We get per diem and some travel pay but it still costs a lot to travel up to 2200 miles one way for work and stay in a decent place and eat. My family has been traveling a lot with me this year also so it adds to the expense out of town but knocks down the bills at home. I'm just a pipe welder working in nuclear and other power plants. We do a lot of alloy and high pressure steam piping mostly. Probably made around 8-900 x ray welds this year and some places 2 gets you run off.
Falling pics 11/25/09
- Thread starter Burvol
- Start date
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Sounds familiar to me. There's a lot of money in logging...but it sure gets spread around.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Sweet! I thought about getting into that, but like ya say, you have to pass a lot of welds or they tell ya to tramp.
My buddies dad was inspecting Nuke welds for a long time, which required about the same amount of travel.
So what's your norm, 6011 root with 7018 hot and cover? Or are you fellas pushing wire these days?
Tig roots and then whatever stick filler for the material we're working on. We do a lot of chrome piping that's 1-5" thick. Some is done with orbital tig machines feeding .035" ran with remote. The alloy piping we did in california was welded with ERNicRmo-3 and 14 filler. Some real trashy running stuff. Made around 800 welds with 3 repairs in 4 months there. It's been 5 years or so since I used a 6010 on a pipe weld.
Rounder
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lol, yep. Everybody always #####es about how much money we make, and the short days. They don't see the "behind the scenes". Lots of time spent in the shop or on tailgate in front of the motel getting everything ready to do it all over again.
Being a timber faller must be the result of some yet undiscovered mental disorder, cuz I don't know why any sane, logical thinking person would ever do it! I try not to put too much thought into it........and I just keep doing it......lol
RandyMac
Stiff Member
Short days? I seem to remember the whole process taking 10 to 12 hours.
hammerlogging
Addicted to ArboristSite
workin' on it man.
Rounder
Addicted to ArboristSite
7 on the saw......then the driving, chaining up, getting around the loader, getting around the stroker, hiking in, hiking out....................
bitzer
******** Timber Expert
Well my arm has been twisted. After the holidays (gotta fill out under the tree first for the kids and maybe a couple of odds and ends for me from santa) I'll have to order up some square ground chain and files from the saw shop. I've never even seen it in person, its time.
Spending money has become a habit with me.
Spending money has become a habit with me.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Bitz, don't get frustrated with it at first, stick with it.
If'n ya want, you can buy some chain from my local place, and I'll sharpen up a couple loops for ya while your getting the hang of it. . . That way, ya have an idea whether or not you want to fiddle with it, and it'll also let ya know how they cut.
Let me know.
Are you running Stihl or JGX?
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Oh yeah, the round trip routinely was 5 hours. Out the door and in the crummy by 3am. . . Drive to the site and be there around 5:30, sit in the truck for a few, and over the hill by 6 sharp.
Logging hours ain't for pussies. Hell, logging all together ain't for pussies!!
I often sit and think about how soft I am not working in the woods. . . The first week back would damn near kill my jello ass! Hahahaha
bitzer
******** Timber Expert
Hey thanks, I appreciate the offer! I'm running both Stihl and Oregon right now. I generally lean toward the Stihl chain. It seems to sharpen better for me. Might just be me though. I've always wanted to run square and I think its about time. I'm sure its like anything else. It takes a little time, but after a while you get the hang of it. I tell ya what, some days my saw can not keep up with me and it drives me nuts. Square might help!
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
What's your DL count, and I'll call tomorrow and see what two loops of square will run. . . I'm sure shipping will be about 7 bucks for two loops (I have some padded flat rate envelopes coming in).
Do you run skip or full-comp? You'll definitely like skip for square -- less teeth to sharpen.
I'll also get a price on round too, and go with the cheaper one, I convert round to square all the time.
Yup. The only cure for it is age...and even then it never really goes away. Speaking of which...time to head out.
You guys be safe this week.
Filing stihl square is a lot more frustrating to me. The chain is a lot harder than oregon and is harder on files. With the grinder stihl is fine. I would stick with oregon to learn on. Madsens is hard to beat on the 2 loop prices. I don't like their files. The corners on the ones I got were kinda round. The save edge are about the best value and quality.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I lucked out, started the square file on 9/16" chain.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Bitz, Jake PM'd me last night and said the chain was a dollar per bar inch for the first one, and half-off for the second one. . . Didn't matter if it was skip, chisel, full-comp, round, or square. That was also for Stihl or Oregon -- so now you can figure your cost pretty easy.
I agree that the Oregon is more user friendly to file square. . . But I'll do either.
I agree that the Oregon is more user friendly to file square. . . But I'll do either.
I don't mind filing oregon as much as stihl. I know I filed a 32" semi skip stihl and it was rough on the file. I filed a 30" full comp oregon in less time. I can't wait to get the grinder set up sl all I have to file is rakers and gullets.
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Save Edge has 1/8" round files. . . I'm gonna get a dozen to use on gullet work. I think they'd work even better than 5/32".
I've used Oregon LGX and JGX for a long time, and like it. Stihl does seem to be harder on files, but I like the chain too. . . A little give and take going on there.
I hadn't noticed the 1/8" files. I'll have to pick up some to do gullets with. I decided I wasn't going to square file the stihl. It wrecked 2 files on that one chain. I hate the first sharpening on any of those chains. It seems the file isn't cutting the same way a grinder wheel does.
