truckers and welders calling!

[woodsracer144]

ok so i need some help. im dont with highschool at the end of may. my fam is a big in trucks i dont know if i should go get my CDL and drive or go to school and weld. both have there flaws. welding is harmfull to your body or can be, and truckers are on the road ALOT! I was planning on going to school but i dont know what to do anymore, when trucks running as much as a new pick up does im thinking about just buying a semi or driving for some one and then going from there. i know it cost alot to run a truck. but im going to be waiting a year to go to school for welding.

my dad has a dump truck im sure i could run, its a 93 ford L9000 with a Cat in it, im not sure what one though... and a Eaton Fuller 8 spd. with high low.
but he parked it cause there was a leak from something, i think it was the boom lift.

what are your thoughts?

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by woodsracer144
what are your thoughts?

are those your only two options? there's a lot more out there than welding and hauling...

[gt400ex]

Out of the 2 options I would say welding. If you can get into a shop that dose tanker welding repairs then there is a little more money to be made, and the work is a little harder.

[Mxjunkie]

Yeah man open up yourself to anything and everything.. I limited myself to autobody for 6 years and just recently picked up landscaping and hardscaping (paver walkways and garden walls) it's really hard work but I love it, I'm glad I opened up to some other kinds of work :D

I'd say welding would be sweet and good work if you get hooked up with a good company, I know some of my friends that are welders work some pretty sweet hours and most are union. :cool:

[slightlybent47]

If the rule has not changed and I don’t think it has, you have to be 25 to get a CDL.
They want you to have some driving experience for a few years before you get your CDL. There may be a way to get a hardship CDL but I’ve never herd of one. I’d say stay in school and get a better education and you’ll have more options as to what field you choose.
With the economy the way it is the trucking industry is slow right now. I see a lot of trucks parked around here. Most of the warehouses around here have parking lot full of empty trailers just sitting there.


I’ve had my CDL for 25 years and I can tell you it’s very slow right now. I also have a cozen that has a trucking co. and in 08 he made over 6 million with just 12 trucks on the road, but it is so slow he has sold all but 2 of them and he is thinking of shutting it all down.

[CJM]

Welding, there is always a demand for welders. Might have to travel to some pretty interesting places (alaska pipeline comes to mind) but it pays well.

Kid I knew back when I was in voc school in HS was almost finished getting the whole welding thing and he was making more cash than his parents cause he was making like 25/hr!

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by slightlybent47
If the rule has not changed and I don’t think it has, you have to be 25 to get a CDL.
They want you to have some driving experience for a few years before you get your CDL. There may be a way to get a hardship CDL but I’ve never herd of one. I’d say stay in school and get a better education and you’ll have more options as to what field you choose.
With the economy the way it is the trucking industry is slow right now. I see a lot of trucks parked around here. Most of the warehouses around here have parking lot full of empty trailers just sitting there.


I’ve had my CDL for 25 years and I can tell you it’s very slow right now. I also have a cozen that has a trucking co. and in 08 he made over 6 million with just 12 trucks on the road, but it is so slow he has sold all but 2 of them and he is thinking of shutting it all down.

around me you have to be 18 to get it and 21 to run out of the state, my brothers been driven since he was 18 and hes 27 now.

I limited my self to those to becuase they are 2 things i am looking at doing

I've worked on farms since iwas about 12 and im 18 now, i drove alot of tractor, skidders all that stuff..when i was 15 i drove a guys semi with a loboy in the hay field and get it loaded up and he would run the other one to get unloaded. i've been driving tractor since i was little, i was about 8 years old on a tractor bailing hay with my dad, i was on the tractor he was on the wagon stacking it... needless to say i have drove alot...

its really mach. tooling welding and trucking. all 4 years of high school when ever i wasnt in the classes i had to be i was in the shop working in the metals or woods room or else i was in the band room jamin on my bass... i've dont some cool lathe projects made a shot class and alot other things.

honestly its to the point where i have to choose what i want to do with my life and time is quickly running out for me to choose. I wouldnt mind farmin but i would have to start from nothing and that takes alot and i mean alot of money and i cant spend that much... trucks run as much as a new pickup... I've done working with CAD as well had a full year in that class..

what would be a good idea?

[Tommy Warren]

Get your welding...if nothing else it looks good on a resume. I drive truck for a heavy equipment moving company we take out big air conditioning units and transformers, last week I was at the canadian Mint taking out the machine that made the canadian olympic medals and this week I'm taking out a cash press at the British american banknote. I need a trucking licence and a welding licence to work there and not many people have both thats why I start at $34.85 an hour.

This is my truck ;)

[woodsracer144]

very nice! what does it have for an engine?

[slightlybent47]

:eek: Wow! I had no idea they had changed the age limit to 18. That’s kind of scary having an 18 year old driving an 80,000 lbs truck. If you have had all that experience growing up then you probably have better skills then most your age. Welding is a good skill to have but I don’t know how much demand there is for it. You said you had family in the trucking biz you may try to get a local driving job and then you could go to welding school at night.

You might try spell check and proof read before you post. Lol!!!!
Are they going to let you gradumate when you spell that way? :devil: hehehehe!!!!

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by slightlybent47
You might try spell check and proof read before you post. Lol!!!!
Are they going to let you gradumate when you spell that way? :devil: hehehehe!!!!

i don't think you have ANY room to talk ;) .

woodsracer- there is money to be made if you get into pipe fitting and things of that sort. also, custom fabricated stainless restaurant kitchens..

