# Plumbing or pipefitting. Young guy needing help!



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Hey all I am a second year apprentice in both plumbing and pipefitting (i took the ELT course)

I have enough hours to go back for my second year but not sure which direction i should go

Im mostly doing schedule 80 Compressed air lines (Threaded), Copper pipe, schedule 40 Heating lines and victaulic clamp up.

I am liking it but I'm not sure which direction I want my life to go in right now, I wanted some advice for a young guy like me (20) What would be my best opportunities.

Is plumbing or pipefitting a better trade in your guys opinion? Would going for my plumbing ticket first be a good idea? If you could go back would you choose one or the other? These are things I can't decide upon. Including the fact going the plumbing route i might be able to stay in BC

I am signed up as a pipefitter but they can switch my hours over to plumbing since I have not sent them into the ITA


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

If I were you I'd go the fitter route. I've been in the trades 7 years as a commercial plumber. I had the same option as a second year... I chose plumbing at the direction of the shop owner I was working for, 2 years later, he sold and I was laid off for 17 months.. My buddy who went as a fitter worked every day, and was paid to take time off twice. The work tends to be cleaner, and if you can get into commercial refrigeration you can pretty much work anywhere.


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Flyout95 said:


> If I were you I'd go the fitter route. I've been in the trades 7 years as a commercial plumber. I had the same option as a second year... I chose plumbing at the direction of the shop owner I was working for, 2 years later, he sold and I was laid off for 17 months.. My buddy who went as a fitter worked every day, and was paid to take time off twice. The work tends to be cleaner, and if you can get into commercial refrigeration you can pretty much work anywhere.


That being said, fitters tend to be uglier, and have fatter wives.... I also enjoy plumbing more than fitting as around where I am at, most of the "thinking" for fitters is done in a cubicle, and the fitters just match up number and pipe by numbers.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Hmm being laid off or have a fat wife... you are making this hard haha/.


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

younggun said:


> Hmm being laid off or have a fat wife... you are making this hard haha/.


It all depends on your area too, ask around to guys you know, check Craigslist and indeed , see what types of shops are hiring. Also... Do you want to protect the health of the nation? Or do you want make sure some ice cream freezer stays cold?


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Im confused with your ice cream comment, As to my knowledge pipefitting is bolt up flanges, Beveled pipe for welders, Steel/black iron , and victaulic pipe. mostly bolt up and beveled if I were to go to alberta


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

younggun said:


> Im confused with your ice cream comment, As to my knowledge pipefitting is bolt up flanges, Beveled pipe for welders, Steel/black iron , and victaulic pipe. mostly bolt up and beveled if I were to go to alberta


Fitters do a lot of refrigeration too. But if I were you I'd bite the bullet, find a fattie and get welding.


----------



## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

younggun said:


> Hey all I am a second year apprentice in both plumbing and pipefitting (i took the ELT course) I have enough hours to go back for my second year but not sure which direction i should go Im mostly doing schedule 80 Compressed air lines (Threaded), Copper pipe, schedule 40 Heating lines and victaulic clamp up. I am liking it but I'm not sure which direction I want my life to go in right now, I wanted some advice for a young guy like me (20) What would be my best opportunities. Is plumbing or pipefitting a better trade in your guys opinion? Would going for my plumbing ticket first be a good idea? If you could go back would you choose one or the other? These are things I can't decide upon. Including the fact going the plumbing route i might be able to stay in BC I am signed up as a pipefitter but they can switch my hours over to plumbing since I have not sent them into the ITA


Have you posted a proper intro in the intro section?


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Yeah haha do you know if your a journeyman pipefitting you can challenge your plumbing ITA or just the other way around ?

And HSI I do not understand your question


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

HSI said:


> Have you posted a proper intro in the intro section?


Yea, really, younggun getting in here without knowing a folding ruler and MOENTROL????


----------



## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

Pipe fitter or industrial plumber. Union if you can.

Service and repair and rooter is overcrowded.. Residential and commercial construction are zombies.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

What is the difference between commercial and industrial . I am at an air force hanger currently doing all types of water lines , heating lines , vav units and compressed air. Would that be considered industrial?


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

younggun said:


> What is the difference between commercial and industrial . I am at an air force hanger currently doing all types of water lines , heating lines , vav units and compressed air. Would that be considered industrial?


