General welding questions that dont fit in TIG, MIG, Stick, or Certification etc.
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Farmwelding
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So as I venture into my senior year in high school in the coming months and start doing some welding classes at the tech school as well I want to see what kind of jobs you all have and what they entail for training purposes or what kind of work or certain skill sets are required(ie: equipment repair needs torch cutting a lot) I'd just like to see the many opportunities out there and narrow down a few options that interest me and hone in especially on the extra skills like arc gouging or fuel cutting. I will learn everything that the school has to learn but focus a little more in certain skills. And I know some people have weird or cool jobs that I will probably never hear of outside of this so please share. And since a lot of people don't stay in one place their whole life, don't be afraid to share multiple job experiences. I'm excited to hear about the opportunities I have in the future of the welding world.
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
PeteM
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Carbon arc gouging is a good skill to have, but the primary skill within that is not getting burnt to a crisp.

Not welding but still good to be good at-
Mechanical skills, or more accurately sense, is priceless. Being able to take put things back together when you aren't the one that took them apart is priceless. That will make you a life saver.

Taking stuff apart without destroying it is a very close second.

Drilling, tapping, and at least die cutting threads is also very handy.

Using cranes, hoists, rigging straps and devices, man lifts, come alongs, chain pulls, and porta-power/hydraulics and screw jacks are also very good. Keys and wedges too. Lots of different configurations of keys and wedges.

If you are in a machine shop you have to know how to use various types of calipers (dial, vernier) and KNOW that a ruler is not a ruler. It is a SCALE. Not knowing these things will result in the machinists making fun of you. ;)
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Even just from a 'busy hobbyist's' point of view I have to agree with Pete.

I work on jobs for mates often. And it's almost never just welding. It is head-scratching, re-thinking, cutting, fabricating, drilling, tapping...and welding.

Now and then someone turns up with something that's just, say, cracked, but very often the part that shows up is broken with a piece missing, or broken and you know if all you do is return it to its original shape, it will break again, so you improve on it.

I imagine a lot of professional welders/fabricators might see the same sort of stuff show up. It's seldom straightforward, but that's part of the attraction. Weldors are also solution providers.

Moz
cj737
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If you want a career in a technical trade, then you'd better damn well be very strong in MATH.
If you want a "repair" type career, you'd better be able to read blueprints and visualize the missing piece accurately.
If you want an industrial type career, rigging/hoists (as mentioned) is invaluable.
If you want to be a fabricator, mechanical skills are imperative.
Fuel cutting and gouging requires forethought and common sense, and an innate desire to not cause injury.

Attitude towards solving the problem, doing the work, and doing the work well is likely the most valuable asset in the toolbox of anyone who's successful. The only shortcuts out there lead to a result that doesn't solve the problem fully.

Knowing how to do things is necessary, knowing why to do them is more important. Understanding the technical aspects of metallurgy and welding will save time, money, and possibly people's lives. Anyone can be taught to run beads. Those who can determine when, how, and why are the invaluable ones.

Its great that you are determined to learn as much as you can, but don't expect that much of what you learn in school will actually remain once you enter the job market. You will be re-trained, re-taught, and learn new methods and skills that a school environment simply can not teach. So always listen without speaking, ask a question to improve your understanding, and know this: If you think you have all the answers, then you are not asking the right question. And never stop learning because I have yet to meet the person who knows everything about anything.
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After nail pounder got finished, very good information posted already.

I sometimes wish I could do 1 type of thing and specialize, but welding is something so big that I always end up doing/learning new things.

I guess the only thing I specialize in is learning new things.

I tell my students to strive to be a generalist - it makes them more employable in my opinion.

Know how to do many things, brush up and finalize skills as needed on the job and at home.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

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Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
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exnailpounder wrote:
Farmwelding wrote:Now I know how it feels. Can't get one actual response and Jeff is there already. Well I guess Jeff just doesn't want me to figure out my future...
You did get an actual response. What were you expecting? 8-)
If he was expecting your type of answer, he'd just ask at school - in the junior high most likely.
Dave J.

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~

Syncro 350
Invertec v250-s
Thermal Arc 161 and 300
MM210
Dialarc
Tried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
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Just had a cleanup on aisle four.

It's the nature of welders to bust each others' chops, but when that's all one is doing, it's well over the top.

Let's not descend completely into the seventh-grade locker room.

Steve
Farmwelding
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Otto Nobedder wrote:Just had a cleanup on aisle four.

It's the nature of welders to bust each others' chops, but when that's all one is doing, it's well over the top.

Let's not descend completely into the seventh-grade locker room.

Steve
I'm not letting you off on skipping out on this stuff. You have probably half of the types of jobs out there so... I'll be patiently waiting for your response along with many others. And don't be afraid to make it long. I'll read it all and I want as much advice from you experienced people as possible.
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
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Farmwelding wrote: I'm not letting you off on skipping out on this stuff. You have probably half of the types of jobs out there so... I'll be patiently waiting for your response along with many others. And don't be afraid to make it long. I'll read it all and I want as much advice from you experienced people as possible.
If you've listened to episode 15 of the podcast, you've an inkling of the range of jobs I've worked (in welding). I've actually held over 30 jobs in something like eight entirely different fields. I've repaired VCR's, when those were a thing, and installed hot-tubs. I've been a finish carpenter and a high-end custom-finish house painter. I've sold water treatment systems in Florida and Georgia. I've been a small engine, motorcycle, automotive, and heavy trailer mechanic.

Every job is an opportunity to learn something.

The first job where I was paid specifically to fit and weld was building and repairing floating docks on Lake of the Ozarks, in MO. Didn't pay worth a crap, but I was fit and tanned, and I learned a ton about structures and shapes, and interactions from motion. I also learned how to side-slip a 42' work barge to the party dock from speed without hitting the bumpers. More practically, I learned to stick-weld dissimilar thicknesses with 7018 on an unstable surface. I also learned that if you wear your life-vest upside-down like a diaper, you can float higher on the water to weld while swimming. This will give you sexy muscular legs and six-pack abs.

Next, I worked a production sweatshop for not much more money, and learned to MIG weld at a high-production pace. I also learned I can consistently hit a rat with a .22 at 50 yards while extremely drunk. There's a great story to go with that, but this is not the time.

My next venture in welding, it was a bit of an aside to my duties. I was a project manager for a company that refurbished ambulances. I learned organizational skills and OSHA compliance there.

My big step in welding came a few years later, when I was back to painting houses, and the housing market was in the toilet. I had a network of friends in all the trades I'd worked to date, and got information on a grassroots power-plant build in Clinton, IA. This was the first time I made serious money as a welder, as in Wal-Mart wouldn't cash my checks because they were too big. It was a 60-hour week with per-diem, stick welding again. That led my to my next opportunity, building two ethanol plants in central Iowa, where a great gentleman traded his knowledge of TIG welding for my ability to fit pipe and structure (neither of which I had any training or experience in, but transferred my knowledge of carpentry and experience with the behavior of welded metal) and we got along fabulously.

This accumulated experience led to other opportunities, where I learned instrument fitting (which is a fancy phrase for bending tubes and securing them), the operation of air-operated valves, calibration of gauges... I could go on, BUT:

The point I'm trying to make is, while there are bad wages and bad environments, there are no bad learning experiences. Don't be afraid to take what you've learned and explore. 30 years ago, I couldn't imagine my present job existed. Now, I've largely created it in my image; It's what I like to do, I've become very good at it, and I'm largely my own supervisor directing my own work to achieve the goals set for me.

How's that for an essay?

Steve
Farmwelding
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So here is an additional question to go along with the others: what is the most versatile welding process to learn to guarantee a job? From what I've seen, stick welding is the most versatile due to portability and the large amount of electrodes you can use. After doing some work with 7018s for a little bit now I feel as though I can really shine in this area since I picked it up quickly and I enjoyed it. With this I feel as though I should find something with stick welding and maybe tig (not to mention that it seems to be easier to make money doing those gigs usually) I also talked to Jason Moser and he said that stick welding was a big thing to work on to get into his line of work.

And as for the podcast, I have to say that Steve's and Jason Moser's visit were my favorite.
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
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If you want the broadest range of jobs you can work, SMAW/stick is the way to go. I wouldn't stop studying other processes, but if you re-read what I posted, lots of broad stick experience helped lead me where I am today. A person talented in 6010/7018 basic pipe can find good paying work anywhere in the world. Keep in mind, the best paying of these are expecting 72-84 hours a week or even more. It's a ton of money and no time to spend it, but it can be very exhausting. I preferred sticking to 60 hours a week, just to have time to cook, wash clothes, and bathe. I rarely did 72 hrs. for more than a few weeks.

Of course, I was nearly 40 when I started that journey...


Steve
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Farmwelding wrote:
And as for the podcast, I have to say that Steve's and Jason Moser's visit were my favorite.
Wow,

Thank you for that!

I really enjoyed Jason's as well.

I hate to say it, but my favorite podcast so far has always been "the newest one"... They are either getting better or the next one is just fresh. Either way, I don't care. The new one is the best one, every time.

Steve
Farmwelding
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Never plan on stopping the learning process. Get a good set up at home and burn some rod and wire on the weekends and maybe start a small fab business by myself
A student now but really want to weld everyday. Want to learn everything about everything. Want to become a knower of all and master of none.
Instagram: @farmwelding
Nick
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