Intangible Value when buying tools

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
So today I purchased a Lincoln Welder. Yeah I know it's not woodworking machine but...

Anyway the point I wish to bring to the fore is that of value we often tend to forget when seeking to buy a new machine.

I think some of this has to do with low expectations when it comes to foreign essentially no name brands that are nothing more than rip offs of original brands.

The result is when you come across it one is amazed but also delighted.

But I would like to remind all that when buying a machine there is more to it than the machine and the price.

Today opening the box of my new Lincoln Welder I saw the immediate difference.

It started with proper packaging.
Then accessories that don't come with the no name brands but add to the cost of getting started and...if you not aware of it then it may mean another trip to the store.

In my case this was...gas regulator, tips and rolls of wire to start with.

Next was the 3 yr warranty with option to extend by 2 more years.

But the biggest intangible was the manual and the parts list and a catalogue of appropriate welding books and finally there is a learn to weld DVD.

Now what is the value of all of that.....

How often do you hear of people complaining about a poor manual or poor English making instructions unintelligible.

This is what I call a brand. A Brand you can trust, a brand that's prepared to stand behind its product when they prepared to offer an extended warranty.

Something I teach when training sales staff is that a client will always discount your price by the extent to which you fail to show the value your product/price deserves.
 
Nice Gloat! :thumb: I think Lincoln makes a good product, not heard of many complaints against them. So which model did you get and what's the first project? Making your own welder cart?
 
Lincoln is a great brand of welders. I have attended classes put on by the Lincoln reps. Lincoln actually has welders and weldors at most if not all motorsports events. They put their machines through their paces utilizing their staff. Congratulations Rob.
 
Congrats on the welder! I hope you like it as much as I like my lincoln.

There are all kinds of intangibles when buying tools.

Sometimes its all about needing something to get just that one task done one time.

Some times there's the the satisfaction you get everytime you use it. Sometimes that satisfaction gets built up from the work you've done to get it to where you want it.

For example, Bob, my skid steer. I get a smile on my face everytime I use him.

Right now I'm building a storage shed. The big ole compressor running my cheapo HF Framing nailer puts a smile on my face every time it goes 'Ka-Chunk'! I know it's not a great quality tool, but for the amount I use it, it still works fine.

Can't wait to see what you make with your welder!
 
Lol my post was not meant as a stealth gloat sorry if it came across that way.

I was more trying to create awareness to the point as Brent realized of the issues at stake that I feel are often lost when the focus is on price and that is usually connected with products made with low cost production (often offshore) in mind.
Good brands with credibility don't tend to have this issue but there is a price to pay for it. Its a fair overhead to maintain a good technical library to support a product even more so when u consider local brands have to deal with local legalities which we all know can be a serious challenges ( in Canada just thinking of our differences between Ontario and Quebec can be a challenge for example). In Canada this can mean for a relatively small volume of sales having to have your manual in both French and English or running foul of the law for it.
I know when a large US based shopping center group was looking to expand in Canada and did, a huge challenge for them in their strategy to bring US speciality stores to Canada was the dual language labeling and here we just talking translation and not even the focus on quality of technical backup that I am thinking of in a machine.
But like Brent says for one time use heck its often worth the risk especially if you technically or mechanically inclined.

But I truly admire brands that have managed to remain competitive yet not let go of that value which made them great in the first place a store like Lee Valley and its Brands Veritas come to mind here.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
I personally don't own a welder. Probably never will. But, I understand where Rob is coming from. A good friend of mine has a Lincoln that is mounted on a trailer. The rig was built for building drill stem and cable fences. Don't know model or anything, but it came from Lincoln that way. My friend and his brother fenced the outer perimeter of a 20 acre plot with it initially back in 1973. And, they have added more since. And it is still going strong. Apparently you can't beat a Lincoln.
 
You raise good points about added value. :thumb:

I don't think I've ever regretted spending the extra money for good tools, whether they be for the shop, the stage, or the shooting range. And I've often regretted buying cheap ones. ;)
 
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