Welding Tips and Tricks

Anyone have a source for Hobart/MaxalTIG 4943? The only online store I can find that sells it is Weldfabulous but they are out of stock. Thanks.

I just posted this on the recent "filler rod...." thread.

I saw your post but didn't find 4943 when I searched Baker's online store.

Airbags local store ordered 10# for me, total including tax and the ever present
'HazMat' surcharge was around $73. Took 5-7 days to come in, no ship charge.
[basically, Airgas will add hazmat surcharge to almost everything, other than power
tools and welders. Kickin' and screaming about this, ustah do sum gud...but not now.]

C7Z wrote:I saw your post but didn't find 4943 when I searched Baker's online store.

You just had to read the part where I say that you have to email them so they can email you a quote back.

Oscar wrote:

C7Z wrote:I saw your post but didn't find 4943 when I searched Baker's online store.

You just had to read the part where I say that you have to email them so they can email you a quote back.

Really, is that necessary? I thought the idea of this forum was to help each other, never mind it isn't worth it. Have a nice day.

C7Z wrote:

Oscar wrote:

C7Z wrote:I saw your post but didn't find 4943 when I searched Baker's online store.

You just had to read the part where I say that you have to email them so they can email you a quote back.

Really, is that necessary?

Well there's no other way to order it from them since it is not on the website. So yea, you have to email them so they email you a quote back and you can accept the invoice and pay them. So yes, I was being quite literal. They simply don't stock it, which kind of makes sense since it hasn't "taken off" yet, so they'd rather just drop ship it straight from the manufacturer. Perhaps as more and more people buy it, they can begin stocking it. Either way, it's a great price for a very good filler rod.

You missed my point.............

you can get it from airgas and prob cameron, however, i believe they typically sell it for retail $67ish, supposed to be in stock at airgas... you can call to verify, if you dont want to wait... your local cameron or air gas if you have one, would be able to order for you if they dont have in stock and if you dont want to order on internet... they may match the price too if you ask, but im not sure about that... i havent ordered that rod yet

it does say log in to "get your price" so may be cheaper... not sure
http://www.airgas.com/product/Welding-P ... B494309470

i just came back from cameron... they price matched the 4943 for me $5.70/lb (3/32"), they hadnt heard of it... however I was able to order it and it will be here next week, by Thursday... their other store had it, but i didnt feel like driving over an hour to get it, as there is no rush, i just want to try it... I ordered 20lbs, im sure that is enough for me to try it out and see if i like it... if you want, I am willing to send you a few sticks to try it out before you order it... if so, send me a pm with your shipping info and pay it forward sometime after you get it...

So not being smart here, but what's so great about 4943 filler? Just used 4043 and it's good. However wouldn't mind trying out others.

LS Customs wrote:i just came back from cameron... they price matched the 4943 for me $5.70/lb (3/32"), they hadnt heard of it... however I was able to order it and it will be here next week, by Thursday... their other store had it, but i didnt feel like driving over an hour to get it, as there is no rush, i just want to try it... I ordered 20lbs, im sure that is enough for me to try it out and see if i like it... if you want, I am willing to send you a few sticks to try it out before you order it... if so, send me a pm with your shipping info and pay it forward sometime after you get it...

That's not bad at all. I ordered my first 10lb box from Airgas, but they sure didn't give me that price! I paid like $78 or something like that. Afterwards I started calling and email'ing places to get better deals. I have 1/16" and 3/32" if anybody wants to try it as well.

Oscar wrote: That's not bad at all. I ordered my first 10lb box from Airgas, but they sure didn't give me that price! I paid like $78 or something like that. Afterwards I started calling and email'ing places to get better deals. I have 1/16" and 3/32" if anybody wants to try it as well.

yeh they were cool.. asked me what i was into, showed them a bunch of pics... they were really nice... and didnt hesitate to match the price of weldfabulous... told them it wasnt in stock and i didnt mind paying the extra... said nope... 5.70/lb is fine and thanked me for my business...

Oscar,

Thanks for posting up that data sheet. I'd not put any effort into investigating this wire, and it seems I should have. I have many applications for 4043, and a handful for 5356, and it looks like the properties of the 4943 fit well in the middle ground. It might be an improvement for both applications. My only concern is the melting point... dodging meteorites is plenty fun with 5356 when welding overhead.

I'm going to keep watching people's evaluations, and may suggest it at work. I might also take up one of the offers of a sample stick or two for a hands-on evaluation, but first I'll try to get my LWS to get some for me to sample. We buy enough crap from them that they should be willing to get us a sample.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Oscar,

Thanks for posting up that data sheet. I'd not put any effort into investigating this wire, and it seems I should have. I have many applications for 4043, and a handful for 5356, and it looks like the properties of the 4943 fit well in the middle ground. It might be an improvement for both applications. My only concern is the melting point... dodging meteorites is plenty fun with 5356 when welding overhead.

I'm going to keep watching people's evaluations, and may suggest it at work. I might also take up one of the offers of a sample stick or two for a hands-on evaluation, but first I'll try to get my LWS to get some for me to sample. We buy enough crap from them that they should be willing to get us a sample.

