I am a pipe welding instructor in the southeast and wanted some feedback on a welding competition. I've seen competitions at vocational and secondary levels but want to put together one at a industry level. Come one come all. $1500 for 1st, $750 for 2nd,and $250 for 3rd. What kind of response do yall think I will get.
I know that anytime a good welder sees the chance to prove to others that he/she is the best, they will jump at the chance. The only problem I see is getting enough people to take a day or two to travel somewhere to compete. As you know most companies or self employed rig welders will not spend the time or money to send someone to compete in something that really has no value to them as a company. If you had enough people local to the area, maybe it would work. If you could get some AWS, API, Miller, Lincoln, or other recognized organization involvement to sanction or give some sort of winner certificate for the winners, it would help getting some out of towners to participate.
Good luck!
It would be local to an extent mainly S.C.. I'm thinking about 80 welders max right now. We would want to test the water to see how big this could be. Pipe welders are vein. What better way to assemble 80 of the best at one time.
Add some tools to that , maybe an inverter from lincoln or miller and I'm sure you would have no trouble finding contestants willing to compete.
By Sourdough 
Date 03-02-2007 01:48
Edited 03-02-2007 01:52
Wanna make sure 1500 will pay my fuel, and room/meal cost. Where are you? HAW HAW ............
If you have 80 entrants, 1500 is a tiny pot for winning the game, know what I mean? Make it worth it, and I'll go!
Where in the southeast are you located? Might be able to put you in contact with some folks that could be a big help.
Andy
I'm located in central S.C. Sumter to be exact. Still just testing the waters to see the response. I'd like to be sure that this could be a success now and in the future. If the response is great then the monies will go up.
Hey this sounds cool!
I am from Calgary Alberta in Canada.
I would make the drive down there to compete, it would be a blast!
Ya, for me would like to win, but would not be in it for the money, more for the great idea and involvment.
As mentioned, there really is not anything like this for us ticketed pressure welders.
Great idea and I will keep checking this thread.
later
Pipebandit
I know, I know, most of you guys think I'm a grown miscreant but I just gotta be a smart a** once again............80 bucks an hour for probably a total of 30 or more daytime hours to drive to S.C. and back, and compete in a welding pissing match...........hmmmm. So, I'm losing 30 hours (not including my 30% on materials), irritating my clientelle, and feeling guilty the whole time I'm gone from work. It would probably cost me more than ten grand when all is said and done???
I guess that is the cost of bragging rites.
I wish it could be better and it may. I never intended for people to cross the country for this. Maybe the best is already in our area???
Why drive SD, just fly in for the day. It's not like you would be using your own rig anyway. To keep a competition fair, everyone uses the same machines.
This is all hypothetical anyway (for now).
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, the fact that if I came to SC from western Canada that I would fly instead of drive if we were not using our own rigs.
Kinda thought that up already.
On the topic of a competition for pipewelders, I will be glad to give any input into this idea and it would be a pleasure to be a participant.
Any input on format and processes would be greatly appreicated.
have you given any thought to regional competitions leading to a national
I don't think we have the connections yet to pull that off. Maybe after a couple of years we could find a partner to such.
Let's face it guys...Paul Hendricks from Pennsylvania would be the winner in any pipe welding competition! Just mail him the check and let everybody else save their time and money.
