Becoming a welder

[motion]

Hey guys,
for quite sometime now I've wanted to get into welding but I'm kind of stuck on how to approach this properly. I'm looking to do some MIG and then perferablly TIG in the future.

I figure I could just go apply at a local shop as a helper and then move up with hard work..

or

goto school and learn to weld that way.
I prefer the non-school method, but anyone have any input on this? I took some basic oxy-acetelyne welding in highschool and did a little mig welding here and there, but nothing serious.

TIA.

[rio_rex]

To become a certified welder, u would have to either take a pre-employment at sait (which gives you a primer to be hired as a apprentice), or find a employer that will let u apprentice with them. You do work periods, and take a bit of technical training every year at a tech institute ie. sait/nait. I think most apprenterships are 4 years, so every year u take tests and such to proceed to the next year.

Anyways, u can't just start at a shop and "work" your way up since most welding requires one to be certified in what your welding...which will most likley be oil/gas or structural related.
I'm no expert about this...what i said is from what i'v read...u can find out more on www.tradesecrets.org Hope this helps.

[motion]

that website helps a lot. I guess I'm gonna have to find a shop that is willing to hire me as an apprentice and go from there with filling out the forms and such.

thanks.

[PaPa LuV]

I work as a geologist up in fort mac, and I know a welder getting 35 buc a hour!!! More than I make, thats for sure.
Go to school, do your thing, and get a pressure B ticket, and your laughing.

[JAYMEZ]

I know a welder who makes about 300+HR ... But you also need to be a master scuba diver ... But if you want huge money , become an underwater welder , HUGEE demand for them on the rigs. :thumbsup:

[Rockski]

Originally posted by motion
Hey guys,
for quite sometime now I've wanted to get into welding but I'm kind of stuck on how to approach this properly. I'm looking to do ZERO MIG and then perferablly TIG in the future.

I figure I could just go apply at a local shop as a helper and then move up with hard work..

or

goto school and learn to weld that way.
I prefer the non-school method, but anyone have any input on this? I took some basic oxy-acetelyne welding in highschool and did a little mig welding here and there, but nothing serious.

TIA.

first off, you really dont want to waste your time with mig, tig welds are alot stronger then migs and a mig, the retarded guy at my work gets to play with the mig welder.... the one armed guy can do better then that.

local shop helpers dont do very much welding, theres a big chance youll be pulling cords, picking up sticks, or the big one, Grinding. if you wanna weld, the best way to learn is joing a local and get into a fab shop. its the non-school way too (kinda) you put in your hours, around 1560 and then you go to school for 8 weeks (sait, nait, GP, and i think theres one other school in alberta). after that you can get your journeyman, CWB, and a B pressure (for doing piping and boilers)

if you can oxy acetelyne weld your already building the basis for tig... best thing i can say


Originally posted by JAYMEZ_STi
I know a welder who makes about 300+HR ... But you also need to be a master scuba diver ... But if you want huge money , become an underwater welder , HUGEE demand for them on the rigs. :thumbsup:

theres only one drawback and that is that your life excpectancy gets cut in half, sometimes more.


*EDIT* i didnt realize you were in edmonton, phone 488-1266, tell them that you were interested in being a welder and would like to pick up the study books and practice exams, drive down there (its just off of 170th) keep your books till the next exam (fridiay) write it and then start going to call out.:thumbsup:

Best way for a welder to start in edmonton

[RawB8figure]

Originally posted by PaPa LuV
I work as a geologist up in fort mac, and I know a welder getting 35 buc a hour!!! More than I make, thats for sure.
Go to school, do your thing, and get a pressure B ticket, and your laughing.

Thats it!!! you can make that in a fab shop in edmonton...
Rig welders in fort mac are around 80 to 100+ an hour

As for your life getting cut in half, that depends on you, stay hydrated and get a welding helmet with a air filtration system, common sence is all you need.

But go to school and get your tickets weld for a solid 10 years and then you can pretty much do whatever you want, tig or mig whatever you want, but chances are you will get money hungry and follow the money.

[Rockski]

Originally posted by RawB8figure

As for your life getting cut in half, that depends on you, stay hydrated and get a welding helmet with a air filtration system, common sence is all you need.


how is that gonna help you with nitrogen in your brain? the life expectancy thing is because of the pressurizing and depresurizing and the like

[Primer_Drift]

Originally posted by Rockski


first off, you really dont want to waste your time with mig, tig welds are alot stronger then migs and a mig, the retarded guy at my work gets to play with the mig welder.... the one armed guy can do better then that.

