argon.....

A few weeks ago I discovered that my purge set up with insufficient and resulted in having to completely re-build a frame. Cost aside, the most important thing is that I can sleep at night knowing the frame was built well and can hold up. I get the occasional comment about how much a frame (or stem) costs and it usually can roll over my shoulders, but this is annoying. The fact is that things are expensive for a reason, surely not to finance my crappy 2007 pick up truck that is slowly dying, or my condo on the beach. Argon costs me 120 bucks a bottle, I got through half of one just building a frame, 60 bucks right there, add in titanium at an average price of 1.69 an inch (roughly 200 bucks for a standard frame), then the cost of the bits like seat tube insert, guides, bb shell....and you add an additional 110 bucks. Time, well, that is usually about 4-6 hours. Am I to assume that your cheap ass wants a cheap frame because you think I make too much? or you just don't care about your health? maybe if we weren't all slathered in cheap consumer goods sold by the pound we would get it huh? ha ha..
I offer titanium stems now, and yes...expensive. But if you are one of those folks who prefers to have something super nice that accents your ride than you will get it, if you are focused on weight and cost well you will never get it. The stem weighs the same as a ritchey wcs stem, but is TITANIUM and made FOR YOU, one at a time...not forged en'masse. A thompson may cost half as much Warwick (yes, identifying you now) but its not titanium, which costs a shit ton more than aluminum.
The new purge rig is pictured above, yay, works like a charm...