Welding shop without rods...

[Anonymous-0]

I've been plugging away at the new job and they seem happy with my work but it's kind of frustrating when they are out of rods! I'm welding some 3/4" and 1" plate on an oilfield skid that they wanted real strong. They said to use 7018 and I asked if they some 3/16", no, we have 5/32". Well they ran out 5/32" so the foreman said there's some 5/32" 6010. I ran a 6010 root pass and then the foreman brings me an old box of jet rod (7024) and says it has a higher tensile strength than 7018! That's a new one. I told him it's not as strong as 7018 but he said to use it. Ever heard of a welding shop not having stock of the most common rods? They have extra rolls of MIG wire but only a few boxes of stick rods in 1/8" and 5/32". They must really be hard up for money to not order rods before they run out. Seems bizarre to me. Dave

 

[rockyhawaii]

Maybe you should document it so you aren't to blame when someone is hurt or killed.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Soon as they stumble onto this forum and put 2 &2 together, they'll solve some of their money problems by dropping a dissatisfied employee from the rolls. Do you babble to your coworkers about the job also? Could have you looking for new work sooner than you think, may wanna keep quiet at least til spring.

Dave

 

[BFO]

Sometimes I've been so distracted keeping my guys employed by finding work that my re-ordering gets behind. They went out and bought some rod and I payed them back.....wow,whooda thunk it? Now my question is why are you using stick, when you could be making your employer money with 71m wire?

 

[Tramway Guy]

All 70xx rods should have the same tensile strength...70,000 psi.
The difference is in the flux; and how the rod is intended to be used, such as welding position. 7024 is only for horizontal welding; should be fine as long as you are not out of position.
6011 has less strength than 7024 or 7014.

 

[al in ark]

Dave with all your disatifaction of the way others run their business you ought to go out on your own that way you can complain directly to the boss and no repercussions. al

 

[Anonymous-0]

I second that!

 

[Dick L]

I have complained constantly about my job. Bad mouthed the owner to any one around that will listen and Dixie just says, I don't want to hear it, sigh the dang checks and get back to work or there won't be any money to pay bills with next month.
So in some instances a fellow can get away with it.

Had to repair an ejector plate which turned a two hour insert change job into all forenoon. When lunch is over I have to put the mold back together and change it with another in a press. I cut steel yesterday afternoon to repair a safety door on a 30 HP granulator. Off brand granulator must have used metric steel rod so the hole it hinges on is a tad smaller than 3/4" so I have to drill out the holes on both side of the machine by hand over my head or I would have to drag out a ladder which I would probly slip off and skin my shin. The handle has to be drilled out because someone welded the shaft fast on the outside for a quick repair. Probly have to work both days this weekend just to get even to the board.

Sure glad I am not the only one that has things to complain about. ^D

 

[Puddles]

Dave when I was a worker bee I too worked for project management who had the same mind set as what you're dealing with now. The very worst are the silver spoons who never so much as changed a tire when growing up because mammy and daddy had AAA! Then mommy and daddy shipped them off to college to get their construction management degree, because they didn't have the grade point average to get into the engineering program. Once they get their CM degree some construction company hires them at $24K a year. The very first Friday when they hand out the crew's paychecks their attitude goes south!
When I went into management I can't tell you how many of these kids would be assigned to work for me, (do my paper work) sooner or later the same old question would come up, “Puddles what college did you go to?” I would reply, oh I drove by one once. :lol:

 

[Anonymous-0]

It would be nice if they had flux-core but they probably figure it's too expensive. Dave

 

[Germ]

DickL, we must have the same boss. I complain about mine all the time, but Mrs. G isn't near as nice as Dixie. ;-)

 

[Anonymous-0]

Actually ALL the welders in the shop are confused with how they do things. One guy said they don't order any new supplies until they run out. How are you supposed to your job without the supplies you need to do it? They ran out of oxygen today and the truck was just there yesterday. They run solid wire MIG and have 2 stick welders. They didn't want the job done with MIG and wanted it done with 5/32" 7018 but didn't even order any when they ran out. I'd guess that 99% of welding shops order more rods when they get down to the last 10 or 20 pounds. You can buy a 10 pound box of rods.

