"Just wear your damn mask..." (jimal)
08/26/2014 at 18:41 • Filed to: Cotomer Sevis
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"Just wear your damn mask..." (jimal)
08/26/2014 at 18:41 • Filed to: Cotomer Sevis | 4
| 6 |
As you can see, I had some problems with my old beater MIG welder. After trying - and failing to first strike an arc, and then stitch weld a couple plates onto my truck's frame, I discovered the connector on the welder that the torch plugs into as basically melted and arcing itself. After poking around online, I assumed that while my old Marquette welder is old, these connectors are pretty much universal and should be available locally.
Or not. Yesterday I visited a local welding supply store with my melted connector. The kid behind the counter had no idea what I was taking about, but managed to basically call me a liar. He then called his "expert", with whom he shared a laugh at my expense before telling me that I was SOL, but good luck finding a part for your old welder, ya dumb fuck.
Back to Google, and after trying a couple different variations of "welder connector", I stumbled onto an eBay auction for a "European style quick fitting plug and terminal". Took that description to Amazon, where I initially struck out, and VOILA! The exact part I need.
Okay, I'll have to wait a couple weeks for it to come in, but I was able to source something supposedly impossible to find in a matter of minutes, and this store just lost a customer for welding expendables, such as gas, wire, gloves and such. They're close to where I work, but with the exception of the gas, I can get everything online. And the gas is available lots of places.
POSTSCRIPT
I like to support local businesses whenever I can. The local NAPA for example has been great. Businesses like this welding supply store aren't unique and they make supporting the local economy a challenge.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Just wear your damn mask...
08/26/2014 at 18:44 |
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Nice to see it had a good resolution. I've seen variants of that style quick fitting before, so your local welding store's incuriousity and arrogance would put it waaayy down the list of anybody to do business with in the future for me.
lone_liberal
> Just wear your damn mask...
08/26/2014 at 18:45 |
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I would be tempted to go back to that store and wave the part under their noses and tell them that it was that little part that cost them a customer for life, but I wouldn't because I'm a wimp.
f86sabre
> Just wear your damn mask...
08/26/2014 at 18:47 |
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same deal for me. I picked up O2 sensors for the Mini on Amazon and they were the best price around.
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Just wear your damn mask...
> lone_liberal
08/26/2014 at 18:49 |
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I won't simply because I won't waste my time. I'm sure they're short sighted enough to realize that my small initial order wasn't worth their effort. The other guy behind the counter was letting the expletives fly because a roach coach showed up to exchange it's propane tanks. Or at least it looked like a roach coach. Either way, customer service isn't their strong point.
Big Daddy Handsome
> Just wear your damn mask...
08/26/2014 at 19:11 |
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I know how you feel. I always try to shop local before anything else, but when I go into a store and they: a) don't have basic things that I'm looking for, and/or b) have absolutely terrible service, it's just stupid to not use something like Amazon.
Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
> Just wear your damn mask...
08/26/2014 at 20:03 |
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we try to do the same but a month or so ago we priced a hammer drill through there local company we've been using years. Checked amazon and it was a quarter of the price. If the were BBQ tongs I would just pay the extra but we saved $325...