Finally catching up on my newsletter reading and came across this awesome article from Lincoln…

Two years ago, Ridler Award winner (and from the looks of this car, a master fabricator) Dan Webb set out to honor this iconic creation by building a low-sloping hotrod variation of the original, the iconic 1917 Golden Submarine Racecar.

The project, powered by Lincoln, is showcased over on the Lincoln website… check it out–>

And if you’re looking to create the kind of TIG welds Webb did, check out Arc-Zone.com’s line up of  TIG Torches. We feature  CK Worldwide and Weldcraft, two fine manufacturers of TIG Torches and replacement parts.

And, did you know Arc-Zone.com  now has CK TIG Torch replacement parts online?  You’ll find the replacement parts listed along side the torches we offer.

Check out this AWESOME opportunity from Miller…

Miller Electric Mfg. Co. has launched of its 5th annual Welding Project Contest: The Welding Showdown, a competition to showcase the welding skill and talent of anyone in the industry. Contestants will submit a project in one of three categories (easy, moderate, difficult). Judges will select two finalists from each category based on the project’s creativity, quality of presentation and craftsmanship. Each finalist wins an ArcStation™ 30SX welding workbench, an Arc Armor™ Welding Protection Package and an all-expense-paid trip to Miller’s headquarters in Appleton, Wis. Entries are due by August 10, 2010.

Finalists will receive a tour of Miller’s headquarters and compete head-to-head to build a project, selected by Miller, within a set time period. Miller will supply all materials and tools for the Welding Showdown.

The grand prize winner in each category wins their choice of a Millermatic® 211 Auto-Set™ with MVP™ MIG welder with a Spoolmate™ 100 spool gun, a Diversion™ 180 TIG welding package, or a Spectrum® 375 X-TREME™ plasma cutter. For information on contest rules and how to enter, visit MillerWelds.com/Showdown.

The new and improved Miller® Welding Helmet line-up is the ultimate in safety, Protection, Performance, and Comfort.

From basic hobby applications to working in an extreme heat, high-tech welding environment, these welding helmets will keep you safe and comfortable and with the variety of designs we offer, you will look cool while doing it.

Designed to protect your eyes and face in some of the most intense welding environments, Miller’s welding helmets meet ANSI Z87.1-2003 (High Impact) industry standards.  Hard hat adapters are available and most of the helmets come standard with an auto-darkening lens.  Miller’s passive welding helmets can be upgraded to an auto-darkening lens with the Digital Elite™ Upgrade kit.

BENEFITS:

The auto-darkening features are awesome, instead of having to stop what you’re doing to adjust your helmet, your helmet’s arc sensors will automatically darken to preset shades at lightning fast speed as soon as the arc is detected.

Highly sensitive Electromagnetic Digital Arc Sensing is also available for use when welding outdoors or at very low amperages.

Auto-darkening lenses can be preset to your shade preference in a variety of different standard shade options: (all lenses include light shade #3)

• MP-10™ Series – non auto-darkening, Passive Shade #10 lens
• Pro-Hobby™ Series FS#10 – fixed shade #10
• Pro-Hobby™ Series – variable shade #8 – #12
• Performance™ Series – variable shade #8 – #13
• Elite™ Series – variable shade #8 – #13
• Digital Elite™ Series – Electromagnetic digital arc sensing
  • Weld Mode – variable shade #8 – #13
  • Cut Mode – variable shade #5 – #8
  • Grind Mode – Light Shade #3
  • X-Mode – variable shade #8 – #13
• Titanium™ Series – used for extreme heat and industrial welding, can come equipped with most of the auto-darkening options available.

Auto-darkening viewing areas up to 3.85 x 2.38 in / 9.22 sq in.

Lithium Ion batteries are included and come pre-installed

Magnification lenses are available from 0.75 – 2.50 and all helmets come standard with a magnification lens holder

Most helmets are compatible with the Arc Armor™ Heat Stress products, including the CoolBelt™ and CoolBand™ which both help to increase air flow and lower the temperature under the helmet.

The welding accessory experts at Arc-Zone.com deliver a complete line of replacement parts and accessories to upgrade or maintain your Miller welding helmet.

I don’t know about you, but I sure get frustrated sometimes trying to get things done. You know how it goes: you call Company B, you get the run around, you get put on hold, no one can answer your question, your email goes unnoticed…. and you think to yourself, “the economy can’t be THAT bad, since Company B doesn’t seem to want my business!” They make it hard to buy from them.

I came across this great profile of a small business in Wisconsin (fact: Wisconsin is the home of Weldcraft).  One of the things that caught my attention, is that the company tasks every employee with Customer Service.  That’s how we roll at Arc-Zone.com! I also like their approach, that everyone learns from the shop floor on up. Check out the article from The Fabricator magazine:

The Wisconsin Family Robinson

Robinson Metal’s approach to fabricating has it growing when others weren’t

By Dan Davis
May 28, 2010

Anyone that works for Robinson Metal Inc. learns the business from the ground up. That approached has served it well as the De Pere, Wis., company has grown to become one of the largest fabricating jobs shops in the U.S.

CONTINUE READING ONLINE–>

And speaking of customer service, did you know that Arc-Zone.com offers LIVE CHAT on its website? It’s pretty trick, and we’ve got the lines covered from 6 am to 5 pm California Time. And if you’re not a great typist, don’t worry, we’re still available by phone at 800-944-2243 (USA) and 760-931-1500 (Worldwide). Or you can email sales@arc-zone.com.

