My first paid job!

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I've been welding for less than a year, and I've not gone to school, so my work has a long long way to improve.But I finished my folding tail gate ramp that you guys helped me with, someone saw it, liked it, and hired me to do some work on their trailer. (any excuse for a beer)I built a set of trimmer racks and installed them on one side and  a shovel rack on the other.I built and installed a 4' gate.I also cut his tongue jack out, and moved it back far enough for his tail gate to open. My first time using a torch, it came out better than I expected.Then I primed and painted the whole thing rustoleum gloss black.I did the whole thing for $400. I've got about $150 between materials and consumables, and somewhere around 30 hours in labor. Materials are more or less a fixed cost, where as my labor time comes down a little with everything I build. So, while I recognize that this isn't much money at all, I'm looking at it as paid training. Plus, I've got my first happy customer out there, who said he'll be back, and that he'll be sending me other work. I've also got something to add to my portfolio.The best part is that while I was at the steel yard to buy his materials, another stranger commented on the gate on my truck, and expressed interest in having one built.I'm really interested in any advice about getting started in this sort of business,particularly from anyone who may have started in a similar fashion.I'm working mainly out of a one car garage I built on the side of my one car garage. I'm building everything I can, and I'm steadily improving, and yes, I realize I've got a long way to go. However, I am undeterrable.What follows are some pictures from start to finish, mainly poor quality iphone pictures, of this job, followed by a picture of the gate on my truck.My welds aren't great but getting better, I'm almost glad the camera phone didn't pick them up well. Attached Images
Reply:More to come... Attached Images
Reply:Your input is appreciated and thanks for looking! Attached Images
Reply:Nice looking work great job."The most important thing about the job is getting the job done"
Reply:last one! Attached ImagesLast edited by HundredaireSocialite; 04-28-2010 at 12:39 PM.
Reply:Nice work, I like it.Millermatic 135Syncrowave 250
Reply:Your off to a good start, nice work. On your welds it looks like your running a little fast on your speed.  Try to slow down a little and/or add a little oscilation your rod a little and pause for a brief sec at the top of the bead.  This should allow you to tie in the toes of your weld.
Reply:Hey H-Socialite,From an 'ol timer..... you did good.How old/young are you? I wanted to encourage you not to let anything deter you from your goals, especially to get better with each job & learn from it. Your post indicates your "hunger" to get into the game, a game that can be quite challenging & intimidating if you aren't strong with your convictions. I also applaud your usage of the English language & ability to convey your message with clarity & concise descriptions.....again, you did good.Anyway, just wanted to offer a few suggestions & some mental fodder to contemplate. First, do yourself a favor & don't hesitate to raise your hourly rates a bit, to say, $25/hr. Your workmanship needs some development, & that will come, but even $25/hr is a real bargain to a customer if they do some inquiry in the Yellow Pages. If you have another 40hr job & do welding as a hobby/pastime, maybe keep it on a COB(cash-only-basis) for now to tuck away a bit of a nestegg to have if you decide to get into the business arena. You can tell any customer that you can save them $$$ by working with cash.....it works well for me. If you have to make trips for supplies/materials, add xtra to the cost of the materials for your fuel usage.Next, looking at the photos, I would agree with Jay O with your applications of the weld & also looking at the rust, I would suggest a good prep of the joint to bare clean metal. I see many who use stick or f-c MIG just haphazardly weld over it....don't fall into that routine. You also indicate you pride yourself with quality workmanship......that is the ticket to success. Every satisfied customer will enhance your customer base with references of your excellent work & reasonable rates. Pass out as many cards as you can. You can get an inexpensive business card program that will allow you to make your own cards very inexpensively. That's what I do & works well.Lastly, after 47yrs welding, fabbing, & machining, I never took a job that I didn't have the knowledge, equipment, or experience to do. That will get you into trouble & the first badmouthing will spread like cancer. Don't hesitate to practice & definitely learn the other processes, ie. MIG, TIG, O/A, to have a real knowledge base. Believe me, it won' t hurt. I wish you good fortune with your goals as you have a strong character & nature I seldom see with many youngsters.....that is, if you are a youngster. Everyone under 55 is a youngster to me.DennyComplete Welding/Machine/Fab. ShopMobile UnitFinally retired*Moderator*"A man's word is his honor...without honor there is nothing.""Words are like bullets.... Once they leave your muzzle, you cannot get them back."
Reply:Originally Posted by yorkiepapHey H-Socialite,First, do yourself a favor & don't hesitate to raise your hourly rates a bit, to say, $25/hr. Your workmanship needs some development, & that will come, but even $25/hr is a real bargain to a customer if they do some inquiry in the Yellow Pages. If you have another 40hr job & do welding as a hobby/pastime, maybe keep it on a COB(cash-only-basis) for now to tuck away a bit of a nestegg to have if you decide to get into the business arena. You can tell any customer that you can save them $$$ by working with cash.....it works well for me. If you have to make trips for supplies/materials, add xtra to the cost of the materials for your fuel usage.Denny
Reply:Looking at your pic, that just looks like a dirty weld.  taking extra time to prep the metal will eliminate most of your problem, then make sure you have a good solid ground.  Go to you local community college and enroll in a welding class.  It will give you knowledge and experience with other types of welding, and possibly a certification or two.  If you get the opportunity, look for a used plasma cutter.  I picked one up, love it!!  It eliminates 90% of your cutting and material prep time, what would normally take 30 min to cut, takes 30 secs with a plasma cutter.  A well matched welder and plasma cutter is like peanut butter and jelly.  Great work!  Stay focused on your goals.  Good luck.
