Welding shop

[Gary Fowler]

My welding shop has been open for over 6 months. So far I have had 2 customers for $10 each. So far the over $2K in wire feeder, TIG, , Aluminum spool gun, oxy/fuel cutting and plasma cutting, I have only needed my Miller AC/DC stick welding machine for "business". Admittedly, I have not advertised other than my sign on the side of my road. I really dont want it to be a full time job, but I really thought I might get more business locally. Todays customers wants more work done, so maybe a few more dollars will come in, but I got a lot more to do before I recoup my investment.
I just have to get wifey( on my knees and beg I guess) to put that ad in Facebook to see what happens.

 

[MarineScott]

Post in Craigslist also.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I got to work on repairing a commercial grade Kubota zero turn mower deck. The front of the deck had a cracked weld and two of the supports for the front anti-scalping roller were worn thru where the bolt connected. I cut a new piece of hardened plate to weld to each side. It was tough to drill two half inch holes with the cheap drill bits I had but I finally got it done.
While I had the deck up, I welded a couple more spots under the deck where the tunnel plates (dont know what those plates are called but this sounds about right) were cracked.
The front part of the tunnel plates were mangled and need to be cut out and replaced, but the owner didn't mention doing that. I would need some plate and need to either remove the deck or lift it really high to do that. The mower had a build in jacking mechanism to roll the front wheels up to raise the mower about 18" so you can change the blades. It isnt high enough to do any major work with a grinder, torch or welding lead though.

 

[Dirt Guy]

I have used an engine hoist to lift those mowers up high enough to work under them, works pretty good. If you have a tractor , hook it to the front loader bucket, works even better. Sounds like you have your third customer in your welding business. Good luck with the project.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have used an engine hoist to lift those mowers up high enough to work under them, works pretty good. If you have a tractor , hook it to the front loader bucket, works even better. Sounds like you have your third customer in your welding business. Good luck with the project.

I have always used my B26 TLB to lift my mowers up to work on them. I can get them as high as I like with it . That Kubota system was OK, but just barely high enough to change out the blades.

 

[A-one]

My welding shop has been open for over 6 months. So far I have had 2 customers for $10 each. So far the over $2K in wire feeder, TIG, , Aluminum spool gun, oxy/fuel cutting and plasma cutting, I have only needed my Miller AC/DC stick welding machine for "business". Admittedly, I have not advertised other than my sign on the side of my road. I really dont want it to be a full time job, but I really thought I might get more business locally.

I would've thought there would be more people coming by with a sign out. Better get on your knees for the wife. Facebook, Craigslist, (I went blank after Craigslist). Maybe a bigger sign out front. Get some scrap for a small project and post it for sale when done.

 

[PILOON]

Welding shop????
Well my 'welding hobby shop' is so far in a horrible deficit, LOL.
All investment but horrible returns. (RIO)
OK, that's all right, it is after all a HOBBY!
I invested for fun, not profit.
Besides, I'd have to charge taxes get insurance and all that stuff.
OK, retired, is there some tax benefit out there that I can apply for?
Other than COVID subsidies?
On COVID, sure lots of subsidy abuse that pops up from time to time.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Welding shop????
Well my 'welding hobby shop' is so far in a horrible deficit, LOL.
All investment but horrible returns. (RIO)
OK, that's all right, it is after all a HOBBY!
I invested for fun, not profit.
Besides, I'd have to charge taxes get insurance and all that stuff.
OK, retired, is there some tax benefit out there that I can apply for?
Other than COVID subsidies?
On COVID, sure lots of subsidy abuse that pops up from time to time.

Same here, $50 return so far that doesnt cover the cost of welding wire used practicing with the MIG welder and experimenting with different types & brands of wire.

 

[A-one]

That's why I've been trying to keep it as basic as I can with flux core. I just started with stick a few months ago. I ran across a used Lincoln inverter stick machine (Invertec V155-S) that I want to try just because it's set up to double as a TIG machine. It's a costly hobby no doubt.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I cant believe the price of welding rods. I bought several hundred pounds when I built my shop about 10 years ago. Now I am down to about 100# of 1/8 E7018 and the same in E6010+ but almost out of 3/32" E 7018. Even buying in 50# cans they are still $150 cheapest price I can find online and not even recommended to buy due to shipping damage likely to occur. I guess I will have to visit my LWS store and see how much more they charge.

 

[A-one]

Sounds like they're not all that much cheaper buying in bulk like that. I just bought 5 pounds of 6011 and 5 pounds of 7018 today, and paid about $40. I think the brand was Weldmark. I tried the 6011 on my little Amico inverter. I'm not sure if it was the machine or the rods, but the arc kept going out. It would start back easy enough, but after a few seconds it would just drop. I'm assuming it's the machine doesn't have the guts to run the rod though. After it did it a few times, I could keep the rod burning by keeping it jammed in there really tight. Same thing at 50 or 80 amps. I see an upgrade coming.

 

[Sberry]

Where did 100s of pounds of electrodes go in to these 10$ profit venture? How many rolls of wire does this take?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Where did 100s of pounds of electrodes go in to these 10$ profit venture? How many rolls of wire does this take?

