Rig Welder Practice

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I have to ask, how often do you Rig Welders practice, and for what you do (i.e. specialize in pipeline welding, or horizontal stainless tig roots, or heavywall F3F4 facility work) what would you consider the very best means to practice?The reason I ask is because I don't want to be a shop welder my whole life, or a hand-welder up in Fort Mac or Where-ever; I want to be running a Rig, but for as obsessively as I practice, I keep telling myself "You have to be better than this and faster" And I do everything from Horizontal Stainless welds on 6" sch.10, to Inconel, to Downhanding on 12", 6", 2" positional welds, etc. I don't know. Alot of good guys I worked with many years ago who I keep in Contact keep telling me to rig up, rig up - and they hate to practice, but they're out making alot of money and exploring into other things outside of welding using the money they've made from Rig Welding.
Reply:Thorton:  Rig up.  If you have a truck already, it's even easier.  Load up every piece of gear you've got, drop 2 grand on an old engine-driven Lincoln SA-200, and get out there.I burned my first job in the gas fields with a Miller TB302, and for all the **** my machine got from the guys running 1940's technology, it never broke down and I never failed a radiograph.  I was able to give quite a bit of **** to the guys whose half-century old rigs broke down who originally gave me crap for showing up with a blue box on my truck, but didn't seem to care too much when I let them burn rod off my inverter for a case of beer.
Reply:How does one get into rig welding? Do you get on with a company, or are you independent? If so,what type of insurance do you need?
Reply:Sometimes I practice, sometimes i don't get to.  Fake it till you make it.  Guys use all different kinds of machines out there.  The blue ones are gaining respect with the older crowd, the grey ones are tried and true.  If you chase rigs you'll need your own insurance, pipelines i don't think you do.  Get a good truck and excellent welder.
Reply:Thorton,Son.... You just got to get out there and "do it"......... My Dad instilled a saying in me at a young age.He told me many, many times ..."Son, do something even if it's wrong"............ It was his way of encouraging me to make mistakes in life and pay my dues to do things. The best lessons you learn are from trying something and having it go to hell in a hand bag. The rig hands out there are much more apt to give you a hand if your struggling to get something done. For those guys who are sitting on their computer waiting for a rig hand to drive up in their drive way, knock on the front door and have a coupon set up for them to practice on............. It's going to be a long wait.You may have to take that first rig truck and do some crappy jobs. But the thing about working a crappy job..... it gives you incentive to go get a better job the next time.Rig up....................Lincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:One thing that holds people back is job security.  In the rig welding trade job security is built on your reputation.  Oviously being proficent in what ever you're doing is important but socializing is a big part of the "job security " too.  Meeting other welders, getn contacts, saving numbers, being humble and not being a snot in general.  These all help you land a test, job after job.  There's your rig welding job security -it is what you make it.  Also, be willing to travel.  Life on the road isn't for everyone.
Reply:practice your cuts and fits.    welding is only half the battleVantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Thankyou everyone very much for the responses; I spent probably an hour talking to a friend of mine on the phone yesterday and he pretty much said the very same thing. I know in all my past experiences that everything is more laid back than what I figured it would have been or else opportunities would come my way to help me out. I believe that I'll start looking for a truck.
Reply:Its find this thread Humbling in many ways...I have been watching Fieldres (Thorton's) videos  on YouTube for awhile now.  I always said "If I could only be as good as he is..."  But I realize that everyone starts somewhere.  I often get really mad at myself cause I feel like Im 23 years old and I wanna get my career started.  I own my own business doing Hand Rails/Guard Rails, Stair cases and Spiral Stairs...  But honestly its boring and I always have looks at Pipeline Welders like they were the top dogs in the industry.  They have nice rigs and are a brotherhood that I hope to be in one day.  But after watching Thortons videos many times I started doing what he said, "Practice Practice Practice"  I got some 10" 3/8" pipe, started cutting it into 1 1/2" sections put a bevel on them and started practicing.   And the first one wasnt pretty...  But today I welded up one joint after watching his "Downhand 1969 Redface" video.  And I tell you what, It turned out pretty darn good.  I only have 6010, 6013, and 7018 electrodes, so I ran from the root pass - cap with 6010 all down hill.  I dont know if they will pass a X-Ray but I am improving every time. Someone also mentioned they started out with a TB302...  This put me at ease as well cause thats what I use.  I always say to myself "How am I gonna afford a 17,000 dollar PipePro350?" (Im a Blue Guy) "If I ever showed up on a site with that the guys are gonna laugh and run me off"...Slowly I been putting my Rig together, I put the Trailblazer in the bed of my 99 Cummins with my Tool Box and bottles.  Its not much but its mine and everything including the truck are paid for, I own them.Also Thorton said, "I always build up situations in my head" I do this as well, and he's right Anticipation is usually greater than reality.Just thaught I would add my 0.2.  Keep on Keepin On Thorton!!  I love the videos!!Last edited by DieselDon16; 05-26-2013 at 08:16 PM.Some Blue , Some Red & Some GreyProverbs 16:2-3.2 "All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Reply:Sounds like you have OCD and autism that was not diagnosed with CFS mixed in.I am not a welder and for the past 8 years most of my welding is practice. I don't think I ever met my own standards in life other than women in which I was always saying why does this girl like me? As far as women go I surpassed what I ever thought I could.Money is starting to come in now and I just put it right back in to working. I don't want to, I would rather take a fishing vacation to Montana but I can't get better or faster in doing that now can I?That quite frankly should be a mandatory question one asks of themselves upon waking each day...."how can I be better?"I wish he did not take the "welders are like dogs video down" or at least give me the right to see it again. Everybody in the building wants to know what I am doing and why and they make their silly faces while trying to figure it out.
Reply:He seems to have this perversion with always having to practice and be prepared for something. I was looking at some of the comments about welding machines he has and I don't know whether its sad or funny but he keeps saying that he can't help himself when he sees a machine that he has to buy it. The guy probably does have OCD, I don't know what he's practicing for or if he uses everything he practices but I would hate to have whatever he has. An obsession like that probably swallows you up and ruins you. If I was a rig welder if have a skid so every weekend I could remove the skid and put in all the camping gear while that poor sucker is probably still practicing incase the world ends!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Power of BlueHe seems to have this perversion with always having to practice and be prepared for something. I was looking at some of the comments about welding machines he has and I don't know whether its sad or funny but he keeps saying that he can't help himself when he sees a machine that he has to buy it. The guy probably does have OCD, I don't know what he's practicing for or if he uses everything he practices but I would hate to have whatever he has. An obsession like that probably swallows you up and ruins you. If I was a rig welder if have a skid so every weekend I could remove the skid and put in all the camping gear while that poor sucker is probably still practicing incase the world ends!!
Reply:Originally Posted by Power of BlueHe seems to have this perversion with always having to practice and be prepared for something. I was looking at some of the comments about welding machines he has and I don't know whether its sad or funny but he keeps saying that he can't help himself when he sees a machine that he has to buy it. The guy probably does have OCD, I don't know what he's practicing for or if he uses everything he practices but I would hate to have whatever he has. An obsession like that probably swallows you up and ruins you. If I was a rig welder if have a skid so every weekend I could remove the skid and put in all the camping gear while that poor sucker is probably still practicing incase the world ends!!
Reply:Some bozo at work usually asks me on Monday what I did that weekend. I think I am going to actually outline it this weekend and put in it my pocket so I can belligerently read it out to him and then ask him WTF did you do?