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Why does nobody talk about the cost of forge welding vs welding cast shoes?
I spent $80 on a secondhand forge setup to try welding my own shoes from bar stock. My buddy spends $50 a week on pre-welded keg shoes from the supply house. I'm three weeks in and my welds still crack on draft horses. He's never had a failure. Which path actually saves money long term? Anyone else go back to buying them ready-made?
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jesse_smith1016d ago
Agree with the other guy that buying pre-welded is WAY cheaper when you factor in your TIME. I spent four months trying to get my forge welds right and burned through probably 200 bucks in propane and steel before I gave up. The real cost nobody talks about is the hours you waste fussing with finicky fires instead of just shoeing horses. Once I bought pre-welded keg shoes from the supply house I never looked back, my shoeing pace doubled and my welds NEVER fail now. Forge welding is a cool skill but it's a hobby expense, not a moneymaker unless you're doing custom work for big money. Your buddy's $50 a week is nothing compared to the frustration and extra shoe costs from failed welds.
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the_mary16d ago
Man that $200 in propane and steel sounds about right, I went through the exact same thing and it's brutal watching that money go up in smoke. You're dead on about the time cost too, I wish someone had told me that before I spent six months fighting with a forge.
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noahwood16d ago
Tried welding my own shoes once and the forge blew a puff of smoke in my face like it was laughing at me.
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