A budding young welder

[Rustyt1953]

Logan is almost 17 with a +4 GPA. Academically the world is his oyster but since he was 11 he has been fascinated by tools and welding.

Our next door neighbor (Larry) retired two months ago from 43 years in the automotive tool industry. They are preparing their house to put on the market as two floors are now difficult for them to navigate.

Larry has his garage and large shed packed with tools. He must downsize and his son and grandson have no interest in tools. Larry has bonded with Logan and is passing his knowledge of toolage onto him. In the last month Larry has given Logan over $3K worth of American tools with more to come.

Logan is blessed with a mathematical mind and is dead set on being a welder and metal worker.

I am proud of him.

I just bought this today from Larry for Logan for $250.. Logan is walking on air (or Argon) right now.

 

[boykinlp]

Logan is almost 17 with a +4 GPA. Academically the world is his oyster but since he was 11 he has been fascinated by tools and welding.

Our next door neighbor (Larry) retired two months ago from 43 years in the automotive tool industry. They are preparing their house to put on the market as two floors are now difficult for them to navigate.

Larry has his garage and large shed packed with tools. He must downsize and his son and grandson have no interest in tools. Larry has bonded with Logan and is passing his knowledge of toolage onto him. In the last month Larry has given Logan over $3K worth of American tools with more to come.

Logan is blessed with a mathematical mind and is dead set on being a welder and metal worker.

I am proud of him.

I just bought this today from Larry for Logan for $250.. Logan is walking on air (or Argon) right now.

That is fantastic! With the exorbitant cost of most colleges these days, I believe that careers in welding, HVAC, and the like, are the way to go. You can make very good money and don't start off life saddled with tens of thousands of dollars of student loan debt. Way to go Logan from another Larry.

 

[clipper1]

There is something so satisfying about working with your hands and if you don't understand this feeling It cannot be explained with words alone. Logan is a lucky boy enjoying the best of two worlds! Here's to a bright future, Logan.

 

[mckenney99]

God bless your neighbor.
I've known several young men who went into the welding trade and made a VERY good living at it. In one case, he has traveled all over the USA doing jobs that he is uniquely qualified/certified to do. He can pretty much name his price. We need more young people to go back into the trades and quit this nonsense that everyone needs a college education.

 

[Rustyt1953]

When Logan graduates he has already been accepted to Butler Technical College into their 2 year welding program.

 

[soFlaNative]

He'll never want for work.

 

[Ματθιας]

My biggest regret was not learning from my dad. My dad was a tool and die maker, machinist, sheetmetal worker with ATSF. He could and would make anything he needed. He could even weld aluminum cans. I was too young and arrogant to see the vast wealth of knowledge and experience he had. When he died, took all of that with him.

Tell Logan to learn as much as he can while he can from your neighbor.

 

[Protocall_Design]

With good math skills, Logan should also consider the tool & die/machinist trade. Machine shop math is mostly addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, trig, and geometry. Easy stuff for a good math student, yet most cannot do that anymore. Reading blueprints is easy for someone who understands geometry.

Things still need to be made and repaired, and people with those skills are in very short supply now. Welding is a valuable machine shop skill.

I make things out of metal on a daily basis with milling machines, metal lathes, surface grinder, tig, stick and torch welding, etc. It has been a rewarding career for 50 years. Best wishes for Logan's future!

 

[Rustyt1953]

Tell Logan to learn as much as he can while he can from your neighbor.

Logan is a learning sponge. Larry is eager to teach him. My friend Mark lives 5 houses down and has the same 2 year degree from Butler Tech. He is also recently retired and told Logan he would pass on his knowledge.

My oldest SIL, Ray, is a millwright at General Mills and teaches a 4H welding class and Logan is signing up for it with his cousin Ian.

I have two grandsons who want to work with metal (Ian is also in a farrier class).

JR wants to invent the world's most perfect chicken nugget.

 

[lihpster]

Logan is a learning sponge. Larry is eager to teach him. My friend Mark lives 5 houses down and has the same 2 year degree from Butler Tech. He is also recently retired and told Logan he would pass on his knowledge.

My oldest SIL, Ray, is a millwright at General Mills and teaches a 4H welding class and Logan is signing up for it with his cousin Ian.

I have two grandsons who want to work with metal (Ian is also in a farrier class).

JR wants to invent the world's most perfect chicken nugget.

The world could use better nuggets.

 

[Greyman50]

Outstanding deal, excellent for the trades future.

 

[Nevada Ed]

As an Ironworker, placing rods, and bolting up iron was just part of my needs.
Being a "Certified" welder in all three positions with "Stick" and wire,
was my finall step, to being 100% with all things needed, in my craft.

Material prep, fitup and correct "Filler" for the type of material, all takes time to learn
but turning out a weld that will hold and not crack, is what we all strive for.

It always amazed me how a molten puddle of hot metal, moving along,
could hold up a huge building or section of fabricated metal.

Aluminum and stainless might also be looked into, if he wants to specialise, into other fields.

I was one of two welders, that passed the "Tri-Gas" welding test back in the 90's at the Boing hanger, up in Everett Wa, out of all the welders, that tried out for this special welding job.

I just got out when the "Clear lens" that turned dark at the Arc strike, came out, that really helped the welder out.
Many a time I got flashed, while doing hand rail and small pipe, that was out of position.

One thing great about wire, is that you just squeeze a trigger, instead of reaching to "Reload" your stinger.

May he learn to love welding and do well in the art of, another way to
glue things, together.

 

[pharmer]

.....I have two grandsons who want to work with metal (Ian is also in a farrier class)...

Welding/metal work will keep you working forever. Although, 20 years I had a co worker over in Palm Bay who kept horses. She had a farrier coming over to trim 16 feet. $300 for the "service call" + $100/hr. Don't imagine what that costs today. Joe

 

[robvious]

had 2 brother Eagle Scouts in my son's troop become union welders.. my son is an Aerospace Engineer... the welders will probably retire before my son... they have a 6 year jump on working full time..

 

[Oldengineer]

The world needs more of this kindness and caring.

 

[mike4sigs]

My biggest regret was not learning from my dad. My dad was a tool and die maker, machinist, sheetmetal worker with ATSF. He could and would make anything he needed. He could even weld aluminum cans. I was too young and arrogant to see the vast wealth of knowledge and experience he had. When he died, took all of that with him.

Tell Logan to learn as much as he can while he can from your neighbor.

Same here.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

Sounds like a smart young man , you should be proud . If he's into metal work , there's always aviation .Plus in smaller planes there's welding , mostly on engine mounts . When I was at the Cape , we kept 2 welders busy on all sorts of stuff . One of the guys had more cert's than you could imagine . He was even certified to weld in nuclear power plants , actually even inside the chamber . The world is open , the only thing holding him back is how far he wants to go .

 

[Rustyt1953]

Welding/metal work will keep you working forever. Although, 20 years I had a co worker over in Palm Bay who kept horses. She had a farrier coming over to trim 16 feet. $300 for the "service call" + $100/hr. Don't imagine what that costs today. Joe

Ian (almost 16).

 

[DWalt]

Something to keep in mind for later. The welding equipment companies stand in line to hire the graduates from this program. Welding Engineering | COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
It is the only such program in the USA. And you are nearby. Skip the trade school and go for the big time.

 

[oger]

I spent most of my working life as a fitter, welder, boilermaker in a large oil refinery. It is the greatest job there is if you are the kind of person that gets bored doing the same thing over and over.