[platypus20]

Like Smithboy said, the Chinese may be building high quality machines in the future, I for one will wait for the future. Like David R. and many other on this site, I make my living using my welder, I have to have a machine I can rely on, with predicable performance day in and day out. Like the car dealerships, when the Chinese welder mfgrs have an actual service and repair network, with service centers in multiple locations, in place, not just a phone# or web address, then maybe I'll start to change my mind. After working in Asia on and off for years, one thing have become apparent, the Chinese are not inventors or innovators, they are great copiers, they will look at a product, find a cheaper way to produce it, and until they find a good welder to copy, it will be more of the same.

Jack

 

[platypus20]

They have some good machines there. They just don't have the technology to duplicate them.

This is not to start an arguement, but what your saying is the exact opposite of what I saw in China. I've been to about 30 different construction sites all over China and never saw a Chinese welding machine, most of what I saw was 20-30 year old Lincoln SA200s, old Hobarts and maybe an occasional European machine. I worked for Proctor & Gamble, Goodyear, John Deere and many others, covering many product installs, covering boilers, pumps, air compressors, injection molding equipment and others types products. From what I've seen, thats all they have is the ability to manufacture, not initial product design or product upgrades, but the startling ability to build a factory, and turn out any product cheaply. Maybe things have changed in the last 3-4 years, I was last there in 2004.

Jack