Pipeline, and any other welding when pipeline is slow to pay the bills
Sawmill/pulpmill maintenance in the field and misc shop projects that include rebuilding of railway equipment and other random jobs that come in.
Workload varies from week to week, but I'm working for a family owned, smaller outfit (The owner, his son and yours truly!). I can't complain!
Every day is different. :)
Pipeline (mainly water) but gas and station work also
I was a welder-fabricator(until I retired 4 months ago).Worked for a co. that owned several gravel banks,worked there mostly.Most of the work we did was during the winter shut down(upstate N.Y.)repairing and building new things till the weather was warm enough to run the plants again(spring time).They also owned several factories in various locations also worked in each one of them building bins,repairing bag houses,repairing dryers,cat walks, handrails,etc and a lot of crane work.Was a great co. to work for.Although don't miss working in the snow and freezing weather.Regards Bob
Welding instructor, secondary and post secondary; as well as my own business of inspection, NDT, and consulting.
Currently doing a dang ammonia job, but prefer plants and stations.
Aerospace,but I've worked manufacturing,industrial contruction,plant maintenance,and service work in the past.
With only two posts on your profile, WELCOME to the AWS Welding Forum Mathew!! It appears you have been around for a while tho if the info is showing correctly.
Anyway, Structural Inspections and a family owned/operated general welding and fab shop in AZ. Have worked the Boilermakers, Heavy Equipment repairs, pipeline, and many other things through the years.
Our shop here does mainly equip repair, handrails on custom homes, truck racks on contractor pickups, and small proto-type jobs.
Again, weldcome (as Henry says) and hope you stay involved and put up your two tin pennies worth.
Have a Great Day, Brent
Pipeline when there is work but Plant work when its slow.
Manufacturing, weld tech, nde tech, cwi, cwe, inhouse weld program, secondary and post secondary weld training.
Welding engineer on various defense contracts servicing multiple industries
Also do aerospace GTAW welding when they are really short on welders.
underwater and hyperbaric welding when I do weld
Hey Charles...I was just talking about you...LOL
Pulp/paper mill which includes a high pressure power plant.
oil field, feed lots, gates and entrances, decorations you name it and it can be done i'm not proud or picky just want to work
Matthew!
I started out in a manufacturing plant back in the early 80s.. Seven 12s,,, 5 bucks an hour no OT premium... Strangely enough I was grateful too. :)
Some Iron work, Strike Fighter aircraft, Titan launch vehicles, wineries in northern CA., Commercial aircraft, Stickwelding structural steel in the Uganda outback, teaching secondary but predominantly post secondary, inspection (mostly FPI), process control and PQR consultation...
My dad first taught me how to weld when I was about 8, then I got my first actual welding job when I was in high school doing millwright work. When i was in college i got a part time job welding in a shop for a roustabout company, then moved on to work for Gardner Cryogenics where i worked on liquid nitrogen and helium trailers. Which brings me to where im working now, I work for a mom and pop pipeline company (lol even married into it) doing meter runs and short lines. also do short jobs for for farmers and race car drivers.
Welding Engineer. I do procedure development, mainly TIG: narrow groove, hot wire, weird alloys. You know, the simple straightforward stuff.
The simple straightforward stuff is no fun.
i spent some time working in a plant that did everything in plain low-carbon steel. And nothing exciting ever happens welding wise.
I love the funky stuff we get into. One day could be Inco, the next 2.25 Cr, the next Ti, and the next Cu. You never know. I'll tell ya what though, it makes you know which way is up with alot of different alloy systems and how they behave when you weld them.
I started out as a pipe fitter in mostly the oil patch. Worked my way through welding engineering and am now a QA/QC Manager for a fab shop that does pipe, vessels, structural, and maintenance, in all alloys, most industry sectors, and utilizing the big 5 fusion processes in all variations from manual to auto.
first welding job outta trade school was stainless steel pipe welder then bounced around a little and now welding aluminum but want to make my way back to pipe welding is the plan
I guess I can break from my shell for a few minutes? If I could just figure out which reply button to hit?
Right now I'm a proffessional forum stalker-um I mean "lurker", reading you yall's posts. "Like your intro's". Sounds like there's some smart fellows out here. Good reading too!
