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Re: how to chase rigs..

I dunno what happened to Hobo. I emailed him about a year ago to see if he was ok, and he answered back that he had just been putting machines together and enjoying retirement. He mentioned some health issues but said he was holding his own. I thought something had possibly happened to him.

Hope he's ok.

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by duaneb55

Whatever you do, DON'T WEAR THE BLUE DRESS!!

Duane55, Your like the welder whisperer over there.....Used to be a guy named Hobo Hilton that posted there.......After the big hack there he basically disappeared.......Glad you chime in with Sa-200 and such mocheen knowledge....... I know for a fact you've helped a few welders w/ mocheen problems get plumbed up and back to working......

Re: how to chase rigs..

cowboy, how about some pics. it sounds like you might have to wait a bit to get into pipe welding, so why not start by getting yourself and your rig set up properly for pipe. maybe post some pics of you w/ your hoods and attire in front of your rig from a couple diff angles. then we can give you some pointers or suggestions.

Re: how to chase rigs..

Yeah, I'm thinking those fellas ain't into that stuff

Re: how to chase rigs..

Whatever you do, DON'T WEAR THE BLUE DRESS!!

Re: how to chase rigs..

I'm going to have to head on over to rig welders and get a seat. I hear the shows are well worth watching over there

Of course, I'll use a different name.....

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by duaneb55

You were a little late with that advice doc.

duane; i can't begin to tell you how sorry i am to hear that

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by docwelder

the aws forum can't be tougher than the rigwelders forum. whatever you do don't ask for job leads there before introducing yourself and giving bona-fides and pics if you got them.

You were a little late with that advice doc.

Re: how to chase rigs..

No slump where I'm at, we still have a few months left of pre-fab for that mega job going on in Baytown. I was welding on 48 inch schedule 80 today. May have been schedule 40, still pretty thick compared to standard wall. Took a 3 bead sub arc cap about an inch and a half wide.

Re: how to chase rigs..

The petrochemical bust is really messing up the job market down here (I'm in the same general area as the OP). Best advice I can think of right now is to look for work in sectors other than petrochemical- although the bust is likely to flood those as well. At least it's not as bad as how things were in '01 when Enron wiped out the office jobs. We had guys in expensive suits holding up signs by the roadside for a few months- and that was in the expensive neighborhoods, too.

One other thing does come to mind- hit the Workforce Solutions office and ask them when they expect the hiring slump in your part of town to be over. Mine said it should be ending any day now down here near the ship channel.

Re: how to chase rigs..

Cowboy,

Hughes land rotary rig count this time last year = 1684
Land rig count this week (01/08/2016) = 635
That's DOWN 1049 land rigs, or about 62%
Good luck..............

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by Cowboy97

does anyone know of a good union in texas to join?

You could probably get hired on where I'm at, Team Fabricators in Port Arthur. Just show up and put in an application. They are always hiring, and have plenty of work. You might have to start out at the bottom, but if they find out you have any welding background at all you would move up fast. They even have a little chicken-**** pipe welding school in the shop set up with the Port Arthur unemployment office. It's a union shop, so you would have an in with Local 211 out of Houston.

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by SmoothOperator

Hey I resemble that remark!!!!!!!!!!!!! Made a good friend over on AWS from Texas who knows EVERYBODY associated with oil drilling and pipelines.......Put me on as a rig welder when he worked up in Pa.. On a rig rebuild ( Sidewinder Drilling) ...Best experience I've ever had in the welding field.....Worked a sh*tload of hours got paid weekly and made a lot of friends that he brought up to work the job...( rig welders from Tx., La., Ok.) .........Will work for the man anywhere, anytime he calls me........Just a Texas good ol' boy that does business the way it should be done........

That's how it's done and a good work ethic and willingness to get on the horse and hammer down goes a long ways.

It's been a long time since I posted there. I'm not saying it's all bad by far over there, some good guys on that site (few gals too, at least then)

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by Cowboy97

is there anyway i could get help from this guy? any help at all would be great.