Most of it went into repairing my and my neighbor's broken equipment free of charge. I only recall one guy giving me $100 for repairing his broken bush hog frame which was quite a chore. All that rod burning was on my Miller Ideal Arc 250 amp AC/DC machine. I started buying my shop equipment in 2009 and only invested about $1000 in the Miller machine, a Victor cutting rig with 2 oxygen bottles, 350# Phoenix rod oven AND a 100 gallon diesel storage tank with Filrite 15 GPM pump.
My current Vulcan Omni Pro 220 multi-process welder cost more than all my previous purchases combined.

I really am not looking to make a profession of welding shop work. I do it for free for my friends and for minimum $$ for anyone else who needs a small repair. That $10 repair might have cost $60+ at a for profit welding shop that might have a 1 hour minimum charge.

I am really stunned by the cost of welding electrodes /wire in todays market. 11 years ago, welding rods were about $1 per pound when bought in 50# cans. Now even the cheap HF wire is $75 for a 10# spool of flux core wire. I havent priced 50# cans of electrodes at my local welding supplier but will have to buy some LH rods soon so I will know pretty shortly .

 

[streem26]

-If you are an artist, then Instagram is your place to be. Create a good profile, post beautiful, professional photos with your art works, post how you do them, maybe funny things. Don't forget about using the right hashtags in order to be discovered by the right people.
-Draw a 15 minute radius around your shop and visit every place that does custom work. Car shops, sign companies, welding companies and simply let them know you are there. Once you exhaust all those, make the circle bigger and continue the process. Google how to get cheap business cards and make them look nice, simple, and attractive.
-Door signs for your car. The $80 they cost for good ones advertise everyday. They are my second best advertising method. Hundreds of people see them everyday right in the area you work. Use bright yellow and black writing that gives your phone number, web address and what you do. "Welding" blah blah blah."

 

[dee_veloper]

You've probably already considered all this, but you need to be careful about calling yourself a business but not really being a business. Home/property insurance can get very complicated. Liability of "customers" coming onto the property is a concern.

Advertising for work can get you into a trap of liability.

 

[Sberry]

I think certain business types respond better to adds than others. I know a couple do this, its a challenge and need to wade thru a lot to make headway. On occasion one leads to another but its slim. I take a few, charge reasonable if its easy and usually they tip me. Had one I charge 75 for the hour and when he ask I say,,, the rate is 75 but that was a 100$ job and he agree and pay it. I used to give it away more than I do now,,,, I kind of fuss over bills to get a little profit margin over the rate and the cost.. I dont take everything. People figure they got something cheap or free and the repair should be or dont have a clue about the cost or compare to the Craig list crowd.
I had a boat piece come in a while back, the guy said,,, well I could fix this in a couple hrs if I had the equipment and he really didnt think the referal would send him to a shop at my level. 45 minutes later I am done and charge for the hour. While it only takes 45 its really an hour.
I do break some to good repeats that never blink about the cost, those I keep, the ones want free estimate for a fireplace or snowblower they bought I try to avoid, got enough friends for that and those guys help me.

 

[Sberry]

Where downtime is money is the place I look for. Another a bit ago was for a repair his bud with the buzzer did,,, said,,, fix it so I can get it back and I said, no, I am not doing that and why would you want to take it back to the guy botched it? I complete the repair and another one mention,,, that sounds different than the last guy welded it.

 

[Sberry]

I will agree about art. There is a lot of it though sooo,,,,,,,,,,,, the good things being can often work at your opwn speed and the potential for salvage is huge and scrap is down. I might get a few specialized tools, a 48 inch finger brake, a plasma for using appliance sheet. Soooo much of the finish work already done to it, all the clean and prime etc. cost nothing for what be north of 75 a sheet. Take a little time to learn which appliances demo fast..
All this could be done small wire welder really, and even though its art should have decent looking weld appearance, I glance at that just of curiosity to see the skill level. Art can be marked up to the point the material cost is rather irrlevent, soley based on talent and marketing, no end to that and doesnt require lots of additional labor at modest levels etc.
3. I might put a spin on it,, might call it something different and this is nothing new but some paint skill is in order, seen real talent simply brush paint something to refresh or change the color, lighter fluid and hardware store paint or 1 shot and a brush. The thing would be to make the name a cross between art and advertising in coming up with schemes that make the customer money or stand out. This need not be soley welding related although it could be the spearhead.

 

[Sberry]

I am not enough an artist, I salvage, have a little talent for re use and salvage but its really work for me. I see Jenny Grumble on Storage Wars a shining example of this. Mary Padigan another good one, they work cheap enough to hire and the art training used to color coordinate so much of the finish appeal is simply color choice and no0t a full working shop from the bottom but salvage and paint kind of resto, rather simple but they have a good eye.
No better way to sell than to have business feature your makeover,,,, who did the new sign,,, who did the decoration and the sculpture.

 

[Sberry]

I see women try to sell potholders at fleas and frustrated they cant make 50 cents an hour at it. Cry cause no one will buy,,, well its so fuggin boring, they are boring, they all look alike. When brainstorming this venture,, a bud worked for Ross as consultant tols me,,,, thats a good enough idea but wont make them any money.