Post your intro!


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

What does that mean?


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

It means go to the introduction section, and properly introduce yourself. You should have gotten a personal message when you signed up asking you to do it. Tell us about your plumbing related experience.


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

younggun said:


> What does that mean?


Palm face


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Letterrip said:


> It means go to the introduction section, and properly introduce yourself. You should have gotten a personal message when you signed up asking you to do it. Tell us about your plumbing related experience.


Ok thank you I will


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

No laying off in either trade in Alberta dude... Do what you want....


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

The problem is I'm not sure which either one consists of.

If i will just be grinding pipe then I do not want to be a pipefitter. I enjoy threaded steel pipe and taking measurements And calculating offsets and what not

Just as I do not want to be snaking toilets and fixing sinks. Does commercial/industrial plumbing consist of heating and cooling pipes or is that more pipefitting


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I may be way off, because I don't know everything pipefitters do. The plumbing trade is huge and there are numerous directions you can go inside the plumbing trade alone. Sounds like your leaning that way???? Plus don't you want a skinny wife?


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Yep...it does. That is a misconcetion of plumbers.... Sure you can do that stuff....if your a resi plumber in service, which I am...

A industrial/commercial plumber could tell you a lot.... There are many on here....they will chime in.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Yeah I do not want to make the mistake of going one way that I will regret, And i could stay local If i went the Plumbing route. But the big oil boom has me leaning the pipefitting side. Sorry for my indecisiveness guys, But im trying to choose the direction my whole life goes right now I am having difficulties. 

And I prefer dead Prime Ministers over a wife, skinny or large any day


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Your young.... You could get 2 tickets... The oil boom doesn't mean it has to be pipefitting.....

Dead prime ministers????wtf


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Dead prime ministers meaning money


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Sir robert bordens and such..


----------



## red_devil (Mar 23, 2011)

I got my plumbing license and started working resi/commercial. Now I do large scale comercial (schools, stadiums etc.). We have plumbers and pipe fitters working for us. The plumber can do anything to do with piping. The fitters tend to only work with a welder fitting. They both enjoy what they do but the plumbers tend to have more options work wise. 

I Like to fit because its a challenge to me to better my skills since I never started as a fitter only. But if I had to do it again, I would still have my plumbing license first. Get the meat done than get the potatoes. That being said its all up to your preference. If you enjoy fitting, be a fitter. If you would rather plumb, be a plumber.And remeber, you won't be working for your current employer your whole life so make sure you pick based on jobs available not just what your doing right at the moment.


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Could you imagine if the movie Dead Presidents was call "Dead Prime Ministers" eh? 

I through the eh in there so you Canadians wouldn't need a translator.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

+1 with red_devil. Do both and in the order he suggested. 

Based solely on what you have posted, I think you will be happier long term as a fitter. But earning your plumbing credentials will make you a better fitter. As a fitter you will learn more about "how" to run pipe. As a Plumber, you will likely learn more about "why" you ran it that way.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

I have been doing commercial/industrial plumbing & pipefitting for 20 yrs now and there is the ole saying that YOU CAN TAKE A PLUMBER AND MAKE A PIPE FITTER OUT OF HIM,BUT U CANT TAKE A FITTER AND MAKE A PLUMBER OUT OF HIM!!!!! I can't stress how much I believe this statement as I bein a plumber learned pipefitting after getting a plumbing license and in the company's I worked for they allowed fitters to get their plumbing license but they just never could really catch on to the trade or they were so set in their ways that they wouldn't listen to the plumbers tryin to teach them.

To answer your question tho,just remember this,ALL work in pipe fitting is very heavy hard azz work lifting pullin tuggin on sch 40 steel pipe even with proper equipment you still have to manhandle it most of the times and all fitters I know have very bad backs after 10yrs in the field,dude I'm telling u fitting is some hard azz heavy lifting work that I don't do anymore for that reason,just do plumbing that's it.dont hurt to learn the trade but remember what I have told u on here today 20yrs down the road!!!


One more thing bout bein a fitter,is you are constantly everyday standing over a chain vise waitin for welder to tack it together and u are breathing the toxic fumes coming up from the weld,causes lung cancer plus your hands and fingers stay burnt up all the time.


