tell us a bit about yourself

[tigman250]

we all talk on this forum from time to time and don't know alot about each other, just wanted to create a thread where you could tell everyone a bit about yourself if you so desire.

my name is Craig i live in the United States in Michigan, got out of HS and pounded nails for a couple of years, then decided to try my hand pulling wires as an apprentice electrician. after that i worked in a factory (union shop that paid well) for about a month LOL (production work AAAKK!) then on to my current job that i absolutely love, fabrication. i currently work in a small fabrication shop in a small farming community. i enjoy hunting, fishing, shooting and spending time with my 2 children, oh yeah in my spare time i like to weld....yeah i got it bad! i am turning 30 this month and hope to open a fab shop this spring

[pgk]

I also live in Michigan just north of Lansing, I own a appliance store in a small town that my wife and I both run and operate. I enjoy going up to our cabin in northern MI. when I have the time, enjoy shooting custom made benchrest rifles, competing in competition bbq, dirt biking, playing on the tractor " I mean working on the tractor". And yes I like welding also.. I almost forgot the most important part of my life besides my wife , my kids.. We have a 19 year old daughter that goes to CMU in MT Pleasant and a son that's 16 going on 21, I can't imagine life without them... Oh yea, and I'll be 49 next week....

Pete

[KB Fabrications]

Nice idea Craig.

I own a small welding and fab business that is on my property (10 acres) just outside of Eugene, Oregon. I am 40 years old and I came here from Austin, Texas 8 years ago with my wife and three dogs. I now have two dogs and two sons, a 4 year old and a 16 month old, that occupy a good amount of my time. I have two degrees (that I am doing nothing with) and can't imagine a better job than the one I have. I like to camp, hike, fish, and pretty much do anything outdoor related. The only thing I like better than welding (and that other thing ) is using my tractor to work on the on the property. A coupla pics are included.

This is by far my favorite forum.

[farmboy weldor]

im in upstate new york just next to cooperstown new york where the baseball hall of fame i located. i live on a small farm (176 acres) with my dad my two brothers and my mom. i enjoy welding, i work on the farm, go to school for welding and general highschool.

i enjoy shootin trap, skeet, anything like that and general target practice, riding wheelers , dirtbikes, and of course welding, workin with my hands, runnin tractors. any thing outdoors is pretty good with me.

i would like to buy a nice tig welder to start alittle custom tig operation which there seems to be a slight demand for around here.

well thats my deal

[Fred Smith]

now for the South west corner

My name is Frank,

I live about 25 mile inland from San Diego. Welding / metal fab was a high school favorite (that was 30 years ago). Turning 50, decided to stock my garage shop with some new toys. The mig was used but always wanted a tig, rewarded myself with the Dynasty new. Earn a living as a CNC programmer using Unigraphics.

And those pictures of Oregon look pretty nice, how are land prices. (I'm a hillbilly by birth, West Virgina). Those green mountains look awfully good...

4-1-07 (No fools joking) After reading all the messages that came after this, I'd like to say what a pleasure it has been to read them. Kind of a reflection of the good stuff in life, stories of adversity but not complaint, of hard work and satisfaction, families.. Thanks to all who took the time to share them.

[Paul Seaman]

I am 38 with a degree in Printing Technology, a printing production manager of an Ink Well Business Center. I've spent 20 years of my working life in printing, but have also sold autoparts and owned a landscaping and lawncar company. I have restored a few cars, a 69 Mercury marquis convertible, a 66 Lincoln convertible an 88 mustang convertible and 86 F150, the 66 and 86 I still own along with a 04 Mustang MACH 1 and a Kawasaki ninja 250 . The 66 was my dads and my brother and I did all the leg work while dad paid the bills and we had it professionally painted.

I've been married 17 years, in process for divorce, no kids. 2 dogs a beagle/whippet mix named Jessy and a beagle/basset mix named Belle.

I weld as a hobby and occasionally for a bit of extra cash, I have a small but fairly well equipped shop.

I enjoy hiking and camping, photography, listening to music, and racing.

[bmwsid]

