Questions about rigwelding/pipelining...

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I'm 20 years old and I have been melting 2 peices of metal into one since I was 17. I absolutely love welding, and it seems like the more I do it the happier I am. Not too long ago I got my first pressure tickets. I just started work as a pressure welder in a shop. We do 1"-24" pipe, all low carbon steel, 20% x-ray. It's freaking awesome. About a year from now I will have worked enough hours to get my IP Red Seal for welding. This is about the time when I think I want to travel. Northern BC/Alberta/Sask. Wherever the money is. But the thing is I'm only a kid. I still have TONS to learn. I'm learning and improving so much everyday, but I still don't know squat about what it's like in the field. Right now I'm living at home, saving all of my money. I'm making $30 an hour at my main job and I'm also working part-time for 30 hours a week. To say things are going extremely well for me would be an understatement. I'm ULTRA-conservative with my money, and I should have 70k saved by the time I get my Red Seal.Anyway what I'd like to do (once I'm ready about a year from now) is get a solid truck, and gear it out for pipeline work. Get whatever tickets I think I'll need, then hit the road.Now I have A LOT of questions about this that cross my mind MANY times during the day.Are some/most pipeliners contractors, or just employed? Do some/most own their own rigs? Or use company owned rigs?Do the guys with their own fully capable rigs make more money?I know there's a lot of insurance and business stuff I'd have to learn if I was working for myself. I assume employed pipeliners wouldn't need to worry about insurance? Or would they?If hired by a company should I expect to be tacking first just as a means to adjust to everything?Are you expected to fit sometimes/most of the time? I mean I can if I have to but it's really slow going.Do you normally just roll your truck up to a joint, weld it and move on to the next one?I guess you see all different sizes of pipe?Is a lot of it in trenches? Are the trenches usually/sometimes a really tight fit?How are the pipes positioned? Pipestands for smaller diameters? Crawler cranes or other mobile crane for larger diameter pipe?Is it common to see 2 welders working on a single pipe if it's large diameter?Do they prep the joints in the field usually? or in a shop somewhere before it's shipped out?If in the field, how? orbital oxy-fuel bevel of some type?Should I make 3/16" E6010 my best friend over the next year? Do they use 1/4" electrodes? I've never even seen an electrode that big A lot of times I think about buying a truck and welder/generator right now and just seeing what little jobs I can find in my area in my spare time. It would give me a chance to work out some small issues rig welders run into before going out to the big jobs. But I don't really know what I would need in terms of gear/tooling/capability, and I don't know where/how to find any of these jobs.I have a lot more questions and a lot more to learn, but I guess the only real way to learn is by doing. Any advice or opinions is greatly appreciated
Reply:Are some/most pipeliners contractors, or just employed? On most any decent size pipe job you are an employee.  Small jobs you may be a contractor (or it used to be like that)Do some/most own their own rigs? Or use company owned rigs?You just about haft to have a rig up to work.  There is the exception I guess, but that might be far and few between now days.  I don't know.Do the guys with their own fully capable rigs make more money?If you don't you won't be working rig jobs for very long  I know there's a lot of insurance and business stuff I'd have to learn i I was working for myself. I assume employed pipeliners wouldn't need to worry about insurance? Or would they?Truck liability insurance is usually required to be on the ROW.If hired by a company should I expect to be tacking first just as a means to adjust to everything?Bronks and green-horns don't tack up pipe welds, only experienced welders put joints of xray pipe together.  Welders that the company trusts their welding ability.  Faulty welds (even faulty tacks) could break a pipeline company pretty quick especially if he's getting (tacking) 200 joints a day.    Generally the welders that tacks are the welders that at least runs the root pass (stringer bead) and this is governed by the code.Are you expected to fit sometimes/most of the time? I mean I can if I have to but it's really slow going.You haft to fit your test (usually) and you haft to fit whenever you don't have a journeyman (fitter) present, which could be most of time.  But in the same breath you might not haft to actually fit all that much.  It depends on where you are and who you're working for and on what size pipe job. lolDo you normally just roll your truck up to a joint, weld it and move on to the next one?If you're on the firing line but usually that is only on fairly good size jobs.  You might not get nothing but welding duties but again that depends on your ability, how you work for, and where you're at.I guess you see all different sizes of pipe?Sometimes.  Again depends on where you are and who you work for.  