I have a friend who is G6 certified and I understand it to be a difficult weld to make. Some of this guy's work almost makes me want to weld. But honestly it would be as a hobby. I just can't see myself doing professionally. Even so, I have 4 questions for you guys (aka welders).
(1) Do you weld Professionally or as a Hobby or Both? (2) How many welding certifications are there and what Certifications do you have. (3) What would you consider the most difficult weld you've done. (4) What was the welding job/project you are most proud of.
(1) Do you weld Professionally or as a Hobby or Both? Both but now nether, at least not like I used to since my stroke (2) How many welding certifications are there and what Certifications do you have? I have lost count, there are all the regular certs then there are the companies that want you to pass there own certs. (3) What would you consider the most difficult weld you've done? Anything of cast iron, its a crap shoot if it is going to work, cast is so porous (4) What was the welding job/project you are most proud of? oil rig assembly in Portland Maine.
Here are some of the most important kinds of certs, no I haven't got all of those but you get the idea of how many there are, then add on if it wasn't there all the specific certs each individual company may make up for you to pass before employment.
(1) Do you weld Professionally or as a Hobby or Both? Used to "professionally" weld, got a desk job now. Wouldn't call it a hobby but if two pieces of metal need to become one I can and will do it.
(2) How many welding certifications are there and what Certifications do you have. Never been certified but got paid to weld for 8 years or so (I'm 32 now)
(3) What would you consider the most difficult weld you've done. Boss made me TIG weld some weld nuts to 20 gauge galvanized sheet metal "just to see if I could do it" for a future project. Welding a weld nut to some sheet metal isn't difficult at all (done it a million times), but the galvanized coating does not play well with a welder OR your health.
(4) What was the welding job/project you are most proud of. There have been a few plastic welds that turned out really nice that I like to brag about just because not a lot of folks can say they can weld plastic. FYI, you use a heat gun with a nozzle on the end as your torch, after that it's actually fairly similar to TIG welding.
I've used a welder once or twice. Only to tack **** together, though.
Most of my fab work meant getting item one stuck to item two and having someone else finish up while I prepped the next one. Boxed in a few trailer tail lights that way.
I worked as a MIG welder after High School building dump truck beds. Both steel and aluminum bodies. Now it's strictly a hobby.
No certifications required back in those days so I have none. I can stick and MIG weld, but cannot TIG yet.
The most difficult for me is an overhead weld simply because of molten metal falling on your head. I've been on fire many times.
Probably most proud of the turbo manifold I made for my Fiero. It took a couple of different versions with advice from folks here until it worked as planned.
(1) Do you weld Professionally or as a Hobby or Both?
Not professionally but occupationally... If that makes sense. I learned from my father and further refined my skill in a machine/fab shop I worked at for 11 or so years. I've never really done it day after day, just more "when needed". Now, I use the skill "when needed" while doing construction work. Something cracks or a whole gets elongated on one of the tractor implements, I get out the welder and fix it. I need some ornamental iron welded? I get out the welder and weld it. Other than that it's a valued hobby skill.
(2) How many welding certifications are there and what Certifications do you have?
Sadly, none. As I noted in the first question, it's never been a day in day out thing so the weld shop foremen nor I never felt I needed to go through certification. If my aspiration at the machine/fab shop had been to become a welder, then we would have done certs. But I instead managed the shipping department and only welded when they needed an extra guy and shipping was slow.
(3) What would you consider the most difficult weld you've done?
quote
Originally posted by Hudini:
The most difficult for me is an overhead weld simply because of molten metal falling on your head. I've been on fire many times.
I have to agree. I hate overhead welding. Yeah, I've caught my clothing on fire several times to. Used to have several burn scars on my chest from it to.
(4) What was the welding job/project you are most proud of?
