I became a welder because my old man was, just picked up the trade and love it, I run lincoln welders because at one time people didn't respect miller machines, but these days miller machines are seen on alot more pipe jobs there workin there way up. The reason I bought the new machine in a lincoln was price.
Keaton08,
I was working as a parts counterman at a auto parts store. There would be two or three guys that would come in and buy all kinds of cool parts for their trucks or street rod. They always paid cash, and they wore these real funny hats. They looked like a ball cap but the brim was soft. I was a junior in High School and barely had enough sence to come out of the rain, so I asked one of them what he did for a living. He said he was a pipefitter welder and was working at one of the nuke plants that were being built at the time. He left the store and I said to myself "thats what I am going to be" The rest is history. So the short answer is "the money" at first but then I fell in love with the trade. I started in 1981 and although I have not welded production in a long time and have moved into a management role I still work in the welding field. Welding machine was mostly lincoln but spent a number of years on a Big 40D Miller and liked it.
Thanks
Jim
I became a welder because I was a pyro when I was younger and I'll use any machine that will make arcs and sparks.;-) I heard they make really good money as well and that fact kind of helped me out the most. I like the fact that you have to have skills to be good at it and I like to do things that require skills so I'm always pushing myself.
FIRE! I used to melt wax, plastic, lead fishing weights etc into various shapes. Loved to melt em and pour em into water.
In 8th grade metal shop I filled a piece of angle with 6013 an cut it apart with a saw. I was hooked.
I am a third generation welder, my dad had a welder in the shop and I can remember burning the P5Red (5p) as a 12 year old kid, there is always the next weld that can be inproved on, so for me welding is addicting its a great trade and so satisfying. I am a "field superindant" now so I don't get to weld much, I carry my 24 year old hood with me and often like it when a welder is MIA so I can burn some rod, its like taking a drink (almost :) ) Go for it kid!
I am not a welder by trade, but I learned how to weld when I was 8 or 9 years old. Iwanted to be able to weld so I could build & fix things, important things like go carts & mini bikes. My Dad taught Himself to weld so He could build & repair things. We had a 1959 Hobart Power/Weld, a 225 amp engine driven welder with a hand cranked Wisconsin engine that Dad bought new. Later We got an old Forny farm welder, an AC Buz Box. I still have both of those, but have a Lincoln Ranger 9, Lincoln Idealarc 250, Miller Syncrowave 300 & 351, Airco DipPak 200 and DipCor 300 as My primary machines. I have some other machines stored away as well. I am not overly fussy about brand, but I like the Syncrowave TIG machines and the Airco MIG machines.
I took up welding right after I quit smoking.(some correlation here) But mostly because I liked the hats....yep, it was those polka-dotted,striped cartoon character hats. Whew! I finally said it.
I'm proud of you for your admission... everybody , welcome ' up-ten' to the group. (the goofy hat addiction group) ha ha
Thank you pypliner. You know, when your peers give you that "attaboy" pat on the shoulder, well... You'll have to excuse me,my wife I think is putting my fave hat in the...DRYER!!!! NOOOOOOO.
It was the black boogers for me. I watched those welders just a diggin in thier nostrils and pulling out that black gold, couldn't wait to get some of that for myself! Of course the hats aren't bad either.
The hats...That's where it's at. But none of them can top my turtle power hat (grin, grin, grin)!!!!
Awesome link hogan!!!! :) Hubby's a drummer, so obviously an Animal fan.... I will be sharing this one.
It's no moving right along. But it seems to have found it's way to my desktop on a loop
When I was a little one, the guy across the road was a rig welder and I would go over and watch him every time that I would hear his old lincoln bellow. I was into the bright light and making metal hot enough to turn one piece into two. He had some real good hats too, cant find them like that anymore. I have a Lincoln and a Miller, depends on what I am doing for which one is on the truck. I never really saw the big money until I rigged up. Got to like a little pain also( burn after burn).
HEY BOYS, IF YOU GOT SOME PERSONAL PICS OF YOURSELF WEARING YOUR FAVORITE 'HAT'... POST 'EM!
The high school I went to had an awesome welding program, once I tried it, I was hooked.
I always kinda wanted to learn to weld even after high school I had dated a chick whos dad was a welder and thought I'd like to try that well alot of people were like no no you don't want to do that it's to hot well I blew it off. I was in CO working at a ski resort and had the chance to grab a shield and watch another guy weld well he wasn't that great but I was like yeah thats cool I want to go to school for welding so I ended up not getting that fulltime year round position at the ski resort and called the folks up and said I'm coming back home and going back to school for welding well they thought I was joking. I think it took them a couple of months when I was living at home to realize d*m he's not joking. sometimes wish I would have learned right out of high school but I think if i were to do that then I'd probally get tired of welding and may loose the drive for it, I've got alot more patience now for it to stick with it. A guy I was in my welding class with his brother was a pipeliner and had a sa 200 all copper windings well I got to try it out on a piece of pipe and could not believe how smooth it was and now I think about it I think his welds smoother then mine he probally messed with the rack. The sa 200 was the smoothest I'd welded with and I really haven't welded with alot just a few millers and that was it but this thing was the sh*t so I guess it was last Christmas I bought a 62 sa 200 rebuilt the entire thing and thought someday I'd like to try pipelining with it but i really just bought it for side jobs and home projects. I'd say for a tig welder I like the old Miller syncrowave 250 and miller maxstar 200 that welds probally as good as my sa 200 with the tig setup. I'm sure lincoln makes some greta fluxcore and mig welders I just haven't really welded with them that much,
Chris
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