Which equipment to acquire?

Yeah, no kidding. I had a really good week, last week, and decided to splurge on a ReadyWelder for my Trailblazer rig. Looks like a toy, but welds like a champ! I was suprised by the end of the first bead. This allows me to perform Stick, MIG, and TIG mobile now. Yahoo!

I know the feeling there for sure. Had a good month so went out and bought a 9" Evolution saw, 14ga capacity Kett shears, and a Millermatic 135 for a job coming up (I've got to weld some grease hood ducting 30' up in the air). I started to get a ReadyWelder instead of the 135 but since I'm fixing to put dual shield in my Millermatic 200 I decided that the 135 would be handier to have with some hard wire in it for the thin jobs. Plus there's been to many times lately where I've needed two welders going at once.

One of these days I'm going to get a ReadyWelder that's for sure.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

equipment.................

But you know what? Sooner or later, you got a good __________. (You fill in the blank.) Some of them you got two or three of. You don't really need another one unless one takes a crap. You don't need it like you do at first when you don't have even one. Then, as in the case of hand grinders, you want three, because you don't want to change wheels all the time. How many

But after a while, you plane out on your equipment. And if you have done your homework and made some good choices, you have stuff that lasts for a good while. I had a MillerMatic 200 for 13 years, and all I did was change guns. I never even had to change the contactor points! I had stuff that I TRIED to trash and it wouldn't die.

After a while, you just WANT to go shop and buy something, but you really know deep down you don't need it, or it isn't any better than the one you have.

That is when it is nice to just ring the cash register, buy some consumables, notably the best hood, autodark, gold lenses, good gloves, and Comeaux hats. Maybe some Redwing steel toes. Some nice shirts with your name on them. A Carhartt jacket , or maybe some coveralls. A stainless steel coffee mug.

Yep. Once the equipment monster has been satisfied, life is good.

Steve