How did you get started in welding and fab work?

[Mark @ Everlast]

I grew up with yellow paint in my blood in the grading business and around farming, and later on, we opened up a farm equipment and tractor dealership. Between all that, you learn to weld. First welded when I was 7 or 8 under the watchful eyes of a seasoned welder. Wasn't much but it held. Started teaching myself around 11 or 12.

 

[jbwilson]

Bragging rights with my fellow office colleagues. Some time ago I had some spare time in the evenings so I undertook a welding course at the local tech college. I could have chosen to study French or Thai cooking or philosophy but welding held more interest and, I think, is far more useful. The only drawback is that it can be hard to sustain a discussion with dinner party guests on the purposes of different electrodes and types of steel alloys than with some other topics.

Welding is also very useful if you do a lot of gardening/landscaping. I am always looking for that special tool that they don't sell in the shops and so I have to custom make. My yard is full of rusty relics which were made over the years for some one off purpose.

John

 

[Big Barn]

On the farm when I was a kid my dad purchased a set of used oxy/acet set with cutting torch from a neighbor followed by a Forney 230 buzz box from the Snap On dealer. With a little instruction from my high school metal work teacher and lots of winging it I was able to "git er done'. Not that there was a shortage of good welders in the area but the convenience of being able to fix things immediately was invaluable. Plus the fact that each piece of equipment needed to be modified in some way or a unique device fabricated made it difficult to translate for someone else to do. Still have that Forney welder today.....48 years later.

Terry

 

[Shield Arc]

I could have chosen to study Thai cooking

Why didn't I think of that? Dam took the wrong career path. Could have made a fortune as a Thai cook!

 

[Arc weld]

I was always fascinated by what you could make out of steel. I'll explain when I have more time but I chose the wrong career. I should have studied to become a meteorologist. I could have learned all these fancy words and how to sound like a professor and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference if I was 100% wrong with the weather forecast. I'd still get the same pay when I #@%&#@ up. About the only job you can be totally wrong 50% or more of the time and not get fired.

 

[Shield Arc]

Around here the weather men / women can't tell what the weather was yesterday much less what it will be tomorrow!

 

[weldermike]

Around here the weather men / women can't tell what the weather was yesterday much less what it will be tomorrow!

Last sunday there was a 30% chance of rain by me in the a.m. At 6am it sounded like a diesel truck was coming through my house. We got 3in of rain in a hour. WTF! That's what you call a chance of showers these days!

 

[Shield Arc]

Yeah, if you or I made those kinds of mistakes, we'd be kicking rocks out to the parking lot carrying our tools.

 

[weldermike]

Yeah, if you or I made those kinds of mistakes, we'd be kicking rocks out to the parking lot carrying our tools.

10/4 yup!

 

[dieselcrawler]

I spent my childhood growing up on a small farm in WV where dad was often fixing equipment. When I was about 12 when we rebuilt the brush hog... that was my real intro to metal fab and it has progressed from there. Mostly self taught with advice and guidance from any knowledgeable person I could ask. Even spent a week and a half working with a blacksmith by the name of Daniel Boone (who is a direct great grandson of the guy in the history books!) when I was 15. Built pipe bumpers for trucks, winch mounts for atv's, brackets for barn beams, even some double hinged airplane hanger doors designed by my dad.

I spent 20+ years as an electrician but have often wondered if I missed my calling... metal fab is something I like and probly could have been a good machinist as well.

Latest project is wheel spacers for my new JD 3005... fab is done just need painted.