Welding Tips and Tricks

Anyone out there making a living off of hardfacing? What about build-ups? Or maybe custom pipe/tube/or part cutting? I'm a one man band that wnats to leave family biz for personal reasons and my best talent/skill is welding. I'm looking for some advice on whether I could focus on one of my welding strengths and just run with it. Any advice? What is the best way to charge for this type of welding or cutting service? Is it better to start as a mobile service and add a shop or vice-versa?

Comments?

Nick

wow all the welding knowledge here and nobody can comment? do ya'll no like me or what?

It's a hard question to answer....what does your area need in terms of welding/cutting/hard facing? Would your potential customers bring broken motorcycle parts to you or would you be going out to construction sites to repair heavy equipment? When you know what your primary customer base will be, then you'll know where to start. You can always add other services on later as they are needed/wanted.

My best piece of advice to anyone who is starting out on their own........Don't quit your dayjob just yet. A regular paycheck is a nice thing to have when you're just starting out.

Steve

Thanks man. That makes sense. There is a large shale gas boom going on right now. The manufacturing is growing well too. The only reason i would go after hardfacing business is because I know of some oppertunity in the Ag industry. I would be leaving my dads equipment dealership to pursue welding. Hardfacing is something i do somewhat regularly for him anyway and due to family issues with my brother I am chosing to go on my own. He has said he would feeed me work whenever he can and with the amount of time that goes into one of these machines at least I would have some steady income. It would be filling in the cracks and expanding from there that i would have to concern myself with. I know a few other people around here that i could maybe talk to so maybe i will go from there. Was just hoping there might be some experience reading this that could give me a little insight.

Nick,
Delraydella hit it right on the nose. The first thing you have to do is determine if there is enough need in your area for your type of service. The second is to see how many are out there providing the same service you will be providing. Unless there is alot of work to go around for everyone, you will have to provide something the others are not so you can attract their customers, unless you are able to find your own. In that case you will have to basically go "door to door" to all the businesses that may need your services hoping to get some to give you a chance. And believe me when I tell you this, first impressions are everything in this business. If someone gives you a shot and you don't impress them, don't expect them to call back.
Also, when you go out on your own, the more you can do the better off your chances of success will be. I started off with just a mobile service, but I had a complete mobile service. MIG, TIG, Stick, Spool-gun, Plasma cutter, Oxy-Gas outfit, air compressor and a butt-load of tools. There really wasn't much that I could't cover out in the field.
By the way, what area are you in?

I live in Sugarcreek, just east of Dover/New Philadelphia. I see you are from Youngstown jpence. A fellow Buckeye. My backround is with Ag equipment but I know a lot of people in oil and gas which is what my in-laws are into. I also have a long time family friend who is a pipeliner and another that operates a large fab shop. He told me that they don't want to put a truck on the road but if I were going into such a field that he would forward a lot of work my direction. Most of the mobile guys in our area are actually journeymen with construction crews or pipelines. Otherwise most of the stuff gets taken into shops. I think there is plenty of need for more mobile guys but i'm just one guy who is perdy good with a welder but never did it full time. However it is my passion and what (at this point) I want to pursue in life.

Well, it definitely sounds like you have the potential for a lot of work. If you can, visit these potential customers and see if they will have the need for a mobile weldor. If so, learn as much as you can about that particular field and the types of welding and repairs you will be making.
That was how I started off, "one man and a truck". I mainly do heavy equipment repair, but when the word gets around, people will call. Good Luck