After 40-something years in the oil patch, I'm done with pipe welding. It made me a good living, but I had to work in every kind of weather. Now I'm enjoying retirement. Thank you boilermakers local #92.
Did some pipeline welding in the 80’s up north. Miserable as hell cold and hellish bug infested heat. Made a fortune in $. Stayed 18 months and made enough to pay cash for a south Texas nice country house and 22 acres. Back then was different in costs compared to the outright thievery of todays land market.
O man I know the filling. I haven't worked a pipeline job since April 2020 and I got to make a spool peace a few weeks ago, and it was freaking awesome.
Im a tig welder, i work in the plants and it’s all i’ve done so far, some day i’d love to be welding on green pipe for miles, you were one of the first pipeliner youtubers i’ve found on here and it’s still so good to see you uploading and helping us out who want to learn this life style. Good to see you brother. Keep burning!
I'm a BTJ fitter of 25 yrs. What you call a bead I call a root. If you want a good bead low low on the amps 3/32 gap and weave it uphill (step in and out). I miss your pipe fence videos. Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 to your family. Rusty Tucson Az
im dreaming of a PIPE christmas... so austin would you go back to the pipeline if you found the right job etc or are you just focusing on stuff around the house etc
I only welded for a few months, but yeah, this is therapeutic. Check out the Untied Association Veterans in Piping program. They got us taking the 6g (2” pipe at a 45degrees) in about three months. If you pass that you get to move on to tig welding. Was a great experience. Thanks for sharing
Hey Austin, can you make a video about how to properly fit a piece of pipe and about what settings to run to be able to drag the rod down hill. Thanks a bunch!
Welding on pipe to me was finding a technique that worked . Then simplifying that technique down to a rule of thumb. The trademen's Kiss method (Keep It Simple Stupid). It worked good for when the mind was cloudy some times in the morning . Nothing better than getting it right when conditions are tough. Hahahahaha. It seems you guys down south have a problem running beads on harder pipe Grd 483 (x70) with 8010G. It is not hard if you know the technique. I done it for some 20+ years on big inch for TC energy. Again it is technique. To me the 8010g seemed to freeze faster unlike the more liquid 6010 . It would need more time to fill in under cut It would under cut on the bottom lots and flatten out if you did not have your travel rate right and heat right . One rule of thumb was travel 2/3rds of the length of your rod length, a fully burned off rod (soak), using no more than a half a key hole. Run on 3rd gear on a lincoln 200 and higher volts on the continuous dial . This was using a 5/32 rod 3/32 space 3/32 land . be very annul with you land uniformity . Makes for a uniform heat sink . Sound was an aspect to I used only cotton in the ears so they were protected and I could hear what I was doing . Especially with a tight fit . Bad fit ups then experience would get her. I really miss the cutting fitting a welding work we used to do. It was also great to know you were doing something special very few can or would do. Austin Like your Videos and I hope you get some use out of the 70 page booklet (tie in tricks and stolen ideas) and tools I sent you for pipe fitting (fitter grips and scribe ). By the way did you get to use the pipe saddle scribe yet ? Phone me if you need to be talked through the first time . Have a good one
Sure takes me back..miss it big time..never done pipeline , but used to weld very big pressure vessels on site ..passing 7018 most of the time in Europe..then tested out on TIG ..Ally, Duplex s/steel....makes me want to play again in the workshop ...keep up the good work !
maan im doing iron working and my foreman started getting me to weld tiltup hardware out of the lifts and fuck is that hard when the dude next to me wont stop moving around
As a high pressure pipe welder with the US Navy for 15 years. I have never seen anyone welder over Slag. and start and stops without cleaning the slam. Off and not grinding the crater to make sure you have no porosity. I was taught to weld upward not down ward. Please keep in mind my welds was xrayed
He prob makes decent money doing this..and he gets to be home with his family. Pipelines are never home. You make tons of money nut you lose everything else. It really is a young single man's game... though quite a few pull a travel trailer with their families if that's a lifestyle you can handle.
