It’s all about who builds them! Sure there are many differences in materials and workmanship, and I’ll talk about those in future posts, but the bottom line is you want to buy from a company that actually knows something about what they are making or selling, how and what it is used for, and what it’s going to connect to.

If you look at the industry there are many companies that sell TIG torches — SouthWeld, ProFax, American Torch Tip, Thermacut, Abicor Binzel, CNI, Kuton, MasterWeld, Radnor, Best Welds, Anchor brand, CM Industries etc. etc.

What’s the Difference?

Most of those companies buy from the same importer that buys from the lowest cost supplier in China. We have been there and have seen first hand the so-called factories where these items are built. That’s fine for some things, but as we have seen more and more in the consumer products market, these products are not made to any standards.

Remember these are electrical components that deliver power from your expensive TIG welding machine to the part you want to weld. Most of these companies offer Zero innovation, 100% reverse engineered product– and I’m being kind. The majority of those parts are built to no specifications of any kind — they receive a sample part and they reproduce it.

No matter what you hear “parts are not parts” there is a huge difference, starting with materials: Tellurium copper versus leaded nickel copper, silicone rubber versus hard plastic and even the kind of teflon that is used for insulating gaskets. And then there’s the workmanship: soldering versus brazing, how the cables are made, etc.

One of the things we pride ourselves on at Arc-Zone.com is offering only the best quality TIG Torches.

Lot’s of exciting things happening at Arc-Zone.com…

We are up to speed with many of our internet properties, Joewelder.com, and CarmenElectrode.com, and adding new products to our webstore (we’re launching a new site in October, look for details in your Inbox and on the web soon)!

Additionally, we are preparing to expand our facility, which will allow us to stock more new products, and provide even higher levels of service to our customers.

And in the middle of all this action, I was featured on a local radio talk show, BISTalk Radio!

I’d never been interviewed on the radio and like any first timer I was nervous and rehearsed over and over in my head how to answer questions and interesting things we might talk about. The production staff told me that based on our phone screen I would do great.

I arrived early and talked to the host who asked me some basic questions about Arc-Zone.com – I handed him our corporate presentation binder which is filled with the nuts and bolts of the business, financial ratios, sales growth charts, organizational chart, marketing plan, industry overview etc. That dude was blown away – and that was the topic of the show – How many companies have an up-to-date Business Plan? And I got to share a bit of the history of Arc-Zone.com.

I’ve always said “Luck is when preparedness plus method meets opportunity!”

Take a listen:
Click the Play Button > of this embedded audio player and NOTE: the audio has been edited for the sake of brevity!

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Some say you only need one torch. . . or that “90% of all welding can be done with 5 common torches” (Mr. TIG).

Surfers often have a quiver of boards each tailored for specific conditions – TIG welding is no different! TIG Torches are tools, and any credible mechanic knows that you can’t do everything with just one an adjustable wrench! That’s one reason why Arc-Zone stocks and delivers the most complete line of TIG welding torches available.

Which torches do you need? Depends on the application, but generally a WP-20 TIG Torch, or a WP-24W are a good start — of course the WP-125 micro torch is always handy to have for restricted space applications (see photo on the left) And, if you’re just starting out, an Arc-Zone PRO Package may be the way to go…

When Jim Watson created the Crafter series line of high-performance TIG torches at Weldcraft some 10 years ago it was to raise the bar within the company and the industry. At that time the Weldcraft sales reps were convinced that we needed to lower prices and compete with the low cost imports that were starting to come in from China. Some even suggested that we buy those parts. After some market research, we created a business plan presented it to the team at the AWS show in 1997. The concept was simple offer a high-performance product line with everything built in – Easy for the distributor, easy for the end user.

We based the Arc-Zone TIG Torch Pro Series on the Weldcraft line and added the latest component technology and accessories to create a turn-key package that would give the end user a Weld-Ready TIG torch package– outfitted for performance — right out of the box. First impressions are everything and when you fire up a Arc-Zone Pro Series TIG torch you get top performance with the first Arc!

Not sure which torch to buy? Call us and talk to one of our TIG welding experts — we will get you dialed in with the right torch adapters and parts so you can start Welding Like a Pro!

Longtime Joe Welder friend Randy Haberman dropped in for a visit last month, and sent us this email:

It was great to have the opportunity to visit Arc-Zone in August!

My flight from O’Hare to LAX was unusually uneventful and, after picking up my rental car, I was heading south on the 405! (Editor’s note: the picture at the left is Randy’s ‘32 Ford, not his rental car!)

I had to stop in Oceanside at Diego’s for a couple of traditional tacos before making my way to Carlsbad. I have been living in Chicago now for ten years and it sure was good to see all of the mountains, palm trees and chrome 20” wheels in So Cal again!

Visiting Arc-Zone was awesome! You and your staff have really grown the business. I couldn’t believe all of the neat stuff that Arc-Zone has put together for fabricators everywhere. I had a great time talking with you about the state-of-the-industry and all of the bitchin, creative stuff going on in so many fabricating fields; bicycles, motorcycles, hotrods, airplanes, boats! I would encourage anyone involved in fabricating to stop by and visit Arc-Zone while in the So Cal area.

After my Arc-Zone visit I headed north to check-in with my family and friends in Burbank. The Burbank area has long been a center of innovation in many fields. The city is now known more for its movie studios than anything else but there is still a huge amount of creative machining and fabricating capabilities left over from the Lockheed Aircraft and the “Skunkworks” days. Just thinking about some of the technology that has come out of the Burbank area, like the SR-71 and stealth technology, is inspiring to me.

My first Burbank stop was at Bob Shrode’s house. He is the un-official leader of the Burbank car club known as the “Road Peasants”. He had just finished putting a new street motor in his ’34 Ford coupe. This motor is de-tuned to only about 550HP! This is a badass coupe that has run in the low nines. I talked him into taking me for a ride and we were soon making a speed run down Vanowen! There is nothing better than peering through the chopped windshield of a hot coupe on a sunny So Cal day!

After a quick visit to the Auto Book store and a burger at Tin Horn Flats on Magnolia Blvd. I stopped by to see Jim Miles. Jim is a craftsman by any definition. He is one of those guys that can solve any problem with a 12” lathe and a Bridgeport mill. Jim is also a former “Crafter”. He worked at Weldcraft as a tool and die maker for many years before retiring. Jim was responsible for the design, tooling and effective production of many of the Weldcraft products that are still being sold today. Jim is also an old hot rodder. He was putting Hemi’s in cars way before crate engines. Today he is working on his ’38 Ford coupe and his ’33 Plymouth sedan, both of which have Hemi’s in them. Jim is also widely known for campaigning the Magic Muffler blown fuel altered in the 60’s and 70’s. He is just completing a clone of this car which has a Fiat coupe body and a Donovan Hemi engine acquired from Don Garlits! Can’t wait to hear that one fire up!

That’s it for now. I can’t wait for my next visit to So Cal and Arc-Zone!

Randy

Check out Bob Shrode’s bitchin’ ride.