How to Set up a Welding Rig Truck (with pictures)

While talking about How to Set up a Welding Rig Truck, When you first start your welder career, you want an internship that works with experienced world-class welders. These boys and girls can teach you so much. From improving your technique to industry-specific advice, to tips and tricks to help you make your welds even better, they can give you everything.

To be very fair, if you install a welder right after school, you are likely to fail. So, first work under professional welders.  Having a good reputation, credibility, and the right tools before going out alone are essential to your success.

Once you have a solid understanding of the industry, its techniques, and everything in between, you can start for yourself.

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HOW TO SET UP A WELDING TRUCK

If you are here alone to answer your burning questions, the first thing to do is check out the bottom of the page. But for the rest of you, this is where it is. You can find everything you need to think about and buy before you can get started.

To set up your welder truck:

1. CALCULATE THE COST

As with anything in life, money comes into play. Trust us, we understand. It’s not fun and can be extremely daunting, but it’s a necessary evil that we fear. We found that many newcomers don’t really understand how expensive it can be to set up a welding car.

And even if you find some “bargains”, you don’t really want to buy them. Why? Because you limit the quality and nobody wants that.

There are also some recurring costs to consider. Things like electrodes need to be constantly refilled after you’ve done a job. Not to mention that your truck itself needs constant maintenance and repairs somewhere along the way. Oh, and you need to register your business and get good insurance.

2. BUY OR CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRUCK

For those of you who don’t already have a truck, you need to buy one. Yes, it is expensive and will mean a major financial setback at first.

However, if you own a pretty decent vehicle, you don’t have to buy a new one. You will likely need to tweak it a lot to make it beneficial to your endeavors. This includes putting up flags, radios, and air shut-off valves, to name a few. Again, all of this will cost you a significant amount of cash.

3. GATHER YOUR TOOLS

The specific tool you buy really depends on the type of welding you are going to do. However, there are some basic tools and equipment’s that you will need for your truck. That’s why we list them here:

Welding machine (the brand is your choice, there are many places online to discuss the pros and cons of each brand)

  • Lighting systems (for the truck)
  • Air compressors (again for the truck)
  • Pipe cutter
  • Pipe stand
  • Grinders (you should get a 7 inch and a 4 inch, you can never have too many)
  • Chains and Clamps
  • Rigging tools (think slings, chokers, and the like)
  • Barrel torches (you can buy with a medium, but you should have a short and a long one too)
  • Hand flashlight
  • Welding cable (you need 30 meters of ground, 30 meters of stub and 30 meters of torch cable)
  • Regulator (for the torch cables)
  • Hammer
  • Tape measure
  • Distance tools (you might want to buy some)
  • 2ft frames (also have 2)

It’s the basics, but if you get a little more involved, here’s what you might want to collect: Another short barrel snake

  • Jack stands (4 to 6)
  • Spirit levels (preferably 4 feet, 2 feet, and a torpedo)
  • Hole pins (a pair)
  • Center finder (flange assistant makes a really good one)

4. REGISTER YOUR COMPANY

We found that people overlook this part. It takes a lot more time (and money) than you might think. If you love paperwork, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what to do:

Determine your business name – while you can rename it and change it later, you really should spend some time coming up with a name that you will love forever. You run into all sorts of confusion when you try to turn things upside down. So go for a good one and stick with it.

Pay the fee – these are the registration fees and can vary from state to state, country to country.

Get the paperwork out of the way – as mentioned, there are several documents to fill out. Essentially, this prevents other people from getting your business name.

Document handling – you have no control over this. Once that is done, you will be the proud owner of your welding equipment business.

5. NETWORK

Hopefully you already have some contacts. We have discovered that these connections come from working with experienced welders before starting our own business. These guys can help you get your first gigs so you can start building your reputation in the industry.

However, you can also use Google My Business and other social media platforms such as LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to get the word out. For local jobs, you should definitely open Google My Business to build your network and get some jobs.

6. BE SAFETY CONSCIOUS

Don’t skimp on security. We’ll say it again to those in the background – don’t skimp on security. It’s literally a life or death situation, so don’t take any chances. Be aware that not only can you be injured, but also nearby pedestrians, workers and property.

Safety equipment is an absolute must in this industry and you cannot live without it. Welding masks, protective clothing, face shields, earmuffs and plugs are just some of the safety equipment you need. Taking care of your own safety and that of your employees must be your highest priority.

7. PERFORM MAINTENANCE

Once you start getting a few jobs, you will see how much maintenance you need. We don’t just mean the truck. We also talk about your welder and all equipment on board. Write down everything to keep your maintenance schedule in order!