You can take a plumber and make a pipe fitter out of him,but you can't take a pipe fitter and make a plumber out of him!!!!!!true statement for sure


----------



## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

sparky said:


> I have been doing commercial/industrial plumbing & pipefitting for 20 yrs now and there is the ole saying that YOU CAN TAKE A PLUMBER AND MAKE A PIPE FITTER OUT OF HIM,BUT U CANT TAKE A FITTER AND MAKE A PLUMBER OUT OF HIM!!!!! I can't stress how much I believe this statement as I bein a plumber learned pipefitting after getting a plumbing license and in the company's I worked for they allowed fitters to get their plumbing license but they just never could really catch on to the trade or they were so set in their ways that they wouldn't listen to the plumbers tryin to teach them.
> 
> To answer your question tho,just remember this,ALL work in pipe fitting is very heavy hard azz work lifting pullin tuggin on sch 40 steel pipe even with proper equipment you still have to manhandle it most of the times and all fitters I know have very bad backs after 10yrs in the field,dude I'm telling u fitting is some hard azz heavy lifting work that I don't do anymore for that reason,just do plumbing that's it.dont hurt to learn the trade but remember what I have told u on here today 20yrs down the road!!!
> 
> ...


I always though a great mix would be a plumbing and electrical J cards. I know a few guys with that mix, but one of the licenses was fudged on the experience---like uncle owns a electrical shop and signs off on the J'man application.

HVAC is still the way to go, though.


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

younggun said:


> The problem is I'm not sure which either one consists of. If i will just be grinding pipe then I do not want to be a pipefitter. I enjoy threaded steel pipe and taking measurements And calculating offsets and what not Just as I do not want to be snaking toilets and fixing sinks. Does commercial/industrial plumbing consist of heating and cooling pipes or is that more pipefitting


Commercial and industrial service still consists of snaking

You could do new construction and not have to do that


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Here comes your bride, all fat and wide....


----------



## ]3ones (Jun 9, 2011)

Be a plumber kid. You won't grow up to be angry drunk never home drunk and drunk lol I'm a steamfitter/pipefitter and I'll tell u in plumbing u have alotmore options and u can take ur career in any direction u want including self employment. 

If u want to be more versatile be a plumber. Oh and if u have to ask this question in the first place it means u should be a plumber cuz steamfitters are born u can't make us lol


----------



## ]3ones (Jun 9, 2011)

Flyout95 said:


> Here comes your bride, all fat and wide....


Now that's what I call sexy too bad she's takin


----------



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

*I did both*

I get the best of both worlds. Because I worked as a fitter, it gave me the experience and know-how to become an industrial plumber. I usually work at nukes, refineries and coal burners. Usually it's just the domestic piping in those places, but next week, I am going to pop the top of a 20" check valve on on the intakes for a nuke cooling lake, and either fix it, or see what I need to fix it. I would agree with sparky, a good plumber can do anything in the pipetrades, but most fitters can't/won't plumb.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Flyout95 said:


> Here comes your bride, all fat and wide....


She always got her hand out at end of the week wanting that paycheck,u have to work overtime just to feed that fine wife of yours!!!always heard "more cushion for the pushin"!!!!


----------



## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

Be a plumber best thing going


----------



## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

sparky said:


> I have been doing commercial/industrial plumbing & pipefitting for 20 yrs now and there is the ole saying that YOU CAN TAKE A PLUMBER AND MAKE A PIPE FITTER OUT OF HIM,BUT U CANT TAKE A FITTER AND MAKE A PLUMBER OUT OF HIM!!!!! I can't stress how much I believe this statement as I bein a plumber learned pipefitting after getting a plumbing license and in the company's I worked for they allowed fitters to get their plumbing license but they just never could really catch on to the trade or they were so set in their ways that they wouldn't listen to the plumbers tryin to teach them.
> 
> To answer your question tho,just remember this,ALL work in pipe fitting is very heavy hard azz work lifting pullin tuggin on sch 40 steel pipe even with proper equipment you still have to manhandle it most of the times and all fitters I know have very bad backs after 10yrs in the field,dude I'm telling u fitting is some hard azz heavy lifting work that I don't do anymore for that reason,just do plumbing that's it.dont hurt to learn the trade but remember what I have told u on here today 20yrs down the road!!!
> 
> ...


