Making $$

[arcdawg]

please dont shoot

guys, the reason why i enjoy this board so much is because the additudes are left at the door ! hn80 is a really good guy.. he has given me some great advise. jt, we all have diffrent ideas and ect but this board isnt about politics its about helping each other out in the welding world !!

if its fights, additude and b.s. i would suggest the welding web

lets stop all the fussin and fightin and agree to disagree!!!!!

this session is FREE, this time

PEACE, BRIAN

[JTMcC]

I don't have any idea about what lever of smarts you're packing, but you certainly aren't displaying much of a sense of humor

All of my comments were to be helpfull by pointing out some pitfalls I have personally witnessed in the last few years, specifically dealing with start up welding business', including part time/in home.I have been in business for over 11 years, so far be it from me to cast a discouraging word toward a guy that wants to be self employed.
This is America, land of the free and home of the brave, people don't need a rah! rah! cheering on to go into business, the vast majority of Americans either are in business, hoping to be in business, have been in business, or are scheming up a way to get in business, be it full or part time. That's not the problem, the problem is the high number that have failed after 2 or 3 or 7 years. Most because they didn't have a good idea of the problenms they could or might encounter. A little list of some of those potential problems from those that have done what the OP is thinking about doing, is imo a pretty helpfull tool. I learned most things the hard way, when something came up we have dealt with it, but a fair warning from an experienced hand in the welding biz would have made my little journey thru this world a little smoother ride. That would have been a positive, not negative naysaying. Everything I noted in this thread is from either my personal experience, my brothers, or people I know, events that have actually happened, only the names were changed to protect the innocent <g>.

Sorry that bugs you. And this is my last word on it.

have a day!
JTMcC.

[H80N]

JTMcC
Nope... wrong again... am a Republican for what it is worth... and have no idea what that may have to do with it... guess I am just not smart enough to understand what politics has to do with welding or business....
FYI the most famous quote along that line was:

"Nattering Nabobs of Negativism"
Spiro Agnew

take care

Heiti

[JTMcC]

That's quite a little internet attitude you have going there "Heiti".

You probably should point out that "mean spirited naysaying" you describe. (you just have to be a liberal democrat to use that terminology!)

have a day,
JTMcC.

[H80N]

JWELD
like I said... you are smart enough to know the difference...

take care

Heiti

[JTMcC]

Originally posted by JWELD
Thanks for all the responses.
I have had my own transmission franchise in the past in another state in past years and am aware of the insurance, taxes, sales taxes work comp etc:

This is basically a a one man part time shop.
Keeping in mind this is Louisiana where if a guy doesn't have a welding shop in the backyard he raises pit bulls.

Thanks Again

Then I'm sure you have a good understanding of overhead, and a grip on the rules involved. That's what seems to be normally lacking in people starting out. So now you just need to start building those pit bull cages

JTMcC.

[H80N]

Hang In There!!!!

JWELD
have sat back for a bit and watched this thread... Anytime a fella decides to do something.. there are always some people out there willing to tell him why he is going to fall flat on his face...... some of it good intentioned precautionary advice... some mean spirited NaySaying... you are smart enough to tell the difference....(even if some of them cannot)
Starting ANY type of business.. you need to assess what tools you have and what you need... in order to accomplish your goals... please the customer ... and make money.... and it sounds like you have a pretty good start.. and can build from what you have.. Know that you would like to equip the TB280NT with all of the toys and depending on your finances and the type of work that is in your neighborhood...you will make the decision as to what you need and when......
there is an awful lot that you can do with that Sync250 back at the shop that you may not be able to do while mobile right now...
One thing that a lot of people do not take into account in this business.... is the amount of money that needs to be invested in consumables and supplies.. for both mobile and in shop... it can be staggering.. but if you are careful and take your time you can build up to it... and at least I have found that if I do not have the proper rod or whatever on the truck... that most customers are pretty understanding... if I need to make a run to the welding supply before I come out to their place... We are in a rural area.. and the "local" welding supply is 30 miles away.... it takes time to build up to the point where you get the rythm and get at least most of what you need on the truck... I have a 1ton diesel Dually with Utility bed that I am setting up as my welding truck.. and it will be wonderful... BUT!!
in the meanwhile... have run a little dodge dakota pickup with the trailblazer in the back and the cab stuffed with tools and supplies... all this winter.. ...cannot carry much in the bed up here because of snow and road salt.. so the cab has been my toolbox... and at times has been somewhere between comical and pitiful.... looks may not be impressive.. but it gets the job done... and my customers are happy with the work.... and you bet I will like the convenience of all of the toolboxes to carry the nearly endless variety of stuff required for general purpose mobile welding...... for a pipeline guy it is relatively simple... welder.. long leads.. rod and not much else........ Not So for general purpose mobile... you can be doing nearly anything from job to job... so your truck is a combination mobile shop and office....
Word of mouth and customer satisfaction... will make or break you.. all I can say about that is to do the very best work that you are capable of... follow through on your word... sometimes just smile and agree when the customer is unrealistic..... work hard and hang in there...
Hope this helps
Heiti