My name is Sid, and I ride a BMW motorcycle. I am from near Niagara Falls, NY. I am a retired production welder from the local automotive plant, we made all the air conditioners for GM till recently. I figure I personally have welded over a million evaporators/ condensors. These units are tested for leaks with helium, and you know that even leaks through a baloon. I also held 3 certifications for welding heat exchangers for the Fed. Gov, Like oil coolers for aircraft, etc.
I did that for 33 years, and retired. Now I am 55, and have a couple part-time jobs. Mostly on a on-call basis.
I have two older TIG machines, an old P&H AC only, which runs 7018 good, I have had for about 30 years, and a Miller 330 A/BP I picked up because I wanted to have DC capability. I have footpedals for both machines. I am entertaining the thought of selling the P&H. I use a Linde circulator/chiller for my water cooled torch. (It was free)
I got a nice whitetailed buck in 2003, gross scored 172 6/8. Fourth largest one taken in NY with a gun, and I got him with the .44 Mag, superblackhawk and wadcutters re-loaded by me. He field dressed 185 lbs.
I am also the vice-president of a Christian motorcycle club. RRCMC.ORG
There is a picture of me there, and I look stoned, but I havn't smoked that stuff for 15 years.
My wife and I (both on our second mariage) have 17 grandkids between us. Most around here, but a couple in Charlotte, NC.
After welding for over 30 years (in a factory) I found out that the dust particles from sharpening tungsten can be low-grade radio-active. I did see a sharpener on E-bay, and I wondered what the point was (pun unintended, but it works out well). That was when I went on the AWS page and found the info about the thoriated tungsten being potentially deadly. Ya gotta watch management, they won't tell ya nuthin. My brother is dead because of trichlorethelyne fumes in the welding area. The heat turns it into Phosegne (sp?) gas. This is true also of perchlorethelyne and carbon-tetrichloride. All great de-greasers. Just have to be sure the fumes are disipated.
Another thing about the fumes.....I can't remember the exact ppm numbers, but it takes something like 8 ppm to be harmful, but it takes 12 ppm to smell the stuff to begin with!
I had to add this here, I don't want this to happen to anyone else.

[imported_larry]

and from texas

Craig, great idea, enjoyed reads on everybody posted so far, urge all to participate. larry
I live west of Ft Worth, small town of Cool. 59, married. I am a partner in a small company building trikes. coolcityusa.com. 20yrs previous in aviation mechanical design/production manager/etc with company that built autopilots and UAV systems. Prior to that, welding (production,oil field repair,some pipeline), retail motorcycle business (Triumph,Suzuki dealer), itinerant motorcycle racer (flat track mostly, most fun of all experiences). Interests time permitting are motorsports,BBQ. I enjoy all aspects of building things, welding, machining,composites.

[sparx]

info

Name is Paul.....Sales guy for welding supply company in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. 38yrs.old, married 14 years, 2 girls, 12 and 7. hobbies include golf, playing pool, hunting (moose), fishing (walleye), fly fishing (coaster brook trout and steelhead), working on our ice racer (VW scirocco), anything mechanical, welding (mostly tig), drawing (although haven't picked up a pencil for quite some time). pretty much lucky my wife doesn't have any hobbies
enjoy turning the wheels in the brain designing and redesigning stuff to make it better. my thoughts are this....I'm not spending $200 on something that I can build for $500.

Great thread by the way......

[fun4now]

i live in NY state not city, i'm just below geneseeo, or 45min. below rochester.i'm 40 now and i was forced into retirement by an on the job accedent that has left me dissabled and pissed 6 years ago. layers did there best to screw me and they did it well. any how i was born here in ny neare where i live now , moved up here 5 years ago after my accedent to rais my sons in a contry setting. been with the present wife about 8 years, about 98% of the time verry hapily i now have 2 sons 1 is almost 7 the other is 8 months.i have a small pice of dirt i call home 3acres in the midle of no-whear with a small trailor i added an extra room onto for my oldest sun and will be adding another for the yunger son this summer if we can scrape up the $$. YEP good old fashend white trailor trash here. spent a lil time in the US. Army over seas. spent most of my working life building houses, had my own com. for a wile gave it up to spend more time with the family, went to work for another com. and got hurt, got screwed. any how now i play in my shop when condition alows. right now i play with a small mig, plasma and an O/A setup. would like to add TIG to my toys some day. i spend a lot of time on here so wile i may sound like i know whats going on with welding it is mostly stuff i read here and just have time to repeat or serch out for the rest of you that dont have the time. i am prity good at the proceses i do do though, i started O/A welding for fun about 25 years ago. right now i am mostly looking for a way to make some $ from my house/ computer or whatever. last summer i put up a larger shop but havent realy had time to get it verry functional i'm hopeing to rehab my 1951 GMC truck in there , but if i find a way to make some $$$ in it the truck will wait.
lets see hobbies would be playing with the family, doing a lil trail riding on the quads, shooting skeet in the yard playing in the shop, and spending time here on the board, and working with the local PTA to better our lil school, i think that about covers it. i realy like building stuff, its some thing i'm realy good at weather its out of wood or steel or just about anything, i have a fairly well stocked shop for bolth wood and steel although my metal building needs to stay under 1/4" or i dont have the power to weld it, or pick it up for that matter. i do get a bit shot at times and just want you all to know if i do its just one of thouse days that the pain meds just are not cutting it and you have my apology in advance, although i try not to comment on theouse days. the wife is verry creative as well and colects dolls (lie barbie only nicer and more $$$$ ) she makes outfits for them and is verry good at it, some times i make her stuff for tham as well mostly furniture or stands. if interested her is a link to one of the outfits she made and the doll is posed on a chair and table i made for her.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESE%3AIT&rd=1
she is verry good at this stuff makes up her own patterns and every thing. she was working to suport us wile i was waiting for dissability to kick in then she started staying home to make and care for our son's. she ernd it.
we have 2 dogs, bullmastifs (with puppys) ,a turtel, and 1 cat.

i think that about covers it. starting to look like a book in progress.