I'm a retired model maker/welder. Worked for the U.S. Army 25 years, started in Heavy Artillery Maintenance; ended up in the model shop building training aids for the troops. Best job in the world! Sure do miss it!
Just to stay connected I opened a shop and portable welding business about 15 years ago, and now I'm selling some of that stuff off also. Portable specialty welding is my main trade, but when my ship comes in I'm going to be a hobbiest! Do what I want, when I want; I guess? Sell some stuff on ebay or something.
Oh by the way I did make a dynamic, earth shattering entrance into this forum over in the blog section. You can go read it for yourself if it's still there. Hey I gotta go, yall take care.
Steve
Been running chill/hot water pipe for some local yocals for the last few months. Several days off from them to go do some work for local gas companies. Then chasing around doing handrail, decorative stuff, gates, automotive crash barriers, like you see around the atm's at banks or drive ups. Done dumpster enclosure gates, run electrical for gate operator's with a guy, gate repairs, built horse pedestals, welded brackets on a 69' Camaro axle and so much more. I'm kinda like Shad up there, just whatever has a paycheck and keeps me welding and learning which is what I enjoy.
Started out in manufacturing/production welding, moved into pressure vessels and code welding, Custom fab shop work and running a portable rig, got back into production welding in the fishing boat industry, little bit of millwright work on the road, little bit of ironwork, did some precision laser welding and machining, finally I ended up in aerospace (private jets) for the last bit o years. Right now I am doing nothing (collecting unemployment).....I will either end up back in an aerospace job (nice gigs, I like it a lot) or running a rig wherever I can get the work.
No matter what I have done or way I have strayed I always ended up with welding being my bread and butter....that's ok with me because it is what I like the best.
learned how to weld in high school shop. after graduating went to work
in avessel shop where my uncle was a Q.C started out pushing tubes for
$4.50 hr lol. Worked my way up to be a fitter which entailed tackwelding
nozzels and such. Company paid me to stay after work and learn to weld
i also took classes at the local Junior college. Met a couple rig welders at a bar
quit the vessel shop and went to work running one of these guys rig.
obtained every certification i could get ,bought my own rig and welded every thing
imaginable. Got tired of chasing work joined the Ua . worked some pipelines,
got old and beatup and started doing hvac piping. pays the same but no rig pay
but no x-rays to worry about either. I think welding is like being a pro athlete
you only have so many years being able to do the most demanding welds
then your back, knees, wrists and eyes all start to fail you. Im a CWI now
and consider my hood retired. I keep my basic ua certs updated just in case.
It seems to me the younger generation today doesn't want to pay their dues
and work their way up. I also see the quality of workmanship going way way down
it seems alot of welders out there don't give a **** about Quality and workmanship.
Good luck to you and if you work hard enough you will succeed in whatever field you choose
Joe
Year and 1/2 structural welder in NYC.
Almost one year at a nuke plant welding carbon pipe (service water).
Now working at a fab shop welding carbon, stainless, and other alloy pipe for the enegry industry.
Also PT-Welding instructor at local tech college.
Before becoming inspector, I welded mainly in coal fired boilers as a tube welder. It takes a little getting used to as the welding is sometimes done in very constricted positions as shipyard pipe welding.
rig welder, chassin rigs for xom and anything else that comes by, before that i was fixin or buildin anything anybody could dream up or break, from alum to xxh high pipe even pontoon boats gotta love alum in a rain storm ehh!
Thanks all for the replys and welcomes.
I myself personally like working in a manufacturing/production style plant like i work in.
I,ve noticed most people here dont work in that sort of setting, Is this personal preference or is it because most of the work is in other areas?
generally speaking manufacturing plants pay a much lower wage, and the work is very boreing
although a plant producung a needed commodity would probably be a lot more steady.
Joe
I work as an intsructor in a community college. Also am a CWI and do al ot of weld testing in industry. previous to that I worked in a small job shop doing everything from structural to repair welding.
Joe nailed it, usually plant work is lower pay and repetitive (although this is not always the case)
I've only ever worked in plants or small shops. Never really had a chance to give a go at field work. I don't mind it though, Heat in the winter, AC in the summer.
I became an engineer though, so pretty much any of my future jobs will be behind a desk.
rebuild overseas and over the road steel containers. gates, pipe fences and what ever else pays the bills. always want to get in on the line but never moved forward w/it.
Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / What area of the welding trade do you work in?
