Job help

admin

I'm in highs cool and I can weld fairly well with a stick and pretty good with a wire. I want to get a career in welding and I'm wondering how I can make more than the $46k yearly salary. I realize that's a lot more than a lot of people make, but I want to start a pretty nice ranch one day and its not going to happen with that salary. What welding jobs make the most? I was thinking that something on the Alaskan pipeline would have the best pay. But it's not just going to be that I make only money welding. I'm going to capitalize on what I've got and help that grow. I'm not going to be an underwater welder because that's pretty dang dangerous. I realize a $300k salary is unreal. But any six figure welding job would be awesome.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyI'm in highs cool and I can weld fairly well with a stick and pretty good with a wire. I want to get a career in welding and I'm wondering how I can make more than the $46k yearly salary. I realize that's a lot more than a lot of people make, but I want to start a pretty nice ranch one day and its not going to happen with that salary. What welding jobs make the most? I was thinking that something on the Alaskan pipeline would have the best pay. But it's not just going to be that I make only money welding. I'm going to capitalize on what I've got and help that grow. I'm not going to be an underwater welder because that's pretty dang dangerous. I realize a $300k salary is unreal. But any six figure welding job would be awesome.
Reply:No I'm not on drugs haha. Tough, I'm tough enough to get any job done i want done. My ag teacher does, who's been welding for 30+ years. It's not perfect I won't lie, but I've got 3 more years to work on it before I go to tstc. 99 silverado single cab short bed is what I drive. I'm located in central Texas. I don't plan starting off making a whole lot, but I'm going to keep my mouth shut and learn some stuff before anything. I need to see where I should start looking though. I'd love to stay in Texas but if I have to move elsewhere for a few years then that's fine. I'll take a picture of one of my welds as soon as I can.
Reply:Well you didn't run off cryin from Mike, so maybe there is a chance for you yet. Post up some weld pics, tell us what interests you, and start there. Most of the big money is from working non stop. It is fairly easy to get into the 100k territory, but it is not without personal cost. You won't do it in your first year out. You have to work for a company that has lots of work, and you have to work every weekend and holidays to do it.
Reply:Yup, keep up a good attitude and you'll go a long way!I would think maybe a job in the food industry would be right up your alley, possibly aerospace, or just aviation work would be your thing. Being just in high school don't set your mind on just one thing yet. Learn as much as you can about the thing you like to do and keep your options open all the time. Just continue working on all welding processes, continue practicing practicing and more practicing. I don't think anyone ever said someone was TO GOOD at welding ever.
Reply:Thanks, I've looked at aerospace and that kind of stuff but between the mechanism and paperwork I'd probably go insane. I'm definitely no mechanic, it'd be cooler than heck if I ccould weld planes together but since that job really doesn't exist than I would be content welding pipe. I've gone through about 800 ideas and always come back to this one. I've read about mutual funds and investing in that. But my main plan was becoming a welder, using that money to start a business or two and use those to invest in mutual funds (which are proven to steadily gain interest) until I have enough to buy a ranch.
Reply:Mike wrote it well. He is right . Welding in school at a bench is a big difference then hangin from a basket a 100' up or in a ditch laying on top of a sheet of plywood with a sump pump below to keep water in check.    Whatever you do YOU gotta prove yourself. The more you know and can perform will mean if you will have a job and keep it. Your attitude sounds good, it is just a matter of applying yourself. It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are stupid then to open mouth and speak removing all doubt.
Reply:you need to go where the boom is to get the most bucks. North Dakota, oil sands in Canada or the other shale fracking areas. Having your own rig truck ups the pay considerably.You can't make all that much in Alaska anymore. That or follow the shutdowns in the refineries.
Reply:He11, can someone tell ME how to make 100k a year? I know how NOT to do it.Get married, have kids, buy house, get divorced, pay child support, give ex wife house, decide NOT to go to Iraq as a contractor (big one there) spend 15 years in the military, dont cut your losses early and go where the money is. Wake up one day and you are damn near 40, body is beaten and battered, cant do the field work anymore anyway to make the big money. Oh and you just decided to buy another house and start all over with a new fiance' who is 15 years younger than you.So yeah. Just dont do any of that. If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:Make 1K every 3 days? That sounds like allot of work!