[slightlybent47]

Originally posted by Pipeless416
i don't think you have ANY room to talk ;) .

woodsracer- there is money to be made if you get into pipe fitting and things of that sort. also, custom fabricated stainless restaurant kitchens..

use wright I dunt’ .......Izz juss pekkin on em. :blah:

[slightlybent47]

I’m sorry woodsracer I’m one of the worst spellers there is and my grammar ant good ether. Sorry my bad!!

[Latemodel32]

OTR you will make alot more $$$$ then being a local driver......im a local truck driver cdl class A , Hazmat,Tanker.... I drive a tanker truck everyday. There is your plus and minus to it.

The plus is you dont have to be in a sweat shop welding.And you can be your own boss on the road

Minus is there is some real F'N idiots out on the road everyone thinks we can stop on a dime,driving in bad weather. ect

Have fun your young:D If you like driving go for it if not go into welding

[woodsracer144]

I know what you mean by there being idiots all over, yes i know im not the greatest in english, i dont care for that class at all.. im just getting stressed out cause i wanna get the ball rolling for this stuff ASAP... so i can find a job so i have a income in what i want to do.

[Fralick #81]

I am personally a AWS cerified welder and I haul grain with our own semi for our farm. I dont have as much experience in either of them considering I just graduated high school last year. I personally like to weld but it sure is hot and hard work. There really is alot of money to be made in the welding field but there is alot more to it than just burning wire, and trust me you dont want to be one of those guys who burns wire all day. To be a good and high paid welder you have to be able to read prints, fit parts, work efficentally and lay some deacent welds. I also like to drive truck but Im obviously not a over the road driver and the farthest I really drive is an hour to the ethanol plant unload and drive back home load up and do it again. Id say with the proper training there is alot more money to be made in the welding field. Go to a school where you can get AWS certified and get as many certifications as possible. I have mine in FCAW unlimited, SMAW unlimited, GMAW unlimited and 1/4 sheet metal, and I also have GMAW-P unlimited and it looks very impressive on a resume. Also have you thought about becoming a certified welding inspector? There is good money to be made there too and its a much more plesant job than being just a welder. Just like everyone else has said though dont sell your self short. There are endless possabilties out there so find something you enjoy and can be successful at.

Please dont kill me for my spelling :devil: !

[Tommy Warren]

Originally posted by woodsracer144
very nice! what does it have for an engine?

I dunno much about diesels yet but my mechanic says its a C15 about 475 HP with a 10 speed <- that part I knew

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by Fralick #81
I am personally a AWS cerified welder and I haul grain with our own semi for our farm. I dont have as much experience in either of them considering I just graduated high school last year. I personally like to weld but it sure is hot and hard work. There really is alot of money to be made in the welding field but there is alot more to it than just burning wire, and trust me you dont want to be one of those guys who burns wire all day. To be a good and high paid welder you have to be able to read prints, fit parts, work efficentally and lay some deacent welds. I also like to drive truck but Im obviously not a over the road driver and the farthest I really drive is an hour to the ethanol plant unload and drive back home load up and do it again. Id say with the proper training there is alot more money to be made in the welding field. Go to a school where you can get AWS certified and get as many certifications as possible. I have mine in FCAW unlimited, SMAW unlimited, GMAW unlimited and 1/4 sheet metal, and I also have GMAW-P unlimited and it looks very impressive on a resume. Also have you thought about becoming a certified welding inspector? There is good money to be made there too and its a much more plesant job than being just a welder. Just like everyone else has said though dont sell your self short. There are endless possabilties out there so find something you enjoy and can be successful at.

Please dont kill me for my spelling :devil: !

Im taking blue pring reading now, its all the same stuff i've learned in cad so its really easy for me, the only problem i have is the teacher is a crack head and maked lines up that are not there and he say thats it wrong when its right. and i'll fight and fight and fight with him over it and then i just get tired of it and say ok your right but your really not.

[dns1764]

personally i would go into welding. try to get into the millwrights. they make a chit ton on money. my cousin has traveled all over the country working and has done very well for himself

[woodsracer144]

im planning on taking welding but i need to find something to do for a year or so cause thats how long the waiting list is.

[honda400ex2003]

Originally posted by slightlybent47


You might try spell check and proof read before you post. Lol!!!!
Are they going to let you gradumate when you spell that way? :devil: hehehehe!!!!

coming from one of the kings of spelling errors.... I dont think I have read a full slightlybent47 post without an error lol. the site seems to get worse every day with the grammar errors. I am almost ready to bail on the site because it is so hard to read stuff on here by newbs. It makes me so mad to see that people can not take the time to spell some words right with all of the technology available to them today. Maybe that is the problem, technology has taken over so people do not read over what they write anymore. Spell check covers it. firefox has a spell checker built in people should use that maybe? lol. I would say get your welding certificate then if you want to, drive for a while. Welding will always be around for a decent income. steve

[Tommy Warren]

wat is u talkin bout dog we be spelin this chitsnit al dam day :devil:

[honda400ex2003]

now dats what Im talkin bout yo:D still go for the welding cert even if you have to take some gen ed credits. you could even get a decent gen ed degree pretty easy. steve

[dns1764]

aint no spellin sexshen on the collage entrance test thing....

[woodsracer144]

ok enough with the grammer stuff... we all know its really bad!

Is it worth just being just a cirt. MIG welder? or dont you get much for it? i was going to do that then go to finish up welding.

how do aprenticeships work also?