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Welded up a water pump plug for a lemons car

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Gamble97

15+ Year Contributor
2,642
63
Jan 3, 2006
small town, Illinois
Someone locally wanted a water pump plug welded for a lemons car he is building and he is using an inline water pump. He is a machinist and made a few plugs and asked me to weld these in for him. So before he came over I heated up the powder coating oven to 400 and when he got there I let it bake for 10minutes, took it out and wire brushed it for a bit, turned off the oven and threw it back in there. It probably got down to 300* or so and I let it sit in there for 30-45minutes. Got side tracked chasing my 2 year old around.
Took it out and wire brushed it again. Had to wait for it to cool so the acetone wouldn't just evaporate. Went around the area with 3/32 red, 15cfh, and 100amps and no filler. Then wire brush again. Then did the weld and used filler.
I forgot to take a pic so I asked the guy to send me a pic and this is what he took of before and after.

What would you guys charge for this? I charged him $80
 

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i effin hate people that charge 80 dollar minimum for a small job that takes you 10 minutes. that weld doesnt look that great, for 80 bucks id at least expect a clean bead. ive seen you do much better in the other welding thread.

Edit: how ever if you did like 3 or 4 $80 is probably fair. that right there though looks like a $30 dollar job.
 
i effin hate people that charge 80 dollar minimum for a small job that takes you 10 minutes. that weld doesnt look that great, for 80 bucks id at least expect a clean bead. ive seen you do much better in the other welding thread.

Edit: how ever if you did like 3 or 4 $80 is probably fair. that right there though looks like a $30 dollar job.

Don't be so ignorant. Not only is it my time, you have to add for consumables, cleaning, prep and skill level. Some of you guys have no idea how much work and skill is actually involved in doing a job and that the equipment is EXPENSIVE and you want it to pay for itself and then some.
There was 3 that needed to be welded, plus I spent a lot of time cleaning it. The car is from the 70s so I wasn't sure what I was in for with all the nasty oil, grease and other crap that has been cooked into the metal.

Would you pay someone $80 to paint your wall in your house if it only takes them 10minutes of actual paint job............little do you know there is more work in prep than actual welding. Same with painting, welding, powder coating etc etc.

Edit: and he wanted it done that same day. I had lots of other things to do but for a little price I'll put you ahead of the list.
 
I completely agree. I am a service writer for a dealership and I hate trying to get people to understand that the building doesn't pay for itself..... "why is it so much!!!!" When you figure in the techs hourly rate and equipment used and chemicals bla bla bla its actually cheap.
 
Don't be so ignorant. Not only is it my time, you have to add for consumables, cleaning, prep and skill level. Some of you guys have no idea how much work and skill is actually involved in doing a job and that the equipment is EXPENSIVE and you want it to pay for itself and then some.
There was 3 that needed to be welded, plus I spent a lot of time cleaning it. The car is from the 70s so I wasn't sure what I was in for with all the nasty oil, grease and other crap that has been cooked into the metal.

Would you pay someone $80 to paint your wall in your house if it only takes them 10minutes of actual paint job............little do you know there is more work in prep than actual welding. Same with painting, welding, powder coating etc etc.

Edit: and he wanted it done that same day. I had lots of other things to do but for a little price I'll put you ahead of the list.

not little do i know, an argon fill is 35 bucks for over 3 hours of welding ( a 3 ft tall bottle like i have, and it gets cheaper the larger bottle you go.) that does not justify 80 dollars, skill sure. cleaning? C'mon, wire wheel takes 2 seconds spray some Acitone, then some compressed air to dry it whire wheel it some more good to weld. you didnt even use filler for half the job so you said in your OP so that doesnt contribute to material needed. and there is no way in hell you used enough tungsten to justify that either. Unless you were constantly dipping it and were in need of consistant regrinds. i have a TIG and am actually going to school for this shit. Like i said 80 dollars is reasonable for like 3 or 4, but definitely not 1. so in turn, because you did 3, yes thats reasonable. still though, those beads don't look as good as other ones i've seen by you in the other thread. :idontknow:

Edit: i agree expiditing should be charged extra as well. in summary, VERY reasonable for 3, not for just one.
 
