Hello to everyone on here. I have enjoyed reading some of the posts on here. Told myself I would never join but. This post and another post really interest me. Jim if you have a chance to join 798 and you want to travel and be a cross country pipeline welder. The best place to do it is with them. You will have to work hard and prove yourself. There are allot of second and third generation pipeliners in there that know how to weld pipe and be very productive. I have to say for the most part it is hard to be a super star in there so do not expect that. Do a good job if you get in and make good welds. And that will get you a reputation with a welder formen. I have noticed on this forum some people have some bad ideas about unions. You have to put in what you expect from it. Everyone has to to what is best for themselves union or not. But I have read some posts on here about guys working their rigs for 65 and 75 dollars a hour and have to buy rods, fuel for the truck and welder oxygen and acetylene and whatever else. That to me is not to good. Most guys are most likely working without insurance workmens comp and at the end there year get a big old 1099. Then try to figure out enough deductions to make it worth while. I myself do not see it. All I see is a contractor taking advantge of somebody that is most likely breaking their butt for them.If all the welder stuck together things would be allot better. But again one most do what works for them. Bigkahunna you post some good information on subjects but you seem to talk about drama queens when testing out and running from tack to tack on a 12" if a welder can not do that that should not be a reason to bust him out. If a welder misses a test most of the time it is his fault he needs to except it and move on. But there are times when a welder formen or INSPECTOR does not want you there. But if you want to be a pipeliner that just goes with it. That just goes with the being a pipeline welder. Sometimes if your not from TEXAS or Louisana that has allot to do with it to. You spoke about a ba running the local a bussiness manger run the local not a ba. Ba,s are assigned so many states to their jurisdication to take care of and when a job has been given to a fair union contractor he meets with the contractor to decide how the job will be manned. That is what ba,s do they do not run the local. I have worked around some hands from Bald Knob never seen that Bald Knob Mafia though. I work up in the northeast there is not much non union work up here and I hope it stays that way and I think it will. There was another post on here tonight about a welder applying for a job with the gas company and having to take a branch test if you are going to be a pipeline welder you should know how to layout,cut,fit and weld a branch comes with the job. One must understand a branch is not something you learn in a afternoon. You need to watch someone do one. Just because one most likely is a good welder a branch takes some skill. A welder from Spain said in the post it would be unheard of for a welder to have to lay one out in Spain sounds like the welders got a pretty good deal there more power to them. With my dealing if a man can layout and weld he stands a better chance of working more. Small contractors like that they seem to want to keep men that can help with the layout. Well I hope I have not upset anyone here. I myself like the idea of a fair wage for a fair days work, good conditions, penison, insurance some locals have annunites vaction funds. That is a good deal. Contractors can't have it all. REmember without you they would not be where they are. Good Night
holy shit. i had to read that about three times to piece it all together. hahaha Im a 3rd gen and number 7 in my family to be 798. I was raised on union money and thats how my family will be raised. You mentioned busting tests; my grandpa has always told me that if a welder hasnt ever busted a test then he hasnt been welding long enough. Its not hard to join 798. I am a helper at the moment and learning how to weld on down time at work and starting on sundays. Union is the only way to go. Anything over 8 is time and a half. Show up at the yard in the morning and a welder automaticlly get 5 hours. Work after 11am and you get paid for 10 hours. 6/10's are the working hours for most mainline jobs. most places is 40 an hour, 70 per diem (another $30 after 01/01/08) and i think its 25 an hourfor ur truck. The only thing you need to supply starting out is a truck, machine, leads, and a hood. Some jobs are paying 2 extra hours a day and furnishing fuel. I have worked from wyoming to virginia and from louisiana to wisconsin. Right now we have guaranteed work for at least five yrs. i know it doesnt sound like much but if you factor in the benefits and the ability to have an almost guaranteed check including unemployment;its well worth it be ready to travel if you want to work with the best.. . . . . . . . now the downfall, a 798 welders book is $2400. a helper's book is 1200. I would honostly recommend you to go with a helpers book so you can used the ways of pipelining and then go to tulsa and pass ur welding test for the Hall. you just pay the other 1200 and get ur welders book. keep on asking if ur still interested.
Spacer,
I know 798 is trying to make changes. It is much easier to get a book than it once was. But I can never forget some of the things I have seen on the pipeline in past years. Hopefully the leadership of 798 will continue to recognize the changing workforce. But I have seen guys try to get a book for years while others get in simple because of who they are kin to. Helpers with 2 years get to test while experienced welders never get the call. But this is changing and that is because of the work force changes. 798 made pipelining better for everybody. I have tremendous respect for anybody who follows this calling. Union or Non-Union. But union is politics with its BS ust like working non union has its level of BS. As for running tack to tack, I tell the welders up front what I expect. I resent any inspector who will bust a man for his tacks. But I also resent the welder who tells me he has never busted a test. I have been on both sides of this game since 1983. While I may give up some of the benifits and comforts or being out of a union, I am my own person. If I hire out wrong, I have the ability to go on down the road. I have the freedom to work when and whare I want. And for who I want. I build my reputation on the quality of my work and not the collective of the group. And I do not want my pay limited by a contract or on the whims of someone. And at 50 years of age, my knees and back are not wore out. I have 20-25 years of productive work ahead of me. I see a lot of 25-30 year old young eager guys and not so many 45-50 and damn few over 50 welders. Pipeline welding is physically hard. After 20 years of steady up and down, the knees and back start wearing out. So good luck to all. And there is a fortune to be made. On both sides.
BABRT's
what do u mean,when u say lay it out?
52: Are You refering to Spacing Tool's post? If so He is talking about the layout [marking] that needs to be done as a first step in this operation. The branch is where another pipe joins in to an exhisting pipe. The end of the new pipe needs to be marked so You can cut it to shape to fit on the main pipe, and the main pipe needs to be marked to be cut out where the branch fits. This process is layout.
i kinda figured that was it,thanks.i was reading somewhere in here that u needed to be able to do it without a stensil,that sounds complicated.
Moved to Tricks of the Trade
y regret it,but n e how ,im lost right now
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