I got offered work / intern

[jeffm]

I was spending money at the metal shop the other day when the shop guy found out I'm working on welding. Next thing I know he's showing me trucks and shelves and etc that he wants welding done on. Tried to convince him that I'm merely learning, but he seemed real excited to have me do it.

Asides from learning to weld, is there anything I should worry about before starting such a venture? I doubt I'd get much money, if any, from the stuff. But I'd do it just to have done it, and I'd nudge for some choice picks of metal or a pallet of scrap. Plus the experience and chance of more work later.

I'm also thinking of calling the local welding shop (not supplier-a workshop) and offering to help out a few hours a week for cheap or nothing. Maybe if I sweep floors, take out trash, etc they might help me learn some stuff. Is this a good idea, or do shops not like having non-union idiots wandering around?

[Arbo]

Jeff,

Check around for the small privately owned shops. They will be more likely to have someone like you around. It would be a great learning experience, I'm sure.

[Bob]

Sounds like a great oppertunity to learn. Probably you should go for it. Do keep in the back of your mind "what could happen if my welds break?" Might have to refuse to weld something potentially dangereous unless you have some safe way to test it.
Bob

[Mike Sherman]

Jeff, too bad your not a little closer to my shop. I could let you hang out for 40 - 50 hours per week. You would learn alot and I wouldn't charge you too awful much. Just kidding. On that job you were offered, it reminds me of the first time I was ever offered a contract welding job. This was quite some time ago when I thought I had brass gonads and just no fear. I lied about my ability and then took a friend with me who knew what he was doing. Things have changed nowadays and everyone has a lawyer, still I hate to see you turn down the job, do you have any friends who will go with you and know what they are doing? If you turn down the job, it will probably never be offered again. Also, never work for free, do it once and people will take advantage of you. Learn what you are doing and start out with your hourly rate kind of low, say $35/hour. Get insurance for your work and you are on your way to a successful welding career.

[jeffm]

danke

Arbo - how small? the place I was looking at probably has 8 weldors or so, prolly less, very close to home. Actually had them weld something for me once

Bob - I figured at least I'd have my lawyer write up some waiver. So I can't be sued if the acy bottle blows up in the garage or something

Mike - Sadly I'm the only gas weldor I know. If things we're otherwise I'd probably be a lot better at it
The nuttiest job he has involved adding stuff to a truck. I'm a bit nervous about that, but supposedly another shop has already done it.
What is insurance like?
Right, it is a bad idea to work for "free". Attourney's learn this very early in the game; charge for it. But the only reason he hasn't had it done is cuz he didn't want to pay union labor rates ("45 an hour" or something?). Maybe he'd give me metal, or maybe I just look like I do stuff for free.

As I stand outside in the snow with my gas bottles and crumbly welds, I realize it will be a while before I want to try working for someone. I'm not terribly worried about loosing the job but I don't want to sit on it either. Whatever happens, it was terribly exciting hearing someone ask me to build something!

[Mike Sherman]

Absolutely! I have made a great living out of welding and fabricating. Take the time to learn how to weld properly, if you can't learn on the job then maybe a school, but if you enjoy it, definately try to do it for a living.

[Srubrn]

Jeff,

Awaiver won't stop you from getting sued. Maybe if your were a S corporation.

Mike,

What kind of insureance are you talking about and how much is it?

[Arbo]

Jeff,

The shop that I buy all of my material from started out ten years ago as a one man shop. His son came into the picture after graduating high school, and now they have two emplyees and several million dollars worth of CNC machinery. Where did I go wrong in life? That's what I would call a small shop.

[DaveD]

I'm just a hobby/home welder but I'm careful when welding on vehicles. I really steer clear of the gas tank area and have unplugged the computer on my own vehicles since I have heard conflicting stories on harming the computer with transient voltage spikes. I also have a welding blanket to protect the body so no stray sparks can land on the paint.

