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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / what do you expect of new/used equipment
- - By KSellon (****) Date 08-11-2010 17:46 Edited 08-11-2010 17:54
After a purchase do you expect to have to change the oil, or tighten a bolt?

Here is why I ask. A completely rebuilt 68 w/ 1 yr parts warranty was welded with in my shop by 2 people. The first a non 798 hand for 2 hours, the second a Mr.Bowlware a 798 hand for 6 hours. I had both men check her from bow to stern as if it was their own. Neither found any problems and loved the machine. So I put it up for sale.

The buyer is now in PA. The oil seal on the governor has failed and is leaking down the front engine mount (a warrantiable issue). He is in a panic. 2 days later he calls saying it won't start so I ask him to check the wires at the alternator, his response "whats an alternator and what does it look like". I told him to go to an auto parts store, have them remove and check the alternator. If its faulty I will warranty it for you with a check. They replace the alternator and the next day it fails (diodes).

His response to this: call, cuss and yell and belittle everyone in sight.

Mechanical parts failure happens with NEW machines. Every 6 months like clock work. I had a welder build a pipe fence around my house, 3 months later some clips bust loose and a top rail weld cracked out-- did I call and yell, didi I get mad when he didn't want to warranty the work-- YOU BET YA!!! But I didn't yell piss or moan. I got it fixed.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 08-12-2010 02:06
Care to let us know WHO this guy is ?
Parent - - By KSellon (****) Date 08-14-2010 15:46
"I am sick of people getting "offended" by what I say...put on your big girl panties and deal with it!!!!!
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 08-14-2010 17:45
F---'em and feed'em fish heads
Parent - By jrw159 (*****) Date 08-14-2010 21:46
I will second that!

jrw159
Parent - - By nevadanick (**) Date 08-12-2010 17:59 Edited 08-12-2010 22:56
well its pretty simple really...... cant weld=cant work 
if i had just bought a "completely rebuilt" welder WITH a warranty and the governor seal started leaking i would definetly be asking some questions as well as taking a VERY close look at the rest of it.
asking the welder to be a troubleshooter is out of line, there is alot of guys that could but how do you know ?
Parent - - By FixaLinc (****) Date 08-12-2010 19:24
Those are the kind of people that need to always buy new equipment or new vehicles with that warranty because they will need it.   They never have had any mechanical skills at all and aren't going to learn any simple as that.  Stupid people shouldn't own old equipment I see that everyday and it's even worse with the younger ones they never ran a lawn mower until they were 30 or older geeze.  New stuff breaks down too simple as that and why it has a warranty.
Parent - - By nevadanick (**) Date 08-12-2010 22:34
say for example a guy is a bad ass welder, but not a mechanic, that makes him stupid ???  I dont think so. Warranty is warranty  even if someone that works at jack in the box bought the welder.  You are Wrong dude
Parent - By Johnyutah (**) Date 08-13-2010 03:29
Lost a water pump in a 300d had a mechanic repair it while I was home for a few days guy does great work. About 15hrs into the next week over heating bad pump I replaced it in the motel parking lot. Now I was out half a day plus parts and it was January in Wyoming = first bill 360.00 + 6hrs lost + new pump and one cold welder = 877.00. Was I pissed hell yes I was, was I pissed at the mechanic no he did not make the part. If your going to weld in the field you better have some common sense about the mechanics of your machine seals fail parts go out I have fixed machines on my dime to stay working. Keep the receipts and if it is a warranty issue you will be reimbursed no reason to act like a little b**** about it just keep swimming. And if this is his sole income where is his spare machine I can change mine out in about thirty minutes. Any how always remember the tec who installs the parts did not make the part and life happens be ready for it and good luck.
Parent - - By weldwade (***) Date 08-13-2010 20:58 Edited 08-13-2010 21:11
What everyone is saying Mr. nevadanick is; if you are going to own a 40+ year old welder, truck, boat, motor home, house etc etc etc it would be a really novel idea to actually know something about it mechanically. Some people do not have the common sense or aptitude for mechanical tasks. These people are usually who I refer to as being stupid, uneducated or handicapped. Some people are just plain lazy and don't want to get dirty or whatever their issue is so they never learn, this is where the Stupid part I referred to earlier comes from. So YES in my opinion I do believe it was a stupid move that the guy bought an old SA200. He is also uneducated concerning mechanical knowledge and I know for a fact that it is really easy to learn basic auto/mechanical repair/troubleshooting practices, that is if he can read! You can download a manual, buy one at a parts store, borrow one from the library or friend or order one off the internet. Hell you can even post a question on a forum like this one to gain knowledge??? Kaye is going to make it right for this guy even though he probably needs his A$$ kicked for being a complete jerk off to her on the phone. New parts fail just as easily as old ones. Much of what we purchase is built or assembled out of this country anymore. Quality is getting harder and harder to find here in the states when it comes to buying products. So you might as well expect to have a problem from time to time. And one last thing that is just my opinion but something I feel strongly about. If a guy tells me he is a welder and nothing more he won't get a job offer from me simple as that. Every one of my guys that are my best welders are also very very good mechanics. These two abilities go hand in hand in my opinion.
Parent - By nevadanick (**) Date 08-15-2010 16:45
and I agree, if you are going to be involved in the mechanical/ welding trades at all it would be very wise to educate yourself and be cappable of supporting your immideate needs independently.  For anyone who truly is good at what they do it becomes natural.   
im a heavy equipment mechanic by occupation, so being used to dealing with customers and providing mechanical support in shop and field conditions i know what to expect, what works and what doesnt.
say i worked on an excavator and gave a yr warranty.  cust calls and says its leaking oil and wont start and flips out on the phone.  Would i be surprised ? No. Cant Dig=Cant Work
It does suck to deal with some crappy people out there and im not a fan of the hot head, yelling and screaming type, never does any good, but any buisness owner should be used to it, mabe not used to it but dont let it bother you.
Parent - By nevadanick (**) Date 08-15-2010 17:03
I have seen more than a few very good welders that couldnt work on anything, if there machine broke they took it in.  Not sayin its right but thats how it is.
And honestly i think someone with little to no mechanical skills would have a better chance of fixing a 40 + year old anything  compared to something modern
Parent - By FixaLinc (****) Date 08-18-2010 21:39
Customers that want to act like that with everyone will eventually have no one help them or repair things for them I've sent some like that packing no one has to put up with a BAD attitude !  Everyone eventually has a run of bad luck and needs to remember what goes around comes back around.
Parent - By KSellon (****) Date 08-13-2010 20:11
evry part on me rebuilds carries a 1 yr warranty. Failure happens. Thats why I purchase from mfg's that offer warranty. But I will not pay another shop to do my work. I can only do what I can do. And I will do that to the full extent of my abilities.
Parent - - By KSellon (****) Date 08-13-2010 20:13
I never asked him to troubleshoot. I told him to drive his truck to the local auto parts house to have the alternator checked. Have them pull it and reinstall a new one. I will warranty the alternator. Just don't call and call me and my staff everything but white.
Parent - By weldwade (***) Date 08-13-2010 21:00
Kaye, nothing you did was unreasonable. The guy is just a Jack A$$.
Parent - - By nevadanick (**) Date 08-16-2010 12:27
Remember... you asked for others opinions
Parent - By KSellon (****) Date 08-23-2010 21:07
I'm good. I like the feedback.
Parent - - By Iron Head 49 (***) Date 08-13-2010 09:03
Anybody ever own a Ford 6.0L? They cost little more than a welder!
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 08-14-2010 03:19
One of My friends has 2 of them, they have both had issues, but they still run. Too bad He wasn't buying new trucks 1 & 2 years sooner, could have had the 7.3.
Parent - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 08-13-2010 16:09
If I bought a completely rebuilt welder with all new parts, etc and a warranty and it started to leak out one of the seals, as a mechanic for 18 years I'd be wondering. But on the other hand I would also be thinking must be some chinese made p.o.s seal perhaps in which case I'd call and say, hey, can you send me a new seal? To call and cuss like a sailor though won't get anything resolved, 32 year old machine even with a complete overhaul does not mean 100% dead to rights reliable, you can't get that with a 2011 automobile.