8. BUILD YOUR REPUTATION

By working hard, being polite, and proving you have a great work ethic, you can increase your credibility and ultimately your client list. Once you get into the industry, you will be there for a lifetime.

Have a good work ethic and work hard. Finally, build a client list and have credibility with your clientele. Credibility comes only from consistently good work and good customer service. Once you make a name for yourself, customers come in.

How to Set up a Welding Rig Truck: TIPS FROM EXPERTS

Here are some tips for those starting their own welding car for the first time. It may be exciting to run your own business and do your own thing as an independent welder, but it can also be exhausting since you are solely responsible for everything that goes wrong.

Give yourself rules

When you run your own business, no one is going to take your breath away to tell you to keep doing your job. So you have to give yourself rules that you will never break. This ensures that you stay on track and stay motivated to always work at your best

Be prepared for all types of work

Independent welders get all kinds of projects and if you have a limited number of services communicate that clearly. You can’t just travel miles to find that you can’t deliver all the services the customer expects you to do.

Have a good work ethic

A good work ethic is an essential part of building a good reputation and reputation in the marketplace.

No distractions

Distractions can be deadly in this industry. Not to mention, you’ll make a lot more mistakes that aren’t easy to undo, arrive late, and end up losing customers.

Be organized

Since you are your own boss, you need to take responsibility for all of your actions and be prepared for any eventuality. Make sure to keep your books in order, keep an eye on your bills, and keep all of your receipts.

Recruit wisely

When choosing a trainee or newbie to help you with your projects, you will find someone who is open to learning, has the right work ethic and is willing to listen and handle criticism well.

If you think you are ready and dedicated enough to own and set up your own welding car, this is definitely the one to go for. As an independent welder, you can take on more responsibility for your projects. You can make more profit and even mentor inexperienced welders and welding contractors.

HOW TO SET UP A WELDING RIG TRUCK: THE PROS AND CONS

PROS

  • Earn a good salary, the exact number varies from state to state. However, as a rig welder, you can make an incredibly large and regular monthly amount
  • Grow your career because welding is so technical and requires a lot of skill to perform well. It’s a great way to keep your career on track.
  • Job openings, while talking specifically about drilling rig welding, this skill can take you into so many industries.

CONS

  • There is a lot of competition in the welding industry
  • It needs a lot of financial capital
  • There’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be done
  • It is a dangerous business, and you need health insurance.

How to Set up a Welding Rig Truck: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

Welding Rig Truck

Here are some frequently asked questions about truck welding:

WHAT IS RIG WELDING?

What is rig welding? Rig welders are usually universal welders who are highly trained in a variety of welding disciplines. They operate on offshore and onshore oil platforms (hence the name).

Since these people are employed as maintenance personnel on these oil rigs, the welding jobs they normally deal with are simple. However, there are situations where high stakes situations arise where they have to play their A game.

The biggest problem for rig welders is the dangerous environment in which they are based. Explosions are very likely, leaving many people entering the welding career extremely stressed.

Due to the large number of flammable substances, all welding work must be performed under certain controlled conditions. As a rule, they adhere to the work permit codes and are qualified for pressure welding (living areas with constant air pressure). It’s safe to say this job has a lot to offer.

HOW TO BECOME A RIG WELDER?

To tell the truth, it mainly comes down to experience and a shipload of preparation. Sure, there are set standards you have to meet to get there, but going the extra mile will flood you with welding opportunities on oil rigs.

It is important that you are a certified welder before applying for drilling jobs. It’s even better if you get some experience first. Why? Because working on rigs is hard enough without having to acquire the necessary skills while you’re there!

WHAT TOOLS ARE NEEDED TO WELD TRUCKS?

In all fairness it depends on the type of work you are planning. Some basic tools include an air compressor, various types and sizes of grinders, cutting tools, pipe cutters, pipe supports, and lighting systems to name a few.

You will definitely want to use personal protective equipment, including goggles, sweat jackets and other personal protective clothing such as face shields and respirators. You should always have different types of filter canisters suitable for different applications, earmuffs or ear plugs.

Chains, clamps, come-a-longs, and various rigging tools such as chokers, slings, etc. are also necessary tools you will need.

HOW MUCH DO RIG WELDERS EARN?

As we briefly mentioned above, as a rig welder you can earn a pretty high salary. Yes, it is largely due to the dangerous factors involved here, but you could say it is more than worth it.

Depending on the state you live (or work in) in, you can expect an annual income of about $ 101,000!

Obviously, this is not easy (starting salary is $ 22,000). But you can absolutely get there if you’re committed, determined, and incredibly motivated.

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