can anyone tell me

By TimGary (****)

Date 09-24-2002 17:56

Metal... :)

By RonG

Date 09-24-2002 19:04

Sometimes they weld on rigs.

Rig Welder= HAVE GUN (RIG) WILL TRAVEL.

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 09-24-2002 19:41

Sometimes it is used to describe someone with a welding machine (lincoln, based on the all I have seen) that welds on pipelines.

But basically they weld on anything requiring a portable machine.

A rig welder could probably give you a better answer, I'm guessing.

By hillbilly_2121 (*)

Date 09-25-2002 02:43

thank you for the info

By pipewelder9229 Date 05-19-2003 05:59

ive welded everthing from tractors and farm eq. to food procesing pipe to pipelines and refieries

By JTMcC

Date 05-19-2003 14:47

The term doesn't refer to what he welds, it refers to the fact that he arrives on the job in a welding rig, typically a personally owned 1 ton with a homemade welding bed, a Lincoln pipeliner, torch and hand tools. Rig welders generally are pipeline welders and are paid both a paycheck and a rig rental check. When work is slow they can be found welding anything that pays, but you can safely say that a rig welder the vast majority of the time will be welding pipe. They are usually excellent welders, rather independent and enjoy traveling to new and exciting places.

JTMcC.

By rodofgod (**)

Date 05-21-2003 21:31

sounds like my kind of job!what's the down-side?

By Michael Sherman (***)

Date 05-22-2003 13:52

The down side is you must enjoy sleeping somewhere other than with your wife and having your kids grow up without a father figure.

Mike Sherman

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 05-22-2003 13:57

Mike,
They were my thoughts also.
John Wright

By JTMcC

Date 05-22-2003 15:07

That would depend on where you live and what type of jobs you do. If you live in an area that has a lot of work say, in a 100 mile radius, then you will very rarely be away from home, and there are a lot of places like that in the U.S. If you work short term jobs with overtime, such as pipelines, and a lot of other types of work requiring rig hands, then you will be away from home sometimes, but only for around 6 weeks at a time, Some years much of my work is out of town and some years not,but I work in short spurts, with lots of overtime. 3 good spurts and I've made my living for the year, couple that with the work we pick up within driving distance of the house and I have more time off than the vast majority of folks and see my kids much more than your average clock puncher. During the summer when the kids are out of school, they always go where Dad's working and see the sights. Many rig welders without kids or with grown kids take their wife along as their helper, not only do they sleep with the wife, they travel and work with her too. Many with small pre school age kids travel in a RV and take everyone with them. Again you need to keep in mind that many of these guys are only out of town 2 or 3 times per year, for short duration. Like most things in life, if you've never done it, it's hard to comment accuratly.

JTMcC.