Tig welders are hard to find.

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First time post guys. I am in a bind and trying all avenues I can. Someone please help don't laugh. Here it is 4 weeks before shutdown and we are still 6 Tig Welders short for 1 week job in Texas. 7 -12hr days. I know this is small potato's and I'm sure Ill have to pay premium but can anyone direct me to the correct posting site without going through the BS of an agency. The project is P22 chromate so good quality guys are a must. I'm not a welder but I do speak the language . My job is to keep our employees busy and I over shot the mark a little on this one. Please help
Reply:I may be available in that time frame. For a one week job, it does need to be some good pay though for people to travel there. But anything you would pay to an agency is definitely going to be a lot more than what most good welders would gladly accept. I do mostly boiler work and have done quite a bit of P22, lots of it on restricted position welds. I have another guy I could probably get to come also if it doesn't require a background check. You can text or call me at 720-975-5566.
Reply:A lot of very talented pro guys here.  I'd say you posted in the right place.   Good luck. Hope it works out for everyone..Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:

Originally Posted by soutthpaw

A lot of very talented pro guys here.  I'd say you posted in the right place.   Good luck. Hope it works out for everyone..
Reply:Try posting on facebook under the group "weldp!rn"  Replace the ! with an O.Miller Dynasty 200DXMiller Spectrum 250DMiller Millermatic 200Bunch of old blue dinosaurs....
Reply:

Originally Posted by jontheturboguy

Try posting on facebook under the group "weldp!rn"  Replace the ! with an O.
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Originally Posted by TheBFA

I think a lot of those guys are wanna bees. I wouldn't want to hire from that pool of people. I've seen some horrible pics that so many people thought were beautiful welds. One particular one was a set of headers that were unevenly blued at the welds, and had lots of color that people though were beautiful. If you zoom in on the actual welds, I looked like a bunch of caterpillars fvcking.Actually I take some of that back. I'm thinking of Rate My Weld. Weldpron is more of a fashion show for an audience of aspiring welders, not so much a group of professional welders. I don't know if it's just me, but I weld professionally and have no interest in gawking at pictures of welds, regardless of how nice they are. I'll acknowledge a nice weld anytime, but don't get any pleasure or amusement looking at them. (Unless I made it, of course, then I keep checking it out).
Reply:I googled P22 chromate, and got guns and...

Maybe contact TimmyTIG on here since he's a pipe welder in Texas.  He might have some references for guys that do temp work, or help out on weekends.  I know some people do that for S.S. here in Chicago (myself included)Photo of his work...

I feel ya about the hiring agencies... 2/3's of the people they send to an interview fail the weld test...  They loved using me because after my first interview and weld test they got a lot of good feed back from the company, and from then on they knew I would pass whatever weld test I took.  I get screwed because without the agency I start not only a few dollars less on my end, but the company has to pay the difference to the hiring agency.  I was told a few times, that if I solicited the company on my own I would have started $3-5 more per hour, and if the company was in a bind they may offer a signing/completion bonus.Alfa Turd 200dx 16'A man chooses, a slave obeys... Would you kindly?
Reply:

Originally Posted by pantelones

I googled P22 chromate, and got guns and...

Maybe contact TimmyTIG on here since he's a pipe welder in Texas.  He might have some references for guys that do temp work, or help out on weekends.  I know some people do that for S.S. here in Chicago (myself included)Photo of his work...

I feel ya about the hiring agencies... 2/3's of the people they send to an interview fail the weld test...  They loved using me because after my first interview and weld test they got a lot of good feed back from the company, and from then on they knew I would pass whatever weld test I took.  I get screwed because without the agency I start not only a few dollars less on my end, but the company has to pay the difference to the hiring agency.  I was told a few times, that if I solicited the company on my own I would have started $3-5 more per hour, and if the company was in a bind they may offer a signing/completion bonus.
Reply:I know some iron workers working on the _Tesla plant here in NV. There getting $500/week subsistance. Six ten hour days with double time on Saturday. Tesla_mostly uses out of town companies and two iron worker out fits. The outfit from Seatle  (decking) warned that when it rained last week to take your tools and leave if you couldnt work in the rain

The New Mexico out fit sent every one home.I made a tool Sunday for the decking worker from a wonder bar and OA to straighten panels. I didnt get pics tho.
Reply:Well, I appreciate the plug, but I'm too old to work 7-12s anymore, and I do not like welding chrome at all.


