropped it and saw a setup they did later where they bought a trailer and tossed the stuff on. You couldnt buy steel any lower than they could.
I saw another local outfit go all to trailers but he came up with some more semi custom scheme to fit big azz boats and semi know another gave up their field work to fuss with some kind or trailer work for the tourists etc. Works in his shop and hasnt taken a site call in a decade. Both were successful before they wedged their way in to the trailer biz.
I have heard the math about like you describe, I can see putting it together for a bud here and there but the juice before and after gets thinner with the associated cost. Could add up depending on the circumstances. Not saying it will but its something to consider.
Its a little like the welding machine, somewhat but slightly different margins that cant be turned in to multiples. Toss a bunch of parts on the table at wholesale cost and then figure out how much a guy could put together a welder for if he did it for nothing. Then the machine only cost 55$ and the rest is all profit???? It sold for 250. In this case technology has driven down the cost, there was a limit you could buy raw materials for and it took a certain amount to work right.

 

[Sberry]

I understand wanting to promote the ability to earn with the machines and appreciate the competition brought to this market. In fact I think the value of it is near revolutionary really,,, the ability to do this work at this cost is fantastic. Welding machines have always been a fair value, they really are and were historically and prices remained rather stagnate since 90s anyway and the new imports kept a lid ion it with another few bricks.
I havnt ever used one of your machines but i got to figure from some pretty reliable testimony the value and dependability has rocketed. I bought most of mine way before this curve and simply dont need any more but the price and the value, the quality, the risk reward is huge in favor of the end user in this line of equipment. Its in the entertainment disposable cost range for a machine can produce professional results. Same way for cameras, very similar to the modern welding machine and particularly the import clones. Really doubt most professionals could tell them apart from the results.

 

[Sberry]

Thats 250 or 300$ for a machine cost 50 in parts,,, not 60% and how long to acquire, build, finish and sell for 900, forgot some basic design and layout for the first unit.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

No, not really. It is a side thing and an easy thing to cough up some extra cash. Here, you can sell them as homemade trailers, and customers can go and get their own license plate for it with an assigned VIN from the state. I live on a major road through our town, and have about 250- 275 feet of road frontage...not sure exactly, but that seems about right.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

As a follow-up I eventually circled around to what I originally was thinking about, namely purchasing a Miller Multimatic 255 and welding up my own 10", four-wheel, two-bottle, welding cart for it. That said, I ended up doing nothing because while waiting for a True Blue sales discount to come around, my pay loader blew a front tire the first time I fired it up this year and ordering in two new front tires more than ate-up my new welder funds. Been stepping on other rakes as well.

The mobile tire guys are all backed up from servicing the pipeline equipment that has been idled but my new wienies should be installed next week.

Anyway, here is an example of the type of welding taking place in my garage which is basically limited to 3/8ths inch material and thinner right now. Fun little $900 job right here (there is more to it off camera).

 

[Sberry]

Bust them down. Put them on. Read instructions for those type of wheels.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Bust them down. Put them on. Read instructions for those type of wheels.

Two tools I don't have for changing out this style of rim are a bead breaker as well as that funky Esco bead lock. I'm paying the mobile tire service $150 an hour to come and do it but the guys who do it for a living make it look easy. My wheels will require a shedload of wire wheeling.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Pulsed welding is a different animal all together, but once you get it, we’ll...I will just say it, it is better than ***!

it is not for better welds but rather to allow the welder to reduce the heat and thus distortion going into the base metal. It has a slower deposition rate over spray arcing mig, but you can control the heat so much better because you can manipulate the arc.

When I built the missile silos for Navy ships Navsea mandated pulse welding for all critical areas.

I have been welding for 32 years, but it took me awhile to really get good at pulsed mig, but I really like it. I am spray migging now, but I really should be pulse migging.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Made my first thing with my new Multimatic 255. I'm looking forward to making many more things now!

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

That's a lot of spatter for a pulse MIG. You might want to work on adjusting it out. It shouldn't do that. There should be nearly 0.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

That's a lot of spatter for a pulse MIG. You might want to work on adjusting it out. It shouldn't do that. There should be nearly 0.

With this machine I did exactly two 2-inch test welds on a coupon before I went at this job to adjust the gas flow. One with the setting on 3/8", and one with the setting on 1/2" with an arc length of 50—I then went to town. Somewhere I decided to back off the arc length and wire speed a bit to the settings shown in the photo above. By the time I welded these two parts, I'd set down about fifteen, maybe sixteen total inches of weld. I didn't bother flap disking anything smooth because its for my own tractor and work-worky is my priority and paint cures faster when the parts are warm to hot. Anyway, yes, if I backed off on the arc length I'd likely have less splatter but for me, doing is practice.