Welder dust cover....Where are they?...Vote/Poll...Who's in?

Welder dust cover....Where are they?...Vote/Poll/Suggestions...Who's in?

I realize this is somewhat of a vague question/topic....due to so many sizes/configurations....but, why is it so difficult to find something designed to cover up my welder, plasma cutter etc....?

I know Miller and Lincoln make them for their machines......but those would look terrible on my Green one.

I suppose this could be directed at the Everlast Marketing group or maybe Sales dept.

Blue and Red covers run about $50......Crazy!....for 5 squares of vinyl or cloth sewn together...jst Crazy!
I would think about $20 max cost....cuz U know they would come from yonder.

Cmon Everlast, Step it up!.....LOL

Im sure covers would be a big HIT, with many of the dedicated individuals on here that treat their equipment with the care it deserves.

As mentioned earlier, i know there are a Lot of Green box sizes available....now and from the past......as i was reading this thread http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...344-Dimensions

Im not sure what would be of best design for material tho....so feel free to chime in...voice your opinion as to what U would like/prefer/recommend.

Possible materials and thots:

Green soft cloth, like denim (very flexible in all temps and washable)....with Everlast Logo

Clear vinyl (so we can still see the Green beauty)

Universal black vinyl, with cotton backing (like a grill cover)...with a white Everlast logo on it....totally cool looking :D

others?....please post em!

I would think maybe 3 or 4 general sizes would cover things up rather well.....pun intended!....and keep cost down.
And/Or....offer a universal kit of said material to cut and sew together....shouldnt be that hard now.
Of course, then we could make custom covers to fit our loaded carts as well.
Hmmmm, maybe even use strips of velcro for those that cant sew....kinda like those who cant tie thier own shoes....lol

Sooooo, lets here it.....whats your thots? :confused:

Green, rip-stop nylon with a black border and stitching would be nice, light and cheap. I'd buy them for all my machines.

Zactly, That does sound pretty cool.....Black border on Green.
altho, what is the rip-stop nylon?

Logo....cant forget the Logo!

Thats my whole pt......keeping things Cheap...so that everyone will buy one...or more for their machines

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wileyone123

Zactly, That does sound pretty cool.....Black border on Green.
altho, what is the rip-stop nylon?

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https://www.google.com/search?num=10...abkFkDN0#spd=0

You can stitch your own cover up using a cheapy sewing machine if you don't use too heavy of a fabric/material. Here is the quickie cover I threw together for the last machine I had, but you can't run the heavy vinyl and scrim backed 1/2" foam through one of those machines, so a walking foot machine is needed. Obviously with the vinyl it's not machine washable. :D My next welding cover for the new 250EX will be much simpler though, and I might include some lime green satin that I have from a wholesale fabric purchase.

Indeed, Nice color match on the cover........altho, my eyes hurt a little bit now.....lol

Yes, i knw it wld/shld be easy enough to stitch together some pcs as U have done.....but many may not hv the resources/time/patience etc to be an amateur seamstress.
Im sure if there was an option to Buy 1 for about $20.....none of us would consider making our own....yourself included.
But as it is, we are not so lucky yet as the Everlast team still has to produce any sort of cover that im aware of......hint-hint
Hopefully, with enough interest from others in this thread, they will get the ball rolling.....so to say.

So far, im all in on the ripstop nylon fabric.....or some sort of nylon material.
Im thinkin its very light....as far as thickness.....kinda like wind-breaker material.
altho tough and water repellent, id like jst a bit heavier i think.
at about $7/yd, its very inexpensive.
and for sure, the Color is spot on......altho a bit hard on the eyes, if looking directly at it, a #5 lens may be req'd here......LOL

i think im gonna chk out th local JoAnn fabrics shop at the mall and see what i can drum up on material.
otherwise, ill go with the lightweight ripstop.

still, open for other suggestions as well.....on all accounts

I like the idea of a cover, but the problem I see with ripstop is that if any spark hits it it will melt a hole in it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seshan

I like the idea of a cover, but the problem I see with ripstop is that if any spark hits it it will melt a hole in it.

