Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys, new guy here to the forum. A have a question for the masses here at the welding tips and tricks forum.

At my work I have a BOC Smootharc 175 multiprocess machine, I only run gasless 0.8 and 0.9 wire through it. I make square tube frames from 25mm x 2mm material. Works well

http://astillwelding.com.au/images/deta ... 5MULTI.jpg

Just curious as to who makes them. BOC I understand are part of the Linde group who apparently make this machine

http://farmersproductguide.com/wp-conte ... ip-RGB.jpg
So now i'm confused...????

Who makes the welder for Linde? Unless they make their own

Any help much appreciated

Revocide

Hey mate, boc machines used to have roots in kempii machines, but I don't know now. I now that the cigweld 175i range are exact replicas of the Thermal arc fabricators. It's not a big issue, as long as you get the help you need from Boc

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I've asked boc this question before . Their answer was that their machines are made in china to their specifications.
I have not heard anything bad about them yet only good things. There was a gas project in gladestone where these machines were supplied and everyone was impressed.

I have the same boc 175 multiprocess cant fault it so far and iv given it a good workout on some heavy stainless tig work and some 6013 digger bucket repairs, mig works well also
Drew

I got the same answer when I asked - "they are made in china to our specifications". I don't know how well informed this BOC rep was but he said the short answer was they left the likes of Kemppi as they couldn't come to the party on price. So most is made in China aside from their top end machines which I think are EWM.

I have a BOC 250R which is a Kempii transformer mig, and a 180VRD which may also be Kemppi as the spec sticker underneath is partly in German or something. I bought that 180VRD inverter stick welder for $350 second hand and up and till a year or two ago was still around $1800 new at BOC. I don't know why so expensive for what it is but may have something to do with the German roots. The current version looks very similar but is now around $1300, same with the 250 and 275 migs as they have dropped in price and got an external freshen up but I think they are now inverters. I suspect BOC just took their existing lines from Kemppi or wherever and had them copied and produced in China. So much stuff now is built to spec out of China that once it starts in a product category everyone jumps on and does the same else they can't compete. I guess the unanswerable question is what is this "spec" these things are built to.

Power tools are the same, everything from the cheap and nasty Ozito in AUS or Harbour Freight equivalent through to Milwaukee Dewalt Makita Hitachi Ryobi and now even Metabo etc are made in China, but though the country of origin is the same there is definitely a quality difference.

I remember the first credit card in oz was the Bankcard. Its logo was a three colored "b" in layers. Some said it was the 666 sign of the beast and we were all doomed. Bankcard doesn't exist anymore and we managed somehow to survive.
We just gotta hang in there. Eventually things will change. And besides there is some good stuff coming from china. We just gotta resist the crap.

Thats the thing, China can produce any quality you like. It just comes down to how tight fisted the company is that contracts them for production. I think if its a brand name who's reputation is worth something the end product is ok. If not then its probably just garbage.

This reminds me of companies like Illinois Tool Works. (ITW)
They own a lot more than people realize.
http://www.itwwelding.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Tool_Works

Dont knock ozito.
7 years ago I bought an electric screwdriver, still going strong, it is in fact stronger than the bosch I bought to back it up.
Also bought a 310 mm compound mitre saw for just under $300, it hasnt done a lot as I play with steel more than wood, however for the home user on a budget they're brilliant, if it breaks within 3 years take it back and it gets replaced.
As people have stated above the chinese are getting better, they can build quality if you pay them too.
What you wont get out of china is innovation, they've flooded the worlds universities, ripped off every countries IP, bought the best western cnc and computer systems etc, but havent had an original idea in decades.

I have just one Ozito tool, a belt sander.

Needed a sander years ago, couldn't really afford premium Japanese. My father-in-law said "If you'll use it every day, go premium. If you use it once in a blue moon, you can often get away with cheap."

So I grabbed the Ozito. Used it once then didn't touch it for years. But now I have my TIG it's become my go-to tungsten grinder! Needless to say it's getting a lot of work now, and so far holding up well.


Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:I have just one Ozito tool, a belt sander.

I have tried their 125mm grinders, had three, all of them ate the brushes in about 4 months of weekly usage. If you could find a brush to suit then they could be revived. The trouble was the motor was 1000w, more power for less $$$, at the expense of the brushes though.

Have used their orbital sanders, jigsaws, routers 1/4", corded drill. My old boss was a stooge in regards to tools. Now I have Makita's and AEG.

The cheap stuff does as intended, light use they last for ever. Heavy use, disposable tools.

Revo

Funny you should mention brushes, the compound mitre saw came with a spare set.
Most of the rest of my gear is hitachi or makita, half of which is brushless.