Pipe welders are going to tell you pipe welding, railroaders, and some structural guys are going to tell you fluxcore, aerospace hands are going to tell you tig.
Welding in general is wide open to about any industry you would wish to partake of. It must also be remembered that it's not just welding your training would
be good for. QA QC NDE types use that training as well if they are good at what they do.
IMHO, the first question you should be asking yourself is "what do I want to do?" Rail, aerospace, shipping, pipeline/refinery, automobile, structural, military etc etc.
The answer to that will define your travel boundries, and what your process focus should be. In all cases, it's just a jumping off point. A good welder practices their
craft and continuously educates themselves, as does all other skilled trades.
In theory and reality, you could find yourself in the bowls of a ship welding on a pump base, in a hanger welding on a compressor fan, in a factory, touch up the welds the machines screwed up, in the middle of a mountain range (anywhere in the world) pipe lining, hanging of a rope welding on an off shore oil rig, under the water welding on the same, welding on an M1 abrams, apache or the bomblet drum for a cruise missle, patching up a cat cracker, or chasing hic in a seperator, etc, etc, etc.
The three processes you list will take you to several of those places singular and with all, to all of them. I suggest you do some thinking on just what it is you wish to do with your new skills, then focus accordingly.
My two cents worth,
Gerald
Dang Gerald!!! That was a killer reply! I really dont know if I could add anything as unbiased and usefull as that...
But I will chime in in my opinionated way anyway LOL!
Mr. Anderson (always wanted to say that in a usefull way..think matrix)
The railroad in itself as a company (esp. union pacific) is a Career. Pipe welding is a universe unto itself and is $$lucrative$$. Both often require extensive travel and for a young single guy it is a heck of a good start on life. I have had a wildly varied welding career so I will just give advice based on that perspective: To me you need to learn all processes because it will take you the farthest and give you a lot more options down the road. Lots of things can be had a long the way and go hand in hand with welding: machining, fabrication, fitting, quality control....all skills which you may get opportunity to try your hand at.
I currently work as an aircraft industry welder which requires a seriously steady hand, great eyesight and experience with a wide variety of metals (yep its all tig). I love it because the work conditions are great and the work is challenging.....have I been doing this all my life? heck no! everything but actually. "EDIT" I just included that because I will go against the grain just a bit on Geralds post.
You asked which to take and I might open a can of worms here: I would say the Smaw Pipe would be the most difficult skill to master. If you can run pipe either downhill, or low hydrogen or ss rod in verts....it makes a lot of the other welding you may be challenged with seem easier. With pipe you are constantly changing position, with smaw you constantly have to adjust length, all the while holding that puddle intact.....not easy. Now since you have already spent so much time with smaw already....Tig might be the way to go as its used in pipe from time to time and almost always seems to involve multiposition welding. Tig jobs always seem to pay good for some reason...( I don't know why because I think its easy...maybe material costs). As far as the FCAW skills...they seem to mostly apply to production(heavy), job shop (build anything), and structural type work. Running fluxcore uphill takes some skill...If you have never used a wire welder that class will be very interesting to you because its VERY different from smaw. Thing is if you have a base in all these skills you are a more vauable/more employable welder then if not. I would personnally go for the pipe or the tig if I had only the opportunity to choose one. But as CWI555 already said a good welder is continuously educating themselves...you are just preparing now to take that first step on that journey and thats what it really is a journey.
Best wishes
Tommy
p.s. be sure to post updates on how it all goes for ya
go with the pipe. Structural welders have to work too hard.
Tommy ,I think you might have said it best a little of all don't hurt a thing it will help down the road in the future.
Andersen_Welder,
School will teach you too weld (usually in a booth). Time will make you a professional, don't overlook some of the great training available thru the UNION apprenticeship programs out there. Both the Pipefitters and Boilermakers offer good programs which will teach you to master your trade(s). Also you can start have a pension to collect when you retire AND their wages are the among the best in the industry. Kind of a no brainer in my humble opinion. Good luck
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