I've been looking to make a job change and wanted to hear from some guys that have been doing this for a living. I'm not new to welding a already do it for a living fabricating and welding turbo systems for cars and trucks but I want to branch out and make a little more money. I started taking some classes at the community college to get better. The college offers a course in pipe welding and this is the direction I think I'd like to go. I'm interested in hearing from all welders ( structural, pipe, etc.) to give me a little direction.
Find a crappy shop that will let you in the door and bust your ass.
Find a better shop.. and bust your ass...
Find and EVEN BETTER SHOP and bust your ass.
Your not going to make a great wage in a shop There are some that do treat you well and others that don't pipe fitters/steam fitters make a good buck welding all day, fire sprinkler fitters are good. You make the big Fin bucks in the field though. Don't know where your located but navel ship yards oil rigs oil platforms. I work in the field and make good money. Can give you some other comp if you want. and any questions are welcome
theres a HUGE call for welders all over the country right now. I -do Union Pipefitter work and i'll tell ya we need welders and we pay well. You just have to apprentice and have a good grasp of math
After 2 yrs in a welding tech degree program I joined a apprenticeship. As said already most shop jobs are low paying. There is money to be made but it isn't doing shop welding. Continue with the welding school that can certify you and apply for some apprenticeships. I owe a huge debt to the Iron Worker that gave me some career direction. Don't sell yourself short and settle for low pay.
save up buy a rig, grab a SA200 on the cheap.. practice smaw (6010,7018,8018) and try to pass some 6g tests. a lot of companies will pay for you to take the test, but they will hold the cert when you pass.. i agree get out in the field and make the big bucks.
Holy shit guys thanks for getting back to me so fast. I did talk to to local pipefitter union and was considering it. I was a little skeptical cause it could take up to a year to get in but I guess I have nothing to lose by applying. I don't mind working hard and starting at the bottom I'm just tired of this cycle in my life of starting at the bottom working my way to a good position only to change jobs, move, get laid off. Just want to get into something a little more stable I have a wife and family shit now to worry about. I have been TIG welding for about 8 years now and really enjoy it but I'm not opposed to other types of welding. Just looking to get paid what I'm worth and be able to provide for myself.
I personally love welding, but it ain't for everybody. Everything said so far is great, some things to take in to consideration though, can you handle working long hours every day? Do you live somewhere really hot or really cold and are you able to work all day in this weather? If you have a family are you okay with leaving them to work jobs as a lot of the good paying jobs require you to travel for work. These are just all things I've seen get it the way of other people who get into welding wanting to make some good money.
yeah union is a great way to go, but the process is long. i just had my interview with pipefitters a month ago.. didnt make it (after a 3 month process). in nj apprentices are making $15/hr and i know out in pittsburgh they are starting at $20/hr. crazy the cost of living is so much higher in nj too. anyways from what i know its a tough gig either way. union, expect to work your 4-5 year apprenticeship capping out at 85% of journeyman wage ($40-43/HR) but once your a journeyman, you better be fucking amazing or you'll be sitting on a waiting list to work. and still paying dues! don't get me wrong i fully support unions..
however pipefitting and pipelining are two different beasts.. pipefitter you'll work in your area, mostly. money is good, stability depends on your skills. pipeliners, like 904 said, gotta constantly seek out work and travel x months out of the year.. you may make 80 grand in 8 months and be able to kick it with the wife and kids. but you gotta have your own rig. check out weldingweb.com (if your not already on there) some old timers really lay things out for you. i also know of guys with rigs who bought a trailer to tow behind, bring their wife and kids with em.. gotta already be established enough to afford that though. long winded post, but im drunk.
Oil and gas pipeline welding is the way to go. I quit welding for health (messed up kidneys) reasons right before i went that direction. the lifestyle can be a little rough but it's great money you get paid to see the country .My buddy has worked in every state but oregon in his 20+ years of doing it. Better than shop welding I say
Our starting rate is 24.72 that is 65% of Journyman Ironworker rate. For the past four years I have been home every night able to raise 2 boys a bike and o.l off one income, Its in the weather sometimes its cold as a bitch or you want to say fuck this, And you may have a month off here or there. But I enjoy it and being a journyman you can go to any local in the us that has work. So if I had to move I could and wouldn't have to start off at the bottom of a pay rate and loose my benefits retirement health ect.
I was in the same rut you are for 5 years then i found this. Good luck
Thanks for all the help everyone. I wasn't looking at doing pipeline work but I won't rule it out. Has anyone had experience doing process pipe mainly stainless or worked at a petrochemical plant? There are a couple of welding jobs around my area that deal with this sort of things and seem to always be busy and need welders.
Our starting rate is 24.72 that is 65% of Journyman Ironworker rate. For the past four years I have been home every night able to raise 2 boys a bike and o.l off one income, Its in the weather sometimes its cold as a bitch or you want to say fuck this, And you may have a month off here or there. But I enjoy it and being a journyman you can go to any local in the us that has work. So if I had to move I could and wouldn't have to start off at the bottom of a pay rate and loose my benefits retirement health ect.
I was in the same rut you are for 5 years then i found this. Good luck
Plus they pay apprentices journeyman pay if they are certified. Plus like our trade a guy doesn't have to do just welding....he can slum it in the rod patch too.
OP, check out all the unions and find one that fits. Some of us don't have to travel. There are good things about all of them, find one that fits. Just don't settle for a crappy lowpaying welding gig, there is money to be made.
i work in a shop making mostly stainless and aluminum hand rails. im at 16 in hour. not too bad of pay being my first welding/fab job.
i really thought about the pipefitting thing, but i couldnt be away from the family so much.
i know when i go to work, i know when im getting out. if overtime is coming they let me know.
I've done pipe and the pay is good though the work hard but if your really good at TIG you might think about the aircraft industry or some of the more exotic types of welding and like others have said things like welders and machinists are in short supply.
I've done pipe and the pay is good though the work hard but if your really good at TIG you might think about the aircraft industry or some of the more exotic types of welding and like others have said things like welders and machinists are in short supply.
Good point that made me remember that a tank places are always trying to find good welders. I belive they are in sealed tanks and have masks because your welds have to be flawless so they take all the oxygen out like welding up the inside of a chemical tanker that gets pulled by a truck. not sure on this one though. And a couple friends went to divers institute and they said the work sucked gone for 3 mo back for one but pay was great. there chicks almost left em over this but they came home and got in ironwork
if you want to make a career out of it, join a union. Ironworkers, pipefitters, millwright, whatever.
Don't waste your life doing it non-union, because unless you end up owning a business, you're going to get chewed up and spit out when you're too old to do the work anymore.
I've seen it... 45 years old, look like you're 70... broke down... no pension or retirement. It's ok when you're young but it's a brutal trade when you're on your own.
I've been a union Ironworker since '02. Worked steady every year and most years I'm breaking 85-90k before taxes most years. Not bad for a high school dropout
Shit, I think you guys may have finally convinced me to go union, had been thinking about it already but didn't know a whole lot about it. I move back to Florida in November and will have to look into the unions when I get out there.
it's kinda funny, i work for a fence company and was doing sales but the company got sold this past feb and the new owner found out i knew how to weld (not that i'm a professional or claimed to be) so now and for the last couple months all i've been doing is welding and fab work building craddles, carts, racks, fixing machinery and all that fun stuff...he even bought me a brandnew millermatic 252 and all the fixens, so now i'm basically getting paid to practice something i loved to do as a hobby...
i would love to switch professions and go to work at a fab shop but i make decent $ and couldn't take a pay cut to do it, i'm 41 too so union isn't really an option either
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