got another job (actually got it this time)

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  • freekforge

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    So I decided to start looking for more work to help pay for my expensive hobbies. So i started asking around about field welding and found a guy that does some construction and asked if he was hiring he said "no" and even if he was i hadnt been welding long enough for him to be comfortable hiring me. So i told him to let me weld a job and that if he didn't like the quality I would leave and never come back and not make him pay. He agreed and I knocked out a rather large job. When it was all done and we were back on our way to his shop he said he would take me on part time. I've done a few different jobs for him now and i have to say field welding is a completely different animal compared to what im used to but it is pretty fun. Its kind of weird working without a shop full of tools at hand, instead I have a 5 gallon bucket in the bed of my truck with basic tools. I am trying to decide if i want to invest in an engine driven welder to make things easier I think even a lincoln bulldog would make a difference. Anyway I thought i would share.
     

    Benp

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    That's great, I hope it works out well for you! Sometimes these jobs can lead to other jobs too, so you never know. Congrats!
     

    freekforge

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    Out in the field is a lot different than being in a controlled environment.

    Thats no joke. Today i had to do some mig and even with the tarps up I was trying to time the wind. And nothing is ever level so setup is a bear but im already picking up new tricks to get things to work out.
     

    freekforge

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    he supplys the welders and consumables but we are using just a regular welder so i have to work around extension cords and what not. I think it would be easier just to back the truck up and fire up a welder. And it would double as an emergency genny at the house so that would make it easier to pull the trigger on.
     

    HoughMade

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    Oct 24, 2012
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    When I was working at a car dealership more than a couple of decades ago, we hired a guy to fabricate some handrails for a stairway out of 2"x2" square tubing. The guy had a truck-mounted engine driven welder and an assortment of tools. He was about 60 and I at about 22 assisted him for a couple of days on the job. I had a hard time keeping up with him.

    This was a small job for him, but he did a great job. He was highly in demand and made a good living. Most importantly for him, he had his own business and was his own boss. He traveled all over. He even welded on gas mains....with gas still in them. If it required welding or metal fabrication in the field, he could do it.

    I imagine there are fewer and fewer of those guys out there, but I imagine the demand is still there. The money's probably better than it was back then.
     

    littletommy

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    Aug 29, 2009
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    A holler in Kentucky
    I built some toolboxes for a guy here in southern Indiana that has a big freightliner truck rigged up to do welding jobs. He cannot handle all the work that is offered to him! This guy can cherry pick what jobs he does. He's an older guy, retired LEO, and he was telling me he would love to sell the whole rig to a young, motivated guy. He's mainly into pipe welding, which requires him to travel to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas a lot, but he has quite a few clients in the Louisville area. Don't know if you're looking to go that big yet, but if you're interested, I could put you in contact with him.
     

    Thomas13906

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    Mar 17, 2017
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    Greenfield
    What do you most commonly weld? Like heavy equipment parts or car parts or hand rails and things like that? It would make a difference as to whether I would buy and engine driven welder or not.
     

    ChristianPatriot

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    Feb 11, 2013
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    Clifford, IN
    When I was working at a car dealership more than a couple of decades ago, we hired a guy to fabricate some handrails for a stairway out of 2"x2" square tubing. The guy had a truck-mounted engine driven welder and an assortment of tools. He was about 60 and I at about 22 assisted him for a couple of days on the job. I had a hard time keeping up with him.

    This was a small job for him, but he did a great job. He was highly in demand and made a good living. Most importantly for him, he had his own business and was his own boss. He traveled all over. He even welded on gas mains....with gas still in them. If it required welding or metal fabrication in the field, he could do it.

    I imagine there are fewer and fewer of those guys out there, but I imagine the demand is still there. The money's probably better than it was back then.

    Doing a hot tap never scared me. Now steam on the other hand.....
     

    freekforge

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    I would love to get to the point were i could do the field welding as a business. Right now im doing hand rails, gates, fences ,and stuff like that. If i were to go out as a business i could probably get into some repair work since i have done machining in the past i have several shops that know and trust me. And like most welders i think pipeline stuff would be awesome but I am pretty far from that. I've been talking with a few friends about starting a small shop and building a rig but its just finding the space and someone who is good with business stuff.
     

    freekforge

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    I should mention that the handrails and what not are done at the side job. At my full time job i do some major welding some of which are .gov contracts.
     

    SMiller

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    Jan 15, 2009
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    Hamilton Co.
    You should see the welding rigs that weld the gas pipeline, they roll 50 trucks deep, they cover a lot of miles in a day, most run two man crews, big money to be made if you like living in a camper 8 months out of the year.

    I have some friends that do fab work for a living, one thing you will find is guys are working out of their truck only these days, cuts down on having twice the equipment and you simply drive the truck into the shop and work out of it, guys are going to bigger service trucks though as the weight is getting up there plus you will want a crane.
     
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