This is a topic I know something about. Yes, I make comments about tech/linux but I have been welding for money for....let's just say a long time. I had a fabrication business that I ran on the side while doing backend engineering work, design/CAD/CNC plasma cutting/repairs/one off designs and mobile work. Most people have ZERO clue about how trades work, especially welding. People are used to plumbers and electricians charging a lot, but most customers think welding is just hot gluing metal together, and if you won't do it, my cousin jethro can.....
For example, someone brings in something that has "just a crack" and should be 5 minute repair. Upon inspection, there is obvious metal fatigue b/c some genius tried to fix it by bending, and applied epoxy as well. For the average person, they think it's an easy fix, but many times there is a shit ton of prep work involved, base material to removed, and cleaning up oxidation, or previous attempts at "repairs" such as removing adhesives or the booger welds from someone's cheapie 120v harbor freight Mig welder, and depending on the joint prep that can take time too.
People complain about the shop rate, and material markup but you are paying for my experience, expertise, and efficiency, not to mention that if I need to go and pick up material or components, there goes at least 4 hrs, yes you can have things delivered but every steel supplier has a minimum for purchase in that regard, and tack on an extra 150 or more if they need to use the mobile forklift. Did I also mention the cost of tools, I have a LOT invested, but I always buy the best, and on sale whenever possible, never compromise on tools, and I take very good care of everything. I have a number of tools that are over 20 yrs old and still run and look good. As an example of tool cost, a good spool gun to run aluminum is about $2600, the in shop power source is another $4-6k, depending on which one I need, the mobile power source is about $10k, this doesn't include shielding gas, clamps, grinders, drills(magnetic and hand drills, bandsaw, power cables, fuel, filler wire in this case, measuring tools, the vast amount of air tools, air compressors, levels, and the huge amount of misc things which really add up. Some times even for the simplest of jobs can use more tools than you can imagine. Something simple to add, most people hear grinding and think the hard stone wheels about 40 grit, but there is so much more to surface prep. There are many types of flap disks in various grits from 40-180 and up, some for aluminum, stainless, mild steel, there are non-abrasive wheels(think scotch-brite), sanding disks, wire wheels/cups. With the amount of surface prep available, it is easy to Tig a joint together, and blend the weld so well, you'd think it was a single piece.
You also need to have a good understanding of design engineering, mechanics, physics, chemistry, safety, time management, know when to not take the job, accounting, and how to talk to people. Many times, I have had to design the job from scratch, taking into account things the customer didn't foresee, or suggest a different or cheaper route to save them some money. I am the outlier, I am self taught, but I knew welders/fabricators who pointed out where I could improve my technique, I got mostly through my M.E., so I have a little math experience ^_^, I grew up with a G.C. dad, so I was helping and doing what I could since I was 7 or 8, I have literally done almost everything in residential construction, and some commercial. I did go to a local weld school, but I left after about 3-4 weeks as I was more experienced than the 2 "instructors", but one thing I did notice was that all the students were horrible at math, couldn't spell for jack, and a vast majority didn't have the visualization skill, to see the blueprint or drawing, or even the description in their head.
Bottom line, yes we need tradesmen, but it can't stop at simply banging a hammer, running a mig welder, or stripping wire. In my opinion, trades need to be pushed to the point of craftsmanship, there is more to a trade than the base skills or owning the tools.
This is a topic I know something about. Yes, I make comments about tech/linux but I have been welding for money for....let's just say a long time. I had a fabrication business that I ran on the side while doing backend engineering work, design/CAD/CNC plasma cutting/repairs/one off designs and mobile work. Most people have ZERO clue about how trades work, especially welding. People are used to plumbers and electricians charging a lot, but most customers think welding is just hot gluing metal together, and if you won't do it, my cousin jethro can.....
For example, someone brings in something that has "just a crack" and should be 5 minute repair. Upon inspection, there is obvious metal fatigue b/c some genius tried to fix it by bending, and applied epoxy as well. For the average person, they think it's an easy fix, but many times there is a shit ton of prep work involved, base material to removed, and cleaning up oxidation, or previous attempts at "repairs" such as removing adhesives or the booger welds from someone's cheapie 120v harbor freight Mig welder, and depending on the joint prep that can take time too.
People complain about the shop rate, and material markup but you are paying for my experience, expertise, and efficiency, not to mention that if I need to go and pick up material or components, there goes at least 4 hrs, yes you can have things delivered but every steel supplier has a minimum for purchase in that regard, and tack on an extra 150 or more if they need to use the mobile forklift. Did I also mention the cost of tools, I have a LOT invested, but I always buy the best, and on sale whenever possible, never compromise on tools, and I take very good care of everything. I have a number of tools that are over 20 yrs old and still run and look good. As an example of tool cost, a good spool gun to run aluminum is about $2600, the in shop power source is another $4-6k, depending on which one I need, the mobile power source is about $10k, this doesn't include shielding gas, clamps, grinders, drills(magnetic and hand drills, bandsaw, power cables, fuel, filler wire in this case, measuring tools, the vast amount of air tools, air compressors, levels, and the huge amount of misc things which really add up. Some times even for the simplest of jobs can use more tools than you can imagine. Something simple to add, most people hear grinding and think the hard stone wheels about 40 grit, but there is so much more to surface prep. There are many types of flap disks in various grits from 40-180 and up, some for aluminum, stainless, mild steel, there are non-abrasive wheels(think scotch-brite), sanding disks, wire wheels/cups. With the amount of surface prep available, it is easy to Tig a joint together, and blend the weld so well, you'd think it was a single piece.
You also need to have a good understanding of design engineering, mechanics, physics, chemistry, safety, time management, know when to not take the job, accounting, and how to talk to people. Many times, I have had to design the job from scratch, taking into account things the customer didn't foresee, or suggest a different or cheaper route to save them some money. I am the outlier, I am self taught, but I knew welders/fabricators who pointed out where I could improve my technique, I got mostly through my M.E., so I have a little math experience ^_^, I grew up with a G.C. dad, so I was helping and doing what I could since I was 7 or 8, I have literally done almost everything in residential construction, and some commercial. I did go to a local weld school, but I left after about 3-4 weeks as I was more experienced than the 2 "instructors", but one thing I did notice was that all the students were horrible at math, couldn't spell for jack, and a vast majority didn't have the visualization skill, to see the blueprint or drawing, or even the description in their head.
Bottom line, yes we need tradesmen, but it can't stop at simply banging a hammer, running a mig welder, or stripping wire. In my opinion, trades need to be pushed to the point of craftsmanship, there is more to a trade than the base skills or owning the tools.