New business & web site, any advice?

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 03-24-2010 17:34

I cant think of any advice but I put a few links on my website at http://weldingdata.com . One is on the index page and the other is on the links page. I hope all goes well for you.

Gerald Austin

By brian bachman (*)

Date 03-24-2010 17:45

Thanks.

By Francisford (**)

Date 03-25-2010 08:21

hey Brian, I guess I have been living my life all wrong. I saved up and purchased my stuff as I got the money. Have you considered joining one of the union locals?? Do you have a business plan so you know how much you need bid on your jobs that you bid??

By brian bachman (*)

Date 03-25-2010 11:31 Edited 03-25-2010 12:57

I am willing to join the union but every union member I know is out of work and has been for so long their running out of unemployment. I have several friends that quit paying dues and went to work for non union contractors. My grandfather was the BA for the local painters union. My father retired from a union so that was my first choice. I'm in a heavily unionized area. I've also gone to the local union to get welders. They won't give me any until I show a fat bank account and fire all my non union welders. They say I can't even have a non union welder on the job site if I put their men to work. They even asked me for work so I gave them a school job I was supposed to bid. And as I left the union hall I walked through a crowd of desperate out of work welders. I feel bad for them. I wish I could put these men to work. As soon as I got my rig I advertised and got three school jobs. They were so big I ended up turning them down because I didn't have a notcher for handrails I was overwhelmed and inexperienced. Plus I didn't have help at the time. That's why I went to the union hall. Why don't you see unions advertising? And after all that I now have union members calling me wanting to work for $100 a day cash without telling the hall. I can't do that. I'm doing alright with decorative handrails and garden art. These estate owners really value their metal. Also I do have a problem bidding jobs. I've turned down alot of work because I don't know how long things take. But I'm getting better. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. At least that's what I keep telling myself. --------------Don't get me wrong, I would very much like the steady local work a union could provide if it was there, but it's not. I don't have the experience an apprenticeship could provide. I went to the local community college. I would not hesitate going to work for the local union if they would have me. But I just don't think they have the work.

By joe pirie (***)

Date 03-25-2010 15:00

The UA Steamfitters do advertise Radio ad's, Billboards, magazines. You say you're in a heavy
union area and everyones out of work? Im in Ca my home local 250 currently has more unemployment
than i can remember. But last year at certain times we had close to 100% employment and were
hurting for welders so bad the UA set up a special 16 week training program for people off the street
to learn to weld. I believe the chicago local is currently running a similiar program. If I want to travel
there are numerous jobs throughout the US and Canada I could go to and have a job waiting. Certain
locals allow their members to work non union as long as they discuss it with an agent first. By allowing
UA skilled craftsman on non-union jobs it gives the union an opportunity to showcase there talent and
perhaps turn around a non union outfit. you can also sign a job by job agreement meaning that only certain projects
will be union. If you're doing school jobs your already paying prevailing wage so you might as well get what youre
paying for. No offense meant to the non-union craftsman i've worked with plenty of non-union welders that were
every bit as good as a union trained craftsman. In my opinion there is no substitute for education and the unions
in this country provide that. Have you considered hireing a skilled estimator. Believe me if you try and go big and
don't know what you're doing you'll be out of business and broke in a heart beat. One other thing you state that you gave
the union a school job lmao. Unions are not contractors they do not do any jobs. Contractors sign an agreement with a union to
provide manpower. THE UNION never has or ever will be a contractor! Unions are non profit organizations.

By brian bachman (*)

Date 03-25-2010 15:38

I should have been more clear. The BA left his office while I talked to the contractor that he asked me to talk to. It was the BA who asked me for work not the contractor. As far as traveling, I choose not to leave my family to travel for a paycheck. I certainly would if I had to. But right now I'm working for myself while my union friends are having their belongings repossessed. I am definitely going to have to hire a skilled estimator. I didn't even realize there was such a thing. I'm sure he could pay for himself in a couple jobs. Thanks for your input.

By devo

Date 03-29-2010 11:39

I looked at your website and your posts here, and a few thoughts came to me. Put the photos on your website on separate pages i.e. have ten photos per page of recent jobs, stuff for sale etc. Out here in the boonies with dial up, i'll never see any but the first few photos, and others may not be interested in loading up 60+ photos. Great looking scroll work, how are you coating it? If this is for wealthy estate owners, a serious abrasive blast/dip/prime/paint job is in order. I had high hopes for the ability of the rustoleum brand "rusty metal" primer to seal and protect hot rolled material in the long term, but after three years, it's starting to rust. I don't know what you are using, but make sure it will last long term. You have a plasma cutter that will cut 1", but you are turning down handrail jobs because you don't have a notcher? As the old story goes "for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost". A tool like that will pay for itself before the first job is done. Now, for a tool that definitely won't pay for itself on the first job, Check out the Hebo

By brian bachman (*)

Date 03-29-2010 11:56

Great advice! Thanks. Yes I did turn down those jobs because of the lack of a notcher. Just another example of how much I have to learn. I've only scratched the surface learning what I can do with the equipment I bought. I don't have a 30 welder standing next to me, I have to teach myself everything.

By joe pirie (***)

Date 03-29-2010 13:53

Check out a little scotsman iron worker. It'll punch holes , shear flat stock and angle iron
has a notcher attachnent that work's like fantastic. They also make a bench model notcher
that is a manual model but is limited to the thickness of pipe or tubeing that is very
cheap. Joe

By brian bachman (*)

Date 03-29-2010 14:47

Thanks.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 03-30-2010 01:57

With regard to small iron workers, I have a Metal pro 4000. If You are in a serious business, You will want something faster & more solidly built than this. I got Mine at a fair price with a bunch of tooling, and it is better than nothing.

By brian bachman (*)

Date 04-09-2010 13:15

Thanks for the advice.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 04-10-2010 19:58

Best thing I can tell you starting out is do every job like you never want to see it again. If you invest the effort to overbuild and go the extra effort on repairs it will build you a good reputation....reputations build lasting business or destroy them better then anything else. Be on time, do not over commit yourself, and do not take on a job if you are unsure you can make it happen.

Best of luck
Tommy

By brian bachman (*)

Date 04-11-2010 02:44

Good advice, thanks.