Any favorite online welding suppliers?

Aug 15, 2010 5 Replies
R

I bought a couple packages of rods from the local welding supplier, what a pain in the butt. They have no prices on anything so I bought a pound of steel TIG rods and a pound of Aluminum TIG rods. The rods were plenty cheap but they charged me $4.50 Haz-Mat fee. Since even Wal-Mart doesn't charge me extra if I buy something with steel or aluminum in it, I don't plan to do business with the local welding supplier any more. If they had prices on their stuff I would have bought about 3 or 4 times as many supplies and the $4.50 fee wouldn't have been so bad, I would have liked more welding rods and needed some tungsten.



So, are their any favorite online welding suppliers, preferably close to Illinois so I can get quicker ground shipping? I have bought many items from McMaster Carr, they are almost 300 miles away and their prices aren't great, but ground shipping comes in the next day.



RogerN


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B

I have had decent luck with the Enco welding rod. I bought 10 pounds of

1/16" ER70S2, 10 pounds each of the two common aluminum alloys in 1/16" and 1/8". Maybe your local place is better than the ones in Phoenix, but 10 pounds of mail ordered rod and shipping cost what 2 pounds would have cost over the counter.

BobH

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R

There are no displayed prices since they have multiple discount schedules. They look up your account number to find what they plan to charge you. No account? You get the highest price.

RogerN wrote:

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E

The hazmat fees are State mandated. There is no way around them from a welding supply store. Online suppliers can often skip them.

Those hazmat fees are due to the numerous class action lawsuits against welding filler manufacturers, for manganese, arsenic, lead, mercury, tungsten, tantalum, and anything else they can think of that can cause heavy metals poisoning.

For TIG supplies Arc-zone has a good selection of TIG torches, gadgets and parts.

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Tig Depot has an excellent selection of TIG wires, and high-end aerospace equipment.

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G

Indeed. Best way to work those sorts of places is make up a business card on your computer with some really prestigious but bullshit name and title and give it to the sales rep before asking pricing. Tell them you are a prototype shop and buy occasional but decent sized quantities.

Tends to make them get out the pencil better...

"A conservative who doesn't believe? in God simply doesn't pray; a godless liberal wants no one to pray. A conservative who doesn't like guns doesn't buy one; a liberal gun-hater wants to disarm us all. A gay conservative has sex his own way; a gay liberal requires us all to watch and accept his perversion and have it taught to children. A conservative who is offended by a radio show changes the station; an offended liberal wants it banned, prosecuted and persecuted." Bobby XD9

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D

What's that Lassie? You say that RogerN fell down the old sci.engr.joining.welding mine and will die if we don't mount a rescue by Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:34:57 -0500:

I like:

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tungsten and stuff. Not sure where they are located.

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