[old_biker]

trying to figure out what is my best next move.

I am just a professional hobbyist welder? I have been welding off & on for 40 years, but never really professionally, except in body work doing sheet metal replacement. I currently on call at a body shop welding in new metal as owner hates welding, but I may go a month with out work, or work 20-30 hours in a month, & I have a year or so building & repairing utility / car type trailers. I do have a primary job non welding related, that has changed & is sucking my life out & feel stuck, but been there many years, & until management changed was a good place to work for.

I have trouble getting customers to come to my house to get stuff welded, as I am off the road a bit, & I have to work outside, but I am wondering about maybe trying to get into rig welding? or a service truck? I probably have most tools & equipment, but not a decent truck, but do have an old 2wd dually I could get running & maybe throw a 4wd transfer case & front under it, I cant afford to go buy a nice truck currently. when I used the gas powered I would load stuff on my old Toyota truck as needed, & the pipe liner is on wheels, & I just hauled it for bigger projects

my welding stuff I have a Hobart Pipeline welder, and a Lincoln Ranger 9, at 1 time did some mobile repairs through craigslist ads, I have a Lincoln AC/DC tombstone, a Hobart AC/DC, a Lincoln 180 MIG, a Blue Demon MIG, a uni-spotter, hand held spot welder, several torch outfits, plus a Henrob 2000, which I used instead of having a plasma cutter, or TIG.

I know how to TIG, & I once was very good with aluminum & stainless steel, but not messed with tig welding in well over a decade. primariy I just mess with steel, & even then I dont go through much over 5lb of rod a year, not since stopped working on trailers, so majority last 2 years has been MIG on sheet metal.

in the late 1980's I was best welding student in my classes,turned down many great paying welding jobs offered to me back then, but I didnt want any paperwork, & I dont have any, I said I would never do it for a living, ecxcept for welding on automobiles or car related items, & I wanted to do mechanic work, so, I have no certificates, I was quite rude about it back then.

do I need certificates? or to go to a college? because I cant go my local, as 8 or so years ago, I was going to, & professor refused to teach me, said I had to shave, & I cussed him out, & he is still the teacher, as I know someone that just went through his class, I am not welcome there, & I cant go out of town with my primary job. & I cant quit my job, or I will lose my home.

so practice at home more to refresh myself? or? how do I get into more money & welding? I have loved welding my whole life, my bast friends dad saw me interested at 9 years old & started showing me how to stick with an old Miller with hand crank, & I still pull car engines on a lift i welded up at age 13

[starvncoyote]

I'm new here as well and noticed your question never really did get answers. First, you should check with your state business licence, you are already on call so you may be good to go on that part. If you have no problem lining up jobs, just getting them out there, I think your truck would do nicely. If you know what kind of job you are going to just bring what you know you need and a few extras. I'm sure the first call will be to meet up and talk pricing. Hopefully you have a good idea of what time of year the work at your current place is slow so you can get a side job going.
Best of luck to you.