I still practice home also its like saying my prayers but there are more important things to get done when am finished praying like seeing mother nature I had my share of hood time I was a pipe welder that loved shutdown work in the energy sector
Still love watching your videos, I've been a follower for years now. I've never welded pipeline, but I've done structural for 20 years and your positive attitude has always been an inspiration to better my skills. Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas sir.
Love ur original pipeline video with kayla!!! I’m 30 and plus year fabricator and welder… never experienced weld pipeline.. I wish could be a pipe liner! But I love to hear welder’s stories! ❤ lot of respect for all of us as welders! It very hard work job! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 keep it up Austin!!!💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 still learning! “Learn something everyday!”
Why do you use that disk type of mask? I see some welders using masks like that in third-world countries and I assumed it was something homebuilt. What is the advantage?
Crawling under that pipe has got to keep you limber. If I got down like that, I'd need a helper too!...to help me get up!!!!!!!! Speaking of helpers, see if you could train Kayla to be your helper when practicing like that? 😁
Man you have inspired me to become a welder, I just graduated tulsa welding school from the professional welder program and i decided to do 3 more months by doing the pipe fitter program, because I wanna be able to go on the pipeline one day. I fell in love with welding since I started doing it, every bead I lay is a learning curb and every bead I lay gets better then the one before. It’s be a dream come true to get on as a helper on the pipeline, I just don’t know anybody that’s a welder that knows anybody on the pipeline. If you went on the pipeline again and I had the chance to go I’d jump on the train in a heart beat because I wanna learn from the best.
Running a small metal building business but highly considering trying to get on as a welders helper down here in Eagle Ford, what I'm doing is fun but I've always wanted to be a pipeliner
Made perfect sense about practicing. I got to go do the test or test out in the field cause i got to see what im up against. What kinds of fits and stuff i got to deal with.
I’m thinking of going to WWA for their 5 week pipeline welding course. I feel like I’d really enjoy the work and lifestyle! Thanks for giving me a better look into what this journey might entail!
Used to love welding structural work while out of position but with bad shoulders, knees and back, it’s impossible for me now. Really enjoy your videos, Austin. Just bought a T-shirt and a hoodie off your merchandise site for myself before Christmas. I was impressed with the price point and the quality of your clothing. Cheers! Whipple
About time you moved away from farm fencing cobber, :) but while you are there how about telling the good people if you are doing a fillet branch, a butt branch or a partial pen combo fillet branch weld, a sit on a sit in or a sit through weld and what the difference is between them all - including the gaps permitted. Would make fencing so much more interesting and it ties into the structural and pressure weld disciplines nicely. All the very best to Austin, appreciate your content.
man oh man you take me back when i did weld to be honest i am trying to get back into welding is there any pointers you could give me have a great day and merry christmas.
I’m having trouble in deciding which rods to practice the most with, what is most common for pipe? 1/8 6010 root but which rods for hot pass, fillers, and caps?
We are focused on building our own business right now. I could go on a pipeline job if I wanted or if it was what we were prioritizing right now but we are going to stay and continue building our own business for the time being. I do plan on going on a pipeline job from time to time.
I've been flux welding in a small shop for the last 6 years and I've developed horrible tendonitis all throughout my dominant arm. It's made welding or well doing anything very difficult and painful. Does anyone else have this issue?
Sounds like carpal tunnel . Need to see a Orthopedic surgen. . I been welding about 20 years. Between carpal tunnel and trigger finger , I have had 5 surgeries. You will finally give in to the pain.
@Paul Meersa best I can remember, it is caused by , repetitive auctions. I am not a doctor, But, after 5 surgeries, I think I have some inside on pain. If the pain is accompanied with numbness in the fingers, like your finger has gone to sleep.the pain will not be in your little finger. Some times a cortiszone shot in your wrist ,may help for a short time. In the end surgery is the only answer. Look for a good hand speclist. Hope this will help you.