Reply:The main work is just one 18" sch 80 P22 pipe, and they are going to MT each pass. So it's not going to be an intensive 7/12s. Well that was the original work. Another turbine went down and the customer wants to start sooner and do the same work on that one. So it's three weeks now.
Reply:Texas is pretty big, whereabouts is the job?
Reply:Either an hour south of Ft Worth or Dallas, I forget which one, but in that general area.
Reply:Whitney Dam power plant, maybe? I worked out there for a bit around 2007.
Reply:The shop is in Blum and they said the jobsite was about an hour from there. He mentioned there are 3 all within an hour from there that they are going to try to get some work with.
Reply:The jobsite is in Enis, TX for this shutdown. Still need a few more TIG welders that can do 2.25 chrome.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Insaneride

The outfit from Seatle  (decking) warned that when it rained last week to take your tools and leave if you couldnt work in the rain

The New Mexico out fit sent every one home.
Reply:If he's in Seattle, he is.
Reply:I kinda hi jacked a bit but it seems that all the best work in Seattle is done in the rain.The Texas wages are probably fair and to scale for the region. The cost of living is less there compared to NV and CA. The 7/12's would be taxing on a persons mental and physical abilities IMO.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Insaneride

I kinda hi jacked a bit but it seems that all the best work in Seattle is done in the rain.The Texas wages are probably fair and to scale for the region. The cost of living is less there compared to NV and CA. The 7/12's would be taxing on a persons mental and physical abilities IMO.
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Originally Posted by TheBFA

Its pipe welding though. There's a LOT of sitting on buckets. 7/12s sucks because of no days off, but I don't make money on days off. I don't know what you would consider fair for the region, but $4000 a week take-home sounds fair to me in any region, which is what this job pays.
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Originally Posted by TimmyTIG

If he's in Seattle, he is.
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Originally Posted by hillbillyfab

We get more on average here, than Seattle according to the intranet.
Reply:Total I'm betting, but I probably should have read the article more in depth."$4000 a week take-home"I can't believe you have trouble finding qualified help at that rate. Hell, if I was checked out as a pro weldor I'd take a month off work for that kind of seriously paid vacation.1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 RefitMiller TB280 w/Spoolmatic 30a2016 AHP AlphaTIG 200XAncient Millermatic 35Zeny Cut50 plasma cutter
Reply:I'd love to join you BFA but I've got til December to wrap up my 15 1/2 year job. Gotta stay to get my severance and 6 months insurance. 2 1/4 chrome is easy, I've made many thousands of x-ray welds on it.  9 chrome is a different animal but not bad if your familiar with it.
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Originally Posted by Canoecruiser

Very long hours, specific skills and experience that are uncommon, a rigid timetable of performance and "importing" that talent to the area distorts the usual rate in any field.Twenty years ago I got a cold-call from a company in S. California to do some consulting (they built wireless infrastructure equipment).  The offered rate was eye-popping along with air fare, rental car, motel and a lobster/prime-rib per-diem.  Two weeks on, two off flying cross country every month.  I had a local gig to fill the two weeks back East so it worked well.  After getting to L.A. I asked them why didn't they hire local?  The answer, I was still cheaper then what they could find locally that met the need when they needed it.
Reply:Not to hijack again but be safe working long hours 28 days in a row.I just heard the Tesla_ plant shut down due to death of iron worker(Seatle crew). He got heat stroke doing decking. The weather has been cool here lately. I had heater on this morning. I guess deck work radiates heat back up at you.I heard safety team sent him home mid week. They found him in his car in the parking lot this morning. Thats what I heard. Dont see it in any news tho.Stay safe and healthy.
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Originally Posted by q240z

"$4000 a week take-home"I can't believe you have trouble finding qualified help at that rate. Hell, if I was checked out as a pro weldor I'd take a month off work for that kind of seriously paid vacation.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Showdog75

I'd love to join you BFA but I've got til December to wrap up my 15 1/2 year job. Gotta stay to get my severance and 6 months insurance. 2 1/4 chrome is easy, I've made many thousands of x-ray welds on it.  9 chrome is a different animal but not bad if your familiar with it.