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not little do i know, an argon fill is 35 bucks for over 3 hours of welding ( a 3 ft tall bottle like i have, and it gets cheaper the larger bottle you go.) that does not justify 80 dollars, skill sure. cleaning? C'mon, wire wheel takes 2 seconds spray some brake cleaner, then some compressed air to dry it whire wheel it some more good to weld. you didnt even use filler for half the job so you said in your OP so that doesnt contribute to material needed. and there is no way in hell you used enough tungsten to justify that either. Unless you were constantly dipping it and were in need of consistant regrinds. i have a TIG and am actually going to school for this shit. Like i said 80 dollars is reasonable for like 3 or 4, but definitely not 1. so in turn, because you did 3, yes thats reasonable. still though, those beads don't look as good as other ones i've seen by you in the other thread. :idontknow:

Edit: i agree expiditing should be charged extra as well. in summary, VERY reasonable for 3, not for just one.

I wish argon was $35. Mine is almost $70 for a fill. I didn't use filler on the first pass to CLEAN the material and bring the impurities to the top. Also you still must be very new to this because you DO NOT use brake cleaner unless you have a death wish. I don't use a wire wheel, I do it with a brush by hand. And yes of course it doesn't look as good as my normal welds because it's CAST aluminum. :ohdamn:
Don't worry you will learn.
 
I wish argon was $35. Mine is almost $70 for a fill. I didn't use filler on the first pass to CLEAN the material and bring the impurities to the top. Also you still must be very new to this because you DO NOT use brake cleaner unless you have a death wish. I don't use a wire wheel, I do it with a brush by hand. And yes of course it doesn't look as good as my normal welds because it's CAST aluminum. :ohdamn:
Don't worry you will learn.

Agreed, the phosgene gas given off from welding after cleaning from brake clean can easily put you in the hospital or kill you.
 
i was saying clean it the. let it dry whats wrong with that? not that i have ever done it but ut does evaporate completely, not like your going to die from spraying it and comming back a day later to weld on it or even half a day. i guess you chiose to charge more cause you choose to wire brush by hand? LOL
 
Most brake cleaners sold today are non-chlorinated, so safety is a non issue anymore. I only use acetone for cleaning though.

What would you guys charge for this? I charged him $80
My guy would have charged me about $30. Maybe $40 if he used helium. But he also wouldn't have spent nearly as much time on prep either.

And if you can get $80 for it, then more power to you man. :thumb: :)
 
I would of charged an even $100 if I had to weld up something that old and dirty... and have it be water tight under pressure... Good Price, and good work.

That's what I thought too.

Most brake cleaners sold today are non-chlorinated, so safety is a non issue anymore. I only use acetone for cleaning though.


My guy would have charged me about $30. Maybe $40 if he used helium. But he also wouldn't have spent nearly as much time on prep either.

And if you can get $80 for it, then more power to you man. :thumb: :)
Return customers get discounts.....and you know this man! ROFL :hellyeah:
I would of charged more if I had to use helium since it's almost depleted.


Doesn't look like a $80 job to me.:hmm:

Sorry should have more more specific. This is directed towards people that do welding. LOL


NOT THAT I HAVE USED BRAKE CLEANER ON MY WELDS!:ohdamn: CAUSE I HAVENT...

Just never mention welding and brake clean in the same sentence and you will be fine. Use acetone.
 
Ever heard of Wasserstrom & Sons Inc.? But then again, you live in America. You can charge whatever you want. To add on about living in America, I wouldn't pay $80 for something that ugly. I guess you charged that because you used that much weld? :aha:
 
I wish argon was $35. Mine is almost $70 for a fill. I didn't use filler on the first pass to CLEAN the material and bring the impurities to the top. Also you still must be very new to this because you DO NOT use brake cleaner unless you have a death wish. I don't use a wire wheel, I do it with a brush by hand. And yes of course it doesn't look as good as my normal welds because it's CAST aluminum. :ohdamn:
Don't worry you will learn.