Some companies can't handle big pipe while some can't afford to do small pipe.Is a lot of it in trenches? Are the trenches usually/sometimes a really tight fit?Generally (in my experience) about 1/2 of the time (1/2 of the jobs).  Depends on who you work for.  Work for some companies and you'll be in the ditch all the time, while other companies you might not ever make a weld in the ditch.  You might not even see a ditch (dug after the pipe is laid-out and you're nothing but a bad memory)How are the pipes positioned? Pipestands for smaller diameters? Crawler cranes or other mobile crane for larger diameter pipe?On pipelines its side-booms.  One might try to use a hoe on tie-ins or something like that and although it might seem to work they do leak off pretty quickly and could crack the bead (the root) out.  Jack-stands are used frequently on small pipe fabrication and if you're working non-union then you'll need to provide your own (ie: haul them around on your rig ).  Union jobs provides jack-stands if you need them so if you're union you won't need to haul your-own .Is it common to see 2 welders working on a single pipe if it's large diameter?Root and hot pass (sometimes even the hot filler) its common for gas companies to require 2 welders to weld on pipe 16" and larger.  Some might even start that rule on 12".  Welding out (filling and capping) can usually be done by 1 welder but again, its going to depend on the company and their rules.Do they prep the joints in the field usually? or in a shop somewhere before it's shipped out?You get what they made and shipped out.  If its ****ed up then you get it ****ed up.   If you're in a pipe-gang situation then the bevels will be buffed, they will be preheated to specs and the joint lined up, not much else.  You will be expected to run the root pass pretty much regardless of what the bevels looks like or the line up comes out like (within general reason of course).  Sometimes you might have more control over the condition of the bevels and the lineup but again all that depends on how much time you intend to take in your prep.  Take too much and I guarantee it'll be frowned upon.  Generally if you can't weld ****ed up bevels then you won't be staying around on the pipeline long enough to worry about it.   Hard words I know, but I'm afraid it is pretty much true.If in the field, how? orbital oxy-fuel bevel of some type?Hand crank pipe beveling machines (ox-acy).  There is always the exception to that rule but who has the ability to hand cut pipe bevels on must anything big and weld it 1004 code in a reasonable amount of time. lol  Can be done but usually not.Should I make 3/16" E6010 my best friend over the next year? Do they use 1/4" electrodes? I've never even seen an electrode that big In the USA your best friend should be 8010G, but you might want to have an affair with 5P+. A lot of times I think about buying a truck and welder/generator right now and just seeing what little jobs I can find in my area in my spare time. It would give me a chance to work out some small issues rig welders run into before going out to the big jobs. But I don't really know what I would need in terms of gear/tooling/capability, and I don't know where/how to find any of these jobs.If you rig up right now you will most likely rig up wrong - because you don't understand what a rig does or need to be able to do.  And, needless to say I think, you couldn't make it on a big job right now.  You don't know anything even what the job really is, and you probably can't even do what the job even requires.  You think you can and that thinking will get you in trouble if you let it.  lol   Learn first, then do.... not the other way around. lolI have a lot more questions and a lot more to learn, but I guess the only real way to learn is by doing. Any advice or opinions is greatly appreciated.If you really want to become a pipeline welder then learn all you can where you're at and when you think you're ready to start that life - THEN HIRE OUT AS A WELDERS HELPER!!!!!!  If you would do that you would learn how to answer your own questions - then when you break out as a pipeline welder you would probably make it.And pipeline welding jobs are generally on a "job by job" basis.  Its usually not a career with any one certain employer.  You work where you can when you can get hired out (and pass the test of course).  If you don't know nobody then you won't be working anywhere.  Know a lot of people and work is easier to find.  It might be on the other side of the country (or the world) but it is an equation of who you know to how much you work.  Union you have the dispatch but it might be hard to make a living on being dispatched.  A few years ago that was one job every 14 months.  Starting out is tough for anyone..... You need people that can help you!!!!!!!  Working you meet them.When you're off work and can't find any you scrimp on your money.  And when you're working again you scrimp and save your money.  So you scrimp and save all the time.Finding pipeline work is not a guarantee, nor is passing the required welding tests before each job.  And it ain't no gravy train by any means........ believe me.  I've welded pipeline for nearly 35 years but not by choice.....  I got into this field because I had too to find work.  I like it, but it can be a hard life.  Don't take it too lightly. lolgood luck manLast edited by slowhand; 10-02-2011 at 09:00 PM.
