At Arc-Zone.com we get a lot of requests for tungsten electrodes made in the U.S.A. And until recently, we weren’t able to offer that.

Sylvania (yes, the lightbulb people) are at present the only US source for tungsten electrodes. Nearly every tungsten electrode comes from China (75%) or Austria, Bolivia, Portugal, and Russia.

If you’re interested in learning more about tungsten production, there’s a great new website that offers some of the most comprehensive information about tungsten and tungsten electrodes for welding that I’ve seen in a while. (Yes, I may be a little biased, but there really is some good information about tungsten there.)

Now, Arc-Zone.com offers Sylvania Tungsten Electrodes, made in the US, and ready for immediate delivery:

• PURETUNG® / Pure Tungsten (Color Code Green)
• 1% Thoriated (Yellow) Tungsten Electrodes
  
• 2% Thoriated (Red) Tungsten Electrodes
  
• 1.5% Lanthanated (Gray) Tungsten Electrodes
  
• 2% Ceriated (Orange) Tungsten Electrodes and
• ZIRTUNG® / Zirconiated (Brown) Tungsten Electrodes
  

Arc-Zone will be stocking the standard 7″ length in diameters, 0.040″ to 1/8″ though other diameters are available. Contact sales –at– arc-zone.com for details.

We did our first video shoot at Arc-Zone.com last week. We’ve seen the rough cuts, and we’ll be posting them online soon, but in the meantime, check out Joe Welder’s write up on how the day went –>

Arc-Zone.com has partnered with Master Fabricator Ron Covell to bring you some terrific DVDs on How To Weld. Ron himself worked with us to select the premium DVDs he felt would best serve our customers:

• Basic Techniques for Working with Steel
• Chopping and Sectioning
• Hammerforming Techniques
• MIG Welding Made Easy
• TIG Welding Basics and
• Working with Tubing

These DVDs should get you well on your way to Weld Like A PRO™!

Over at JoeWelder.com we’re running a contest of sorts. A way to get a Free T-shirt:

We’re starting a new regular feature:  Ask Joe.

Each week we’ll feature real questions from real customers, and answers from our own Joe Welder.

Joe, aka Jim Watson, doesn’t like to toot his own horn, but he has a tremendous amount of expertise in TIG, MIG and Plasma Arc Welding and Cutting products– you can read the details over at Arc-Zone.com or read some of the About Joe Welder posts.

And, if you have a welding question you’d like answered, go ahead and Click on the Contact Joe link.

If your question is featured on an Ask Joe post, we’ll send you a t-shirt!

Arc-Zone.com is adding safety apparel to its ecommerce store. Online, you’ll now find a full line of TIG Welding gloves, including the Firefly TIG Glove which is part of Revco’s AngelFire Gear® Designed Exclusively for Woman.

And speaking of women…   Arc-Zone has also added a Category for Women’s Welding Wear.

I admit, until I started working here at Arc-Zone.com, I had a lot of preconceived notions about welding. I had no idea how prevalent WELDING is. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just never thought about it, but you find welding everywhere.

I thought welding was a dirty job (like the photo on the left) and didn’t take much know how. I thought welding involved lots of sparks flying (as in MIG welding). I knew nothing about TIG Welding, or Plasma Arc Welding or orbital welding.

I soon found out welders are smart. They have to know something about metallurgy, electricity, and geometry, for example. In addition, finer processes like TIG welding require the kind of dexterity that comes with dedicated practice. And good welders make good money. (more…)

Did you know that Arc-Zone.com has an eBay store?

For the most part you’ll find the same high-performance welding accessories that you’ll find at the Arc-Zone.com store, but soon you’ll also see an entire array of product that we have received as part of our Cash in and Trade up program. Some gently used, and some, well, you’ll have to see for yourself.

You may also find items that have not moved as quickly as we’d have liked from our warehouse….

And speaking of our warehouse, we have moved into a space with a larger warehouse space, which means that we’re cleaning out the storage locker… and we’ve hired Scott Reiman (pictured left), as head of operations. He’ll also be taking charge of the eBay store.

If you’re a regular Arc-Zone.com shopper, look for an announcement soon in your email inbox.

At Arc-Zone.com we just added BOOKS to webstore. And not just your basic how-tos either. The collection of books goes beyond the basics of welding and metal fabrication to include books that will inspire. Sample titles include How to Restore Metal Auto Trim, Dream Garages, American Hot Rod and Performance Welding. A complete listing of Arc-Zone’s welding books for sale can be found online at www.arc-zone.com.

Add to your welding library today!

Got a call from Matt up in North Dakota today. Brrrr. After we compared weather (Bismark 11, Carlsbad, CA 59) and talked politics (it’s Super Tuesday) we got to the real reason he called.

Matt is taking TIG Welding classes, and is setting up his weldshop. He just bought a Lincoln Invertec machine and needed a whole TIG torch set up to go with it.

His first question was “Do you sell Lincoln torches?”

(more…)

Lots of exciting things in the works for 2008 for Arc-Zone.com but in the meantime, Carmen is going to Hawaii for a little R& R.

The rest of the Arc-Zone.com team will be hard at work until December 25 when the office will be closed until January 2, when order processing and shipping will resume.

Thanks to everyone for a great year!

and A L O H A !