Reply:Hey larphead....do I have one of your ex's, or do you have one of mine???  We did the same thang, I was just wonderin....?
Reply:You're right, if I had my own welding truck I would make a lot more money, but I would pay out the butt for insurance too. I've heard of guys having million dollar insurance plans inches something happens on the job. I don't plan on getting married anytime soon, you have to find someone to like you before anything like that happens. I've welded the tip on a diesel exhaust but that's really the only difference than welding at school. My cousin is graduating on the minimum plan to go be a welder, I'm not but I plan on doing better than him in the long run. I wouldn't mind picking up another trade if that meant I got paid more. I was thinking pipe fitting also but I'm not sure on that one. I'm going to try and learn oxyacetylene welding and one day TIG too hopefully. Thanks for the locations on that, I might do something in Canada for a while just so I can say I've lived there. Plus they've got moose, bear, and caribou to hunt. (Can't in Texas) plus the Canadian dollar is worth more than the American dollar,  now I'm thinking up a storm here. Thanks for y'all's help! If there's anything else than keep it coming!
Reply:Learn to save your money, avoid expensive habits like drinking and smoking and you will have gained 5 to 10 K per year in salary.   A Canadian statistic I read recently said that if you reached the age of 21 without children and completed high school you would never fall below the poverty line.   I have seen some guys who made really big bucks but they were like the hare in the race of life.  The tortise guy who is slow and steady and always working will win the race.   If you are serious about owning a ranch think about what Mark Twain said, " Buy land young man.  They stopped making it."   Buy a piece of property even if it is not your final piece.  In my sixty plus years I have seen property values drop but they always climb back up if you give it five to ten years.   Interesting how you choose 46K.  I used to think if I even made 10K a year I would be in seventh heaven.  Within five years time a bus driver was making 14K  !!  A small compact cost 2K and five years later it was around 3.8K
Reply:Originally Posted by cwood3Hey larphead....do I have one of your ex's, or do you have one of mine???  We did the same thang, I was just wonderin....?
Reply:@ Mr Rocky - Listen to 'weldermike'.  He's giving you the brutal facts: "Show me what you got." You rhetoric is infused with this yearning to chase the almighty dollar. Common. Recommend you think long and hard WHY you want to be a welder. Money? Skill? Job satisfaction? Security? Build America? Others?Remember somewhere, someone is training harder than you to be "the best" welder.  He's stronger, faster, and better equipped than you to complete the task. What are you doing to counter his technique?  He sleeps less than you, has no family, and will work at a lesser pay rate.  He's patient and never gives up.Your mindset needs to be "Attack me. With everything you have."  You need a core of steel to win. Drop the $$ dream and get busy."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Can't stand the taste of alcohol, and my dad and stepdad both dip, nastiest crap you ever did see, and about the same with cigarettes. I'm not worried about that part. I save everything I've got, even though that sure ain't a whole lot. What do I have to spend money on in Canada? A reliable mode of transportation and housing. I'll probly end up biying a little land there so I can bear hunt, but other than that I will be working. I'm dead serious about the ranch thing, that's my ultimate goal. If I can convince my cousin to move up there with me we'll start a small eanch up there. (Not a working cattle ranch or anything, just a place about like that though.) and when we move back to Texas well go are own ways, that'll save us both some money. Y'all are saying get to work, but I've for my junior, senior, and the rest of my sophomore year to perfect my weld before I do%Last edited by Mr.Rocky; 08-27-2013 at 08:37 PM.
Reply:I wanna see some photo's of these welds buddy.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Focus right now on getting out of high school. Keep your grades up...if you choose to go to a trade school good grades help immensely in getting financial aid. Then focus on going to a more advanced trade school (like Hobart) or seeking an apprenticeship if you can get one. What I'd do if I was you would be to graduate high school and go to a good welding school to get more experience and exposure to welding...the more time you spend practicing with quality supervision the better you'll be. When you say "minimum" plan to me in your posts that sounds like the minimal training needed to be a production welder (i.e. mig welder on an assembly line) or if you're good enough structural welding). You want more training and practice than that. Don't worry about making everything happen immediately off the bat. Do good and you'll find things have a tendency to fall into place. Start socking away money right now. If you don't use it for school you can use it to buy tools and equipment for when you finish school.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyYou're right, if I had my own welding truck I would make a lot more money, but I would pay out the butt for insurance too. I've heard of guys having million dollar insurance plans inches something happens on the job. I don't plan on getting married anytime soon, you have to find someone to like you before anything like that happens. I've welded the tip on a diesel exhaust but that's really the only difference than welding at school. My cousin is graduating on the minimum plan to go be a welder, I'm not but I plan on doing better than him in the long run. I wouldn't mind picking up another trade if that meant I got paid more. I was thinking pipe fitting also but I'm not sure on that one. I'm going to try and learn oxyacetylene welding and one day TIG too hopefully. Thanks for the locations on that, I might do something in Canada for a while just so I can say I've lived there. Plus they've got moose, bear, and caribou to hunt. (Can't in Texas) plus the Canadian dollar is worth more than the American dollar,  now I'm thinking up a storm here. Thanks for y'all's help! If there's anything else than keep it coming!
Reply:Interesting view from someone in high school.
Reply:I'm still not finding what I'm looking for. The most helpful thing I've found is the Canadian sands or North Dakota thing. That's about it
Reply:Welds?Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyI'm still not finding what I'm looking for. The most helpful thing I've found is the Canadian sands or North Dakota thing. That's about it
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.Rocky. What do I have to spend money on in Canada? A reliable mode of transportation and housing. I'll probly end up biying a little land there so I can bear hunt, but other than that I will be working.
Reply:hey. if you want money and lots of it. go pipeline. nuff said. that's guaranteed 200k+ a year. I live in ft.worth, texas and theres not much work here but south west tx and east texas are booming right now.I say get through school before you decide what you want to do.  You'll change your mind tons of times before you finally do graduate...seriously, your just way to far ahead of yourself.seabee78
Reply:I knew there was a lot going on in west Texas but what's going on out east? And welder mike, you sure run your mouth a lot for someone who is a welder for a living. You're acting like you're a bada$$ when your greatest accomplishment is what? You were at this point at one time too there sweetheart. And my mind is pretty well made up on welding. And unless any of you can get me information on how to be an archery tester or engineer than it's going to be welding. This is a welding forum so really i doubt it. Ive emailed Hoyt and Mathews and neither have responded about it so there's a real small chance anyone here can set me up on that.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyI knew there was a lot going on in west Texas but what's going on out east? And welder mike, you sure run your mouth a lot for someone who is a welder for a living. You're acting like you're a bada$$ when your greatest accomplishment is what? You were at this point at one time too there sweetheart. And my mind is pretty well made up on welding. And unless any of you can get me information on how to be an archery tester or engineer than it's going to be welding. This is a welding forum so really i doubt it. Ive emailed Hoyt and Mathews and neither have responded about it so there's a real small chance anyone here can set me up on that.
Reply:Boy, you are really hung up on this finding a job now as a freshman...wtf!  A job you find now and are capable of doing may not be there when you get out of school.   Take your time kid.seabee78
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyI knew there was a lot going on in west Texas but what's going on out east? And welder mike, you sure run your mouth a lot for someone who is a welder for a living. You're acting like you're a bada$$ when your greatest accomplishment is what? You were at this point at one time too there sweetheart. And my mind is pretty well made up on welding. And unless any of you can get me information on how to be an archery tester or engineer than it's going to be welding. This is a welding forum so really i doubt it. Ive emailed Hoyt and Mathews and neither have responded about it so there's a real small chance anyone here can set me up on that.