Having said that, I only weld on my own vehicles and for 1 or 2 friends after I give them the speil about me not being responsible.

Hopefully the shop is sincere on wanting to give you work but then again they just may know about all the liability issues and are taking advantage of you.

Now if he wants you to weld in his shop, with his welders, on his jobs, under his guidance, go for it. I'd like to do that myself just for some experience in something I'm interested in (welding). And after that I'd like to be a gopher in a machine shop for a few months.

[Mike Sherman]

I have insurance that covers the liability associated with my work and the things I make and sell. I must be honest, I have my wife deal with the insurance side of my business. I do know it is based on my payroll. This is one way they determine how much business you do, by how much I spend on paying the hired help. It has been awhile since I was a one man show, so I really don't know how much insurance for one man will be. I know I pay more now than one good man makes in a year.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

JEFFM................I WON'T TELL YOU THE STORY OF MY FIRST JOB.. HOWEVER I WAS AT THE LOCAL SCRAP YARD SCROUNGEING FOR METAL................ AND HE WANTED ME TO WELD SOMETHING UP FOR HIM SINCE I HAD A GAS WELDER SETTING ON THE TRUCK........
HAHAHA............. MY BROTHERS AND I STILL DO WORK FOR THIS GUY TO THIS DAY...........THE DOWN SIDE WAS I HAD TO GO BACK AND WELD THAT CRANE PART 2 OTHER TIMES........HAHAHA....WELD HELD BUT KEPT BRAKEING OFF RIGHT ABOVE EVERY TIME.............I FINALLY TOOK A BUDDY WITH ME WHO KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG..........
I THINK I WOULD CONSIDER IT.......... THE LIABILITY THING IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AND I WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING STRUCTURAL LIKE FRAMES. TRAILER HITCH'S, ETC..........
...... LET US KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE........... THIS IS A FUN THING TO DO ISN'T IT....................BE SAFE NOW.................AND HAVE SOME FUN WITH IT.....................ROCK
[email protected]

[mikeb]

weld job

Never tell someone you can do something you can't, but talk up what skills you have. Tell the boss you want to learn; at least he'll know you're not an annoying know-it-all.

[ChadRat]

this reminds me when someone asks me how much it will cost to weld and or make something. I usually say "how good of a job do ya want?"

[mikeb]

cost

Chadrat that's a great answer. Sometimes I see welding work that I know was done by a contractor and I think, "God, how could that guy leave the job with his self respect?"

[Jerry]

Hello Jeff, I opened a custom fabrication and welding shop in wisconsin a short time back. I am a one man shop at least right now, although economy is tough I have been adding about 2 customers a month. Planning to build so if my boys want to work with me, I have 3 boys and am teaching the 13 year old right now how to tig weld and some shop fabrication. Prior to starting this I was in the welding and fabrication field for 25 years and opened my own shop after being laid off and with plenty of time on hand since no shops are looking to pay anything decent for the employee. Having my own shop I am amazed at what comes in for welding (repair that is ) yet I try to deal mostly with industrial or commercial customers hoping this will be more repetitive and continue to build business. I am sure that Mike Sherman has seen just about every piece of metal made walk into his shop at one time or another. I hate to turn down work and rarely do, but what I do is to explain my position and my need to search for answers, then get back in touch to guide customer to the final finish.

An example stamping customer came to me and asked if I do brazing for he supplies after market parts for Harley Davidson. The part was an after market horn which needed parts brazed. I told him that I have not brazed since 1978, but that it was an easy process I thought and with some research I should be ok at it. A weel later he gave me a shot with some samples, so a couple phone calls to a brazing supplier and cleaning suppliers I proceeded. When I brought back samples to customer I was told that to bad we did not have your samples when we went to Harley yesterday.

I now do all of the brazing for this customer and this started out with me telling him ( NO )I do not braze now. Let me research it and if you want give me a shot, I won't let you down.