Don’t under budget!

As the old saying goes,”… the number one reason for project failure is under capitalization.”  That is probably the number one truth worth considering if you are getting into the welding business, or even starting a new welding project. Welding can eat up hard earn cash with purchase of consumables, gases, and maintenance items. But other hidden costs are there. Take welding clamps for instance.

Have you ever heard of someone that tried to complete a welding project without at least two or three welding clamps, each with its own special purpose?  If you have, you know that something likely wasn’t welded correctly in the process. Another cost that is not readily seen is the money that you will have to invest for cutting the metal.  So many customers that I hear from regret not figuring in at least an oxy acetylene torch or a plasma cutter into their purchase because of it. But then if they had, they would have to figure on the yearly cost of cylinders or the investment in the cost of an air compressor, plumbing and filters.

Even a good metal saw is several hundred bucks. Measuring tapes, grinders, drills, hammers, files and the works are all hidden costs that a surprising number of people completely forget about when the welding bug strikes them.  Its like, “hey I want to weld, let me buy a welder”.  But to borrow an idea from the late Paul Harvey, “Now, for the rest of the story”. Buying a welder is an expensive act of commitment to which there is no turning back.

There’s no end to what you will find that you need to weld or complete a task. Even fully equipped machine shops always find a need to buy bigger, better, and newer. Whenever you decide in buying a welder that is new, know that you have been warned!