[Gary94]

I'm 53 years old work in my family's auto collision repair business. We currently live in So Calif. but will be moving to the Prescott Arizona area within a couple of years. I own and drive a race truck in the ASA Speedtruck Challenge. Have been racing for 7 years and will be starting my 8th season this month at Irwindale Speedway. We also race at Tucson, Las Vegas (the bullring) Madera, Blythe and occasionally at Phoenix. Not a front runner but I have a lot of fun.

[aametalmaster]

Hi from aametalmaster

aametalmaster here. I grew up at my dad's weld shop. My grandad started Tee Nee Boat Trailers. My dad made equipment trailers and axles for other companys. I welded for him after school and for the next 8 years after high school graduation. My dad was also an early pioneer of the fireplace insert woodburner. We made woodburners for 8 years during the winter when the trailer sales fell off. I also raised the biggest whitetail deer in the world at the time. Desi Deer. I work in an oil refinery now. I was a union Sheet Metal Worker and a Millwright and also worked in a tool and die shop. I now own Metal Master Fab and http://www.tracksoverhead.com which makes the nicest looking ceiling mounted O Scale train layouts. Someday i might retire from the oil business and play in the garage full time. ...Bob Wright
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/aameta.../ph//my_photos

[Bulldog]

Hey Guys,
Well I guess I'll take my turn on the soap box. I'm 42 married to the best wife on the plant! We have 2 children 1 boy Cody (AKA Little Bulldog) and a daughter, Mackenzie. I guess I started welding at around 14 in school. I knew at an early age I wasn't going to be a lawyer, doctor or brain surgeon. Ops the brain surgeon is a doctor right (See I told ya) Any how I have been working full time since I was 14 and worked as a truck mechanic while I was in high school. I went through a votec machinest program and really liked that. For most of my adult life I worked at and then ran a Concrete Block company. I then started my own Precast Concrete company. Well I kept in touch with the concrete block guys and started helping out where needed. That turned into more work then I expected. Now we own Christman Enterprises Inc. I go to Concrete Redi mix plants, Concrete Block plants and Precast plants as a trouble shooter and Consultant. I also remove and install plants all over the country. In my home shop I build Block Molds and Precast Molds. Things have gotten a little overwhelming but in a good way. I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on the planet. I have a great family and have been blessed with enough ability to make a living doing something that I thoroughly love. Like I always say I'd do this stuff for free...I'm just glad I don't have to! I would also like to say that I have not met a nicer group of guys. I know that I have advanced in my career faster then I would have had I not found this forum. And for that I sincerely say a BIG THANK YOU to each and everyone of you.
Great idea Craig!
Take care guys,
Randy

[hankj]

Here's a great thread along these lines if you want to get to know folks. Over 200 entries and 16,000 hits.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/...ad.php?t=12577

Anyway, I'm Hank. 64 years old and retired now, and living the good life in the country here in the land of fruits and nuts, where some of them are actually on trees! (California!) Hobby weldor and occasional ag equipment repair guy if a neighbor drags something over here. My wife was stricken with MS ten years ago, and the disease has progressed to the point where she is non-ambulatory, so I spend time being her caregiver. Don't get away too much!

Like fishing, shooting, beer, good Vodka, good food, good conversation, and any kind of music except rap and opera!

Anyone from this or the Hobart forum who might be in Browns Valley is welcome to drop in anytime!

Hank

[barnett64]

Bruce here, I grew up in Southern Illinois and now I live on Marco Island, Florida. I started welding with my dad's Lincoln buzz box when I was 13, as I remember there wasn't a chunk of steel anywhere around the place that was safe from me! If I could drag it close enough to the welder I welded all over it!
I spent 3 years in Miami, Fl working and going to Vocational school for Diesel Mechanics and then Pipe welding. Moved to Marco in 1990 and work for a A/C and Electrical contractor. I sell and repair emergency standby generators, Supervise the repair and Maintenance of a fleet of service trucks (55) and I am responsible for all fabricating and welding, including Fabricating of heavy beams for supporting Cooling towers, Fabrication of aluminum stands to support condensers, fitting and welding HVAC chilled water and condenser water piping. I also weld a lot of galvanized steel duct for kitchen hoods.

41 years old Married with 4 children. big NASCAR fan and enjoy online racing with my home made simulator!
http://home.comcast.net/~bbarnett49/photo1.htm