F.J.
Member
- Messages
- 1,845
- Location
- Manchester
As the title says, what is your job, what kind of work do you build/fabricate/weld etc...... And most of all do you enjoy it?
I have worked since being 13 years old (12 if you can count a paper round) and can honestly say I love doing a hard graft. As a youngster I worked on my dads friends farm, driving skid steer bobcats, screening soil and bagging it up to fund petrol for my crosser. I earned £10 a day! But back then thought that was a lot plus I had loads of fun driving tractors and diggers at just 13.
From their I did work experience at 15 yrs old at a truck build/repair shop, and new then that welding was going to be a passion and not just a career. I worked my spuds off for the two weeks I was their and at the end was offered an apprenticeship. I worked there for ten years and apart from my stroppy teenage years I loved every minute of it, sweating, welding, grinding, building trucks and repairing them. Even the times where I was stuck under a twisted chassis with the oxy/acetelene gear chopping out bearers and burning every part if my body I thought I had landed a cracking job (I could of quite easily of sacked it off and dossed about like some of mates did).
I'm 30 now and work for myself, operating since October 2011 and love every minute of it. I do all kinds of welding work from coffee trikes, smoothie bikes to truck repairs, machine repairs and classic car restorations. I do at least 70-80hrs a week, and shed plenty of blood and sweat ( no tears cos crying is for wimps). It has been a struggle but it is paying off as I am moving into a bigger workshop in a matter a weeks so I can take on more work and possibly an employee / subby.
I see people come and go as they think welding is easy but they don't count the thinking that goes with it, the essential prep work beforehand and most importantly how to finish a job. I think our trade seperates the men from the boys when it comes to difficult jobs, you either crack on and see it through or throw in the towel. I suppose I owe my outlook on work to my dad who is a real grafter and was the youngest of 13 kids, I suppose I look up to that with admiration as he is always busy with a full diary and always out if the house at 7 am. The funny thing with my dad is, he doesn't even advertise his work!
I have worked since being 13 years old (12 if you can count a paper round) and can honestly say I love doing a hard graft. As a youngster I worked on my dads friends farm, driving skid steer bobcats, screening soil and bagging it up to fund petrol for my crosser. I earned £10 a day! But back then thought that was a lot plus I had loads of fun driving tractors and diggers at just 13.
From their I did work experience at 15 yrs old at a truck build/repair shop, and new then that welding was going to be a passion and not just a career. I worked my spuds off for the two weeks I was their and at the end was offered an apprenticeship. I worked there for ten years and apart from my stroppy teenage years I loved every minute of it, sweating, welding, grinding, building trucks and repairing them. Even the times where I was stuck under a twisted chassis with the oxy/acetelene gear chopping out bearers and burning every part if my body I thought I had landed a cracking job (I could of quite easily of sacked it off and dossed about like some of mates did).
I'm 30 now and work for myself, operating since October 2011 and love every minute of it. I do all kinds of welding work from coffee trikes, smoothie bikes to truck repairs, machine repairs and classic car restorations. I do at least 70-80hrs a week, and shed plenty of blood and sweat ( no tears cos crying is for wimps). It has been a struggle but it is paying off as I am moving into a bigger workshop in a matter a weeks so I can take on more work and possibly an employee / subby.
I see people come and go as they think welding is easy but they don't count the thinking that goes with it, the essential prep work beforehand and most importantly how to finish a job. I think our trade seperates the men from the boys when it comes to difficult jobs, you either crack on and see it through or throw in the towel. I suppose I owe my outlook on work to my dad who is a real grafter and was the youngest of 13 kids, I suppose I look up to that with admiration as he is always busy with a full diary and always out if the house at 7 am. The funny thing with my dad is, he doesn't even advertise his work!