Welding Tips and Tricks

Just wondering, been 7 days here for quite some time now..last year from May to November.

6 days here, 7 sometimes from Oct to April/May

I've done it, off and on, for several years. Even worked seven 14's for six weeks.

The money's great, and there's no time to spend it, but MAN does it get old after a while. Find time to shop, find time for laundry... You're blessed if the motel has an indoor pool, but try not to leave a ring....

I now really like my 40 hr job with the occasional Saturday (today was one!)

My experience gets me good pay, and I sleep near my wife every night, eat home cooking, and poop in my own toilet. The travelers out there will understand the value of that.

Steve S

me
craig

I work turnarounds for the refineries near me so 7/12s for months on end is nothing new. I have been punished by my local for reporting a serious shoulder/bicep tear so I work for myself mostly....try to work everyday if I can.

When I had my own truck I worked 20 hrs. a day/ 7 days a week. I spent years working 5/16's a week when the kids were young. That was mostly nights, weekends and holidays, not fun. Now I work 4/12's one week and 5/12's the next, including every other Saturday.

Len

when you own your own business 6-7 days
is what you get. you are at the whim of
your customers and they are usually off on
the weekends so you are on.
craig

@braehill I understand that you did the work long ago, but where did (or should have) you draw(n) the line between work and life? I've only ever done 12 hours and sometimes 6 days but never constantly. Max was 3 12s and 2 8s and an 8 on Saturday and I was talking braille at the end.

Mick,
I've always seemed to be happiest while I'm working and really don't know what to do with myself when I'm not working. I can count on one hand how many times I've been on vacation. I usually only take vacation time to get a little hunting time in the fall.

I can't say that I've always loved my work, but I can say that I've always loved being productive in one form or another. I've never made anything a priority over work, so I didn't really miss not being able to do those other activities. I don't drink and I'm not really much of a sports fan so weekends are just other days to me.

I will say that if I hit the lottery though that I'll never go to work again.

Len

Times have changed at my company. Overtime is very rare, and it's always voluntary. So it's very easy to go home after a hard 8 hours. Lol

4 on 4 off 12hr shifts (2 days + 2 nights)
I get a long week end every week end but may not actually be a week end by the calender!
I dont weld for a living, I refine metal for a living

If you count school, I was working 4 12s and an eight a week, plus all of the time I spend working on various projects at another shop. It's gets old after a while!

I try not to but there are some times of the year where an oil refinery has a 20-30 day shut down and I have to work there 12 hour days for the duration.
Also I teach some of the modules on the IWE (International Welding Engineer) courses so again during that time I also have to work during the weekends. Of course this is a lot easier than my other work.
In general though I avoid working on weekends or long hours if possible.

I do...

Different though, I farm. Only weld when things break or some construction. I farm with my brother. He works one Sunday, I work the other. Cows don't take days off for vacation/Christmas etc...

Dennis,
They do if they're on the menu.

Len

Braehill wrote:Dennis,
They do if they're on the menu.

Len

If they're on the menu their work is done....

This week we had a planned 4 day outage that turned into a 5 day outage. They always plan on you working 12 hours a day and if I was working support for another plant I could just work 12. Since this was my plant I ended up worrking at least 14 everyday and a couple 16's and an 18.

Due to computer issues that occured during the outage that screwed up the logic's set points that nobody was aware of, a 6 hour start up has turned into a 45 hour start up. Any guesses who has been here most of that time, not the guy who hard booted the computer without telling us. He'll find out a new use for jumper cables next time he's in the same place as I am.

I'm up and running so when I finish today I can take a couple days off, but I will finish this week with over 90 hours, come on 18:00.

Len

Braehill wrote:This week we had a planned 4 day outage that turned into a 5 day outage. They always plan on you working 12 hours a day and if I was working support for another plant I could just work 12. Since this was my plant I ended up worrking at least 14 everyday and a couple 16's and an 18.

Due to computer issues that occured during the outage that screwed up the logic's set points that nobody was aware of, a 6 hour start up has turned into a 45 hour start up. Any guesses who has been here most of that time, not the guy who hard booted the computer without telling us. He'll find out a new use for jumper cables next time he's in the same place as I am.

I'm up and running so when I finish today I can take a couple days off, but I will finish this week with over 90 hours, come on 18:00.

Len

I can send ya an extra set of Jumper cables

Braehill wrote:This week we had a planned 4 day outage that turned into a 5 day outage. They always plan on you working 12 hours a day and if I was working support for another plant I could just work 12. Since this was my plant I ended up worrking at least 14 everyday and a couple 16's and an 18.

Due to computer issues that occured during the outage that screwed up the logic's set points that nobody was aware of, a 6 hour start up has turned into a 45 hour start up. Any guesses who has been here most of that time, not the guy who hard booted the computer without telling us. He'll find out a new use for jumper cables next time he's in the same place as I am.

I'm up and running so when I finish today I can take a couple days off, but I will finish this week with over 90 hours, come on 18:00.

Len

Damn Len that sounds fun.....The only day I've had scheduled off since the beginning of the year is Easter, an a few days when my grandfather passed otherwise we are busy so its been 7 days, mostly 8s and 10s..sporadic 12's. I actually don't mind working but I can feel my legs need a break. I worked 5 12's and 1 14.5 this week...

Were off today, being a food plant today they are fogging the building as mandated by the good ole FDA practices. So today is dad day. it's soccer with my 6 yr old daughter, ice cream afterwards with the family and then by request of my 3.5 year old son were going fishing.

OT is voluntary, here.

Though my work area is on a 6-10 schedule to catch up to production (some suit wants their bonus). Once that is over (July or August), we'll be back to 5-8's and I'll be less dead (school starts in 4 weeks).