welling as a second job

[nedge46]

so heres where i am, I'm currently a welder fabing fire sprinkler pipe(mig welding) mostly with an automated machine but i do some hand stuff. i have a millermatic 180 and a dynasty 200dx at home... i went to a trade school and took their welding class and was very proficient with all processes and in all positions. i got out of high school (2013) and went into the havc trade because i knew people then from there to where i am now. i like what i do but its boring because I'm walking a 30' length all day pressing buttons basically. i applied to a machine shop that needed another welder and they said they needed 5+ years of work experience. i applied again with a reference of the welding fore-mans buddy and called 2-3 times, and " we just hired someone, thanks*click*) so i decided to take night classes for law enforcement which is my number 2 pick of careers.

the problem lyes with my passion for welding but my extreme interest in LE. I've always wanted to be a cop but since high school I've loved welding. it just comes easy with me. lately I've been out in the garage practicing my tig welding since i haven't really done much in the past 3 years so I'm fairy rusty but getting back in the swing if things. what im considering is getting a career in law enforcement full time at night or second shift and working at a machine/welding shop as a tig welder.

so since I'm only 21 at the moment and i don't have too much work experience, could anyone give me some insight on working 2 jobs/careers as a single 21 year old guy with a passion?! hahah oh and i want to retire and have a fab shop/garage if anyone cares

[H80N]

I would suggest that you hone your thin TIG skills.... and pick a niche .... such as stainless steel sanitary welding or aluminum autobody welding...

both are business avenues that could be operated out of a car trunk with your Dyn200DX in your spare time

Some business cards and REAL skills should get you going.... doing the thin TIG stuff well is a skill that will help build your value added... the guys that can do the thin stuff well are few and far between...

do NOT try to learn on the job... your customers deserve better for their money and you could destroy your reputation.... once gone... it is gone...

[admweld]

Get a engine drive and go mobile.If welding is really your passion,get some buisness cards made and make it happen kid.

[ryanjones2150]

I wanted to be a cop when I got out of the army. My roommate wanted to be a fireman. I went with him to take his fireman tests so I could get extra practice for my cop tests. He did the same with me, only opposite goals. He ended up getting hired as a cop and I got hired as a fireman. In my opinion, he got screwed!

I've had a little welding gig on the side for years now. I'll tell you this, my schedule as a fireman allows me to do welding as a second job, or even a career if I wanted. If you become a police officer, you will not have that kind of time. Not saying you couldn't work part time on some things, but your duty to serve should not be risked because you were up late trying to get some fab work done for a customer that needed it done three days ago.

Pick your true passion and put it first. Mine is being the best fire officer I can be. That means I only take in work that will not interfere with my duty to serve and I make sure my customers know what I do full time so they're familiar with my schedule for future work. To compromise my duty is not fair to my crew, the city I work for or citizens who've paid a lot of money in taxes for the service I provide.

If you pick the cop route, you can always keep welding as a hobby, and there's not a dadgum thing wrong with that. There are a lot of really darn good hobby welders out there.

You'll know real quick if being a cop isn't your calling. In that case, shift gears and find your place in the welding world. At 21, you have options, but in my opinion, the sooner you get started on your career, the better...and possibly earlier...your retirement could be. You're not going to get rich as a cop or a fireman, but the job security is excellent, the benefits are good and there's a decent pension. In my case, an excellent pension! For me, I get to ride around in a fire truck, break stuff and help people. Really doesn't get any better than that. And I've used my welding skills on a number of occasions to repair or improve our equipment. There is the part of having a burning building fall and squish me dead, cops getting ambushed by nut jobs, etc.

So pick your poison young man, just be fair and honest with everyone, including yourself.