10 replies to this topic

[tipptruck1]

Well I have been thinking about going back to school for a few months now. I thought I was going to go back for welding or heavy equipment/CDL. The only reason why I didn't go back yet. I was going over the pros and cons of both. I have a pretty long list for both. I wont list them here though.

This weekend I had the chance to talk to my uncle about this. This guy is like a father to me. Even in my late 20s if I do some thing dumb he acts like my dad would. So I really respect this guy. He has also been driving truck for over 30 years. So I asked him about my two choices. He said no to both. His main thing was the layoffs and unions. I have really nothing good to say about unions also.

He was like if you want a good long lasting job. Go back to school for machine tooling. Around here most shops start at 20 plus a hour. Union heavy equipment start for about the same price. Welders are about 5-7 dollars a hour less.They are also union.

I know when I went to school 4 years ago. The same school I would go to this time. The tools guys were going to school and working at the same time. All of the guys were getting the schooling paid for from were they worked. I really like that. Plus the school helped them find jobs.

To tell you the truth I never even thought of it. I straight up told I am not sure if I have the brains for it. Hes was like they will teach you every thing you need to learn any way. So I have had the last 24 hours to think about it. I even talked to a few other family members. They think I should do it also. Tomorrow I am going up to the school to get more info on what I would have to do. Since I went to the same school a few years ago. I hope I don't have to do munch. Plus I took some courses that the tooling guys took.

So is this a good choice or not. I want to pros and cons. But it seems like there is a lot more pro then cons.

[tomustang]

As long as your good at math, go for it. I always had fun in machine shops

[tipptruck1]

As long as I dont have to do any thing hard I should be fine. I was looking at the courses I would have to take. There is only one math class. I took the same class a few years ago. But from what I under stand. It is basic math with lots of zeros and decimals. Not to hard just have to make sure every thing is in the right place.

I grew up with a 60x40 welding shop for me to play in. I never really got to use the lathes my dad had. But he did teach me to use his mill. I used it to make a little hammer we had to make in hs shop. The teacher asked how I got it done so nice. I told him the truth and he laughed. I had acces to good tools why waste my time. Also my dads machines were no were near new. Most of them came from the 1800s.

[1krr]

I'm a machinist for an oil refinery. Well that's my title. I rebuild pumps and compressors along with installation and removing them. I'm also a certified smaw welder. We run lathes, Bridgeport mills, radial arm drill presses, vert. Lathes, and horiz mills. Math is #1 for sure. Fractions and decimals are everyday stuff. If you misplace a decimal your part is trashed. But we are a dieing breed. I got hired on at 19, now I'm 24 making pretty good money. Depending on your location there's a lot of options out there

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Welders make pretty good homie. My buddy's pulling down 32 an hour down here welding stainless pipe. He does a lot of process piping. He's also non union.

[tipptruck1]

Welders make pretty good homie. My buddy's pulling down 32 an hour down here welding stainless pipe. He does a lot of process piping. He's also non union.

I was leaning more towards the welding side. Since I know more about it. My dad was a welder for most of his life. I just do not want the life he had. When he died at 50 he was worn out and beaten. Welding is a young mans thing. Yea granted my dad looked like the strong man you see on tv pulling trucks. The strength he had amazed me. It was like he was super hero. Like I said though he was worn out.

I have thought about also pipe welding. But most of them up here are mobile. I cant do that. I have grandparents I have to take care of. If I didn't I would be doing it. Family come first.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I was leaning more towards the welding side. Since I know more about it. My dad was a welder for most of his life. I just do not want the life he had. When he died at 50 he was worn out and beaten. Welding is a young mans thing. Yea granted my dad looked like the strong man you see on tv pulling trucks. The strength he had amazed me. It was like he was super hero. Like I said though he was worn out.

I have thought about also pipe welding. But most of them up here are mobile. I cant do that. I have grandparents I have to take care of. If I didn't I would be doing it. Family come first.

True that. Family ALWAYS comes first. That's how its supposed to be. If your interested in the welding side, learn to tig weld pipe. Then just practice, practice, practice. Do it while you go to school for machining. If nothing else it adds to what your worth will be to a company.

[tipptruck1]

Tig is the one thing I never learned. I can braze, weld plastic, and aluminum. But tig was the one I never was taught. That is how I learned how to weld. I would find scrap metal in my dads shop. I would weld them together not making really any thing. Just to learn what I wanted to. He had to teach me how to weld the aluminum though. I will have to mess aroun with a tig when I go back to school though. I think it would be fun to learn it.

[slonezp]

Journeyman welders here in Chicago in the UA make almost $50 an hour on the check and another $30 an hour in bennies. Just sayin'...

[tipptruck1]

I have seen adds for Journeymen up here. Its usually about 20 a hour in my neck of the woods. So thanks for the info. Even if I could to it. I don't think I would. That 80 a hour in Chicago is like making 25 dollars a hour up here. Yea its that cheap to live up here. I could buy 10 acres and a three bedroom house for under 200,000. And my mortgage would still be cheaper then rent for a one bed room place. Even in the burbs. My mom lives in the burbs of chicago. She was shocked she could rent a 3 bedroom house for less then 1,000 a month up here.

This is were I wish my dad was still alive. He knew a lot of people that did machining for a living. I am sure my dad and his buddy's would talk me out of doing welding or machining for a living. My dad loved welding, But like I said he was worn out and beaten.

[slonezp]

It's a tough gig. I'm in my mid 40's and my body is shot. Had a couple surguries, knees are bad, so on and so forth. I talked my son out of the trades because I don't want to see him end up like me. I can't say if I was right or wrong, it's just how I feel. I want him to have it easier then me. He's in college still not sure what he wants to do, and he's still young and has plenty of time to change his mind if things don't work out. Me on the otherhand, I'm just worn out. Only 20 years til retirement LOL.