Welding Tips and Tricks

I still pretty new to the world of welding, and I currently been welding for ten months. To put in a nut shell Im fresh out of school and looking to build the best resume possible. As of 6-21-12 I've just received my first ASME weld cert. for a 6" 6G pipe test on sch. 80 with a 70s-2 root/hot pass and a 7018 fill /cap. Not to toot my horn but I nailed it, it was my first official test and I did it in one shot. So are their any recommendations on taking any other most sot after tests? It's a pretty broad question I know but as of yet I have not narrowed my job field. I just like to weld...
Semper Fi

Welcome.

ASME certs are the ones to have if you want to weld pipe or pressure vessels, and these are where the money are. Having certs that match likely jobsite tests (gotta take 'em, no matter what you're certified for) helps you get interviews and tests.

That same test, done 6010 root (or root & hot), 7018 out is a common jobsite test as well. Sch. 160 6GR will usually qualify you for all processes, all thicknesses at a job.

6G Stainless TIG all the way, sch. 10 & up are also common.

You'll need to examine the career path you'd like to take to determine which certs are worth the money for you, as a cert for one will often get you in for a test in a similar process, so you won't need them all. However, the more processes you're certified for, the easier it is to find work.

BTW, while the certifications are nice "gold stars" on your resume', they're not strictly necessary. I've been welding for thirty years, have made 6 figure take-home several times in recent years, haven't been out of work longer than I wanted in several years, and I've never been formally certified in any process. The trick to this is two-fold: On every job, under-promise and over-deliver. (If your resume' tells them EVERYTHING you can do, you have no room to impress them. Emphasize the skills the job requires, and keep a little to yourself.) Network! Make friends with co-workers, lead-men, foremen, bosses. People share job information with friends first. It's nice to get a phone call asking you to work, as opposed to burning up the phone calling about jobs.

Steve

I just spoke with my old welding instructor and he agreed with you on the 6G stainless, he also suggested copper nickel, and aluminum in 6G. I think I'll go for these Certs as well. Any thoughts....

I've made a lot of money welding aluminum pipe. A lot! Doing cryogenic work.

I've never weldied Cu-Ni, though.

The job ads I see for these skills are usually shipyard, and I'll eat my lawn clippings in a pie before I'll work another shipyard.

Steve

I HATE SPAM! Get lost! You are ruining a perfectly good forum with your crap!
For this reason alone, I would never look at your company any further!

He's gone now.

I tattled to Jody.

If you encounter SPAM, the quickest way to deal with it is to let Jody know through "contact us" on the main page.

Jody rarely participates on the forum, and I've found a private message doesn't always get noticed, but he checks that "contact us" thingie pretty often for welding related questions, and will deal with SPAM reports as soon as he gets them.

Steve S.

Hey fewandproud,

Just curious: MOS 1316? That's what I was. Went to school at Courthouse Bay (affectionately known as Outhouse Bay) in LeJune back in 1989.

I welded for the Heavy Equipment platoon with 3rd CEB (Combat Engineer Battalion) in Oki my first year, then got stationed in Pendleton at a 4th Echelon shop where I got really good at TIG.

I got out in 1992 when old Bush was reducing the size of the military after the conflict in the Gulf was over (ha-ha!). No reenlistment packages were being offered.

I miss the Corps, I still do a little bit of welding, but I got a degree with my GI Bill, so I'm stuck in front of a desk most of the time.

Semper Fi.