Is this money unrealistic?

Date 01-29-2008 06:38

Is he bragging?... maybe... Is it possible?...yes.... Is it the norm?... no.... Will it last forever??? Two cases.... Friend of mine was on a refinery shut down (84 hrs/ week for 4 1/2 weeks) last fall (as a foreman) and made over $4K a week..... I was on a project at the exact same time frame for 9 weeks (60 hours per week) and made over $24K....He had to go on the road, and I was 7 minutes from the house. He had to live in an over priced Roach Motel, eat gas station gut bombs and I knew who I was sleeping with each night. Better yet I knew who she was sleeping with at night !!!! Now I only make 35% of that, but I'm still only 15 minutes from the "warm bed", home cooked meal, and inside a nice warm office. I have friends working 10 miles down the road making in excess of $2K a week freezing their family jewels. Its -10 F right now with -25 wind chill.
Beauty of being a "Roady or Boomer" is the ability to chase the $$$$
Right now is a wonderful and profitable time to be in this line of work.
The BIG money is out there if your willing to make the sacrifices, and you gotta spend it to make it!!!

P.S. Probably going to hit a shut down this spring.......

By CWI555

Date 01-29-2008 11:54

LOL "Better yet I knew who she was sleeping with at night !!!! "
Jody not sleeping at your place is he?

By raftergwelding (*****)

Date 01-29-2008 13:08

in 2004 i made 90k in 7 months in 2005 i made 120k in 9 months in the oil field anything is possible if you have the drive alot of long hours and fancy gadgets to entertain yourself when your waiting at the rig for 10 hours to do a cut off we all love stand by time lol

By Kix

Date 01-29-2008 13:32

Hide and seek for 3 grand a week. ;-) Too bad you don't take home that much. Good ol uncle Sam is right there every week to collect. Makes me sick to my stomach when I see all the money that comes out of my check.

By raftergwelding (*****)

Date 01-29-2008 13:40

its all about expenses and toys aka tools deductions

By Kix

Date 01-29-2008 14:52

Yeah I learned a lot about those tool deductions and traveling to other halls looking for work (a.k.a vacation write off), but I don't own a house so I can't itemize. I get the same amount back every year no matter how much I make and it sucks. I got married this year so maybe I'll get a little bit more back.

By aevald

Date 01-29-2008 14:56

Hey Ray, marriage AND getting money back.... are you sure? Sorry, had to get that one in there. Have a great day! Regards, Allan

By Kix

Date 01-29-2008 15:48

Yeah Al you called it. She allready has plans for our tax returns. I'm still in the oh yeah i'm married stages and remembering I have to share now. (banging head against the desk) You just had to remind me huh? ;-)

By scrappywelds (***)

Date 01-29-2008 22:08

Yes it is possible. Non-union tube welder wages is 30hr.+100 or more a day per diem and 7/12 weeks easily possible. Nothing more tha a 2" schedule 120 pipe test, thats an easy test.

By WelderNation Date 01-29-2008 22:20

I appreciate the feedback.

May I ask another question? From my understanding in Florida at least, union journeyman wage is around $25/hour. Is it possible to catch a different hourly rate while being in the union or do you have a standard wage that you're paid regardless of the job performed?

What's the better way to go... union or non-union? I hear the Florida unions are cutting fat bonus checks after 30 years of service. Does anyone know if that may be true or not?

Thanks

By WelderNation Date 01-29-2008 22:51

I've also been wondering just how laborious a pipe welder gig would be. Do you just run around laying welds all day while the helpers do all the fabrication and moving of the pipes?

Honestly though.. how do you guys like welding? I never would have thought that I would be considering a career in welding. I guess I'm just at the point in my life where I'm looking to start "nest-building". I'm 25 years old and really think that I'd rather have the the piece of mind in knowing that I can earn a damn fine wage and will more-than-likely never be unemployed rather than doing something a little more glamorous for less money. I want to be able to provide a privileged lifestyle for my family while having my little playtoys and being able to retire around 55 or so, well off. Seems like with a little elbow grease and some can-do attitude, these types of goals might very well be attainable through a career in welding.

Are there any Florida welders in here, namely in the Tampa Bay area?