:rolleyes:
Yeah thats why they use GMAW for structural, cuz its so weak. GTAW is cosmetically better, and often is a better weld quality. However there are limitations to every process, even TIG. GMAW(MIG) is very good to learn on, is cost effective and efficient.

[Rockski]

Originally posted by Primer_Drift

:rolleyes:
Yeah thats why they use GMAW for structural, cuz its so weak. GTAW is cosmetically better, and often is a better weld quality. However there are limitations to every process, even TIG. GMAW(MIG) is very good to learn on, is cost effective and efficient.

and the reason GMAW is used for structral is because you dont get the penetration that you do with GTAW, thats exactly why its used in structrual instead of being used in boilers, cokers and pipe lines... when they do a weld test for the iron workers, you get a piece of flat pipe and a stick, and you have to run a nice bead. when you test for the boiler makers or pipe fitters you get a extra heavy peice of pipe, and you have to tig root it, then stick it... then they cut it in half and bend it 180* each way (in and out) if it cracks on either bend you fail your test. its just cause the tig can withstand more tensile units of pressure

[RawB8figure]

Originally posted by Rockski


how is that gonna help you with nitrogen in your brain? the life expectancy thing is because of the pressurizing and depresurizing and the like


????what????

Im not talking scott paks.

[Primer_Drift]

Originally posted by Rockski


and the reason GMAW is used for structral is because you dont get the penetration that you do with GTAW, thats exactly why its used in structrual instead of being used in boilers, cokers and pipe lines... when they do a weld test for the iron workers, you get a piece of flat pipe and a stick, and you have to run a nice bead. when you test for the boiler makers or pipe fitters you get a extra heavy peice of pipe, and you have to tig root it, then stick it... then they cut it in half and bend it 180* each way (in and out) if it cracks on either bend you fail your test. its just cause the tig can withstand more tensile units of pressure

:hijack:

True on single sided root welds GTAW will produce a better weld (higher penetration, low hydrogen)... but mechanized GMAW is still very widely used for pipeline construction. To discount a process completely (the process for the retarded guy at your work to use) is a bit assinine... especially when it is one of the more common production processes.

[USHER]

my buddy actually got hired a year and a half ago by just going to a shop and asking to be hired as an apprentice without any previous experience. he isnt planning on going back to school and his employers dont seem to mind since they have to pay for his schooling if he decides to go. he is getting paid around 16 dollars/hour now so maybe it will work for you.

[motion]

thanks for the replies guys. I called that number that Rockski left and left them a message. I think I'm gonna pickup those books and go from there.

I appreciate all the feedback, thanks for you input.

[Rockski]

Originally posted by Primer_Drift


:hijack:

True on single sided root welds GTAW will produce a better weld (higher penetration, low hydrogen)... but mechanized GMAW is still very widely used for pipeline construction. To discount a process completely (the process for the retarded guy at your work to use) is a bit assinine... especially when it is one of the more common production processes.


fair enough, ill retract my previous statement about the retarded fellow at work (although it is pure truth). although mig is less popular with piping then you think... i mean im sure you could use it if your setting up a school sprinkler system, but sure as hell not when your building a fucking plant... it is common, but its only practicality is for structrual and automotive. if your doing a shut down your deffinatly going to be using a tig because a tig weld isnt nearly as brittle.

[Rockski]

Originally posted by motion
thanks for the replies guys. I called that number that Rockski left and left them a message. I think I'm gonna pickup those books and go from there.

I appreciate all the feedback, thanks for you input.

call tomorrow sometime before 4


best time to be there is at 9am

[redx2nv]

Originally posted by RawB8figure


Thats it!!! you can make that in a fab shop in edmonton...
Rig welders in fort mac are around 80 to 100+ an hour

As for your life getting cut in half, that depends on you, stay hydrated and get a welding helmet with a air filtration system, common sence is all you need.

But go to school and get your tickets weld for a solid 10 years and then you can pretty much do whatever you want, tig or mig whatever you want, but chances are you will get money hungry and follow the money.

Why does everyone associate rigs with ft mac? Almost, all oil produced is from open pit mining.

You only make $80 if you subcontract, meaning if you have your own truck.

[Rockski]

Originally posted by redx2nv


Why does everyone associate rigs with ft mac? Almost, all oil produced is from open pit mining.

You only make $80 if you subcontract, meaning if you have your own truck.

cause fort mac is where the oil rigs are
same as the production plants, but nobody unless theyre in the business knows what a "shut down" is... so they think that the best thing out there since autistic children is a rig (which in many cases, not every but many, is)

[RawB8figure]

I meant rig as in your own welding rig. Truck with welder in the back.