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

I think fitters last longer than commercial plumbers. At least around here.


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Go back to college.


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Join the circus.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

RW Plumbing said:


> Go back to college.


Smartest and best answer I have read all day long


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

sparky said:


> Smartest and best answer I have read all day long


If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't be a plumber today. As it stands I have 11 years in and a masters license. It's a bit late for a career change. I was smart enough to do anything I wanted college wise I just didn't take it seriously. The trade is declining fast, and there isn't the money in it anymore like it used to be. Get out while you can.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

RW Plumbing said:


> If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't be a plumber today. As it stands I have 11 years in and a masters license. It's a bit late for a career change. I was smart enough to do anything I wanted college wise I just didn't take it seriously. The trade is declining fast, and there isn't the money in it anymore like it used to be. Get out while you can.


I agree with everything you have said, there is no money in any type of construction


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

RW Plumbing said:


> If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't be a plumber today. As it stands I have 11 years in and a masters license. It's a bit late for a career change. I was smart enough to do anything I wanted college wise I just didn't take it seriously. The trade is declining fast, and there isn't the money in it anymore like it used to be. Get out while you can.


How is there no money to be made? If anything there is becoming a shortage of plumbers


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Ptturner91 said:


> How is there no money to be made? If anything there is becoming a shortage of plumbers


Materials are goin higher and higher every day and every time I go to mailbox there is someone that has got their hand out wantin money and the cost of livin keeps goin up and up and up


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

sparky said:


> Materials are goin higher and higher every day and every time I go to mailbox there is someone that has got their hand out wantin money and the cost of livin keeps goin up and up and up



If you are in business for yourself and your wife doesn't have a job makin 40,000.00 or more per yr plus have insurance on you as well,then most likely you will not make it in that business unless you have plenty of money already and if a person has plenty of money why do plumbing or any hard back breaking work???


----------



## Ptturner91 (Oct 13, 2012)

sparky said:


> Materials are goin higher and higher every day and every time I go to mailbox there is someone that has got their hand out wantin money and the cost of livin keeps goin up and up and up


 So you increase your rate, have to include overhead I'm in ontario there is a shortage of skilled trades, most plumbers working for somebody make at least 70 grand a year and it's not very rare for a guy in service to make 100 + with some overtime


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

So go plumbing or go back to school lol ,


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

I have a few regrets left on my table that have not been completely worked through. Not getting a college degree is one of them.

If I had it to do all over again, college would have been first but I would still want to be right where I am doing what I am doing. The viability of the plumbing trade as a good career has much more to do with you than it does the trade.

Pay raises become effective when you do.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

plbgbiz said:


> I have a few regrets left on my table that have not been completely worked through. Not getting a college degree is one of them.
> 
> If I had it to do all over again, college would have been first but I would still want to be right where I am doing what I am doing. The viability of the plumbing trade as a good career has much more to do with you than it does the trade.
> 
> Pay raises become effective when you do.


A lot of it depends on where you live also,most of the people on this forum live in or around a fairly large city and that makes a world of difference as to how you charge and how you run a business.where I live in a rural area you can only charge so much and that is it


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

It also depends on if you like people. I hate people. Last thing I want to do is serve someone. So I'll never to residential service. Commercial service I don't mind, normally an engineer-janitor-secretary walks you to the problem and then goes away.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Flyout95 said:


> It also depends on if you like people. I hate people. Last thing I want to do is serve someone. So I'll never to residential service. Commercial service I don't mind, normally an engineer-janitor-secretary walks you to the problem and then goes away.


I know what you mean,when I first had my business from 2000-2004 I absolutely hated I mean I hated to hand the people a bill and seein their faces sour up.didnt mind the work at all,but come bill time I would cringe handing it to them and havin to listen to them ***** and cry about how much it was,now tho it don't bother me like it used to,I just want to get my money and leave


----------



## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

See post below.


----------



## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> I have a few regrets left on my table that have not been completely worked through. Not getting a college degree is one of them.
> 
> If I had it to do all over again, college would have been first but I would still want to be right where I am doing what I am doing.


At least you didn't accumulate a massive amount of debt, would have been tough to start your business with $90,000 to pay back in student loans. 

