Getting my rig together, what next???

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Well I'm about to graduate college in august from a tech school here in texas with an certificate in welding/combination welder.  I'm ready to get a job but I noticed the factorys down here in texas were only starting out at 8 to 10 bucks an hour and for me that just isn't going to cut the mustard as far as my bills, so I decided to put a rig together and try my hand at chasing oil rigs, pipeline, general fabrication(iffy) what direction would you guys point me in?? What are the tools that I would need as a necessity? Here are a few pics of my rig its not much but its what I could afford......Last edited by blubyu02; 06-09-2011 at 09:25 PM.
Reply:Odessa/midland area is booming right now. Plenty of oilfield work. I personally don't build rigs ( I work in plants,refineries etc) but do know you probably could find work in permian basin. Pay starts around 50 an hour and up. Can you fabricate pipe?
Reply:A guy from my school went there and said he hated it out in west texas, he said there was no place to stay he didnt know anyone blah blah blah kind of a lame excuse but needless to say he is back home now, he did tell me that there are plent of places looking for good welders ie experienced.  Thats another thing is i only know what i learned in school, 6g 6010/tig root 7018,70+ all the way out, mig, flux, brazzing, tig i picked it all up pretty quick, quick enough to make me realize that this is something that im good at naturally, however im sure a company or business isnt going to want to hear that.  I am willing to go anywhere and under any conditions, i dont have a camper or anything like that but im hungry and just want to get my foot in the door.
Reply:Its kinda hard to get your foot in the door anywhere these days. I was lucky to know the right people but I also started as a welders helper. I would say to not get discouraged and do exactly what your doing now which is trying to get advice/help here and just keep knocking on those doors. Eventually someone will open it. Good luck and if I hear anything goin on your way I'll pm you. By the way, west texas ain't paradise but there is good folk out here and a lot of work
Reply:+1 on the M/O area - also around ft stockton.   Theres quite a bit going on down south, but its a tad hairy for most folks (got life insurance and a kevlar hood?)One thing about west Texas - more for the other folks reading this than the OP (he probably already knows) - Make sure you load a couple of good sized water cans for yourself and fire extinguishers.  Its 22:00 and has COOLED down to 97.  It has rained this year, I think, maybe.  I heard about some feller named Noah - claimed it rained 40 days and 40 nights - we got three tenths of an inch out of that one.When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives.