"SteveB" wrote in message
news:cgN0e.4015$AN1.1304@fed1read03...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you guys!!!

... for all of your advice you gave me on getting
started in the world of welding.

My question now is, where does one get more for ones money,
when buying a welder?

Ebay?
Harbor Freight?
Others?

What are your recommendations from personal experience?


My recommendations from personal experience (first welding course in 1974)
is this:

Buy a machine from a local dealer, a manufacturer or a distributor. This
includes many local shops and Internet businesses. If you buy one on
ebay, it may not have the documentation to qualify for warranty.

(Valid stuff snipped)


As a welding newbie I tried to do what you suggested. I really wanted to
support my local vendors and have been around enough to realize that buying
for price only is short sighted. I live in San Francisco and bought my
first welder from the local well known supply house. As I got to know them,
I realized that most of the folks that worked there didn't know diddly and
didn't stock what I wanted. The guy that did know something wasn't very
pleasant to deal with. I found the same situation at the other big local
supply place.

The next welder I bought, I got online. It was cheaper than if I'd bought
locally, arrived faster (the local guys didn't have what I wanted in stock),
and all the needed paperwork for registration and warrantee arrived with the
welder. I've been getting my supplies online too. And... it's easier to
get advice from the metalworking and welding NG.

I really wanted to support my local welding folks, but they seemed
determined to keep an inexperienced small user at bay.

Peter