Your 70 dollar fill will get you well over 8 hours of welding though, cause you have a huge ass tank, if you have a small 3 footer like i do you are getting RIPPED the hell off on argon and should look elsewhere. a wire wheel would get it almost to a polish clean.... and your cast welds wouldn't look like ass, ive seen some very good cast welds in that other thread on the water pipe filler necks. it not take nearly as much time or effort cutting down the cost to your customer using power tools, the only reason i would pay 80 bucks for a SINGLE one of those is if there was no one else that could do it. and that's what i was charged before i bought my welder, and i said eff that. Although, like i said for 3 that is a reasonable price.
 
Ever heard of Wasserstrom & Sons Inc.? But then again, you live in America. You can charge whatever you want. To add on about living in America, I wouldn't pay $80 for something that ugly. I guess you charged that because you used that much weld? :aha:

It's his time, so he can charge what ever the hell he wants to charge. Lets see some of your aluminum welding jobs to compare to his UGLY weld. I assume that you don't weld though because you called filler weld.

your 70 dollar fill will get you well over 8 hours of welding though, cause you have a huge ass tank, if you have a small 3 footer like i do you are getting RIPPED the hell off on argon and should look elseware. a wire wheel would get it almost to a polish clean.... and your cast welds wouldent look like ass, ive seen some very good cast welds in that other thread on the water pipe filler necks. it not take nearly as much time or effort cutting down the cost to your customer using power tools, the only reason i would pay 80 bucks for a SINGLE one of those is if there was no one else that could do it. and thats what i was charged before i bought my welder, and i said eff that. Althogh, like i said for 3 that is a reasonable price.

Just quit, seriously. You are new to this, he has been doing it for a long time. I am not surprised that you are still talking though.
 
Just quit, seriously. You are new to this, he has been doing it for a long time. I am not surprised that you are still talking though.

He asked. I did this in highschool long ago, and have been doing it consistently for about a month so yes I'm new.. but i can spot quality and pare a cost for it. completely relevent to the OP
 
If your worried about that brake cleaner don't forget that red tungsten is radioactive :D

LOL i use an inverter with Ceriated Tungsten and dont use break cleaner. i just use a wire brush/wheel. ill admit it was a stupid suggestion.

i also dont see the need for OP to make another welding thread when he already has a "most recent welding pictures" thread.
 
If your worried about that brake cleaner don't forget that red tungsten is radioactive :D

The radiation from thorium is completely harmless unless you ingest it. It gives off alpha radiation which only travels a few cm, and is stopped by a piece of paper so it can't penetrate your skin.
 
Your 70 dollar fill will get you well over 8 hours of welding though, cause you have a huge ass tank, if you have a small 3 footer like i do you are getting RIPPED the hell off on argon and should look elsewhere. a wire wheel would get it almost to a polish clean.... and your cast welds wouldn't look like ass, ive seen some very good cast welds in that other thread on the water pipe filler necks. it not take nearly as much time or effort cutting down the cost to your customer using power tools, the only reason i would pay 80 bucks for a SINGLE one of those is if there was no one else that could do it. and that's what i was charged before i bought my welder, and i said eff that. Although, like i said for 3 that is a reasonable price.

Also depends on the account you have at the welding store but yes I was getting ripped off with a 80cf tank and I have a decent discount.
A wire wheel won't do much on cast aluminum because the impurities are deeper, that is why you heat cast aluminum up to bring them up then use a brush.
Also Yes of course you can get better looking welds on cast aluminum, but a lot of it depends on how much cleaning you do and if you have balance control. I do not have balance control. That alone will make a huge difference.
You will learn, give it time.


I would charge about $30.

yes you would but you are so busy you would never have time to do it. :)


If your worried about that brake cleaner don't forget that red tungsten is radioactive :D
Red welds sooooo nicely though. It's my favorite tungsten to use. Just don't breath in the dust from grinding it and you will be fine.
 
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