By welderdude (**)

Date 01-29-2008 23:18

i'm in tampa. once again...welding is like anything else...you love it or hate it. i love it! there are very few things in life that satisfy me more than laying some nice beads. it's a personal challenge for me every time. sometimes i win, sometimes i lose. ha!

also consider the upcoming massive shortage of welders. in the last 3 years alone i've seen welder's advertised hourly wages go up about $5-10/hr for the major construction jobs. pretty soon us welders are gonna be able to walk into a place and name the wage and we'll pretty much get it. a lot of the challenge in finding welders is finding somebody who can pass a test or series of tests, can pass the background check, shows up to work, and shows up to work sober.

the fitter's union has a 5 yr apprenticeship program. here in tampa the first year you will make $14.10/hr and it increases something like a dollar or two each year until you're a journeyman. they will train you. they have night classes. the only problem with the union down here might be job placement. you only make money when you're working. i don't know how much demand they'd have for helpers. i know they need welders and fitters. but it's some of the best training you can get for an initiation fee of $480 or something...you only pay that once. the only other place you're gonna get that kinda training for free is in the military or by hanging out at a buddy's welding shop 8 hrs a day for a few months.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 01-30-2008 04:06

Living wel and retiring early depend greatly on the life choices You make. CAN YOU SAVE MONEY ? There are a lot of people making loads of money and pissing it all away, while others can live comfortably but not extravigantly, on a lot less and still put money away. I think it depends more on the individual [and family] than the wage. If You go into welding, do it because You want to weld, or You will be an unhappy camper every day at work. If You go into it only for the money You might find You hate the work, but are trapped because You don't have any other way to make as much money available to You. One of My friends is a well paid computer Guru in this position.

By Billyjoe (***)

Date 05-15-2008 04:49

I'm a pipeline welder an we work 6 -12 - I run my own rig I get $75.00 hour an $150.00 day predim

By welderdude (**)

Date 01-29-2008 23:00

the pipefitter's union (UA) has 2 pension plans. i forget how it works, but you can draw on one pension when you turn 50 i think and then when you hit 65 you can draw on both of them and live very comfortably.

the union wage in florida depends on what you're actually doing...chilled water piping, boiler tube welding, inconel, etc. the wage for the chilled water jobs is $21.65/hr. i think the boiler tube welders were getting $27/hr.

the unions here in florida aren't very powerful, thus the low wages compared to strong union states. you can make $30/hr or so in pennsylvania and alaska in the fitter's union just for low pressure chilled water and boiler systems.

I've heard good things and bad things about unions. I'd suggest trying them out just to see what you think. It's like the military...some people join up and love it, others hate it.

By medicinehawk01 (**)

Date 01-30-2008 08:55

You Either Love it, or Hate it. Is a good synopsis of the business. If you get into welding, do it because you want to weld rather then the money. It is a steady paycheck and if you want to travel.....you can make alot of money. Unions have a great deal, but you will not always be working. Non-union work is more competitive and the better & faster you are, the more you'll be working and people will remember you. I have worked industrial construction for over 20 years and I can say the workforce is getting older with not that many younger people getting into it. Can I name my own price? Not really, but I know I can pass any pipe welding test there is so I can say I am working where I am because I want to.
I like welding. That is why I do it and I have always wanted to be better than the other guy, so I tried to excel at it. It doesn't matter to me anymore who is better, faster, makes more money or who has done it the longest, or what alloys & processes you used. I weld because I like it and it pays better than other jobs I don't do.

By 4theluvofgold (*)

Date 01-30-2008 09:18 Edited 01-30-2008 09:22

[deleted]

By Kix

Date 01-30-2008 13:49

Yes different local unions have different Journeymen scales. My Steamfitter local topped out at 30.28 and hour on the check and that's not including all the great benefits you get. If you ad in the benefits that don't come out of your check your really making like 48 something an hour. My sister local who was like 20 minutes to the west of us got 31 something an hour on the check. Then your local has what they call contracts. We had a contract to get a dollar something an hour raise every year for ten years and when that ten years is up we renegotiate. Our ten-year contract was up the end of last year and I haven't heard what the new one is going to get us because I moved. The further you go north the more the hourly wage is usually. I heard they don't make that much up here in Wisconsin for some reason though. Washington State has like a 35+ hourly wage and I think Massachusetts does to. Chicago U.A. pipefitters get more then us, but I'm not sure what their topped out at right now. All the travelers rap in to the Massachusetts and Washington State halls to collect unemployment when they're laid off because it pays so much. Costs of living in those areas are very high so that's why they get so much. Travelers are always looking for those 7-12 jobs out there.;-)

By WelderNation Date 01-30-2008 14:11

You guys have been extremely helpful and I appreciate it.

