How to Become a Master Fabricator
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
One of the core values of Arc-Zone.com is to focus on Continuous Improvement, a concept I first learned about when I worked for Weldcraft and had the opportunity to take business courses from W. Edwards Deming. If you’re not familiar with Deming, he is the expert in quality control who was instrumental in reviving Japanese manufacturing after World War II and developing the Total Quality Management movement. I was even fortunate to meet him personally.
I try to apply this ideal of continuous improvement in all aspects of my life and I’m always open to learning new things. So when the opportunity to take a workshop with master fabricator Ron Covell came along, I jumped on it!
The workshop took place at Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, a So Cal hot rod shop in Escondido, California not too far from the Arc-Zone.com headquarters. They were working on a project dubbed “Mercedes-Bent,” a mashup between a classic 1961 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL roadster and a 2004 Mercedes SL600. The result was showcased at SEMA, and you can check out the pictures here:
http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/mercedes-bent.html
Ron is one of the best in the custom automotive industry with expertise in everything from TIG Welding to hammerforming. He’s worked on some of most bitchin’ hot rods and dragsters, and writes a regular column for Street Rodder magazine. Needless to say, I picked up quite a few tips for myself.
Now if you can’t get to a Covell workshop, you can learn a lot with his DVDs-they’re some of the best in the industry, and Arc-Zone.com carries them in our store. We’ve also just added Covell’s newest DVD, Advanced TIG Welding. I found it has a lot of great information even if you consider yourself an expert in your own right.
Don’t forget, Arc-Zone.com’s warehouse is stocked with the biggest selection of TIG Torch packages and replacement parts from two of the industry leading torch manufacturers: Weldcraft and CK Worldwide. We also offer an amazing array of tungsten electrode grinders, replacement grinding wheels, and tungsten electrodes–from premium quality tungsten like ArcTime brand Hybrid to made in the USA GTP-Sylvania.
We’re always interested in learning new things, and this year we’ll be profiling more customers on our industry-leading blogs-it’d be awesome if you would share your story, or your best welding tips with us. And as always, let us know if there’s something you need and don’t find in our webstore. Our top priority is to make sure you get the best product, service and solutions to Weld Like A PRO!
Best Regards,
Arc-Zone.com, Inc.
Need A Wheel?
Do you need a new wheel for your tungsten electrode grinder?
Find out how to tell when your tungsten grinding wheel is ready to be replaced over at JoeWelder.com.
And when you’re read to replace your tungsten grinding wheel, check out the top quality replacement diamond grinding wheels over at Arc-Zone.com– whether you have a Sharpie, Triad, Power Point, Turbo Sharp,Turbo-4, a Piranha, Neutra, Ultima TIG, Turbo Ace, Neutrix, DGP, or Sharpshooter tungsten electrode sharpener… we’ve got your wheel in stock and ready to ship!
LA Times Scooped!
Did you know our editor scooped the LA Times, the New York Times and the Huffington post… you can read a brief article about the passing of Geraldine Doyle, the image of Rosie the Riveter, over at CarmenElectrode.com.
Happy Holidays! The end of the year is always a good time to take stock, and I don’t mean inventory! (although that is on the list for the year’s end). I like to take time to look back on what we’ve accomplished over the past year and give thanks to those who’ve helped us.
I just got back from the 
Also in time for the holiday season and back by popular demand-the 
The newest product from Miller Safety is now available at Arc-Zone.com. The WeldX line includes a classic black jacket, cape sleeves, welder sleeves, a bib and apron, all in a lightweight yet rugged material desiged to perform in the toughest welding environments.
We keep hearing from more and more fabricators about how great our ArcTime™ tungsten is– one customer even scored a free sample from one of our competitors and ran some tests– head to head. Ramon over at Headway Performance said the ArcTime delivered a better weld– hands down! And while we don’t give out free samples, we do offer a Money Back Gurantee backed by our industry-leading No Hassle Return Policy. So if you’re looking for a 
When I was a kid working with my Dad and Grandfather in their shops, they’d say something like ”A Clean Shop is a Safe Shop.” Like any kid I’d roll my eyes but as an adult, I now know how true it is.
With the internet, it’s easy to stay on top of the latest safety information, not to mention regulations. This list of resources should get you started:
A lot of things are happening behind-the-scenes at Arc-Zone– the new format of this newsletter is just one. We’ve also been working on some new features for our website and adding products to our line up. We’re pretty excited and hope you will be too. Check out the details below, and let us know if you have any questions or comments, or if there’s something you’d like to see at Arc-Zone.com.
Ever wonder what the folks at Arc-Zone.com look like?
With a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton, Erin Justice was a good catch for the Lincoln Electric® technical sales team. I was recruited right out of college, she says.
Arc-Zone.com introduces the new, improved 
We’ve added 
We’ve added 
We’ve started a new regular feature on the 
A common thread among many women welders is that they were first introduced to welding by a man in their lives. Laura Knight is no exception. “I started welding copper water lines with a plumber and then married an air conditioning technician who welds steel, and I learned wire feed welding from him,” she says. She now works as a metal artist.
