Ive been talking about it for so long but I think now is the time, I cant drive for more than 15mins without seeing a half dozen welding trucks around the houston area. Theres alot of work happening somewhere that I dont know about..? Im only new to the area and have zero local contacts but I do have alot of years welding experience behind me, mostly oilfield based. So Im going to get a bigger truck and a welding machine together and see what I can make happen. I cant work another day in a shop.. Im completely fed up with it and all the politics involved, the best work years of my life have been the ones where Ive been outside. Any suggestions for someone looking to get started for them selves?
Politics are part of life..! Rig yards are no different and possibly worse. You will never get away from poitics no matter where you go.. I will never discourage anyone from going out on there own. That being said.. Its not easy...! I do it because I enjoy it, I Dont Do It just for the money. The biggest advice I could give you is SAVE your money...! You can be making 3 to 5k a week and them saying that they have a ton of work to showing up one morning and they tell you that its lay off time. If you love being a rig welder its the only life to have. If you are doing it strictly for the money.... You wont make it...! Thats my 2 cents worth..!
I have to agree with rcwelding, I have been self employeed for 13 years now. I work for my dad who was also a rig welder in the oilfeild and several other rig welders over the years. It's tough that's for sure I have done all of it too except for pipeline but hey there is still time left gonna do that too. I love welding, I have built rock plants, steel buildings, cow pens, pipe fence, worked on drilling rigs, and do a lot of work for frac companies and love all of it. But it is tough and there are a lot of politics involved even in my part. You have to put on your happy face even around some guys you don't like because they are the ones making the phone calls. But anyways I say go for it man I think you will enjoy the hell out of it
Thanks guys, I can honestly say im not "only in it for the money"... I all I want from my work life is to be able to go to work and come home and feel like Ive done something worth while, Id like to make just enough money to pay for life and everything it involves. I have exstensive experience building oilfield/rig equipment and I feel like my knowledge in that area could be what companies might be looking for. I would like to know how some of you got started? What where the jobs/projects that kicked it off? How do you take the initial step into be self employed?
You just do it I bought a machine and tools had some business cards made and went to talking. My first big job was the rock plants I built built two of them complete sub structure for the shakers, chutes to feed the washers and 90 foot conveyors and on and on then those led to a small gold mining plant that was pretty cool.
Get a rig set up then start hunting work. I had built all kinds of weird stuff in the residential field. All that work dried up for me in 2009 and I was starving to death. I was talking to Cactus on this forum and he gave me a chance... I did a couple of jobs with him and started meeting people and learning everything I could about the oil field. Now that I KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THE FIELD.... As in maybe 3 percent of what there is to know... LOL...! I have been blessed enough to start getting calls weekly..! Cactus can be a pickle but he has been good to me and helped me get started and for that I am VERY GREATFUL...! Talk to him or anyone else on this forum that is in the field and start asking questions. If you try hard enough a door will open somewhere for you..! !
Get the insurance, hit every rig you see with a stack of biz cards, and offer the first 4 hrs free.
They will bite, and they will see if you have what they need. If you do, say goodbye to politics of any kind, and hello to freedom....
Thanks guys, Im looking forward to the challenge.
Forum
