Welding Tips and Tricks

I really identified with Jody's comments about looking at welds on the lighthouse handrail and checking out the welds on the aluminum tanker truck next to him on the highway or the bikes at Walmart. He says "I am into this stuff."

I am a retired tire design engineer and I find myself always looking at the tires on people's cars or on the trucks next to me at traffic lights. I know I really liked my job. I have even said I "loved my job".

I guess if you do this or similar then you are lucky to have found a job you really like, be it tires or welding or whatever. I imagine if I were really into painting cars or body work I would be constantly looking at the body work on cars.

If you don't do something similar, then I suggest you find a job you are really "into". You are going to spend too many hours of your life to spend it doing something you don't like doing.

Roger

Tireman, you have a good post here. The one thing that everyone should remember is that "No Employeer is paying you to like it(the job),They are paying you to do it!" I'm retired from over 40+ years working at a Marathon Refinery, and I run into the kids that I left behind, after retiring. I hear this all of the time from them, that they don't like this, or that, or some of the other! My answer is always the same, they aren't paying you to like it, just to do it(the job). I'm saying this from an old Sargeant from boot came back in 1964, who gave me and several others the same quote! when he over heard us, bitchin about Uncle Sams Army and what we did, or didn't like. Probably was the best piece of advice I ever got, and I pass it on ocassionally!.....................Brandy

Tireman9,
That is a nice healthy attitude you have there!
Yes, I am "into" what I do. I always have been, and because of that, I feel very fortunate. There are times when things don't go the way we like, but all in all, I can't ask for much more.

I work on the road, and rarely do exactly the same job twice, and I thoroughly enjoy it. On my last job, my first task didn't even involve welding. I was handed a reference drawing for the compressed air piping for a dual direct-drive turbine generator system. I got to design, build, and install it myself. It was all screw pipe, which I don't usually do, but the challenge of doing it myself was worth the drive to PA. On the same job, I was welding everything from 1/2" socket to 8" butt steam pipe, SS TIG vent and drain lines, and even structural welds for the piping supports. I was in heaven. Give me a job like this anytime.

Steve

I was around (operating and oiling) heavy equipment for 40 years, 1st 25 running it. I never really liked running the stuff, repetitive and/or hard on the back. About 15 years ago, got into 'grade checking', moving to, and staying on the ground was the best thing I ever did. If you are half-way good, they will put up with your (?) personality. To keep good checkers around when there was nothing to do, we were given various jobs to do, I assisted welders (as a flunky) quite a few times. Put me on a blade (the good ones are wizards), the operaters question the foreman, 'What the **** is that guy doing on a blade??' 'He's the grade-checker.' 'Oooh, ok,,' Anyway, after recouping from some operations, there just still isnt any work, so I retired, only 'cause I need NEED income. -corn-

I loved my last job. It was never the same from day to day but you were going to work 12 hours on or in something. Didnt matter what came along if it was damaged in combat and not mission capable they brought it to us and we had 24 hours to get it going. It was 135 during the summer and snowed in the winter but I would gladly show back up again if my health would allow it. It is truly one of the many jobs I have had that I will miss till I die. The sense of adventure and the pace were a gas. Too bad I got jacked and thats all done now.
Bob