Welder Question

rbo1577186

rbo1577186

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Location
Winston Salem
Looking at buying a 180 amp MIG Welder anyway,

Today at a local Welding place they tried to tell me there is a difference between the Lincoln Welders you get at Home Depot and the ones you get at the Welding Supply places. I was seeing if they would price match what I could get one for at Northern or HD. I can get one for $650 ish @ Home Depot, and he was telling me the "Non Retail" model would be around $800. Is he Full of it or is there some truth to this?

thanks
rick
 
they are 100% correct. The same thing is true with a lot of tools, such as most electrical power tools.

Everyone always complains that Grainger/Fastenal/etc. are more expensive on their tools. This is the reason.

It is the same with all types of equipment, not just tools and welders. For example, the Husquarvana (sp?) hydrostatic riding mowers are different from Lowes than from a local lawnmower shop. Most don't care or can tell, but talk to the mechanics and they'll tell ya, they know. Internal parts are different...

This is why I buy most of my tools from Grainger/Fastenal/ and the like. Last tool I purchased from Lowes (DeWalt 4" grinder) burned up 3 months after I had it. Also purchased a Milwaukee cordless combo kit from Lowes a few years ago. After 1 day I ended up returning everything and got my $$$ back. Biggest pile o junk ever. I'm still on my original Grainger/Fastenal purchased power tools (milwaukee, dewalt, etc. etc.) and still going strong after over 8 years of abuse.
 
I've heard the same stories. They claim that the transformers and components are better in the professional models than what is sold in the big-box stores. I've yet to see any proof though.

I did end up buying a better (255 amp) unit though, and am very happy with it.

jC
 
rbo1577186 said:
Looking at buying a 180 amp MIG Welder anyway,
Today at a local Welding place they tried to tell me there is a difference between the Lincoln Welders you get at Home Depot and the ones you get at the Welding Supply places. I was seeing if they would price match what I could get one for at Northern or HD. I can get one for $650 ish @ Home Depot, and he was telling me the "Non Retail" model would be around $800. Is he Full of it or is there some truth to this?
thanks
rick
Click to expand...

Welding shops are always more expensive. Look at the model number on the box at hd and the one at the welding place...if they are the same, it's most likely the same welder.

That being said, hd does sell refurbished power tools as new, which is why you see such a difference between their prices and lowes/other places.
 
this reminds me of when I was looking for a new digi camera around Christmas. I purchased a Kodak from Best Buy. Later that day I was in Target and saw one that looked identical and had the same features, etc. etc.. It was $20 cheaper. After looking at it closer, there was 1 number off on the model number. I still have no idea what the difference was, maybe none except a number...

Another marketing trick that these companies do is have the manufacturer supply a product that looks identical to others at "competitors" stores, but with a slightly different model number and internal parts (exclusive to that retailer only). Because Lowes/HD/etc. have a 10% price match gurantee on the same "MODEL", technically they have no comparable models in a competitor's store. There will be no price matching, etc. etc. because nobody has the same model...
 
rbo1577186 said:
Looking at buying a 180 amp MIG Welder anyway,
Today at a local Welding place they tried to tell me there is a difference between the Lincoln Welders you get at Home Depot and the ones you get at the Welding Supply places. I was seeing if they would price match what I could get one for at Northern or HD. I can get one for $650 ish @ Home Depot, and he was telling me the "Non Retail" model would be around $800. Is he Full of it or is there some truth to this?
thanks
rick
Click to expand...

AFAIK, the box store lincs are made in mexico, the welding supply models in the USA. Also you'll find little differences like tapped/ inf variable, etc...

That said, I have a box-store 175 linc and like it just fine. Cost about $500 brand new to my door. Couldn't justify almost doubling the cost as fab is a hobby, not my job.
 
Retail storesl ike Lowes, HD, Target, and of course Wal-Mart are out to saveevery penny they can on teh cost of a producr, so they can sell it just a little cheaper to the consumer and maintain that competitive edge.