Dude, been in this business for going on 35 years!!!!!!!!!!! My word is my bond, (as you will learn in this business) "I break my balls and my word for no one" ( Tony Montana/ Scarface).......Don't know you and don't want to know you........You'd have a better chance at " parking your car in my garage" ......metaphorically speaking ........Absolutely NO !!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez Dude there are no shortcuts......bang on some doors and get a HELPER JOB in the welding trade somewhere.........GEEZ ......Stick a fork in me I'm done with this subject.......

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by SmoothOperator

Hey I resemble that remark!!!!!!!!!!!!! Made a good friend over on AWS from Texas who knows EVERYBODY associated with oil drilling and pipelines.......Put me on as a rig welder when he worked up in Pa.. On a rig rebuild ( Sidewinder Drilling) ...Best experience I've ever had in the welding field.....Worked a sh*tload of hours got paid weekly and made a lot of friends that he brought up to work the job...( rig welders from Tx., La., Ok.) .........Will work for the man anywhere, anytime he calls me........Just a Texas good ol' boy that does business the way it should be done........

is there anyway i could get help from this guy? any help at all would be great.

Re: how to chase rigs..

The first export of US oil in forty years left Port of Corpus Christi last week. Some time this year Eagle Ford Shale should kick start again. My boys and I drove by Harbor bridge and saw this ship being loaded, when we saw evening news they said that what was happening.

Re: how to chase rigs..

Originally Posted by 7A749

If you haven't already, go join the AWS forum. There's lots of pipe guys over there, you may catch a break someplace if you do some asking around. Every job is different, but I've seen guys get on working with other members of the AWS board a couple few times. Been awhile. But I'm sure at the very least someone there may be able to point you in the right direction.

A good attitude and willingness to work hard might get you on as a helper.

Good luck with it.

Hey I resemble that remark!!!!!!!!!!!!! Made a good friend over on AWS from Texas who knows EVERYBODY associated with oil drilling and pipelines.......Put me on as a rig welder when he worked up in Pa.. On a rig rebuild ( Sidewinder Drilling) ...Best experience I've ever had in the welding field.....Worked a sh*tload of hours got paid weekly and made a lot of friends that he brought up to work the job...( rig welders from Tx., La., Ok.) .........Will work for the man anywhere, anytime he calls me........Just a Texas good ol' boy that does business the way it should be done........

Re: how to chase rigs..

does anyone know of a good union in texas to join?

Re: how to chase rigs..

Go to job services find a company who is looking for a welder with certs submit an application
All these rigs have security that wont let you in to talk to anyone
And you should join a pipe welding union and get placed on a job so that you can build a good resume.
There are no shortcuts

Re: how to chase rigs..

take both, keep the fiber metal on your head at all times , and the pancake in your hand or nearby so its ready

Re: how to chase rigs..

i have a fibre-metal pipeliner hood, good enough? or is a pancake "required"

Re: how to chase rigs..

you already have a rig and experience. just show up to the site and start working, like you supposed to be there. it's all about confidence and the way you present yourself. pull up, acting like you own the place, and start working. providing you have the right welding hood on, you'll blend right in, nobody will know.

Re: how to chase rigs..

thank ya sir, thats what i hope to find, stuff is slow right now so hopefully there would be just one space where a guy or two could get i the start experience cuz we all know once it booms again if you aint got experience you aint getting $hit

Re: how to chase rigs..

Rig chasing is welding anything that needs welding on a drilling rig at any time of the day. It also involves welding the well head. All of this involves having experience which takes time to acquire. Everybody has to start somewhere, you will have to find somebody that will give you the opportunity to get in and start learning. AWS forum or the old forum had a lot of information on chasing rigs. You will need Insurance, plenty of insurance. Good luck to you.

Re: how to chase rigs..

the aws forum can't be tougher than the rigwelders forum. whatever you do don't ask for job leads there before introducing yourself and giving bona-fides and pics if you got them.