Steve S

please send me a pm with your shipping address... i will send you some to try, i typically use 3/32 wire with aluminum... so thats all i ordered... if you would like to try some, send me a pm and i will send some when i get it... i have learned a ton from people like you, time for me to give back a little when i can...

I will never buy anything from Cameron again... long story short, I ordered the rod back on the 7th (20 lbs). paid for it in full... they price matched it to weldfabulous (which is now questionable). It was coming from another location approx 1 hour from the store so should have been in Tues the 11th. I called on Thur the 13th (because I would already be going in that direction) and I was told it hadnt arrived yet, but i will get a call as soon as it does (person had a bit of an attitude, though i was polite and just inquired as to whether or not it had arrived yet, in case there was an issue).

Called again on Tue the 18th. was told again that it had not arrived yet and that I would receive a phone call. At this point I ordered 10lbs from Weldfabulous (after getting an email response back that it would be in stock and ship). I intend to go through quite a bit of rod, so I didnt mind the extra rod, in case there was an issue with the Cameron order (or it showed up in the mean while).

I called Cameron again on Mon 17th. This time, I asked to speak to a "manager" so that i could have them verify exactly what is going on with the order, should have been at the store no later than the 11th. He put me on hold for a while and then apologized to me, saying that the order had not actually been put in for some reason! he told me that he had just put the order in and would again, call me by the 19th, no later than the 20th (as the rod is coming from Hobart "locally"). I was very irritated, but kept my response polite and pleasant. As of the 21st, I hadnt received a call from them.

Yesterday, 24th, I had an appoint for more testing at a hospital (F#@k cancer!), where I would have to pass Cameron on the way there and back. After the testing, which began at 10am and ended at 1230, I called them again. I told the guy that answered that I would have to cancel the order if it had not arrived by now... He put me on hold and said, "oh it showed up on Friday". SMH. said they didnt call me because it showed up late. Not a big deal. I was groggy from the anesthesia, but asked my wife to drive me down there to pick it up.

when I got there, the person I initially ordered the rod from, disappeared. I let the other person know i was there to pick up the order and after waiting a few minutes he brought it up. I signed for it, and started to pick it up, but he asked me to wait, while he verifies I actually paid for the order. I laughed and said, I sure did, in full and i cold provide the proof, if needed for some reason (should be in the system). He told me he saw that I made "a payment" but it shows not paid in full... He said that the price difference was approx $25.

according to the person who initially sold me the rod, it wasnt ordered because they have a minimum amount they have to order from Hobart (which doesnt make sense as they are a larger company and Miller/Hobart dealer, where i am sure they make rather large orders all the time), so then he said to get the order, they had to pay shipping.

again, not a huge deal, but i was wondering, why i was told there would be no shipping or anything else, as it was coming from the store an hour away, "they had it in stock" etc. He didnt seem to recall the conversation but i directed him to the original invoice and tht it was paid in full.. i did not want to wait for a refund to go to my card, i did not want to play any games, as i was not feeling good, from the hospital visit, I basically asked him if he was sure he was going to change the price and invoice at this point and his response was yes... i paid the extra (which was listed as "freight" but manually entered where i paid extra tax on that also... which is not commonly done this way). $24.20 price difference. Im not complaining so much about that, however, when i add up the difference (as i got home am began to feel a little better), it seemed oddly close to the amount it would have been had they charged suggested retail. SMH! sorry for such a long winded rant! i was a little pissed... and felt like i had to say something to someone, where it may matter....

this being a thread about where to buy the rod, i felt that i should post my experience with them, after first saying i was happy initially about the price match... now that i have 30lbs of it, im sure, myself and a few others I will share with, will have enough to give it a try...

On a good note... i did make the order from weldfabulous... they were very nice, courteous and professional... shipped out the order on time and it arrived yesterday also! should have just canceled the order from cameron.. but they wont be getting another dime from me for anything... I was asking them about a miller dynasty... the poor customer service, helped me decide to stick with the ahp i currently have (havent had an issue with it anyway... just really wanted a miller)...

Looks good. What it run ya? Whatcha gonna build? I bought some to make a plasma cutting table out of aluminum, but have yet to get to it, lol.

Oscar wrote:Looks good. What it run ya? Whatcha gonna build? I bought some to make a plasma cutting table out of aluminum, but have yet to get to it, lol.

not sure, i just wanted to try it out.. i am trying to get practice in as often as possible... i would like to weld aluminum at times, where i can smooth the welds out and was thinking the 4943 is better suited for that sort of thing.. if not that, then it could replace 4043 when im welding something that doesnt need to be anodized (where i would use 5356)... i dont have a real need for any of this at all... just a want...

tried it out today on a small gas tank






i would typically want to smooth the welds out... but i may leave the welds alone alone.. i designed these end caps, with intention to smooth the welds out and make it look like its one piece... like i did on this one (welded with 5356)...

You do some damn nice work, LS.



Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:You do some damn nice work, LS.



Kym

thank you