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Date 03-23-2014 23:50

I guess I am trying to figure what the hub bub is about with the Esab thingy. Clicked on it just to see their site. Some interesting things in their education section.
I have to say while I have known Esab exist I have never seen their equipment on a job. Come to think of it all I have ever seen are the gloves??? I guess where they make their market they are a big player. But in my world they may as well not exist. What is the quality of their equipment? Dunno. Probably the low end stuff is made in China like everyone else's.
And I still get amazed that some seem to think a non-profit equals no money. I am sure Esab plays to put that thingy in the right corner. Why on the forum page I cannot understand, but so be it.
Moving on to another site while still maintaining a AWS membership and certification makes no sense to me. Having held the CWI twice, and it looks like I may have to do the dad burn thing again I will have to hand AWS their pound of flesh. I know they do a lot of good because I see all the places the AWS leadership goes. But I let my CWI and AWS lapse. I was not using the CWI and my AWS membership benefited me like a third nipple. But, (heavy sigh), customer wants project inspectors to have a CWI so here comes my money.
In fact come to think of it, this site was the only thing I can think of that ever benefited me with the 18 years of dues I paid to AWS and this site has not been here that long. But after getting my head handed to me when the OTBG was formed and getting my feelings bruised I came back because the alternatives just did not work out.
And really this site has had a different tone since the creation of the OTBG. It was pointed out to me my input was appreciated but this was a AWS site. They made the rules. Very nicely, but I understood and understand.
And again, this forum is on a AWS site. The only option is to move to another site or just withhold posting.
But those who regularly post here and those that find out about the forum are only a very small amount of people who have AWS membership or come to the web site and find out about the forum. Just for spits and giggles Google "Welding Forum" and see where this forum comes up. Mine search it comes up 5th.
Oh well. See how this shakes out.

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 03-25-2014 09:09

Hi Big Dka,
ESAB is originally from Sweden although most if not all of their equipment in North America is built in Florence, SC where the former Linde Union Carbide/L-Tech factory is located...
As far as their consumables are concerned, your guess is as good as mine...

They do make decent welding and cutting equipment but, I was told that their European equipment is of better quality... Then again, Europeans almost always say or imply this...
I don't know if they're still using that Monster Garage guy - Jesse James to sell some of their lower end equipment here in the states, but a few years ago that was part of their sales strategy in North America...

I agree that they do have a decent education page and what they call ESAB university and I have referred it to many students since it's inception a few moons ago...
This is the Global EASB site and then below it is the north American website:

http://www.esab.com/global/en/index.cfm

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/index.cfm

For anyone who's interested, here's the link to ESAB University:

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/education/esab-university.cfm

As far as everything else goes, it's not so much a problem that there's a banner link to ESAB and more about objecting to posting one, then two and so on and pretty soon just about every page in the forum will be saturated with advertisement banners and pop-ups and commercializing the crap out of the forum which to me and others is the only place in the AWS web site that was free of any advertisements... having a forum that's free of advertisements gives the participant or visitor the ability to better focus on the queries and topics being discussed and by populating all of the pages with advertisements would only cause a whole bunch of distraction and confusion amongst most of the folks that come here for discussions of the subjects sectioned, information exchange and to see if they can be helpful to other folks who are looking for some guidance also...
So I personally would find it very distracting if these pages become saturated with advertisements and some with fat fingers and also not having the best control of their cursor's would be more vulnerable to being misdirected to the advertisements link and wondering how they got there in the first place and end up becoming so frustrated with the forum that they wouldn't return... Chit happens...

As far as the AWS and CWI is concerned, I share and agree with most, if not all of your comments and I personally can no longer work because of my multiple illnesses...
So I don't have the need to be certified any longer also... Good thread to start Big Dka... Thanks for your sage input and advice here in the forum.

Respectfully,
Henry

P.S. Here's a link to ESAB's magazine and it's archives:

http://www.esab.com/global/en/news/Svetsaren.cfm

By Cactusthewelder (*****)

Date 03-25-2014 22:01

Years ago, I was a Demo Welder for ESAB. The Rep I worked under is STILL with them. ESAB shines the Most in Robotics. That is where they do the Biggest Money. Other than that, They are just another Welding Equipment Company. They will NEVER Compete with Lincoln or Miller.

By weldwade (***)

Date 03-26-2014 04:49 Edited 03-26-2014 04:52

I used an ESAB plasma for about half a day a while back and it was a good machine. I have no idea how their prices compare to the others on the market? I do like Atom Arc SMAW electrodes made by ESAB. I have never found a bad batch of them in all my years of making them throw sparks. I still have an old Linde machine and have to order parts for it through ESAB. Only bad thing I have heard about them is that a salesman for ESAB stepped on a few toes of some higher ups who work for AirGas. Shady sales practices was what I was told.
I am not in the market for any of their new machines but if I were I would look at what they had to offer.
As for the advertising... I hate pop ups. So if I start getting them I won't be happy! I don't see any of the advertising on my phone and that's the only way I get on here. So all is well in my world.

By Dualie

Date 03-26-2014 05:36

I think their coreshield wires are top notch, maybe better than anything from lincoln, but other than that getting ANY SORT of support for them out here on the west coast is a royal pain in the ass. Just getting consumables for the esab plasmas i have is a roay pain in the butt.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 03-26-2014 12:02

I've got no heartburn with ESAB over this banner thing at all..... AWS offered them a place to advertise and they accepted. That's business.

It's the AWS folks who were asked to keep the site add free and were offered alternatives (which they may still be considering) we shall see.

I think ESAB makes the best gas shielded FCAW electrodes on the market. You can run their .045, 710X, E71T-1 at 400 ipm vertical up with 100% CO2 shield gas and make perfect fillets and grooves... 450 ipm with 75/25

They are also big players in the SAW market.... They are sort of unique here because they provide some in-house engineering staff that does R&D on fixturing and part movement, unlike Lincoln and Miller who do this through partner companies.

ESAB plasma tables are also strong.