Dario Franchitti

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I have a background in racing.  When I moved from racing to manufacturing, many of my friends and colleagues stayed in the racing industry:  The winning team Target Chip Ganassi, Team Penske, KV Racing Technology and many part suppliers like Howerton Racing Products, Reid Washbon Racing Exhaust, SS Tube Technology, and more. Not only do I count these folks among my friends, some of them have become customers of Arc-Zone.

In other words, I have strong ties to the industry.  And so in the spirit of celebrating those ties, and starting a new tradition for Arc-Zone, for this year’s Indy 500 Race we started  our own version of an office pool.  (for the record, no gambling was involved)

Our Operations Manager Scott Reiman came up with this plan, and to make sure no one (like me) with extensive knowledge of the racing teams would have an unfair advantage, we each  drew names and the person who’s driver came in First would get $25, Second  place driver qualified for $20, and so on.  And to make sure everyone got in on the fun, we even awarded prize money for First Crash, Driver who leads the most laps, Driver leading at the half, Last Finisher and even the Arc-Zone Employee  winning the fewest categories qualified for a $10 award.  I’m not sure everyone actually watched the race– not everyone is as into racing as I am, but it did give us something fun to talk about after the holiday weekend!

Arc-Zone is not the only company with strong ties in the racing industry–  Lincoln Electric is the exclusive provider of welding equipment to winning driver Dario Franchitti (pictured above) and his  Target Chip Ganassi Racing Team.  In fact, Lincoln Electric is the “Official Welder” of the Indy Racing League (IRL).  You can read all about it at the Lincoln website–>.

Crazy Germans and their sausage.  And I fully mean that as a compliment, because we here at Arc-Zone.com were all amazed and highly entertained by what happened next.

German welders + sausage + welding machine = Electric grill for men???

Adventurous Germans Grill Sausages with an Industrial Welder

“Eventually, the tube was so hot that the arc had to be shut down because the fat was on the verge of spontaneous combustion.”

By Vin Marshall  Posted 03.22.2010

Barbecue grills don’t typically require eye protection, but then, they’re typically not made from a giant TIG welder and an industrial sausage positioner either.

That’s something these Germans set out to change with the “Electric Grill For Men.”

What would you do if you needed to endurance-test a large industrial welding power supply?

You’d probably rig up something like the apparatus pictured here, in which a TIG welding torch draws a continuous arc along a slowly rotating piece of aluminum tubing mounted in a work positioner normally used for pipe welding.

As the long weld bead is laid down, the power supply is tested to verify that it can maintain its rated output and duty cycle without melting down. In the process, a great deal of heat is generated.

What would you do if you hated to see all of that heat going to waste? And furthermore, if you loved sausage?

CONTINUE READING ONLINE ->

Lance Hindmarsh used the lack of business around during the recession as inspiration to form a business of his own: Hindmarsh Engineering Services, and he hasn’t looked back since!

Hindmarsh Engineering Services: Metal skills sparks business

Thursday, 25 February 2010

Lance Hindmarsh knows his way around a piece of metal.

For the Dayboro resident, being handy with his hands has led to him running his own business, Hindmarsh Engineering Services.

“I’ve been a fitter and turner for 20 or 30-odd years,” Lance said.

“I was contracted to Top Taste Bakeries, they used to ring me for equipment maintenance and repairs.

“But when the recession really started to hit I lost the contract, and a lot of companies were the same, so basically I was at home and decided I would keep it (my services) going … and keep it local.

“Even as a kid I repaired go-karts and motorbikes and, living on a farm, basically you did it all yourself. So I guess I just had a knack for it (metal work and machinery repairs) from when I was little and I was always going to go that way.”

CONTINUE READING ONLINE ->

Excited for the new Iron Man 2 movie coming out this summer?  Well, while you’re waiting, why don’t you check out this new IronMan 230 All-in-One MIG Welder from Hobart Welders?  It has everything you could want in a MIG machine — we only wish it had a bit more in common with its namesake (flying while welding anyone??)

Hobart Introduces IronMan 230 All-in-One MIG Welder with Superior Arc Quality and Greater Precision
Jon Crowley | Jan 14, 2010

Hobart Ironman 230

The IronMan™ 230 is a total redesign of the full-size MIG platform, outperforming the competition on arc quality, voltage control, duty cycle and value. It delivers 30-250 amps of pure power in a heavy duty cabinet. The arc of the new IronMan™ 230 is optimized to deliver a flawless weld, making spatter and post-weld cleanup almost non-existent. The IronMan™ 230 easily runs aluminum – just add the optional Hobart DP-3545-20 spool gun and you’re ready to weld aluminum from 18 gauge to 1/2″.

For improved feedability with aluminum wires or for extended reach with other wires add the Hobart 3545-20 spool gun with its 20 ft. cable length.

CONTINUE READING ONLINE ->

Get ready for Worldskills 2011!  Alistair Brummit is — he’s just won first place  at the WorldSkills UK finals and will get the chance to represent Britain next year in the Worldskills competition in London!

A job weld done by Alistair!
02 March 2010
By Leah Strug

TWO apprentices were welding their careers in place at a regional competition.

South Tyneside College students were celebrating after winning two of the top prizes at the annual SkillWeld regional finals.

Alistair Brummit won first place in the SkillWeld competition.

The 20-year-old was awarded with a trophy, an iPod, vouchers and a certificate from SkillWeld.

Alistair recently completed his Btec in fabrication and welding at South Tyneside College, and he took on the best trainee welders from colleges across the country in the national final of the BOC Apprentice Welder 2009.

He will now represent Britain at the 2011 Worldskills Welding Event in London.

Alistair, from Bedlington, Northumberland, said: “I was thrilled to win the regional SkillWeld. It means so much to me to be recognised for my work and it gives me the confidence and motivation to push myself further.

CONTINUE READING ONLINE ->