But some guys I know just left my company and are getting paid 110 an hour.

[RawB8figure]

If you are going to be welding why not make as much as you can while the money is here. Why would you not have a truck and go subcontract.

[legendboy]

Originally posted by Primer_Drift


:hijack:

True on single sided root welds GTAW will produce a better weld (higher penetration, low hydrogen)... but mechanized GMAW is still very widely used for pipeline construction. To discount a process completely (the process for the retarded guy at your work to use) is a bit assinine... especially when it is one of the more common production processes.

I always thought smaw was the standard for structural and pipeline welding, as well as b pressure :confused:

Tig is way too slow for any mass construction like pipeline and structural steel. Arc is fast, gets super penetration. Mig is fast also. I think the key word here (for construction) being fast :)

I think a process like spray arc is used for automated heavy duty structural welding.

I donno, i was in a shop (warrior) here in town that builds truck trailers, and train car packages. They were mig welding everything. I was also at eagle compressor and all the pipe/ansi welding was the most beautiful arc welding i have ever seen. Thats compressor station/metal building stuff headed up north so :dunno:

[legendboy]

Anyways back to the original topic. I think the best way to become a welder is to go to sait and not try and get a job at a welding shop. Basically get your ticket as fast as you can.

[Primer_Drift]

^^
Yeah I was under that assumption until I looked into it also (the pipeline stuff). SMAW would have been my logical choice for speed and penetration, but apparrently it no longer meets the grade as far as top of the line pipeline welding is concerned. Its true manual GTAW can be quite slow, but these million dollar orbital robotic GTAW welders probably pay for themselves after a few miles.

I agree with what you said about mig, it is still used for some structural and pipeline (meaning its not exactly weak) and is a useful process especially to learn on - which is the point I was trying to relay to Rockski.


Originally posted by legendboy
Anyways back to the original topic. I think the best way to become a welder is to go to sait and not try and get a job at a welding shop. Basically get your ticket as fast as you can.

I was under the impression you needed employer sponsership to enter their programs. I'm guessing there is a way around that?

My father was a welder for 20 years, so I've seen the good and bad of that proffession. Its a dirty job that can be detrimental to your health and some of the employers are not that great either..

[Rockski]

Originally posted by Primer_Drift

I agree with what you said about mig, it is still used for some structural and pipeline (meaning its not exactly weak) and is a useful process especially to learn on - which is the point I was trying to relay to Rockski.

I was under the impression you needed employer sponsership to enter their programs. I'm guessing there is a way around that?


tig isnt used for a full fill, its just for the root, then they stick over it, even with it being a slower process, the welds arent as brittle. even with our shop being a high productive one, every single person is trained on tig, because they would wrather take the time and get it perfect then risk having a root crack


i was also under the impression that you had to have sponcership. seeing as how you need hours before you cant actualy make it to journeyman without them

[redx2nv]

Originally posted by RawB8figure
I meant rig as in your own welding rig. Truck with welder in the back.

But some guys I know just left my company and are getting paid 110 an hour.

LOL, i was under the assumption of oil rig..

[pressure_ratio]

Originally posted by legendboy


I always thought smaw was the standard for structural and pipeline welding, as well as b pressure :confused:

Tig is way too slow for any mass construction like pipeline and structural steel. Arc is fast, gets super penetration. Mig is fast also. I think the key word here (for construction) being fast :)

I think a process like spray arc is used for automated heavy duty structural welding.

I donno, i was in a shop (warrior) here in town that builds truck trailers, and train car packages. They were mig welding everything. I was also at eagle compressor and all the pipe/ansi welding was the most beautiful arc welding i have ever seen. Thats compressor station/metal building stuff headed up north so :dunno:
SMAW is by far the most commonly used and has the highest penetration(Structural,CWB and B-pressure).Mig is mostly used for non structual.The only exception is flux cored(FCAW)that some shops use.
Agreed that tig is way to slow for any production work although I have heard of some people using it as a root pass for pressure welds.
But back on topic.Pre employment isn't alays the best way to start out beccause you still have very little experience.As a first year you'll be doing all the grunt work(grinding)..and it sucks.But in the long run it pays off.Most Journeymen welders that work in oilfield make anywhere from 26 to 38/hr.B pressure guy's make a bit more than that.From what I've seen,having a B ticket isn't always the best thing.First off it's boring as hell,all you do is spool pipe all day long.It can be stressfull cause if you have an inclusion you're in for doing a repair(employers don't like that to much when they're paying you $38/hr).And if you're looking for a job that doesn't require a b pressure ticket an employer won't hire you.