thinking of hiring a weldor

[muddstopper]

For years i have pretty much did all my own welding. As age creeps up on me and old Arthur taking my mobility, I have been thinking about just hiring someone part time to help me finish a few of my projects. Now i aint never been a top notch welder, but I have been trying to come up with some sort of test to separate the wantabes and those that can actually weld. I want to hire someone that is at least better than i am. I found a guy that used to be a welder, structual construction 20 yrs, and hes looking for some part time work. Going to meet this wkend and i am thinking about dragging out some metal and see what he can do. Figure i would turn all the knobs on the welder to make sure it wont run a bead unless adjusted and then see how he reacts. If he cant adjust the welder, then i figure hes all talk. I'll probably lay out a few rods and let him pick which ones to use and if he knows the difference. I got some odd ball stuff and some wet 7018. Anyway, this guy might/probably knows more about welding than I do, which wouldnt be hard to do. Thing that worries me is I might know more than him and I really need someone better than me for some of the work I am wanting done. Anything else anybody figures i need to look out for, other than the person being a dopehead or drunk, or worse a thief. I dont think hes any of those things, in fact talked to a former coworker of his, and a friend of mine, and he claims the man is a straight up guy, so???

 

[Industrial Toys]

Nasty welds are for life! The best welders I know, don't know much about metalurgy and theory. They know certain rods work for certain things but don't know the chemistry. One thing I noticed. Unless they are welding something very thin or thick they never touch the settings. A good welder just seems to be able to adjust without adjusting. So maybe see how often he fusses with the setttings.

And many people who arn't good at something blame everything else!

A friend of mine has a hard time finding good welders for his business. The worst aside from quality of work are the ones that have no regard for this mans money. They don't seem to realize or care that they MUST make this man money at the end of the day, Otherwise, what's the point. I once hired a carpenter like that. Screwed up my material and just shrugged "don't know how that happened".. No offer to pay for material or cut his hours! People like that, I can do without.

 

[muddstopper]

I talked to the man for a few minutes by phone today. I explained that this isnt a full time job I'm offering, and its weekends only. I gave him a ideal of the project i am about to start and he seemed interested. I pointed out that it wouldnt be all welding, but cutting and fitting as well. He's supposed to call me and come over on Sat. For all I know, he might not even call back.

 

[calman93611]

Well I am a landscape, not a welding expert by any means. But one thing I have learned is that the most important thing about welding is metal prep. If you don't see nice shinny metal then your weld will not be as strong as could be. 7014,6011,6018 etc. All have their strengths and weaknesses. A good welder will know the difference. I would have some metal a little rusty, not too bad, to see if whoever you are testing will prep the metal. Also, I seem to remember the xx18 series low hydrogen rods should be kept in a rod warmer to keep moisture away. I have seen good welders automatically switch a welder to a specific setting, listen as they are welding, then fine tune the amperage. I do this also. Every machine is slightly different regardless of what the dials read. Another thing I have learned is that there is book smart and there is experience smart. I refer to the book smart for information and experience smart on how to do something easier, faster, or better. Too bad you don't access to an iron worker, I saw a welder butt weld two 1" thick pieces of mild steel, they put it in an iron worker, bent it like a horseshoe. Did not break and no visible cracks. Good thing I wasn't the welder, lol.

 

[Shield Arc]

There is a huge difference between a welder and a fabricator! I can't tell you how many welders who worked for me over the years I had to take their tape measure away from them. Couldn't do the simplest of layout. But if their pay check was short .30-cents on Friday, all of a sudden they were mathematicians!

Every welding test I took for a Navy project when I walked into test booth the dials were zeroed out, and duct tape over the gauges. First part of the test was to set the welding machine within wire / rod manufacturer's specifications. If not test over right then and there!

 

[muddstopper]

My test metal I plan on using is actually a piece of 1in thick plate. I want it strong as it is the pusher plate for my wood processor. i need it strong, but its not what i would call critical. One reason I am even thinking about hiring a weldor is for the knuckle boom I am building to go on the processor. Lots of potential for harm if that thing breaks off with or without a load on it. I feel confident i can make those welds myself if i have to, but if i have to do it myself, then no point in hiring someone is there. There is a lot of welding to be done on this build. I can do it all myself, but arthritis in my shoulders, back and knees wont let me stay hunkered down for long periods of time.

I dont plan on giving the guy a full blown 6g test, wouldnt know how to grade it if i did, and dont have the test equipment for it either. I do feel i can get a ideal if the weld is done right by watching and looking at the work. I can tell if to hot or to cold. I think the guy should be able to do what i need done, he is currently working as a welder in a shop that builds flat beds for trucks. He might not be used to my welding equipment, but it has served me well over the years.

In the past i have had young guys in my shop that claimed to be weldors. Often their claims far exceeded their abilities. Never hired any of them. This guy is older and hopefully not as full as $$it as some of those young punks.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have had "welders" come to test on petroleum and chemical construction sites where ASME Section IX rules apply. Some swear that they have been working in fabrication shops for xx number of years, but they cant weld in position. They may do fine in flat but give them some overhead work to do and they wimp out.

If you plan to "test" the welder, then have him tack together 2 plates for buttwelding and have him weld them in overhead position. They don't need to be more than 1/4" thick to see what he can do.

 

[Sodo]

Not that I would ever weld for money, I'm on the path of retirement and not turning back.

I'm curious how much a skilled weldor asks for pay for weekend, side jobs etc. Always surprised by how much you have to pay for skilled labor and then I find out its gone higher than what I thought was atrocious.

I'd bet that for your projects one of the more important attributes you need is "interest". Do you have more than an hour a day welding? Worth a guy's drive out there? Depends how many there are around. I'd say if you have one guy interested, who comes with a recommendation from someone you trust, that's probably your man.

 

[Big Barn]

Plenty of good weldors out there who's only ability is to weld well. You probably need some one who also has fabrication skills.

Terry

 

[LD1]

I wish you were a bit closer to me. I love building projects like this. I wish I could do it more often but there is a limit to how much I need. And a limit to how much I have to spend doing these crazy things just for myself.

I guess If I was hiring someone to spend some weekends with me working on a project, one of the most important things to me would be his personality. Can you get along with him? Do you have like mindsets and can BS and have some fun? Maybe tip a cold one at the end of the day?

It dont matter how good he can weld and fabricate, if you cannot get along with him and butt heads all the time, it is gonna be a miserable project.

As far as testing him, test him in some similar situations to what your build will entail. If everything is gonna be built piece by piece on a bench, and all welds being in horizontal or flat positions, no need to test overhead if you have none of that to do. If everything is gonna be 1/4" or so steel, no need to have him try to butt weld 2" thick plates with 1/8" rod. Give him scenarios that he is likely gonna face on the project, and see how he reacts. Is he efficient? Tack or clamp things down so they dont warp? etc