@@philipconway3991 I am all good Phil but I was thinking of the newbies into the game who really don't want to suffer this as they mature into the industry. These types of injuries are not typically associated with welding, and people do not think they need to do much to avoid them. Any advice to stop a crippling disease that stops you working is of course welcome. Nothing worse than seeing a quality tradesman crippled, because he does what he does very well. Would there be any relief using the 4T setting for the trigger, and or making the trigger activate at the very beginning of the lever's stroke, making a full finger clench not necessary thereby placing less strain on the tendons to the fingers...? Do you think that may help at all or have I got the wrong end of the stick. It helps with secateurs. I worked in Methanol plants years and years ago, I saw a bloke I worked with there [a full time staff member] just the other day, one eye is now very much pregnant. That pisses me off, and it wouldn't have in my younger years, I wouldn't even have given the matter any thought at all. And that is foolish!! Do what you can do now to make sure you hit retirement, with all that money to spend, in good condition.
Healthy habits outside of work to preserve joint functions. Wear ppe and learn the risks associated with whatever you are doing. Get proper ventilation. If a job takes longer to start to run a extension cord and a fan do it. Wear respirators and knee pads. Tips I got from a healthy 57 year old iron worker/ boiler maker. Dude is fit as an ox. Still works out daily.
Nice to see a man happy doing a job he enjoys. How I wish that had been the story of my working life. Nearly 42 years doing a job I hate. Can't wait to retire. But didn't make any money over all those years so if I retire I am broke. At least if I had enjoyed it wouldn't be so bad. I dread going to work most days. Wish I could have done what I wanted to do and then I probably would feel like you do about your work.
Dave, thank you for sharing this. Your words sum up my work life, and undoubtedly, millions of men and women who got into jobs they needed, but could not do without. Corporate knows this phenomenon well, so capitalizes on a captive workforce. With today's claim that people don't want to fill so-called available jobs, look at the pay vs. economy - it horrible to see $11.00/hr jobs, 50 miles to commute to, no benefits for 90 days if they offer any at all, totally outside, physical jobs, and still get denied being hired because of not fitting a demographic, like race, religion, gender, or, yes, age. Don't tell me employers don't figure out age!! So I get the dilemma of being our age and denied the ability to change career and try to modify the dream. I call BS on anyone that says "just go to school." Plenty of college and trade grads out of work, too, and I have a technical professional degree...I can run circles around many in know-how and common sense. So what? I'm with ya, Brother.
@@gckshea Well put sir. I agree totally. In my case I changed the country I lived in to get a change. But arriving with only $10 000 dollars I needed to find work straight away. Scoured every employment office around. Said I would literally do anything. Only start I could find was in my trade. Carpenter. Earn some money. Did night classes. Got various other qualifications. Went for loads of jobs. No luck. The first time I was told I was too old I was 40. Necessity drives you on. At least my Mum started me off right. She told me. You weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth. So be prepared to work for a living. Wasn't that the truth.
It is a device used to control your amperage remotely. Instead at the machine. When he says he would tell his helper to turn it down 5. That means he can turn it down with the remote instead going to the machine.
2024 Can't come quicker brother. I'm really hoping that the dead heads in office will be replaced with decent human beings and we can all start making money again...
@@rmay.1583 I know that's just what he had, but he said he worked a job that made him use 8010 bead rods before. I was just wondering if it was CNX because that's the only gas company that I have worked for that made me bead with an 8010.
@@arosswelding o ok. I saw one of your older videos. Where you were in Ohio, I think. So I thought it might have been for them because they had a bunch of stuff glong on a few years back.
Let me guess ur a twinkie sitting on the out of work bench judging others work. Bring it dude, stick tig mig, chrome, aluminum anything. I'm here. This is a good man trying his best