Got a prime example, a buddy dropped a valve on his 05 dodge, told him to take it to a good friend of mine about 1.5 hours from him to get it repaired. Told him I know the guy does good work and don't half azz schmidt. He took it to a guy close to him, who he knew nothing about. This guy in turn gave it to one of his hourly cronies.....who give's even less of a schimdt about my buddies truck. When he gets it back, his boost gauge don't work, fuel pressure gauge don't work and it rattles like an old 12 valve. Well, his boost bolt is gone, his fuel pressure lead is not connected and the valves need to be readjusted not to mention it'll only build 30psi of boost and the guy he bought the turbo from says it should hit 40 psi easily. "You need to find the leak in your exhaust or intake that is killing your boost" the guy tells him. Guess what? I get a call yesterday, when can you drive 1.5 hours to my house and find this leak on my truck? Not what I really want to do, find somebody else's f'k up, but I will. In this situation I'd be pretty ticked.

I change the oil on anything I buy used, filter, oil, plugs, wires, air filter at least I know the last time it has been done then. Probably a bad seal, it happens, send me a new one and I'll deal with it, not a life changing event by any means. What's an alternator???? Are you serious?? Get out in the bush some place and it won't start because it's got water in the filter and it's 15 degrees outside, you gonna call a roadside welder mechanic because you have no clue?? On the alternator though was it tested at the shop and sent out or was it a rebuilt alternator? That's something I'd be asking, if either one, yeah those fail too. Replaced one on my saturn years ago, two days later it took a dump. Ended up getting it warrantied, hated to change it again.....two days after installing the new one but it was not the parts house that did it.

If this guy has no mechanical ability whatsoever than he has no clue on what can happen and does happen on a regular basis in the new/used parts, machine/vehicle world and I'd not loose a wink of sleep. Ignorance......another word for stupid. I'll pray the year warranty is up soon so you'll no longer have to hear from the guy!
Parent - - By Rig Hand (***) Date 08-14-2010 17:04
You can't fix stupid.
Parent - By Chris2626 (***) Date 08-15-2010 03:50
yes you can fix stupid, you sure can. A train could take them out just like it did to a young girl 18 and pregnent with two of her brothers in the car a couple of months back who tried to beat a train a train will always win. Thats a mean thing to say but it is true there won't be any more stupid kids running around.
- By Root Pass (***) Date 08-15-2010 02:20 Edited 08-15-2010 02:26
I bought a Lincoln Classic II from Stumpfs three weeks ago. I Theyh told me theyh changed the filters, Timing belt, brushes and painted the machine. I expect the filters to be new, the timing belt and brushes to last till theyh  need to be changed and the paint not to rust for a yhear. Other than that you get a pig in a poke. Sorry tyhere is an extra H after most of my Y's, one of my kids spilled sometyhing on tyhe keyh board and I don't feel like cyhaseing them down to delete them. My wife yhas some candles lit in the bed room...
YHou are great to your custmers Kaye, I yhave sent things for yhou to fix and bought a machine from yhou that the guyh didn't payh tyhe bill on, Notyhing but satisified. YHour #1 in our book. Tyhat guyh has no business owning an SA200. Send yhim to Airgas to buyh a Bobcat.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / what do you expect of new/used equipment

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