I'm not sure how accurate this graph actually is but it actually suggests that a college degree doesn't necessarily improve unemployment statistics.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Thanks for everyone's insight I think I am going to switch over to the plumbing route and see how it goes. Will be making quite a bit less money then flying out to camp as a pipefitter but there's always more time. Thanks guys


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

But theres little to no work I can find for plumbers and A LOT of work for pipefitters, oh the decisions


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

why choose , do both .


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

justme said:


> why choose , do both .


The way the job openings look I want to go the pipefitting route, People are saying I won't be able to challenge my plumbing ITA though.


----------



## BC73RS (Jan 25, 2014)

younggun said:


> The way the job openings look I want to go the pipefitting route, People are saying I won't be able to challenge my plumbing ITA though.


No you can't, but if you choose to get your plumbing ticket first you'll get your gas ticket too. The transition to pipe fitting will be a lot easier if you choose to do so.


----------



## gdplmr (Apr 17, 2014)

*plumber/fitter*

A plumber can fit but a fitter can't plumb. My grandfather was a plumber and my father as well. My uncle became a fitter as he was traumatised as a young child. (True story) after 30 years I would have to say be a plumber but fit when you can. Drain cleaning is a different story altogether. The more you know the more you make. There is no loyalty in this trade so think like a free agent baseball player. If you got talent exploit the heck out of it. Lord knows your employer will!


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

gdplmr said:


> A plumber can fit but a fitter can't plumb. My grandfather was a plumber and my father as well. My uncle became a fitter as he was traumatised as a young child. (True story) after 30 years I would have to say be a plumber but fit when you can. Drain cleaning is a different story altogether. The more you know the more you make. There is no loyalty in this trade so think like a free agent baseball player. If you got talent exploit the heck out of it. Lord knows your employer will!


 Been warned.. 2nd time here without introduction..


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mike454 said:


> If anyone wants more jobs in the midwest (Illinois and surrounding states) inbox me. Several companies went out out of business now we have access to their customers. WE NEED HELP SERVICING!!! visit our page www.ifloodservices.com


 Who let this pimp in here?


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

rjbphd said:


> Who let this pimp in here?


Don't know RJ,but i will be the bouncer and you can be the cooler. Roadhouse style


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> Who let this pimp in here?


...


----------



## gdplmr (Apr 17, 2014)

BTW what is the difference between a plumber and a fitter?
A Plumber is responsible for the health of a Nation!
A fitter not so much, and their noses tend to get brown.


----------



## arie stratus (Apr 14, 2014)

Ptturner91 said:


> Palm face


Face palm jeeeez Lol


----------



## BC73RS (Jan 25, 2014)

The arrogance on this web site can get very irritating at times.


----------



## SSP (Dec 14, 2013)

Be a real man and be a plumber. Or be smarter man and be a plumber, then transition over. But really, its a no-brainer plumbing is the CADILLAC of alllll trades for a reason.... you're potential to be a prime contractor is there, as well as the fact that you get several sub-trades under you.. meaning you learn so so much more on a vaster range outside of your trade. Sprinkler fitters, pipe-fitters/steam fitters, gas-fitting, HVAC, AC & Controls, Welders etc etc you see plumbers are pipe-fitters, we fit pipe all day everyday, the only difference is plumbers are crazy more capable and versatile than pipe-fitters as all they do is fit larger heavier duty piping spools... which is a slow process, meaning the learning curve is about as fast. 

Back in the day as a journeyman plumber in the union you could pull a slip and simply be a pipe-fitter/steam-fitter... But they abolished that here in Canada and now as a plumber you only get accredited your first year of pipe-fitting steam fitting, which is all good because its only a 3 year program. But as a plumber i believe you get credited you first year welding and if nothing else a good foot in the door for any sub-trade if you decide to downgrade down the road.

