Having a heck of a time finding a good welder! :-(

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I have spent 2 hours on the phone calling every local machine and fabrication shop. They all tell me they are unable to find staff and are backlogged months or years. This has me wondering if its just impossible in the USA to find a welder these days? Specifically I am looking for an experienced welder that can fabricate a trailer chassis for a 30' Bumper-pull RV prototype. We have the chassis design in CAD and can easily acquire the materials but are coming up short on finding someone that can do the work. When it comes to TIG or MIG I am decent for a hobbyist but smart enough to know when it comes to a rolling chassis for a 14,000# GVWR vehicle I need to leave the welds to a professional. We are a small business so hiring one with a full health plan and so on is out of the question until we can get the prototype done and get investors to cough up the checks. At the same time we need a welder to get the prototype. It's a vicious catch 22. Even if we had the money to take on full time, I am starting to doubt we can find staff. Any suggestions?
Reply:Contract one...  use a service... but you get what you pay for. Pay little get little... pay right get knowledge that can save your booty.Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkI haven't built anything I can't throw away.  Perfection is the journey.    Mac
Reply:

Originally Posted by Mac's Crew

Contract one...  use a service... but you get what you pay for. Pay little get little... pay right get knowledge that can save your booty.Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Reply:Contract the local unions plumber pipe fitter, Ironworks, they will know someone.Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkI haven't built anything I can't throw away.  Perfection is the journey.    Mac
Reply:Your FIRST post discussing the cost to you ends with the statement : ",,,, and so on is out of the question until we can ,,,,, "If any cost is out of the question, why would you expect to find a quality welder??Have you priced a 3/4 ton pickup? Have you actually priced the materials going into this trailer?Have you driven past an RV sellers lot, and seen that they are full to their building eves with inventory?I started a business 23 years ago, the first month I spent over $50,000 for inventory,, I had faith in myself.If you are trying to do this "on the cheap" you will end up with cheap.If you get a low cost welder, and he wastes the material, where will you be??My first welder that I hired in 2001 was paid $100 per hour,, and I made money on his work.(his welding looked like artwork)This is 21 years later, inflate that $100 to today, and see what you are gonna pay for quality.THEN, tack on the 35% extra inflation that the calculators are not including, because it is too current.I come up with $218 per hour. That is not far off, if you want it done on your schedule, and you want it to look like a show quality prototype.(that is what you will need to attract investors)you have to spend big, to earn big.
Reply:

Originally Posted by SweetMK

Your FIRST post discussing the cost to you ends with the statement : ",,,, and so on is out of the question until we can ,,,,, "If any cost is out of the question, why would you expect to find a quality welder??Have you priced a 3/4 ton pickup? Have you actually priced the materials going into this trailer?Have you driven past an RV sellers lot, and seen that they are full to their building eves with inventory?I started a business 23 years ago, the first month I spent over $50,000 for inventory,, I had faith in myself.If you are trying to do this "on the cheap" you will end up with cheap.If you get a low cost welder, and he wastes the material, where will you be??My first welder that I hired in 2001 was paid $100 per hour,, and I made money on his work.(his welding looked like artwork)This is 21 years later, inflate that $100 to today, and see what you are gonna pay for quality.THEN, tack on the 35% extra inflation that the calculators are not including, because it is too current.I come up with $218 per hour. That is not far off, if you want it done on your schedule, and you want it to look like a show quality prototype.(that is what you will need to attract investors)you have to spend big, to earn big.
Reply:Where are you located
Reply:Roll the parts into the shop where motolife313 works, tell them what you want,, bang, it will be done!!Or use 12V71,, he will knock it out over the weekend.
Reply:That good news for welders.What part world are you in.Dave

Originally Posted by kraythax

I have spent 2 hours on the phone calling every local machine and fabrication shop. They all tell me they are unable to find staff and are backlogged months or years. This has me wondering if its just impossible in the USA to find a welder these days? Specifically I am looking for an experienced welder that can fabricate a trailer chassis for a 30' Bumper-pull RV prototype. We have the chassis design in CAD and can easily acquire the materials but are coming up short on finding someone that can do the work. When it comes to TIG or MIG I am decent for a hobbyist but smart enough to know when it comes to a rolling chassis for a 14,000# GVWR vehicle I need to leave the welds to a professional. We are a small business so hiring one with a full health plan and so on is out of the question until we can get the prototype done and get investors to cough up the checks. At the same time we need a welder to get the prototype. It's a vicious catch 22. Even if we had the money to take on full time, I am starting to doubt we can find staff. Any suggestions?
Reply:I have spent 2 hours on the phone calling every local machine and fabrication shop. They all tell me they are unable to find staff and are backlogged months or years. This has me wondering if its just impossible in the USA to find a welder these days?
Reply:

Originally Posted by SweetMK

Roll the parts into the shop where motolife313 works, tell them what you want,, bang, it will be done!!Or use 12V71,, he will knock it out over the weekend.
Reply:If Hawaii and he willing pay two airfare to Hawaii and a hotel on the beach I will take my helper wife and get job done. Working 4 hours a day 3 days a week.Dave

Originally Posted by Oldiron2

Why is it that so many new people here ask similar important questions but leave such important data as Location out of the details they provide?




Reply:

Originally Posted by SweetMK

Roll the parts into the shop where motolife313 works, tell them what you want,, bang, it will be done!!Or use 12V71,, he will knock it out over the weekend.
Reply:If it was close enough to me... I would help..   but location not disclosed. Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkI haven't built anything I can't throw away.  Perfection is the journey.    Mac
Reply:Has anyone looked at the welding on RV and trucks?  14K chassis,,,, a good hobby type should have no problem with this.www.urkafarms.com