Reply:hi, nice job. I would have adding a plate in the crotch where you cut out the old jack just to give it more strength. I usually over build anyway.yes, way tooooooooooooooo low! I still do the same thing, not charging enough. I had some old guy come buy  while i was doing a weld job for the neighbor and ask if i would do some welding on his old farm digger for him. The guy looked like he was barely alive and poor looking at the way he was dressed. he said i 'll go get it . he comes back with a old ford 8 n and a little old digger that had a couple of welds cracked open in 2 spots. I disconnected from tractor, got out pipe clamps, come a long, and hit it . done in 10 minutes. wow, ha said great service and good job. how much do i owe you ? Nothing. i was set up and just playing anyway. Ok , thanks and he left. That night the door bell rings and the old guy shows up dressed to kill, big as lincoln in driveway , and some hot chick in car! maybe his daughter ? anyway , he was not poor gave me 200.00 and said thanks for helping out a old guy. I told him no keep it ,and he said he has plenty. Later i found out who he really was; a wealthy old farmer that owed almost a square mile of farm land where i live. he had the digger by his son down the road from me and stopped by him just to play in the dirt when he saw it was broke. So, i did take his money, wish i could have had the girl !
Reply:Looks like some good work to learn on. You will improve and so will your rates. Take the good advice given here already and maybe get some business cards.Looks like joint prep has been mentioned here, but looking at those pics, you need to turn up the heat quite a bit.Also, know your limitations and know your craft.Have fun.UA Local 598
Reply:Good job overall! I really like how the trimmer rack is designed. Did you come up with that or see it somewhere? Either way, keep up the good work.IAMAW Local 330Airco 300 AC/DC HeliwelderAirco Dip-Pak 200 with Profax spool gunPowr-Kraft AC225Everlast PowerArc 200stBuffalo Forge No.21 drill pressSpeedglas 9100xxAirco, Oxweld, Purox, Victor torchesLincoln Ranger 8
Reply:Be careful with your pricing.  Some of these guys think you are way to cheap.  IF you had years of experience and a big shop with overhead, I would tend to agree.  However, just starting out, and looking at the finished product, I would say you were in the ballpark of a fair price.  Some jobs just aren't worth what you would have in them hourly.  If you did $25 an hour for 30 hrs, that's $750 plus your $150 is $900.  Most people would tell you where to stuff it if you wanted $900 for a tail gate and a couple racks.  Like I said, for your situation and considering the finished product, I think you were fair.  Sometimes you just have to look at it and say, I didn't get rich, but I've got more than I had before.IF those racks catch on, you might consider just having a set price on them.  That way both you and the customer know how things are going to end up.EDIT.....I missed that you painted the whole thing.  You prolly could have gotten a little bit more.Last edited by Boostinjdm; 04-28-2010 at 11:56 PM.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Very nice job on the truck gate, trailer gate and trimmer racks!  Not tryin to rain on your parade, but on the tongue jack job, you should have left the coupler plate intact and just cut out the tongue jack, or welded a new plate over the coupler, to retain the original strength of the a-frame/coupler area of the trailer frame.  Your method of attaching the coupler in the new location is also a bit unconventional.  Since this is a light trailer, it should hold up fine, but on a trailer that could have significant loaded tongue weight, the attachment method could be subject to failure  Since you added the new channel, the best way to mount the coupler would have been through a hole cut into the middle of the new channel.  Here is what I'm talking about...Last edited by DesertRider33; 04-29-2010 at 07:52 AM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Desert ?  I see the new channel, hole etc very keen. Why did U position  the channel tucked under the frame vs on sitting top?  U know this stuff, I am going to replace a bent hitch on one of my trailers so I ask.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:Originally Posted by Jay OYour off to a good start, nice work. On your welds it looks like your running a little fast on your speed.  Try to slow down a little and/or add a little oscilation your rod a little and pause for a brief sec at the top of the bead.  This should allow you to tie in the toes of your weld.
Reply:when those welds fail and **** falls apart and someone gets hurt... guess who they're gonna come toknow what you're doing before you charge anyone anything for your time
Reply:Originally Posted by PapaLionDesert ?  I see the new channel, hole etc very keen. Why did U position  the channel tucked under the frame vs on sitting top?  U know this stuff, I am going to replace a bent hitch on one of my trailers so I ask.
Reply:I didn't say that right, I know U do alot of this kind of thing. I mean is is stronger to tuck it under or maybe notch it out and be on top... looks excellent as U did it, I was just wondering?Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:It's stronger mounted under the lip of the frame channel/angle.  Think gravity, downward force and location of support.I could have slid the jack in from below and weld the triangle plate under the channel too, in keeping with the gravity and stacking blocks idea, but I didn't feel like layin on my back welding upside down when I know my welds from above are sufficient hold the jack on there.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op