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iTrader: (24)

Anyone in the welding field? i'm interested in doing that but would really like to get a point in the right direction from someone who has already been there

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

if you want to get into welding I think automotive welding is one of the lower paying fields. I was actually talking to a welder the other week about his work, union is def the way to go. he said he was getting anywhere from $75-125/hr to over $200/hr for the underwater jobs. try to get an apprenticeship and work your way up. im planning on taking some welding courses over the winter @ my local vocational school which offers night courses. im not switching careers yet but it cant hurt specially working on a fishing boat, hell some boats have guys that do nothing but weld on board for full share.

heymoej

iTrader: (67)

look for your local pipe fitters union hall & see if they are taking new members?

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iTrader: (24)

wow great thanks guys i didnt even know there was a union for that! do they have a website or somthing, i'm not really deadset on one field of welding, i like welding but want to turn it into a career

thanks again guys for the he4lp so far!

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

Check out weldingweb.com everyone pretty cool and all have ssome real experence and can help you out...

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iTrader: (24)

sweet, i didnt know there was a forum for welder's too!

thank you i'm going to be spending some time on that forum to learn something

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

Pipefitting is deffently the way to go.. Im thinking about switching from racing( which I weld a good part of the day) to pipefitting...

Justa Z

iTrader: (17)

$75-100 per hour seems like a lot, i know underwater welders make a little over $100 at the right job but pipe fitters and iron workers are ranging from $35-44 i think right now i have a few buddys in thoes unions

less10

I wouldnt underwater weld if it was the last job on earth. The avg. lifespan of an underwater welder is not very long. I heard of a class that was in a pool, one guy screwed something up while underwater and fried his entire class in the swimmng pool. Killed everyone instantly.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

I like welding fine as a hobby but I wouldn't want
to do it for a living. As trades go it's got a lot of
hazards and as far as conditions, down here in
Florida you see the welding being done in open
steel-roof sheds, you're all bundled up with no
cooling but a floor fan and it's 90+ degrees outside
and more like 100+ inside. Screw that. I can only
take 10-15 minutes in my shed and I need a
cool-off break. Ain't going to get that luxury when
you're on the time clock. No union down here
either. Just rednecks making sparks and getting
beat up old, early.

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, there was a weldor around here killed recently by a beam falling on him. Apparently he tacked it up but didn't tack it well enough.

My guess would be that the $75-$100+/hr guys are the ones toting their own equipment to the job, and using their own supplies, providing their own insurance, etc. You can easily tie up a lot of money in a welding rig, and you gotta pay the bills, hence the higher hourly rate. Plus they likely have to plan for backup... if your rig breaks, you don't weld. If you don't weld, you don't get paid.

The lower pay rate (say $35-ish range) I would bet are for positions where the company supplies the tools and supplies. But yeah, hot work for sure, especially in Texas. But, there are a lot of jobs around here (I drive past a "Hiring MIG Weldors" sign every day at a local factory).

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iTrader: (24)

hmmm maybe i should shadow a welding job first to see if i could hang with them. im used to the heat thats no biggie, just that hanging on ropes and **** isnt my kinda thing! lol. thanks so far for all the info guys

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

I was searching and came across this...

http://www.belch.com/welcome-to-world-wide-welding/

Maybe a wee bit pessimistic, but... worth reading!

Derek @ EDO

iTrader: (73)

The structural welding is done primarily by iron workers, its a hard trade from what I hear.
If you are dead set on welding go with the pipe fitting route, I know several.

If you like working hours (7-12hr days) then its for you!
Its not uncommon for a welder to make 12-13K a month

The average pay rate for a pipe welder is around 35.00/ hr

Most jobs give your per diem which varies, 40-125.00 a day (TAX FREE)

Pipeline welders who have their own rig can make the 150.00 hr range.

Another bonus is that the projected outlook for welders are high.

The downfall would be limited advancement opportunities, bad eyes at an earlier age, heat.

subarubill96

iTrader: (9)

if heights arent your thing then i wouldnt suggest structural welding, i know a few guys that do it and you are walking on beams all day long in full gear. i love welding but you couldnt pay me to do it for a living

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

yeah the guy I was talking to had all his own equipment including these suits that pump warm water through them for the underwater stuff. he's a union welder in boston but does allot of welding on fishing boats too which is where I ran into him. he had some hairy jobs in the big dig tho like getting lowered 100feet down into a small, muddy water filled shaft w/ 0 visibility but he said he got $275/hr for that job, less visibility/more $. good luck to ya!

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iTrader: (24)

come monday im going to spin by driver pipeline here in irving and apply for a welding spot. hopefully they take me in cuss the neighbor i talked to told me they would train me the way they wanted

squee

iTrader: (16)

I was a welders helper working for a Shaw subsidiary (welding pipes for a plant), and theres no way in hell I could do that for a living. I would NEVER suggest welding as a career. It sucks majorly.

boondiggys

iTrader: (165)

i worked in a sheet metal shop a few years ago and the day i quit i was walking out and the welder asked me where i was going....he said you made the right choice, cuz he still wasnt making $25 an hour after 15 years of working there...

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iTrader: (24)

why's that?