It would be the same as if I went to do a big landscaping job and only had 10 minutes of fuel in the bobcat and no extra. It's a bizarre way to run a fabrication shop(or any business for that matter) and is counter productive. What happens when they run out of MIG wire too and there's 8 guys standing around twiddling their thumbs cause they can't weld anything? They'll probably get heck cause they aren't working. I get paid by the hour. I was making an observation more than anything and no, I don't run my business that way. I make sure I have what I need to do the job. Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

7024 is no substitute for 7018. For the same size weld 6011 is a stronger weld than 7014 or 7024. It has a lower tensile strength but has better mechanical properties when used for dynamic loading. Mild steel is only around 60,000 psi tensile anyway. 7014/24 are iron powder rods which makes up most of the flux. They are production rods for general purpose applications. Dave

 

[36 Coupe]

So you would do half A work if the boss told you to use the wrong rod.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Exactly! If it would have been something more critical, I wouldn't have done the job until I got the proper rods. It's even mentioned in their safety policy that employee's have the right to refuse unsafe work and to report unsafe conditions. I think the safety policy is to look good for OHSA and workers comp. Dave

 

[Mike M]

I can't find 7024 much anymore. I loved that rod ! Runs on AC and makes a not so good welder look like a PRO. You just have to be able to lay the part flat.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Here's your opportunity to shine. Obviously either nobody has the job of ordering consumables, or whoever has that job is doing a poor job of it. Volunteer to take that on: you'll keep track of the inventory and place orders when supplies get low. You probably won't have to place the order yourself, just give purchasing a list every week.

Remember that excessive inventory wastes the company's money. The ideal is "just in time" delivery: you never want to run out, but you want no more inventory on hand than is necessary, unless you're getting a huge price break.

 

[Anonymous-0]

They don't order anything until they absolutely have to have it. It was a big deal just to get a new $12 stinger, that they actually had in stock. They had to know they needed a new one. I understand about excess inventory but not ordering common welding rods you use is ridiculous. A box comes with 4 10lb. smaller boxes inside. You would think that when you get down to only 1 small box, it might be a good idea to order some more before you run out. Big shops get a huge price cut by ordering rods in bulk. One shop I worked at would get a half a pallet at a time directly from the distributor, bypassing the welding supply, because they bought so much. Dave

 

[JML755]

Dave,
One thing to consider is that welding rod is kind of like pencils in the office. Real easy thing to take home. Studies have shown that companies' office supply orders increase in September. Why? Because lots of people do their kid's school shopping at work. When I was at GM, you had to ask the secretary for supplies. Didn't stop a lot of people. They'd just say they lost that last pen or broke that last pencil or don't know WHAT happened to the roll of scotch tape they got yesterday.

My point is that the company may have found that inventory tends to walk. Around our place, we buy to the job and the excess goes to the crib. Well, buying a box of 100 bolts when you need a few dozen means we have left over. So why are the bins of common size bolts always empty?

My point is that maybe the company keeps the inventory low on purpose. Can't understand the o2, however. :roll: Kind of tough to take that home. Unless someone inhales a bunch, holds their breath, walks out the gate and exhales into a tank in their car. :lol:

 

[Brad Buchanan]

In my experience welding shops tend to attract (or get stuck) with some pretty marginal managers.

In the 70's I started welding in a shop in the winter, in Michigan. Apparantly heat was not in the budget. You would come to work in the morning and your lead would be so stiff from the cold that 10 feet or so would come off the floor when you picked up your lead.

Welding rods came on a pallet and immediatly the laborers would upend the skid and burn the pallet and packing for heat.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Nobody dares take anything home or they wouldn't be able to work. Out of welding rods, out of oxygen, out of bolts, etc., etc. There is a pattern here. Funny you should mention pencils. My welding teacher in high school used pencils as an example of a poorly run shop. Some of the students had to make some calculations for their project but couldn't find a pencil. The teacher brought a whole box and threw them on the table so the students had no excuse. He said there are some shops that work on the same principle(cheap) and it costs them thousands in lost production. Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

I was actually wondering if they turn the heaters on in the winter. I worked in a shop years ago that was just warm enough that the coolant in the drill presss didn't completely freeze. It did have ice crystals in it though. I'd like to get back in a vessel shop if I could. They have to stay warm because a lot of stuff requires preheat and controlled temperature. Dave

 

[trucker 40]

Are your paychecks good?As long as your paycheck doesnt bounce come to work and stand there if they dont have any rod.Im sure they will find something else if they want to keep you.
It sounds like this foreman has problems.I cant believe they will pay you a thousand a week and not have enough money to buy rods with?It sounds more like the foreman is incompetant.
So either something else is goin on,or he is trying to save money,probably because he gets a bonus for saving money or something.