I would have to say my first one. I bought some 2x4 1/4" wall steel tubing, because I wanted to c-notch the rear frame of my 84 Nissan Kingcab to give my axle somewhere to go when I let the air out of the shocks or when I was driving around hitting bumps. I showed my dad what I wanted to do and that's when my welding education began. My dad has a 220V arc welder and that's what he taught me on. He supervised my work and when done, I had a c-notched frame that looked something like this:
That's not my truck, it's a pic I found online to illustrated the idea. This was done back in the early 90's before digital photography was a daily reality for most people. I still had a 35mm camera and unfortunately the vast majority of my pictures were lost in my divorce. Oh and roughly 10 years later when I sold my truck, the c-notch was still holding strong.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 04-22-2015).]
Thank You guys for the replies. I have partnered with a co-worker who I believe to be a very talented welder. Ofcourse that opinion is coming from someone who is not a welder and measure of a good or bad weld is how long it took to fail. We have started a welding/fabrication business that can do in shop or in the field. And since we are in Kansas, in the field literally.
I would like to contact you (PM) occasionally with questions about welding and welders in your area. The marketing we decided to do will grab offers outside our area (if any) that we will be unable to handle. obviously, relationships in business, matter.
Thank You guys for the replies. I have partnered with a co-worker who I believe to be a very talented welder. Ofcourse that opinion is coming from someone who is not a welder and measure of a good or bad weld is how long it took to fail. We have started a welding/fabrication business that can do in shop or in the field. And since we are in Kansas, in the field literally.
I would like to contact you (PM) occasionally with questions about welding and welders in your area. The marketing we decided to do will grab offers outside our area (if any) that we will be unable to handle. obviously, relationships in business, matter.
Good luck with that and make sure you inc or LLC and get the right insurance for that kind of business.
Originally posted by jmclemore: (1) Do you weld Professionally or as a Hobby or Both? (2) How many welding certifications are there and what Certifications do you have. (3) What would you consider the most difficult weld you've done. (4) What was the welding job/project you are most proud of.
1. At work occasionally, sometimes for friends. More of a hobbyist. Don't have my own equipment anymore. Kind of figured it out as I went. 2. None. Nada. Zilch. 3. Titanium exhaust on a unique vehicle. Such a ***** in tight overhead places. Close second was an aluminum chassis for a Polaris Rzr. 4. Can't say what "it" was, but can hint at it. It was a proof of concept that was less than legal without certain stamps, plus it is after 1986 sooooooo. It was destroyed shortly after. It worked flawlessly, emptied my wallet quickly, and was a blast for a day.
LoL, so far the only way to see high(er) premiums would be to also do roofing.....
Been there as well, roofing, I can see why both have high premiums. Ether one can cause catastrophic damage to property and people so don't let the premiums cost scare you. Well you can let them scare you but don't not get it, you will be happy you have it if you or someone else ever screws up.
I also used to make custom S.S. horse bits when in TN and sold many to the local Walking horse people. I have found over the decades that the welders without certs or pass the tests the company may give you get limited jobs and on average pay a lot less. Especially in places that don't consider it a trade, hey anyone can weld, is their war cry. but hand them a welding stinger and they are lost as to what to do with it. But best welding jobs that pay something you can live on are at places that are union or in companies that actually know what a and how important it is,
I have worked with welders that had worked at BIW, Bath Iron Works that builds the big ships for the Navy and the SOB couldn't read a tape measurer in between the numbers. great welder but he couldn't tell you what the actual measurements where when it was between the numbers, 9/16", 7/16", or any other fractional number. And don't get me started about his lack of knowledge of the metric system.
I guess that is the difference between a welder and a welder/fabricator
Good luck and call me anytime if you think I can help. not that I may be able to remember what the answer is. Now you know why I can't do it for a living anymore.
If you ever need to see a good welding help place try this one,
great welder but he couldn't tell you what the actual measurements where when it was between the numbers, 9/16", 7/16", or any other fractional number. And don't get me started about his lack of knowledge of the metric system. 