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Very true. I take the lazy way out and usually just drape a flame resistant cotton welding jacket over the machine when I'm done. It's even green, although not a color match. ;)

A few small holes in the cover wld be a good thing....as it allows it to Breathe....kinda like Gortex.....lol

True, nylon has its cons(easy burn >)....but, the cover is to protect the machine from dust/dirt and debris if its in a dirt area.
Another possibility would be to spray (any cloth material) with a flame retardant spray.

I suppose we could use flame-suit material....but there goes the whole low cost objective i was shooting for....lol

I do like the nylon thot of material....would jst prefer a heavier gauge than the ripstop thin stuff.
I will try to get to a local chain, JoAnn fabrics, and see what they have to offer.

Still, this thread welcomes all pros, cons, criticism and outside the box ideas for material, function and purpose of said welder covers.

keep em coming!

thnx

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seshan

I like the idea of a cover, but the problem I see with ripstop is that if any spark hits it it will melt a hole in it.

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No problem since we wouldn't use the machine with the cover on. Ripstop nylon would make it thin enough to fold and fit in a standard drawer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zoama

No problem since we wouldn't use the machine with the cover on. Ripstop nylon would make it thin enough to fold and fit in a standard drawer.

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X2

its a storage/dust cover.....not intending to protect the unit from all elements the shop has to offer.

there is basic function...and then there is bullet-proof design.
from a cost perspective, im wanting to stay with the basics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wileyone123

Indeed, Nice color match on the cover........altho, my eyes hurt a little bit now.....lol

Yes, i knw it wld/shld be easy enough to stitch together some pcs as U have done.....but many may not hv the resources/time/patience etc to be an amateur seamstress.
Im sure if there was an option to Buy 1 for about $20.....none of us would consider making our own....yourself included.
But as it is, we are not so lucky yet as the Everlast team still has to produce any sort of cover that im aware of......hint-hint
Hopefully, with enough interest from others in this thread, they will get the ball rolling.....so to say.

So far, im all in on the ripstop nylon fabric.....or some sort of nylon material.
Im thinkin its very light....as far as thickness.....kinda like wind-breaker material.
altho tough and water repellent, id like jst a bit heavier i think.
at about $7/yd, its very inexpensive.
and for sure, the Color is spot on......altho a bit hard on the eyes, if looking directly at it, a #5 lens may be req'd here......LOL

i think im gonna chk out th local JoAnn fabrics shop at the mall and see what i can drum up on material.
otherwise, ill go with the lightweight ripstop.

still, open for other suggestions as well.....on all accounts

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There simply isn't a profit margin for Everlast to produce welder covers. Too many owners like yourself already have a set price in mind of what they think a welding cover should cost, regardless of what the manufacture tells you they can produce them for. It's like going into a new car dealership and telling them you only have $5000 to spend and you'd like to see your options. On top of that, weldors are resourceful people and most will find something that suits the purpose for covering their welder without having to spend additional money. Old bed sheets, blankets, shirts (etc) are easy enough to get.

A year and a half ago I whipped up the idea to produce green welding covers for the members of this forum who were interested. After crunching numbers, I soon realized this would be a losing proposition right out of the gate. Now factor in that everyone wants options, like a different material, a different color, and a different design welding cover.

Then there's the fact we have different welding/cutting machines with different dimensions. That dimensions thread is the last place I'd trust for accurate dimensions, so now what? Rely on the owners of these units to provide correct dimensions? What happens if they give incorrect dimensions and the cover doesn't fit? There is no way you could ever please everyone in this situation. Plus you really need the unit in front of you to produce a cover with the nicest fit.

Overall, I can see why nobody has stepped up yet to produce welding covers. It's a luxury that not everyone wants to begin with....sort of like a car cover. Maybe 60% of the population wants one, but in reality, 20% are willing to pay for one (or see an actual need for one). I think half of the covers would get destroyed or lost after a few years anyways. Just my 2 cents. :)

Well now, arent U jst the party-pooper!...lol

I do see your point on a few issues mentioned.

