I'm an AWS Structural Steel code and New York State DOT certified welder. In addition to my full-time job, I have a side welding business. It's a "real" business. I have a dba (business name) registered with the county, I'm insured, etc.
A few years back, I welded up a stainless steel exhaust system on a Mustang GT for a guy that lives a couple miles down the road for me. I also did some welding on his snowmobile and tractor.
A couple weeks ago, I get a call from his brother, whom I didn't know. He told me his brother said when it comes to welding, I'm the man. It turns out he has a really nice 1968 Chevy Nova SS and needs a weld repair. One of the leaf spring mounts had broken off the rear axle and was cracked in three places. I took that part with me and did proper repairs on the cracks. Gouged them out, did full penetration welds with a TIG welder, etc. He texts me Thursday and asks when I can come back to weld that part back on to the axle. I said I'd be there tomorrow after work. So, on Friday, I hook up my trailer to my Jeep that has my Lincoln Ranger 250GXT portable gas engine welder on it and drive over to his house. As I'm setting up to do the job, he asks me what it's going to cost. I explained that I probably had almost an hour into fixing the cracked and bent leaf spring mount and prepping it for welding. I told him that my hourly rate for portable welding is $125 an hour and it wouldn't take more than that.
He then tells me that he only has $31.00 because his dog was sick and he had to take the dog to the vet. He doesn't work. Retired since a car accident that he was in. He told me that his wife kicked him out because he got the dog and she didn't want a dog. He told me the dog helped him deal with the depression of losing his job. He also lost his best friend in a "suicide by cop" incident about 10 years ago. I remember when that happened. It was two streets over from me. Then he goes on to tell me that he had been suicidal at times and when you're suicidal, a lot of your friends stay away.
He stuck the $31.00 in my hand and said he was expecting his check any day. I did the weld job on the Nova and told him he could pay the balance whenever he had it. I actually tried to give the money back to him because I didn't want to leave him broke but he wouldn't take it. Honestly, after hearing all of his problems, I don't care if he ever pays me. I'm just glad that I could take care of one of his problems. That, in a nutshell, is why I'm a bad business man. But, at least I have a conscience.
A few years back, I welded up a stainless steel exhaust system on a Mustang GT for a guy that lives a couple miles down the road for me. I also did some welding on his snowmobile and tractor.
A couple weeks ago, I get a call from his brother, whom I didn't know. He told me his brother said when it comes to welding, I'm the man. It turns out he has a really nice 1968 Chevy Nova SS and needs a weld repair. One of the leaf spring mounts had broken off the rear axle and was cracked in three places. I took that part with me and did proper repairs on the cracks. Gouged them out, did full penetration welds with a TIG welder, etc. He texts me Thursday and asks when I can come back to weld that part back on to the axle. I said I'd be there tomorrow after work. So, on Friday, I hook up my trailer to my Jeep that has my Lincoln Ranger 250GXT portable gas engine welder on it and drive over to his house. As I'm setting up to do the job, he asks me what it's going to cost. I explained that I probably had almost an hour into fixing the cracked and bent leaf spring mount and prepping it for welding. I told him that my hourly rate for portable welding is $125 an hour and it wouldn't take more than that.
He then tells me that he only has $31.00 because his dog was sick and he had to take the dog to the vet. He doesn't work. Retired since a car accident that he was in. He told me that his wife kicked him out because he got the dog and she didn't want a dog. He told me the dog helped him deal with the depression of losing his job. He also lost his best friend in a "suicide by cop" incident about 10 years ago. I remember when that happened. It was two streets over from me. Then he goes on to tell me that he had been suicidal at times and when you're suicidal, a lot of your friends stay away.
He stuck the $31.00 in my hand and said he was expecting his check any day. I did the weld job on the Nova and told him he could pay the balance whenever he had it. I actually tried to give the money back to him because I didn't want to leave him broke but he wouldn't take it. Honestly, after hearing all of his problems, I don't care if he ever pays me. I'm just glad that I could take care of one of his problems. That, in a nutshell, is why I'm a bad business man. But, at least I have a conscience.
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