By WelderNation Date 01-30-2008 16:44

I would love nothing more than to find a local gig where I can run 5 or 6, 12 hour days and bring home somewhere in the neighborhood of $2500 per week. Seems like a fabulous income for a young guy with no dependents. You could easily stash $60K per year while living an extremely comfortable lifestyle until you need to up your living expenses when kids and a wife come into play. Maybe I have it totally twisted but it seems like if you have the drive, you can very well eventually become a millionaire with a career in welding. I've seen gigs offered at $75-$100 per hour in the United States. God forbid you were busting nuts at those rates... you would have a stupid amount of money sitting around with no time to even think about blowing it. I guess monetary accumulation would vary greatly between individuals, though.

By welderdude (**)

Date 01-30-2008 23:47

a lot of the guys here work on the road. they'll work 12 hr days for months at a time and then take a few weeks or months off of work to make up for it. yes, if you worked all the time and saved your money you would be rich...but you'd be very tired too!

what city are you close to? some of the guys here could probably tell where the good industrial jobs are in your area.

By WelderNation Date 01-31-2008 00:19

I'm in Clearwater. I'll be starting classes at PTEC here shortly. Looking forward to getting started.

By welderdude (**)

Date 01-31-2008 01:45

good! i'm over here in Lutz, but I work close to the shipyard. the biggest welding processes to learn around here would be stick, FCAW (fluxcore), and GTAW (TIG). stick welding is a good, all-around process that a lot of companies use. fluxcore is used mostly in shops where there is a lot of heavy steel to be welded with large beads. tig welding on carbon steel and stainless steel pipe is good to know because that's what'll set you apart from all the other welders. you can get some good paying, high quality jobs if you can tig on pipe.

i don't know how long you want to be in school, but if you can become proficient in all of those you'd be set. if you just want to get your foot in the door then just learn stick welding on pipe for now. don't stop at just welding on plate. pipe is where it's at!

By WelderNation Date 01-31-2008 14:12

Yeah, I've noticed that. When I browse job listings, pipe seems to have a higher pay rate than most others. I guess when I graduate from PTEC, I'll be certified 6G Pipe. Doesn't seem like a bad spot to be in after only a year's worth of part-time schooling.

By welderdude (**)

Date 01-31-2008 22:19

I don't know if you'll be certified in anything, but you'll definitely be certifiable (that makes you sound like a nut case huh? ha!) whether you're already certified or not doesn't really matter...just about every company makes you take a test anyway. you can be certified in 6G for every welding process, so don't think you can just take one test and be done with it. it's like a driver's license...you can drive a car, but that doesn't mean you can drive everything that's on the road.

By jawtig

Date 02-01-2008 01:45

I'm 3 weeks away from graduating Tulsa welding school in Jacksonville. I have fallen in love with TIGing pipe. Still need to fine tune the right side of the cap on the 6G, but not to bad. Any who... know of any jobs where they need a TIG guy. (I suck at 7018 stringer beads, can do a nice 5G weave cap. My 6010 roots are hit or miss.) I can travel any where. I have nothing holding me down, can pass a drug test and criminal background check. I belive in giving 110% into what ever I do.......even if it's a bad day.
Thanks for any input.

By OBEWAN

Date 05-06-2008 15:02

Look at zoominfo.com or linkedin.com. There is a nuke plant in FL that is hiring. They need a welding engineer, but they may also need welders. There is some kind of service project going on. Also, you might have good luck at the shipyards in Jacksonville. They hire pipe welders at up to $25 an hour. My employer is not hiring right now, but we take in Tulsa grads sometimes. I think nominal pay is $17 an hour, but it goes up to $23 for senior people. We do some nice hand TIG on aerospace hardware.

By dfwpipeliner (**)

Date 05-15-2008 12:55

I learned how to weld pipe by being a welders helper on pipelines and compressor stations. In 3 years I have learned a great deal from working with many welders, old and young, good and bad. I thought about going to a school to learn but glad I didnt. It doesnt matter what they teach you, you still have to pass a test for every gas company before you go to work anyway. I've seen many a good welder "bust out" and many a bad welder make it. Things can go anyway depending on the day. If you can pass a test there is a great deal of money to be made. Paychecks of $3-5k a week are the norm if you can find the work and willing to travel. I have been working on a compressor station 30miles south of Tampa, Florida. I have just left and going back to Texas after 2months, head out in the morning.

By stanantonio Date 05-16-2008 03:12

I dont know about other unions. But in minnisota when I was in the union. You could be an apperntice but if you can pass the company welding test I usually got jorneyman pay at the time it was 25.60 on the check. The union is defenitely not a bad way to go. Great bennies and you get to learn the ropes that they dont teach you in school.