My uncle has a couple of tractors for his small grading business. A couple of years ago before he took over I replaced the shanks that the teeth pin to on the track-hoe bucket. The teeth and shanks are great quality but after market. When I replaced these shanks for another family member, the owner before my uncle, he paid for gas and rods for the welder and was happy to do so, I didn't charge for my time because its family. After a couple of years of using the machine the teath wear and get loose falling off because my uncle didn't replace the teeth in time. After the teeth fell off, he just kept on using the machine untill the shanks wore out. Now the shanks need to be replaced before new teeth can be pined back on the machine. Then my uncle calls me, he found a set of teeth that match up to different shanks, but wonts me to weld these teeth on to the old wore out shanks. I told him teeth should be pined on because they are hardend and not made for welding. He said don't worry about it just do it, I said what ever its your machine. I clean every thing up and started welding every thing on. After getting half way through the welding I ran out of 7018's. Thought I had more then I did. It was late in the afternoon, my uncle tells me he will pick a box up in the morning. I told him to pick a 50lb box up so I will have some let over for my self to use. He asked my how much a box cost, I told him around 100 to 120 bucks. He tells me no way he is paying for that, and wonts to know if there is a smaller contaner. I told him there was, but a small box wont leave any left over for me and I was not charging him any thing but would like to have some rods for the ones I used that belonged to me. He said I don't have that kind of money so I will use the machine like it is.(half way done)Also he is not going to replace the rods or gas I used so far on this project. I told him he was lucky I would just ask for rods and gas. Most welders around here wont come out for less than 100 bucks for the first hour and then they have a two or four hour minimum at 65 or 70 an hour. Before long some thing is going to break that needs welding, then I am going to sit back and watch somebody burn a new hole in his a**. Also why do people think rods and gas are free. My welder burns the same gas my car does and I have to pay for that. Sorry just needed to vent a little bit.