Reply:SlowhandThat is the best reply I have read in a long time.Thanks - you are a PRO who cares to pass it on.
Reply:remember to run that 5p+ downhill..hot and fast..
Reply:Shaf, congratulations on joining our highly skilled trade its great to see someone as keen as yourself willing to work their way up and want to learn. it seems too many kids your age these days want to start right at the top. I do have one question though i presume your in canada? how did you manage to acquire a pressure welding ticket without first obtaining journeymen / interprovincal red seal status? its a law governed in canada that you must acquire that before being allowed to test for pressure. Great post by slowhand, i have a few friends on the line and they do enjoy it to some extent, moneys good when their working but their always away from their wives/children due to traveling so much, no pension or benefits. I will definatly not try and sway anyones opinion i do have alot of respect for pipeliners it is a unique art in its own. But at the end of the day i make just about as much as my friends do on the line in a year working at a coal fired power plant 120,000+/- 10,000 depending on maintainence throughout the year, i certainly wont own ferrari's and 10000sq/ft mansions in my lifetime but we will be comfortable. and i have a career that i know will be there the next morning garunteeing a pay checque, amazing pension, benefits including FULL vision, dental, medical, massages, coverage and lots i dont even know about. Its a rewarding career choice also i get to pressure weld on 5 different alloys, repair all kinds of boiler leaks, iam sleeping by my wife every night and get to watch my kids grow up. Definatly not trying to discourage you just letting you know that their are more options in the "specialized" welding field. Where are you located in canada? Either way i wish you the best of luck in your endevours and always soak up any learning you can!Last edited by Pressure_Welder; 10-03-2011 at 09:14 AM.
Reply:hey thanks for the reply slowhand, very helpful. Truck liability insurance is usually required to be on the ROW.
Reply:ROW= Right of way (pipeline path, and also (sometimes) access roads to pipeline)
Reply:Originally Posted by Birdwell4ROW= Right of way (pipeline path, and also (sometimes) access roads to pipeline)
Reply:Shaf.Iam from manitoba, maybe things are different in BC? as i know they are in quebec. But i know in alberta, sask, man, ontario you have to acquire your journeymen/redseal status. That being all these proviences teach the same school criteria. The red seal allows you to work or be certified in all canadian proviences, except maybe quebec? Then when your ready to test for pressure their is an initial 4" schedule 80 F3/F4 test that you must pass then your free to test for whatever tickets you may need. Nonetheless you should be proud youve made it this far in your life already. Just remember when you do start to see money signs, your wife/kids will always take priority!
Reply:Originally Posted by Shaf_911When you say bad bevels do you mean the bevel angle+root land+root gap? Or just the bevel angle alone? It seems to me bad bevels would be the least of my worries. If the angle is too narrow I would just widen it with a grinder. Too wide and you just have to put more fill in. The real problem I would think would be the root gap and land. Now if the gap is too tight or the land is too thick, it's still a simple grinder fix to me. Wouldn't the REAL problem be when the gap is too wide, or the land too small? Then you can't just prep it with a grinder. You really have to be able to whip it and control your heat well in those situations.