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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Lead reels
- - By strother (***) Date 11-11-2012 00:10
I need suggestions on a good brand lead reel. They will be on a rig so I need something that will hold up in the weather.
Parent - - By SMTatham (**) Date 11-11-2012 00:31
Tidweld.  IMO the best.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 11-11-2012 00:34
X2 on Tidweld
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-11-2012 02:38
I can say this, you will get less then what you pay for with the eco reels.  Run a little amperage, bigger rods, and they stick.  Run a little amperage and the insulators melt at way less then what they are rated for.  I have seen homemade reels that perform FAR better.
Parent - By Oneatatime (**) Date 11-11-2012 07:10
I made the exact same thing for less than 30$ using tweco quick disconnects, look for cable drum spool calculator on google and u can determine the exact amount of cable u wanna run, I used tractor hitch pins to lock mine with a spring and a roll pin, it works quite well. Maybe i will try to upload a photo.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-11-2012 17:13
Tidweld, Alumareel, Coxreels all top notch. Have looked over Alumareels and Tidwelds up close and both excellent. Unfortunately I can't or don't want to spend that kind of money on lead reels at the moment, actually not sure if there will ever be a moment! :lol:

As Tommy mentioned, the Eco reels, they're alright if you're just looking for something to roll up leads at the end of the day, which they do. The spring pin fell out of mine about two weeks after I got them. Tommy and I did some heavy welding last year and at the end of each day you had to whack the hand crank to break the bearings loose on the positive side.

I called about the Alumareels, two reels shipped here just northwest of you. I believe it was going to cost me in the neighborhood of $1500 if not a tad bit higher. Tidwelds, well, talking with Mr. Tidwell is a joy in itself. Think that is why I would buy from him(when that day comes) just because he's such a nice guy, like the owner of Mountain Cloth shirts, Mr. Martin I believe(?). I order shirts and it takes 20 minutes because we are talking about other things besides shirts! Which is fine by me.

For me though I think for $1000 or $1500 I should be able to make one heck of a nice set of lead reels, isolated from the truck and everything.
Parent - - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-11-2012 19:14
I have aluma reels and the only dealer I know of here in the U.S. is in Montana.  Bought mine in 08 and for both lead reels and my oxy reel was 2300.00  if I had to go back and redo it I would just make them. Just my two cents.
Parent - - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-11-2012 19:17
Maybe I should go into the lead reel business.  Offer a quality product at a reel price. No pun intended.
Parent - - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-11-2012 21:40
Saw a homemade set that worked great and I was very impressed with.  Used stub trailer axles and made the reel from the hubs.  He used plain old thick rubber mat for an insulator to the truck and had small pvc electrical conduit sleeving the mounting bolts.  He told me they had been on there for years...they were smooth as could be.  I would have the thought the bearings would arc out...apparently not.

Got a big cox torch reel on my truck that had been around the block before I got it.....still works great.
Parent - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-12-2012 18:48
It wasn't Charlie Salas's rig truck  by chance.  He is the only guy that I have met that had a pair of nice home made reels made from trailer axles.
Parent - - By makeithot (***) Date 11-12-2012 02:17
build'em your self if you want'em to last.
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Parent - - By pipetommy (*) Date 11-12-2012 18:04
They look good.
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-13-2012 01:39
Yes they do!

Nope I don't know that fella Stan.  You could not tell these were stub axles though, that is just what he used for bearings and shaft etc.
Parent - By strother (***) Date 11-14-2012 02:12
Thanks for all the replies. I did not realize how expense good reels are!! I think I will just make my own. Sometimes you can buy something cheaper than you can make it but for $1500 I am sure make a nice set.
- - By atc250r (**) Date 11-13-2012 04:29
Alumareels.  Check out the website.  They are not cheap, but hold up extremely well to high amperage, cold weather, road salt, snow, hi-pressure car washes, etc.  I have 5 AlumaReels (remote, 2 lead reels, propane, oxy/acet) and would not hesitate to buy them again.  Top-Notch product.
Parent - - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-13-2012 07:24
What did you pay for yours if you mind me asking and did you get them out of Baker MT
Parent - - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-13-2012 07:27
Never mind. I did not see at first that your from Canada. Which to all that don't know there made in Canada.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-13-2012 11:59
Hillbilly,

yeah, they are made in Canada. I talked to them about a year ago about some lead reels. With the exchange rate, shipping, reels I swear it was going to cost me $1500 or more, for some reason $1700 keeps popping into my head. Tidwelds are made in the US, thinking PA(?), Jerald Tidwell, real nice guy.
Parent - - By hillbilly delux (***) Date 11-13-2012 16:18
1700 sounds about right. and then you have got to buy the remote and oxy reel to boot.  I bought  mine when I thought money was free.  If I had to go back to make that same purchase.  I think I would just pick me up some trailer axels for twenty bucks at TSC.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-13-2012 23:52
I got some 3/4" rubber here at the house, thinking about starting another set that I can take my time with and make real good. $1700 will go a long way!!
Parent - By Tommyjoking (****) Date 11-14-2012 01:13
I am definitely making my own on the new rig, I will keep the cox torch reel though, its slick.

BTW would you guys with perkins, cat, kubota, deutz powered machines quit bragging to me about how little fuel your machine eats!!!!  It is friggin painfull to listen to!!!  You know who you are. :mad:
Parent - - By atc250r (**) Date 11-14-2012 03:05
Yeah, I'm from Canada.  I got all 5 for around $3800.  The remote reel is the expensive one @ $1000.  About $550 each for the lead reels.  Plus shipping and handling ofcourse.
Parent - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-14-2012 04:07
Yeah, but apparently Canada's dollar is worth more than the black hole American dollar cause it was going to cost me more than $550 each on the lead reels.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Lead reels

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