HD/Lowes have adopted the WM model of strong-arming the manufacturers into making a slightly diferent model for them that is cheaper. They do this by leveraging their massive distribution advantage (e.g., we can sell 10 million of your product, but you'll have to keep the price below X to do it). This forces the manufacturer to use cheaper materials etc to meet the quote. Soemtimes this results i nan inferior prodcut - sometimes it's inconsequential.
As a result, they will often have a model that is slightly different, specifically for distribution at the retail store. As mentioned above, you can pick up on thsi by comparing the full model and manufacturarer's SKU#. Often the retail version will the same same but with an "A" or extra "1" or just off by 1 digit. If the boxes and model #'s are identical, you're golden.
 
All that aside you'll get a lot more support from your local welding shop and ordering parts will be easier cause they'll probably even remember which welder you got. Plus the guy at our shop helped me with my TIG welding when I was getting started. Can't get that at Lowes! Support the little man!
 
Lowes and HD, when looking at new or keeping existing products actually tell the manufacturers how much they will pay for the product. You'd think it would be manufacturers telling them how much the products are, but it isn't.

There is a local customer of ours that makes building products. They had a meeting with Lowes corporate to look into getting their product into the Lowes stores. Before they even got started, Lowes said how much they will be paying and if they didn't meet that demand, the product wouldn't be sold in Lowes. The product actually costs more than what Lowes was willing to pay. To get around this, most companies skimp on quality to meet the demands of these mass merchants. Looks and performs very similar but they are very different insided...
 
Check out different welding shops. I bought mine at one that is part of a co-op. The price of the Hobart 175 was cheaper than the 135 from Northern Tools
 
a good point of reference...i can buy a makita 5007(circular saw) for $99 at hd or slows or a 5007 at a power tool shop for $110. point is, same number but NOT the same saw. have sent several to be rebuilt and always get the same question...is it real one or a savocenter unit? same goes for nail guns and so on. save yourself alot of headache and buy brand name(miller, hobart, esab...) from a reputable shop. besides, you'll get 10x the service when you need it. just my2c
 
Miller is having issues with professional tool distributors selling there welder with some of the welding stores(prices are lower on the tool truck same welder).
 
Just like everyone else has already stated, yes the Lowe's and HD Lincs are not the same as sold in a welding supply store. What I really want to add is, if you're looking at a 180 amp class machine, check out the Hobart Handler 187. I've been impressed with mine since the day I bought it. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that's used it that doesn't like it.
 
willness33 said:
Just like everyone else has already stated, yes the Lowe's and HD Lincs are not the same as sold in a welding supply store. What I really want to add is, if you're looking at a 180 amp class machine, check out the Hobart Handler 187. I've been impressed with mine since the day I bought it. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that's used it that doesn't like it.
Click to expand...

I looked really hard at the HH187 before going with the linc, that's a nice machine.


I wish we had a shop like the co-op upnover referred to, my LWS was selling the hobart 140 for more than I bought my linc 175 for... They also brutalized me on the bottle I rented, what they wanted for purchase was absolutely hilarious. I also might mention I've been buying oxy-fuel from them for years so I thought they might help me out a LITTLE...

2 sides to this as always. If I'd gone though my local welding supplier, I'd have spent an extra $400-500. They'd have to provide me some pretty amazing service to justify that.
 
Archdukeferdinand said:
I looked really hard at the HH187 before going with the linc, that's a nice machine.
I wish we had a shop like the co-op upnover referred to, my LWS was selling the hobart 140 for more than I bought my linc 175 for... They also brutalized me on the bottle I rented, what they wanted for purchase was absolutely hilarious. I also might mention I've been buying oxy-fuel from them for years so I thought they might help me out a LITTLE...
2 sides to this as always. If I'd gone though my local welding supplier, I'd have spent an extra $400-500. They'd have to provide me some pretty amazing service to justify that.
Click to expand...
Understood. I bought the 187 at Northern Tool for the price, but my LWS is also a dealer of the big three. I'll take the welder there if there are any warranty issues. They'll take care of any warranty work regardless where I bought the welder. My LWS screws me hard enough already on a 40lb tank of C25. I wasn't going to give them a chance to give me the double poke on a welder.
 
I looked really hard at the HH187 before going with the linc, that's a nice machine.
Click to expand...

That's the one I was really eyeballing @ Northern, just using the Linc for a reference. LWS didn't carry Hobart, just Miller and Linc.
I think I'll be OK with the 187, I just didn't know there was a difference, learn something new every day.

thanks everyone,
rbo
 
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