Hence why i mentioned of maybe 3-4 universal sizes.
More than likely, in 1 color only....without options.

Blue offers a cover specifically for a given model....and charges a premium for it (about $50 for a 200DX cover)
As U, I and most everyone else on this forum knows, a Blue equivalent welder is about 3X +/- the cost of Green.
...
Given that ratio, im thinkin a Green cover could easily be producing a Nice profit for Everlast if they were about $20.
We all know the cost of manufacturing is substantially lower overseas....unlike what U, I or others would want in the US to produce it.
Yes, that would be a losing battle.

With all the $ spent on welders n such, im thinkin many people like myself wouldnt mind spending a Fair price for a product that helps keep our investment in nice condition. I believe Zoama said he'd buy 1 for each of his units as well....considering they were of reasonable cost.

I think all would agree....$50 is simply legal theft.....for Blue material which is most likely produced overseas....at a fraction of the cost.

I would also think that if U could have purchased a cover at a fair price, U would have done so.....rather than spending a considerable amount of time making the quality piece U did with all the fancy black stitching.
I can clearly see why it wld be hard to make a profit with a cover like that.

I realize a cover wouldnt hit the market in the time frame i or others would like.
At worst, im polling for other/better ideas so that When i make my own, im completely happy with it.
Yes, welders and many other skilled tradesman are resourceful and find a way to make what they specifically want (as U did)....and i will.

I suppose when $ is no option, no one cares about spending hard earned cash on an overpriced piece of material.
I however am not that fortunate.
But when things are fairly priced and its cost is within reason, we dont mind doing so.
Which is Exactly why i purchased Green.....i simply cldnt afford $4k for a hobby.
Hence, it has left a lot more Green in my pocket (as others said it would), allowing me to invest in a decent looking cover.

I do appreciate your thots/opinions on the issue.
I was simply hoping that with enough interest generated on the issue, that Higher Green powers would consider a small investment to make its thousands of consumers a little happier.

thnx

I really think you have a good idea here and I didn't mean to be a Debbie-downer. Just my point of view after deciding to NOT go down that road. I ended up buying the green marine grade vinyl in bulk (like 5 yards at a time), which means you could probably find someone that could REALLY get a discount price by buying 20 or 30 yards at a time (of whatever material everyone could agree on). If that was the case, someone could easily produce some general sizes of covers at a reasonable cost.

The best idea would be to fit a cover to each model of welder/plasma cutter, and just have a pattern on hand of each one. Of course you would need to have access to all the different machines, which Everlast obviously does. This is assuming they don't have changes in the dimensions as models are updated from year to year. Everlast owners as a whole, are cheap/poor (I call myself budget-minded...poverty is such a negative sounding word!;))....The price of my 250EX was a great deal of money for me to spend, yet it won't even get a red or blue welder salesman to give me the time of day! Hell, I'd be lucky to buy a used Miller off of Craigslist for what the 250EX cost! Believe me, I completely understand being broke (Oops, I mean "on a budget").:P

I do understand the road U went down wasnt an easy one.
Nor is being financially set to buy Color of choice....hence why i too am Here.
Ebay and CL simply didnt offer what i cld afford after months of research....and i came to realize sacrifices had to be made.
So far, i dont believe i will regret it.....at least for the next 5 yrs.....or until my warranty runs out....whichever comes 1st....lol

After seeing the thread on machine sizes(how many there were).....i simply dont believe that making one (or having a pattern) for each machine simply isnt a realistic decision for anyone...even the manufacturer......back to the idea of 3-4 general sizes.
BTW, i did NOT compare all the sizes to see which machines used the same cases.....quite possibly reducing the total # of sizes needed.

I dont believe 1-2" difference in width, length and height wouldnt be a big deal as for Fit.
Or, make sizes for the top moving models....which i believe is what others do.
Jst sayin, i happen to think there is a market here....at a minimal investment to the consumer.

Still, im patiently waiting(hoping) that someone at Headquarters will chime in on the subject....good or bad.
Ar worst, maybe they toss the idea out there and see what happens.

in the meantime, im still gathering ideas for mine.

