He asks the ****dest questions

[vwguy3]

I was curious what backgrounds different people out here have that brings them to the site. I for instance am a hobbiest welder and like repairing stuff and making stuff but work in retail sales. I know some of you guys are welders(Dan,Sberry, JP Streets and Mike Sherman) some are maintenance people(Jason,Rocky? Franz?) and some are hobbiest/sideliners.
Just wondered.

Mike.

[WarrenInDe]

My Background

I have a B.S. degree in Manufacturing Technology. Classes consisted of a little bit of everything. Foundry, machining, welding, wood, plastic, drawing.... Most of the folks I went to school with headed toward a "Shop" teaching career.

When I graduated I got a job at Surveying Instrument shop. I did a little bit of everything there but my main job was running the repair shop. We would get a lot of old instruments that you couldn't get parts for so we had to machine them. I had at my disposal a couple of different sized lathes and a Vertical Milling machine. I worked there for 12 years.

We would make all of our own fixtures and some shop tools. It was a lot of fun.

I have always been into computers and had started doing a web page for the Instrument Shop as well as maintaining the network. I started to get into programming and for the last 5 years or so I have been a programmer and a weekend "Tinkerer"

I have been doing some wood stuff but have always wanted to get back into metal! One day I will have a lathe and vert mill.

I'm always building or tinkering with something around here. My neighbors say I watch to much New Yankee Workshop, This Old House and Monster Garage and American Choppers!

I've only had my MM175 for a few weeks and am coming up with all kinds of projects. I'm in the tool collection phase now, bender and scoller coming and looking at notchers. I just found a past post from Dan of a Metal Bending Brake he showed how to make. sounds like a handy project to me!

That's me.

Who's Next!

Warren

[echo8287]

Previous jobs

Lets see at this time I'm a licensed plumber and electrician.In the past I've worked for maintenance at a prison,building contractor,burgular alarm installer,mechanical contractor,industrial steam system troubleshooter, salesman-rotary pressure joints,pressure reducing valves,steam traps etc.,Southern Bell-cable repairman. I went to college and got a B.S majoring in chemistry/minor biology. My father was an lawyer and wanted me to do that, BUT I couldn't stomach making a living off of peoples misfortune. I got into welding when I worked at the prison, bought a stick welder back then. I just got a new wire welder and I'm trying to learn how to use it. I like to make little things to make jobs easier and more efficient. Yall hang in there!!

[JeramyK]

My background is in computers. I went to college for computer programming but after an internship I found it wasn't my cup of tea. So I switched to computer repair. I worked for a retailer repairing PC's, laptops and printers for about 5 years while obtaining numerous repair certifications. Currently working as a PC consultant for a local hospital while working on my MCSE to further advance my career.

I came to this site when I was doing research prior to purchasing my first welder. I have always been into classic cars and drag racing. I had been around a few friends that had restored cars from the ground up. That's where I picked up MIG welding. When it came time for me to start my own project (79 Camaro) I decided a welder would be a good investment. Especially with some other ideas that I had. I'm still learning new things and I love it. Always a new challenge when it comes to welding.

-Jeramy

[river1]

i've been a newspaper pressman for 20 years. i'm also a hotrodder/tinkerer. i've had a little miller wirefeed for about 12 years and still don't have a gas setup for it (fluxcore). i'm takeing some community college welding coures to gain more knowledge. last year i learned stick and oxy/acetelene and am going to learn more in TIG next semester.

later jim

[jason]

I've always been a tinkerer. When I was growing up, the toys were lincoln logs, erector sets, heathkits, etc... My dad always enjoyed woodworking and hobby scale machining (anyone ever seen a unimat?) and as you know, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

My first real job was at Western Slope Industries - www.wslope.com - where I started to really learn metal. I started on the saw (of course), and ended up bouncing between departments - manufacturing (where I learned more machining) and enginerring (where I was a draftsman) and although I never did any welding there, it is where I first became interested in welding.

After that I went to Jobsite - www.jobsite-us.com . It was a little different, nicer equipment but not as much of it. I did almost everything there. Manual and CNC machining, manual and CNC sheet metal fab, CNC laser machining, assembly, a little powder coating and welding, and even did a couple months as quality control manager. The only two things I didn't do were drafting and chrome plating.

I have been self employed for the last five years as a licenced general contractor, but I really liked the manufacturing better. To me there's just something cool about it. So I keep ending up buying things to do more of that kind of work. Right now, probably 5-10 percent of my buisness is drafting/machining/welding.

Jason
________
F2

[Big Nate]

Well, I used to do Lawn&Landscaping but I sold the buisness and bought a recycling company...... boy did I get screwed on that the previous owner fudged the books and made it look like a 100k buisness that was growing when it was a $25k startup and it was sinking oh well I have a list of contracts still and it pays the bills. Currently I am doing side work building and repairing trailers.