Reply:Hey Mr rocky you sure are an enthusiastic young fella and i admire you for that .what are you about 16 ?  I am relatively new to the welding trade but i have been a machinist for 25yrs.  let me give you a little advice you need to loose that attitude man because you will come across allot of guys like "Welder Mike " who have been doing this stuff longer than you have been breathing and if you keep running your mouth like that your going to get allot of fists stuck in it and let me tell you something there is nothing more a older man hates than a "smart *** punk kid that thinks he knows everything " i am not labeling you as such but it is in your best interest to show respect and become friends with "The Welder Mikes "rather than becoming they're enemies . you asked for opinions and he gave you his honest opinion like you asked for . you are right we were all young once and i remember the first machine shop i went to work in all the old men would always complain about some "young punk who thought he new everything " and I never wanted to have that label on me so i shut my mouth and listened and learned from them and they began to  be allot more patient with me and was willing to show me the little tricks they have learned over the years and no one benefited from that more than i did  . take your time and learn all you can you can't start at the top . Good luck Chris
Reply:Sophmore* and I'll have to check him out. What'd that buck score mike? And I'm not worried about making a few people here and there mad. If I make welder mike mad then I make him mad, it's not like there's only one person out there who does this. If he wants to help, than great, if not, whoopdy doo. I'm not a know it all punk, the whole point of this thread is because I don't know of the jobs out there. I understand that the money doesn't come real quick. It never does in anything, except the lottery. I'll be 16 in February, and there's not an attitude. What am I going to do, caps lock him to death? I'm just not going to sugar coat anything and I don't want anything sugar coated. That's exactly what welder mike is doing its just there's just a few unnecessary comments.Last edited by Mr.Rocky; 08-31-2013 at 05:32 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockySophmore* and I'll have to check him out. What'd that buck score mike?
Reply:oh ya well I made a home made recurve bow out of bamboo! kilt me a field mouse with it 2 pointer
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeI can, im a welding bowhunter who tunes bows as well, and I exclusively shoot hoyts!
Reply:We are all still waiting on photo's of your welds.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:Yep, I think me and you are friends now welder mike. That's an awesome deer brother. And id say those are some pretty good accomplishments. I've never shot one that big, much less with a bow. The photos of my welds will have to wait, I don't have a stick and this was the first week of school so the ag barn isn't set up. So those will have to wait.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr.RockyYep, I think me and you are friends now welder mike. That's an awesome deer brother. And id say those are some pretty good accomplishments. I've never shot one that big, much less with a bow. The photos of my welds will have to wait, I don't have a stick and this was the first week of school so the ag barn isn't set up. So those will have to wait.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeOk bro now we have something in common and developed a relationship, so lets start over ok bud! I shot that deer 3 years ago and only recently had him scored. His gross and his net shrunk 3 inches over that time, but he still made it brother. So when you ask what have I done with my self in life here's one! A self taught welder who makes Very good money for himself now, and got myself as a self taught deer hunter into one of the most prestigious record book clubs in the world that holds the highest expectations of hunters due to the fact there standards are for gun hunters, and I did it at twenty yards with bow and arrow. So there's a couple my new friend. I would only give you positive advise bud, but you just went about it honestly like a knucklehead, but i'll let it slide I know your still young and rambunctious. There are a phenominal number of members here that will willingly help you through your travels so take it for what it's worth and listen, ask, and learn bud!
Reply:This is turning out better than I was expecting haha.
Reply:why is that deer's antlers so little?Last edited by TimmyTIG; 09-01-2013 at 07:12 AM.
Reply:Mr. Rocky , Its great that you have dreams/goals. Those dreams are yours and no one can take them away. In this life you can achieve anything you set in  your mind. But like someone here already mentioned life is not all about the money, but it sure helps.It turns out you do not need to leave Texas to get what you want. What you are looking for is close to your home. Just drive to San Antonio and south on IH 37 to Corpus Christi. The Eagle Ford Shale Boom is On . While College is not for everybody, you do need to get an education. Your education can be on the job or at some School.That ranch you want it's out there waiting for you, just have to find a way. The best part is you may not even have to buy it. Again in the this life you can have it all, You just do not get to take it with you with when you die and we will all die some day. Turns out people die every day and those ranches are left to somebody and alot of those some bodies are ladies.Keep your dream alive, work hard and enjoy life
Reply:Hey thanks guys, now I want to start posting some of my hunting pictures.thanks for y'all's help also
Reply:Have you thought about the other side of the pond?  Mongolia is booming right now, DRC is crazy good, Tanzania is hot, Ghana is very good, Zambia, Burkian Faso............Think bigger!6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers