Big Blue Air Pack

[Portable Welder]

I'll agree there may be companies that need that much power, What I was reffering to is that I see guys doing basically the same work I do running around with a $20,000.00 air pac.
I also see big commercial companies using the air packs and all they do is arc weld with them.
I'll bet 85% of the companies out there that are running the air packs never run them harder than the set up I recommended.
I was just trying to keep a young guy thats going into business from spending $ 20,000.00 on a set up he doesnt need.
Many guys going into business think that the most expensive is gotta be the best.
If I worked in a quarry every day or at the salt mine I may consider it but I dont and havent come across anything that a Trail blazer couldnt do.

In fact I'm seeing more and more Trail blazers sitting next to bridges that are being rebuilt.

[JTMcC]

I see the point you were trying to make, but I tend to give people a little more credit for knowing their work, and what type or class of machine is normally used in that work.

I didn't see anything about him being young, or just starting out but maybe you know more about him than I do from other posts.

An Airpak doesn't have to cost 20 grand, I know a guy that took one on trade for a $500 repair bill on a loader.

JTMcC.

[Sberry]

I can see a place for them, where the manpower and other equipment, infrastructure, etc are so expensive that the machine costs are a minimal factor compared to other things. Right time and place the 20K would be irrelevent, or constant movement, all in one machine, weld, gouge and weld. Even run a big air grinder if you had to, needle scalers. Ideal for building big tanks or water towers.

[Finney]

Only one fellow around here had AirPac's. he had a contract with Peaybody Coal for years to rebuild drag line bucket's, loader bucket's and dozer blades. When coal was king he had crews running around the clock. As soon as they would finish one bucket they would change it out with the one on the machine and he would start on the one they pulled off. I helped him one winter for a while when I was laid off. I drove up on the job I saw welders taping up their leather sleaves with duct tape, I thought what kind of fools have I hooked up with. Didn't take long to figure that out. I can't remember what size innershield they were running but I have never before or after layed down so much iron. I got my first taste of air arc, didn't take long to get enough of that.
Enough of the war stories, if you have a need for that size machine they do run good.

[Sberry]

If you are running 24 hr production there is no getting it back either, you cant run 25 hrs to make up for downtime.