Forney Welding Products?

[Gtig]

I have heard pro's and con's about this company in the past. The local hardware store in my town stock a lot of their MIG and stick welding supplies but come short on the TIG stuff. The owner said he's been getting a lot of customers asking about the TIG consumables he may start stocking more and if I need anything from them he can order it at a descent cost. What's your take on the company?

Thanks,
GTig

[posixPilot]

Referring specifically to the Forney stick electrodes, about the only "pro" I've found is that they are readily available at Ace hardware

I'm a complete noob to stick welding, and even I could tell a marked difference between a Forney rod and a fresh Hobart (6011/6013). The smaller 1lb boxes come in an unsealed cardboard box, which means that the low hydrogen rods (7014,7018, etc) have been stored improperly by the time you leave the store.

Just my $.02

Cheers
Mike

[SeanMurphy265]

I've had good luck with their 7014 3/32 in the box. Where I live if you run out of rods your going to drive 35 minutes to a LWS. I have had good and bad luck with Hobart rods from the box stores (Northern Tool & Tractor Supply). I only buy 7018 rods from a LWS, because they tend to sell more and your chances of getting old rods are slimmer. 7018AC I have had good luck from the chain stores. If your hardware store has a descent selection and people are constantly buying welding rods your OK. Moisture kills 7018 rods, and will make you mad beyond belief!

[Spike]

i use some of their stuff for OAW welding... specifically the fluxes (i use alum-a-flux for OA welding aluminum) and torch bits and accessories. I wouldn't use any of their electrodes... not because of the quality, but because of how they are stored and kept by the stores. A hardware or box store is not a welding store, and the electrodes i see are in cardboard boxes, or hung on the rack to be bought one at a time. And, since the turnover isn't very high, they sit on the shelf a LONG time. I saw ER70 Tig rods with *rust* on them. 4043 with white corrosion on the rods.
So, i can't comment on the quality of the electrode, because the quality of the handling and packing is so poor that i wouldn't use them.