BTW... one of the rules of the universe.. seems to be... that no matter how long your leads are.. the customer will manage to have things placed so that they are too short and you have to position your truck in odd ways to reach...

Thanks for all the responses.
I have had my own transmission franchise in the past in another state in past years and am aware of the insurance, taxes, sales taxes work comp etc:

This is basically a a one man part time shop.
Keeping in mind this is Louisiana where if a guy doesn't have a welding shop in the backyard he raises pit bulls.

Thanks Again

[JTMcC]

iso50-The original poster specificaly mentioned a "home welding shop", not a home office based mobile welding service.

shoprat-that is the only drawback that has kept me out of the origami business all these years

hankj- I forgot to mention the fire marshal (Bill?) and the required inspections.

Someone mentioned that you can work cheaper due to lower overhead, but that just draws more attention to yourself, imo, cause real businesses don't like to be undercut by non legit competitors.

I've been in the field welding business since 1992, we work anywhere in the country but just in the area where I live (very rural) we have seen an average of about 8 guys each year that throw a welding machine in the back of a truck and makes a go of it. None have lasted over a year yet. They inevitably undercharge because they don't have a good grip on the actual cost of doing business. I pretty much ignore them but there are others that will rat them out in a heartbeat for: no business license, no contractors license, no liability ins., no workman's comp, and all the other stuff mentioned earlier. If they are feeling especially mean, they can call the IRS and ask if old "joe welder" is reporting all that income he's making in his garage.

Like I said, none of this may be applicable to your situation, but it's something to keep in mind.

good luck,
JTMcC.

[iso50]

Depends if you are doing the welding there, or your office is at home, but you go out to clients to do the welding work.

[hankj]

Liability

JTMcC makes an excellent point - if you try to go legit out of your garage, you're no doubt in for a rude awakening, depending on where you live in this incredible land. In my case, in the land of fruits and nuts (that would be CA), there's no way I could get past the code requirements for operating a welding shop on these premises, unless I put up a code compliant outbuilding. Insurance?? No way!

So be CAREFULL, Y'all.

Be well.

hankj

[shoprat]

making money

the thing about an oragami business is you got to watch out you dont leave a paper trail...ha ha !!

[JTMcC]

Originally posted by arcdawg
GOTTA KEEP IT ON THE DOWN LOW !!!!!!

AND IT PAYS TO BE BIGGER THEN YOUR NEIGHBORS,

INTIMADATION IS A WONDERFUL THING

IM JUST KIDDING, BRIAN

An Origame business could probably be conducted for years in a clandestine manner from the home, a welding business might be a little harder to pull off

JTMcC.

[arcdawg]

GOTTA KEEP IT ON THE DOWN LOW !!!!!!

AND IT PAYS TO BE BIGGER THEN YOUR NEIGHBORS,

INTIMADATION IS A WONDERFUL THING

IM JUST KIDDING, BRIAN

[JTMcC]

There can be some real drawbacks to running a business in your home.

Keep in mind that your homeowner insurance carrier will hang you out too dry if they discover you are running a part time welding business in the house.

If you were to make a dent in the business volumn of legitimate area shops, they can and likely will sick several authorities on you like: your insurance company, the local zoning nazi's, the city business license guy, the state retail sales tax thugs, ect.
Also, if you make a little too much noise to suit the neighbors, they can do the same thing.

Even the phone company can come after you, they charge about twice as much for a business line than for a residential line, and give dire warning about cheating.

And, if you are working without liability insurance you have to accept a potentially huge risk there.

Not to be negative, or that any of these things would effect you, but just some things you might not have though of.

JTMcC.