We took a look at things a while back. We had some samples made and evaluated them. None were to our satisfaction, and did not look good either. We've dealt with enough customers to know that while a few may not care how they fit, most would feel poorly toward us if they did not have a glove fit. We weren't satisfied with the appearance, but we also have to take into consideration things like flame retardance etc. This is a liability. We've taken a step back from it since so many new units and new panels have been introduced. Each change requires a new cover. And while you may think that we could make a profit at 20.00, it would not be worth that profit margin to fool with it unless we were about 80 percent of a Miller or Lincoln. There's a lot more to it than just paying the per piece cost to the factory. There's minimum production which is usually quite substantial. There's shipping, import fees, tariffs, and customer broker charges you have to figure in, then the cost of warehouse space and staffing etc. Everything you do needs to generate realistic sales figures. While we're not saying no, we are also saying if/when one comes out, it'll cost more than you might think.

Thnx Mark...for Stepping up!

Your right, lots of other factors consumers(and myself)are not aware of in regards to total cost.

Altho, like lots of things, a Disclaimer goes a long ways when it comes to Liability.
As another mentioned....folding said cover up and putting in a drawer during use.
Altho tig doesnt emit as a plasma/mig/stick, there always has to be some use of Common Sense.
There are many that dont remove combustibles, flammables, rags and the such during welding.....let alone have a fire extinguisher handy.
Its nearly impossible to account for every human error.....hence why the Safety and Warning pages are so extensive in the front of the manual (that few, or not enough, seem to ever read).

Another thot, to solve the inventory/stocking issues etc tht U mentioned......simply send a cover with every New unit!
Im Certain tht NO One would complain about it.
Problem solved!....lol

Its nice to know that folks at Everlast cared enough about the poor looks/quality of the cover to say NO to an inferior item.
Its a shame the designer didnt go back to the drawing board and correct things.

Regardless, thnx again for your Input....as im sure many have never heard what went on behind the scenes in regards to the design/thots of covers for your machines.

As mentioned, i was sure they wldnt be in production by the time i wanted one.....so my Quest continues....for a design and function tht appeals to me.

The cost of the machine has little to do with the cost of the cover, so comparing a Miller cover (which I bet is made in China) with comparable quality cover would cost about the same. Also Miller may even sell them at a low margin and plan on making it up on the machine. I have often gotten a cover "thrown in" with the deal of buying a new machine from a number of companies. Most were too time consuming to use and languished in a drawer somewhere. The few good ones got plenty of use. I like the idea of a cover, but totally understand most of the issues with them. Universal covers tend to be a real one size fits nothing proposition, for grills, cars, bikes, etc. If I want a nice cover I would just make one or have it made. I've had a few made to order at a local auto upholstery shop and been very happy with the fit and the price. Plus I get just what I want. Maybe Everlast can offer sew on patches instead. Good for jackets as well as welder covers. I would think that would be a cost effective bit of swag they could sell.
As for me, I would probably go with something like black or grey denim with green stitching and logo. Light enough to fold up, but a little more durable and spark resistant than nylon. I would just have it made to order to fit my machine just the way I want. As has been mentioned there are way too many options about fitment. Like with or without the cables, filter dryers, regulators, etc. Everyone has their own idea of what a perfect fit is.

Great post and thots....thnx much :)

True, 1 Universal size would suck and look like crap.
I like custom fit things as well, but thot maybe 3-4 sizes would bring things into perspective for looks/function.
I like the idea of a Patch....or even an Iron-on logo (even cheaper)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wileyone123

Great post and thots....thnx much :)

True, 1 Universal size would suck and look like crap.
I like custom fit things as well, but thot maybe 3-4 sizes would bring things into perspective for looks/function.
I like the idea of a Patch....or even an Iron-on logo (even cheaper)

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Iron-on you can do yourself with the right printer paper. But after washing a few times and folding it, iron-ons tend to start cracking and look pretty bad.
That reminds me there is a tee shirt shop near me with one of those CNC embroidery machines. I guess I can just get my own patch, if I want.