What did you think of the outcome? Was it surprising? Leave your thoughts and ask us any questions here!
Watch the video here.
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I was surprised…!!! I was even more surprised that I failed the same test. With the tolerances given to the shops they should have been more focused on that precision, however as I found out, it can be challenging.
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Great video and the outcome doesn’t lie.
I must say that a 10k investment “table with clamps etc” will be though to cough up for a small shop but it seems to bring a good return of investment.
Offtopic: Why are the YouTube comments off? I was really looking forward to the comment section
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It’s surprising to me that after unclamping, Drew’s work didn’t spring out of shape. My opinion (as opposed to any experience with) on fab shops with fixture tables is that they could charge a bit more because their accuracy is better and customers won’t have to waste time with returns.
I say ask for your money back from the other places, telling them that they were out of spec.
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Too incentivize people going to this website instead.
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I’m totally new to wielding. So, I’m coming from the consumer point of view. If I order a steak med-rare, they bring me a well done-dry hunk of meat? Did I get what I ordered? Or ask for the correct order. It’s not the waiter that cooked the steak. All said and done. If you ordered the project with all the details. I would ask for the correct product. I don’t feel a price mark down is correct either. That’s would be like ordering a steak and they bring you a hamburger. It’s steel lunch, right? I think I’m hungry. Be well all.
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At a place I worked before I learned to weld I needed some racks made out of stainless the first was made by our parts ordering guy they were perfect so my boss hired a welding shop to build the rest I spent a day bending them to resemble something flat. I’m confident that the pro could have made them right but just didn’t take the time if you have a fixture table that makes it quick and easy your more likely to do better rather than just saying close enough.
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I have been a professional welder/fabricator for 15 years now, and have built hundreds, if not thousands of frames just like these, and no it’s not surprising at all. Any one who says a fixturing table doesn’t help, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Where I currently work is a big time operation (we manufacture forklifts) and literally everything is fixtured. The company I use to work for (for 9 years) nothing was fixtured unless we made our own. The level of precision and quality you can attain between using fixtures, and not using them, is staggering.
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I fully understand your point and learned it from an early age from my dad, i too had to cut shit of load of wood, metal before i even had a chance to make a square. As my father always preached to learn to follow instructions , learn how to cut and remember/ learn the tolerances. Which i didnt fully grasp till a graduated from college and started working and basically have Co workers that cannot for the life of me couldnt simply follow instructions. Oh well i’d say more power to Fireball and DO YOU bradah, remember ur providing and teaching new skills for the majority so we appreciate and thank you, and just be patient these people will come around and realize it sooner than later.
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Great video Jason. You really picked a very interesting topic… for there are “yahoos” in every aspect of welding and fabrication. I would go back to each fabricator and 1. Identify yourself 2.Show them this video of your inspection and opinion of thier work 3. Show how a “Novice” fabricator beat them all with the use of your fixturing table. Maybe you can sell them all a table and some tooling? Would be a great video to see you do all the above and thier reactions. I would definitly demand a full refund because none were built to print specified tolerences. I am not surprised of the resutls. I am a retired toolroom machinist-welder doing it all since 1973. I have built many machining and welding jigs and fixtures for the machine tool / aerospace industries. JIGS & FIXTURES DO WORK!
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It is disappointing that none of the shops could do your job in tolerance! You mentioned what you should do about this with the shops parts. I would say if they were for a real job you should reject them back to the shops. This is pretty much standard with in industry. But because you used them in this video no. They actually served your purpose. In fact more then served your test.
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Video was really good and informative. I don’t like to see comments disabled though. I know you want to bring people to your new forum, and possibly weed out the keyboard warriors from the last video. I personally think this is not the way to go though. The people that are invested in welding and/or the channel will flock to the forum. You learned that there was criticism/confusion thanks to the comments, and you got to make a video in response. That is a tool, please don’t remove it. It’s the easiest method of getting a response without people having to make an account on a new forum.
3 Likes
Well, I know he deserves a nice friggin raise lol.
I would take them back to the makers and explain what they did wrong, point them to this video. I don’t think I would ask them to fix it or money back unless I actually needed those squares for something. If so I would make them fix it.
4 Likes
I was not surprised, you take time to make sure your products you produce are the best. I loved your videos on YouTube. However it took some time for me to move over to this platform.
It was easy to watch on YouTube, and still is.
I do not have access to a computer to sit down and watch the videos on your website all the time.
however, i am here now.
I do appreciate all you do.
Some day, i might be able to afford a fixture table. and hopefully some fixture tools… lol
1 Like
At $600 for something that simple I think the price of a fixture table isn’t that hard to swallow.
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I would love to see how they replay for warranty. And if they don’t want to fix, their react for money back request
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Great video
Old dogs can learn new tricks I know people who own your table and they do nothing but brag about it it has helped them up there game and are getting more work then before… if you can swing it you should you need to invest in your business to succeed
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The large facility even suggested that they were going to use a jig. I think the issue here is not the equipment, but that they were too experienced and ended up taking the task for granted.
The errors they made were inexcusable because you gave them a tolerance. The parts didn’t meet the specifications and it’s black and white because of that.
To answer the question about whether or not you should go back to them, I think you should. They aren’t going to know that they are producing out of spec work if you don’t let them know and this may help their other customers. Of course it’s up to them whether or not they take constructive criticism or not, but you’ll have done your bit.
PS: Aside from the holes, Drew’s welds were fine. Far better than I’ve seen on plenty of products.
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If they had the equipment, they would have not made the error. Even if they took it for granted…
That’s the entire point of the video, the Equipment can take out the human error.
He proved this, and more.
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I don’t think you return them and ask for a refund.
You take them back and sell them a fixture table.
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