Another day another banger..

[SiPMerlin150]

Hi Guys and gals! Don't let the title fool you, as I'm not complaining about this line of work, except for the frustration of being prevented from doing a job correctly. What can I say? You've got to do what the customer asks/wants to pay for even though its morally wrong.

Please don't go shooting me down for this type of work. I'd rather cut out old and put in new, no just patch/plate over it...

On the upside, I've got the new MIG running sweet in work now, and can run 1.5-2 inch + beads without blowing through, rather than using the stitch technique..

 

[ian f]

thumbs up from me looks a very neat job just a shame the customer wont stump up a bit extra to cut the rust out

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Cheers ian f, I did my best there for what he wanted doing. It will pass MOT and his feet won't fall through the floor...not at least till a couple of years! Have tapped in the underside from sharp edges and used an underseal.

 

[Piero]

Just out of interest. And obviously no need to reply.

But how much did that job cost yr customer? ????

 

[stuvy]

£150?

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Around 130 quid, i did the job on behalf of a garage using their tools, steel etc.

 

[Piero]

Thanks.

I could imagine some welders wouldn't want to disclose what they charge so we appreciate it.

I think it mught help to get an average. Kind of like bouncing of one and others price's.

I know for a fact that some guys on here give there work away far to cheaply.

Knowing what others charge helps

 

[bill_gj]

Compare that price to having something simple done to a washing machine. It cost £50 to get them to knock on the front door.
Good value for the van owner.

 

[rikrobson]

So next year you will be welding the rest of the Transit round the new stuff you put in. plenty of tin worn still in there to eat away at the rest of the van.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Its even worse than a ford..iveco w reg 256k on it.. Yes its false economy but at the end of the day its not my call, I could of cut out the floor and into top of the chassis rails.

 

[rikrobson]

I rent a railway arch and one of my fellow tennants try to keep their trasnsits going year to year. tends to get quite expensive, but as long as they think they are getting their money's worth out of the vehicle who are we to say. put beer tokens in your pocket

 

[octo0072000]

Its even worse than a ford..iveco w reg 256k on it.. Yes its false economy but at the end of the day its not my call, I could of cut out the floor and into top of the chassis rails.

what you have to remember is now all this is to keep it going for another year
so if they spend 500 to get it tested thats a lot less than buying another van Local builder to me only used to do about 5000 miles in a year all local work by word of mouth
he had a rotten old transit over about 4 years i welded most of that van it was a heap but it did the job on average about 100/150 a year in welding
all patches made up nothing bought,
Front steps looked like a patchwork quilt mechanically van was good just body crap
Engine and box went into his next van a much better tranny body wise bought with a blown engine

you just got to keep the old trannys going

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Oh, this vans used and abused.. example; the bonnet prop rod has a small securing clip normally to keep it in place when its not used. That clip disappeared long ago.. so instead they have pushed it into the intercooler which has but a lovely hole in it, allowing boost pressure to vent into the atmosphere rather than to create power.

 

[octo0072000]

Oh, this vans used and abused.. example; the bonnet prop rod has a small securing clip normally to keep it in place when its not used. That clip disappeared long ago.. so instead they have pushed it into the intercooler which has but a lovely hole in it, allowing boost pressure to vent into the atmosphere rather than to create power.

sounds like the old pay peanuts and you get monkeys so another job repair inter cooler then

 

[chevy2]

Nice job on the patch up, but as you say a shame you couldn't cut it out and splice it in,

Thats the beauty of welding being a sideline for most on here, if the customer doesn't want to pay for a proper job then refuse it, after all its a hobby and you should have pride and be very satisfied with the finished job.

 

[F.J.]

I feel your pain Luke, as you well know! Good work though mate

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Its a love hate job, love welding, but the shortcuts make your efforts seem worthless. Its all done to a price rather than worthiness when it comes to getting vehicles through their MOT's. This is what non welders don't realise, you can't weld to rust, it needs to be removed in order to weld.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

What was the matter with the lincoln in the end mate?

 

[keith19]

Know how you feel, mate. Had to do quite a bit of that sort of work myself years ago, when I worked in the trade. 'Cover jobs' we used to call them.
But the work is never worthless, you have kept something running for somebody for another year, at a price he (or she) can afford. That in itself is well worthwhile.
Lots of folk can afford to fork out £150 on a cheapy cover job, but they can much less afford the £350 - £450 required to get it done properly.
Owners of classics who have a few quid put by and don't mind spending it are better to work for in that respect. But such customers always tended to be few and far between.

 

[the snooper]

I think that most people don't actually realise they are getting a cheap job that isn't 100% correct, most people don't realise that plating over holes will create more rust between the 2 plates of steel. they think that if it passes the MOT it must be right.
I wonder if there have been any court cases for such a repair where the garage gave the quote got paid then the owner checks it out and decides I wasn't actually told it would be done this way, if I pay for a repair I expect it to be right