Lucky for you, i happen to be a journeyman plumber that made the transition to pipe-fitting and back to plumbing. So i have first hand experience and let me tell you how it is here in Alberta Canada... probably equatable to any large plumbing union i suppose.. but i digress! 
It is simply CRIMINAL working as a pipe-fitter in the patch.. here is why; high wages, minimal effort required, massive sacrifices mandatory
I was hired at entry level and within two months i was being paid full journeyman wage + my own vehicle and was the primary driver for my region. It was that easy, after being a plumber for 6 years and i was lucky enough to work under a solid jman who not only knew his sh1t but was the only guy who didn't call me a sh1tter fitter everyday lol I don't know about the rest of the world but the pipe-fitters union in canada is one of the most powerful and have a monopoly on the country pretty much as there is no such thing as a pipe-fitter who runs a 3 man shop locally ... its alll industrial, and what that means is camp-life. Basically throw everything you ever learned out the window about working fast n hard because that is not an industrial prerogative.. i was threatened many times to "tone it down" on the work ethic, and eventually believe it or not was why i departed from the fitting world. Most of the work available is out of town, and ANY job is only ever temporary until completion, then expect a little lay-off break if you haven't learned the art of fellatio yet. I was working 5 hours north of where i lived, fenced off property, hours from civilization, 21-28 days on 5-7 off, 12 Hour days, OT after 80 HRS, camp life means camp food, and everything was paid for. This site was on an 11 Billion Dollar project that handled massive amounts of methane, butane, and several other gasses/substances... and they projected to have it paid off within 4 months of operation  
... which is why everybody stretches the work out as much as possible, its usually Cost Plus projects, and the more hours logged the more profitable for the contractors. 
It felt like prison at times, some camps have no internet, no cell service, and no means of leaving . You get a crappy cook and your screwed for a month... the process of which is extremely profitable though as journeyman fitters can sub out at $75/HR + OT & benefits , easily taking home $10000+ a month . Most guys i met though were moronic oil patch guys off the rigs were were 4 or 5 years in but never got a blue-book or cared to advance themselves which blew my mind.

But all in all it wasn't for me, a necessary experience it was though as it changed my entire perspective on work and gave me some industrial experience in the oil-field. But ultimately the feeling of being a caged animal isolated from my family and loved ones inspired me to manage my time more effectively and taught me the true value of the plumbing trade that i hadn't seen before since i didn't have any other job prior to plumbing i took for granted the complexity of a trade i invested blood, sweat and tears to master. I lasted only a few months before the job closed and i got the lay off along with a dozen other newly hired guys. I racked up some serious hours and cake tho, which allowed me to challenge the exam and fund the start of my own business. I decided standing around and trying to act or appear busy all day while cleverly pretending to work was just a serious drag and mis-use of my time and my potential. I figured i could make more money if i actually grinded hard everyday like i was accustomed to, with almost a decade of experience in the city, where competition is fierce and there are no friends, every job &/or task has more significance and more value when you are working towards something greater for yourself. 

So i guess the real question you need to ask yourself is how lazy or motivated are you? Single or married? Fresh relationships never last in the patch, you will never meet more depressed sulking old drunks whining about how their wife fooled around on them... any why wouldn't she when you're home 1.5 months a year? Are you like everyone else your age and want to make as much money as possible while putting in the least amount of effort? That's what makes pipe-fitting appealing, but there isn't much to fall back on. 

Best of luck with whichever route you choose! :thumbup:


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

SSP said:


> Be a real man and be a plumber. Or be smarter man and be a plumber, then transition over. But really, its a no-brainer plumbing is the CADILLAC of alllll trades for a reason.... you're potential to be a prime contractor is there, as well as the fact that you get several sub-trades under you.. meaning you learn so so much more on a vaster range outside of your trade. Sprinkler fitters, pipe-fitters/steam fitters, gas-fitting, HVAC, AC & Controls, Welders etc etc you see plumbers are pipe-fitters, we fit pipe all day everyday, the only difference is plumbers are crazy more capable and versatile than pipe-fitters as all they do is fit larger heavier duty piping spools... which is a slow process, meaning the learning curve is about as fast.
> 
> Back in the day as a journeyman plumber in the union you could pull a slip and simply be a pipe-fitter/steam-fitter... But they abolished that here in Canada and now as a plumber you only get accredited your first year of pipe-fitting steam fitting, which is all good because its only a 3 year program. But as a plumber i believe you get credited you first year welding and if nothing else a good foot in the door for any sub-trade if you decide to downgrade down the road.
> 
> ...