~Nate

[Arbo]

Two year degree in computer science form 1984. I was working my way thru college at a restaurant, and then they offered me a management position. I took that, and stayed there until 1989. I went to work for Uncle Sam in the prison business, where I am now. My current position is Tool Control Officer in a max security penitentiary. I control the inventory of about 12,000 tools in about 400 different areas of the joint. No, really I do. I also get to play with alot of the best stuff on the market. I am responsible for buying all the tools for the place, and I don't buy junk. What a job, eh?

[Wood-N Steel]

Before 911 I was supervising an 8-man maintenance department for a local mulit million fabricating shop running 24-7 with 300+ employees. Now 50 total manufacturing employees working 8-3:30 4 days a weak. WOOD-N-STEEL is my personal Invoice header for billing Side jobs. Focusing in on Repairs on properties and equipment. Since the down turn I rely on side jobs more than my regular job. I found this site while comparing welders needed for fence and handrail jobs.

[Bob]

Masters from Stanford in electronics. I do complex simulations of physics, electromagnetics, and circuits for electronic warfare systems .... so at work I think and type.
Messing with molten steel is a nice, contrasting escape. I probably spend more time musing at this forum content than welding.
Bob

[Blacksmith]

BS in Wood Products Engineering (Light Frame Construction), Retired from USN as LCDR, currently working on a large turbine and diesel generator development project. Dabbled in welding all my life, avid woodworker, got interested in blacksmithing with forge and anvil, but being a realist, found that electric welding was a more efficient way to join two pieces I have shaped with the forge and anvil. Plan to make woodworking and metal working a paying hobby when I retire for good. Will have retirement monies, but rather than spend them on bingo or travel, make things other can't, take "business trips" to craft shows, etc and put the profits back into tools, materials and travel.

[Bertieboy]

grew up with an eccentric uncle who collected antique cars trucks tractors machinery etc...........guess what? I have plenty of projects on the go........59 IHC....66chrysler..... 66 HR holden....nearly finished trailer....restoring a money safe.....no official trade but learn as I go.......had nothing 5 years ago due to wasting my life and money on drugs.......now Ive got a mig, oxy, garage, jacks,stands, plenty of tools, 2 beautiful children, good friends and family and good health and a LIFE...........................Ive made guitars, desks, gates, benches,jigs, even this computer I built from parts......had to do a small course though !Ive found this great network and info smorgasbord and I now feel better knowing that someone understands why I keep all that "JUNK".......cheers, Pete....................................in OZ

[pontiac]

I followed my Dad's footsteps and became a Computer guy.
I'm a Network Admin for a group of Hospitals here in the NW.
The Compant I work for provides computer services of medical facilitys nation wide.
Going way back my Grandfather on my Mom's side was a tool and die maker. My other Grandfather was a salesman for a foundry in Indiana.

I've been tearing up computers since I was a little kid so I guess it was only natural that it became my carrier.

My Wife believes my other hobby is collecting hobbies.
My main thing is restoring/modifying Pontiacs.
That naturaly brought me to metal working and eventuly this site.

[stever]

I searched out several welding sights. This seems to be the most active and better attended. This sight gives me answers from several sources and some of them come with pictures. I like it when I can show my students what others are doing. Being able to get ideas for myself is great.

I started in welding a long time ago. I first started in industrial construction. Had a welding contract business at the same time that I was teaching. Taught evenings as a full time educator and ran the business the rest of the time. The second business was a boat propeller repair. I've hired out as the weldor for an engineering test facility so that different industries could get their Code Certified paperwork. A company would hire me, I'd take whatever welding test that was needed, get the certification, and promptly get laid off. Next week it would start again. I think I'll stop at that. If I continue to write it will start to look like my resume'. The credentials and the resume' will be forgotten quickly when I'm gone. The experience of welding can be passed on. I can also leave some cool looking gates.


I only teach now. However, I do have a smithy in the backyard. I enjoy forging blacksmith tools and ornamental garden gates. The problem with the ornamental gates is that it seems to be heading toward another business.

[bluesman2a]

Got a BSET in Technology with a concentration in Electronics, Physics, and Computer Science. Been in the high-tech/network/datacom world since I got out of college in 93 (gawd, that was a DECADE ago)... Doc Love, is right, Tech will chew you up, use you for all you're worth, and spit you out. Been thinking about a change in venue.

Welding/fabrication helps me relax. Sometimes... When things go right...

Got into Jeeps a while back and found you can do a whole lot more with them when you can weld. I got laid off around Christmas of last year, bought a welder with my severence, and as a way to stay sane, I taught myself to weld in my "free" time. Been doing it ever since.

Hopefully I get a little better every time I pick up my rig, this board has helped a lot with that.