 

[XRogerX]

If 135 Fan is in Alberta, I"m not so shocked to hear everything is being run on a shoestring right now. My brother is welding in Red Deer and they are on everyone to remember to turn out the lights when they leave the washroom because they are hanging on by their fingernails. Far cry from a couple of years ago when oil was $130 a barrel and they couldn"t find enough welders to save their lives. They were hiring off the street and training on the job. I"ve worked at a few companies like this though, and it was usually a sign that the axe was about to fall on the whole operation.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Apparently the foreman owns about 10% of the company. This is a company that closed and was started up again. They're about 2 years old and the big boss said they have lots of work. A busy welding shop and they don't order 5/32" 7018 before they run out. That's just crazy to me. Dave

 

[trucker 40]

If he owns 10% of the company it would seem that he would keep some welding rods in stock?I mean if they do go broke whats a couple of boxes of welding rods comapared to a million dollars?I mean a pallet of welding rods is surely not going to be the straw that broke the camels back is it?Not having those rods is not helping his situation any.Maybe he has too much other stuff on his mind to keep up with stuff like that?If I was paying somebody 26 dollars an hour,all I could think about is how to keep him busy.

 

[Anonymous-0]

They don't need a pallet, a 10lb. box would have been sufficient for what I was doing. There's a few guys making $26/hr and more. In a couple more weeks I hope they put me on par with the other J welders. I clearly have more experience than the apprentice working beside me at the same wage. Nothing against him but I've had my ticket since 87. Dave

 

[Puddles]

Dave when you get your fill of that shop, and are ready to walk, show them these pictures. This is what a one man hobby shop keeps on hand. :wink:

 

[mnoliverguy]

If you hate your job so much why don"t you QUIT?????????

 

[mnoliverguy]

If you hate your job so much why don"t you QUIT?????????

 

[Davy Fireball]

i worked for a company 32 years and in all that time i never complained on my last day the foreman came to me and said you have never bitched or whined about anything since you have worked for me. i give you a job and you just did it i told him i hate this place the only reason i don't complain is you give me a check every week & with that money i bought a house-fed my kids -bought 3 new cars in 32 years- my dad says you don't have to like you just have to do it

 

[Anonymous-0]

I never said I hate it. It is frustrating when the company doesn't have the supplies the workers need though. Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'd guess that they don't have more than 50 pounds of rods of all types in total. Dave

 

[mnoliverguy]

My point excactly,Who ver said your boss has to make you happy all the time you should be happy you have a job alot of people don"t quit whinning or quit the job and let sombody have it that wants it

 

[mnoliverguy]

Dave,
I am not tying to be jerk,but have you ever been a employer? I have for many yrs. First of all there is alot more to running a buss. then most see. Mant times the one who are formens don't even know how to do the job.I remember back in 1979 I worked in a melroe plant in Gwinner ND. a production welder, we had a inspector who told everybody how to weld but when you put a stinger in his hand he was lost. At that time starting wage was 6.5o hr and we were damd glad to get it but some of the boys thought they were worth more 10.00 hr. So they decided to strike on March 1st I came to work and they were out on the picket line. I said good luck guys and quit that day,they settled the srike about 6 months later for 7.00 or 7.50 if you figure what they lost how long would they have to work to make it up.

My point here is that it not so easy being the boss and every dime is not proffit like most think
If your job does not get better in time MOVE ON you will be alot happier and sombody else will take your place.

 

[Josh S.]

mnoliverguy, You could have very well worked with my grandpa, He was a production welder in melroe around that time. John Kron. I worked as a welder for bobcat recently but found that life wasn't for me. Mandatory overtime is not fun and the union agreed to 3 ten min breaks a day can't even get a decent meal down. Now I still work in Gwinner at a Machine shop running a CNC machine I make a little less hour wise But I get good breaks and its a family oriented buisness.

 

[mnoliverguy]

JoshS,
I don't remember that name but all the names seem to fade with time. I do remember staying at the hotel in Foreman ND. One night there was a snow storm and you could not see 2 ft in front of you, myself and another guy decided to try it we ended up in the ditch half ways between the two towns,a guy with a big truck came along and gave us a ride to town,the next day all we could see was the radio antt. of my truck took about 2hrs to get it out but I was young then and it did not matter. What do they pay for wages now?