I used to be in the local plumbers /pipe fitters union before they got split up and I was sent to work as a fitter at a General Motors (Gm) corvette plant and me bein a plumber went in head first a gittin it and they let me know real fast to slow it down and it was gonna be at their pace which was as slow as I had ever worked,I mean it took from 6:00am till 1:00pm just to figure out how long a hanger was gonna be,didn't cut no rod or make them,just all us educated men figuring out how long one hanger needed to be.it killed me to work like that but I put up with it till job was over with a yr later.it was kinda like bein gang-raped,after a while you just lay back and take it.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

SSP & Sparky,

WOW! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

SSP said:


> Be a real man and be a plumber. Or be smarter man and be a plumber, then transition over. But really, its a no-brainer plumbing is the CADILLAC of alllll trades for a reason.... you're potential to be a prime contractor is there, as well as the fact that you get several sub-trades under you.. meaning you learn so so much more on a vaster range outside of your trade. Sprinkler fitters, pipe-fitters/steam fitters, gas-fitting, HVAC, AC & Controls, Welders etc etc you see plumbers are pipe-fitters, we fit pipe all day everyday, the only difference is plumbers are crazy more capable and versatile than pipe-fitters as all they do is fit larger heavier duty piping spools... which is a slow process, meaning the learning curve is about as fast.
> 
> Back in the day as a journeyman plumber in the union you could pull a slip and simply be a pipe-fitter/steam-fitter... But they abolished that here in Canada and now as a plumber you only get accredited your first year of pipe-fitting steam fitting, which is all good because its only a 3 year program. But as a plumber i believe you get credited you first year welding and if nothing else a good foot in the door for any sub-trade if you decide to downgrade down the road.
> 
> ...


You do not know how helpful this post was and what just reading that means to me , thank you so much you answered every question I have had. In a new relationship (3 months) and my girlfriend says she could handle me being away but I don't think our relationship would last. Now me being the person I am I have never been one to let girls get in the way of me making money, however every guy I have met from the patch is just as you said, an angry old divorced drunk/cokehead. 

I'm young, already own 3 vehicles and have a Down payment on a house, the money would be nice but I think the way I manage money I could be very successful in the plumbing industry after reading these comments.

Thank you for your insight you really helped me out a lot .


----------



## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

younggun said:


> You do not know how helpful this post was and what just reading that means to me , thank you so much you answered every question I have had. In a new relationship (3 months) and my girlfriend says she could handle me being away but I don't think our relationship would last. Now me being the person I am I have never been one to let girls get in the way of me making money, however every guy I have met from the patch is just as you said, an angry old divorced drunk/cokehead. I'm young, already own 3 vehicles and have a Down payment on a house, the money would be nice but I think the way I manage money I could be very successful in the plumbing industry after reading these comments. Thank you for your insight you really helped me out a lot .


And you don't want a fatty.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

Flyout95 said:


> And you don't want a fatty.


I <3 the fattys, they will have to get left behind due to my career choice though... The sacrifices


----------



## DODplumber73 (Apr 29, 2014)

Either way you go you can't lose! I started out service and repair, did that for 19 yrs. Now I'm employed with the department of defense USAF and am classified as a pipefitter for the last 3 yrs. I enjoy both equally. But with the economy the way it is I would have to recommend you lean more towards the pipefitter side. Good luck and keep on plumbing


----------



## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

DODplumber73 said:


> Either way you go you can't lose! I started out service and repair, did that for 19 yrs. Now I'm employed with the department of defense USAF and am classified as a pipefitter for the last 3 yrs. I enjoy both equally. But with the economy the way it is I would have to recommend you lean more towards the pipefitter side. Good luck and keep on plumbing


Who are you? Can you do a proper intro?


----------



## fhrooter72 (Apr 12, 2011)

If I was 20 and had it to do all over again, I'd go into the Oil industry. Start off as a rough neck, go to school and work your way up. Know several guys that went that route and it worked out well. The oil industry is booming again and good opportunities for a young guy.


----------



## younggun (Apr 12, 2014)

fhrooter72 said:


> If I was 20 and had it to do all over again, I'd go into the Oil industry. Start off as a rough neck, go to school and work your way up. Know several guys that went that route and it worked out well. The oil industry is booming again and good opportunities for a young guy.


The oil industry meaning pipefitter??!?


----------



## arie stratus (Apr 14, 2014)

younggun said:


> The oil industry meaning pipefitter??!?


Being a rough neck is no fun. I tried for two days and I was like hell nah


----------

