Never been so busy....

[tacmig]

Haven't been here in about 3 weeks. What's going on? Our shop is maxed out, stressed out, tapped out and completely overwhelmed! I think there was a time back in the early 90's when we were up against it, but nothing like this. We hired three new guys one green horn welder and two fabricates and we are still swamped! We have one motel, one hotel, a condo complex (14 units) and 3 custom homes all going on at once and we just ordered another 45 tons of steel! Our salesman is a dead man! I think we are going to make it though. We have been on the verge of automation for the past year or so and this job has pushed our limits of manual welding (repetitive jig type) to the point we have dercided to go robotic. It looks like we will go with a Panasonic TA-1600 with the Tawers controller and Fronius power and feed. Been looking at this combo for a while. Anyway just had a little time to sip a brew and check in with ya all. Will keep you posted on how this thing works out. Still haven't finished my personal welding table:(

TacMig

[chrisgay@sbcglo]

Hi Tacmig,

Congratulations on being so busy. Be careful what you wish for, right?
I'm slammed, too.

What kind of work do you for your customers? Or, what do your current projects consist of?

[Craig in Denver]

TacMig On Break:
LMAO!! Thanks for the pic. :D

[Anti-GMAW]

The first welding job I ever worked for just bought a $900,000 laser about a month before I started. About 3 months after I started they slowed down so much they were practicly in reverse!:eek: The laser put them so over the top because of the slow down that they had to lay of about 75% of there workforce.:(

[c wagner]

Loved the pic, probably woke my wife up I laughed so hard!!!
Glad to hear your busy, let us know how the robotics works out... oh and don't forget to show us pics!!!;)

[fun4now]

glad to hear buis. is booming.
great pic. is that a taste test, or just a realy thursty easy to please fella ??:p

[Bert]

Tacmig, same here....LOVE your pic:D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

Chris, so glas you are busy too:D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now will BOTH of you start showing pics of your new projects:p:p??!!!!!

[Bert]

tacmig, I"m guessing the robotics you want to buy is WAY better than a plasmacam???

[Blue Collar Moto]

I used to love Old Style beer! Cant find it here in Ca. :(
Congratulations on being so busy! Its nice to hear about someone doing well with so much doom and gloom going around... :)

[doobie]

Way to go tacmig glad to hear you are busy.I had a really busy winter but 90% of my work is forestry equipment and the canadian forestry industry is totally in the crapper so it has been pretty quit and probably will be all summer at least until fall.

[tacmig]

Thanks to all. We have been very lucky and have been able to stay busy through out the years. Sometimes I take it for granted and understand things could be different. I hope all of you guys stay busy and make good money during this slow time (and when it stabilizes, I hope you all get filthy rich!). It seems that every election year where a new pres is going to be elected everything goes haywire based on uncertainty. Everyone seems to have an answer but I think it will simply go away once we know who's going to lead the greatest country in the world for the next 4 years or so. I will keep you all up to date with the new robot purchase and get some pics for you as it goes along. As of now, we have a meeting with the Panasonic reps in 2 weeks. They are going to watch our production routine to customize the software for our particular needs. In addition I think they will also designate an installation point and make all the arrangements to install the equipment once it is ready for delivery. Our shop welders got a little concerned about possibly being replaced by a robot but this is far from what is going to happen. We are going to send our master welder (Manny) for training on this machine and he will be given this added responsibility and of course more $$. Phil (Shorty) will remain in the shop and back weld non production items. Manual (Nut sack) will be our roamer welder working both in the shop and in the field with the other guys. So, where ever he is needed. We are hoping that in the end, we will be capable of turning out more work with the same effort. Our shop is just like family and no one gets laid-off or fired. If you screw up, we just take you outside and beat the he!! outta ya.

Till next time,
TacMig

[tacmig]

The first welding job I ever worked for just bought a $900,000 laser about a month before I started. About 3 months after I started they slowed down so much they were practicly in reverse!:eek: The laser put them so over the top because of the slow down that they had to lay of about 75% of there workforce.:(

We have been fortunate and have never had to fire or lay anybody off. Like I said in the previous post "If you mess up, we just take you out side and beat the he!! outta you". Of course we have had a few guys come and go on their own accord. In any event, I think a good policy is to have a machine paid for with current and/or secured job contracts and of course based on previous work. I believe in supply-side economics, but internally I believe in demand-side. In other words buy equipment and upgrades based on your current and past workload not on possible workloads. I think a fatal mistake is trying to create a demand for equipment you have purchased in hopes to sell work you don't have. Anyway, lay-offs are devastating and are usually a result of poor management decisions. I hope you were not part of the lay-offs! If so, I hope you got yourself another job. If not, keep your experience in mind.

TacMig

[Bert]

Excellent Posts Tacmig!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks For Your Words Of Wisdom:)

[krackle]

great picture, and even better advice about keeping a business profitable.

[Anti-GMAW]

We have been fortunate and have never had to fire or lay anybody off. Like I said in the previous post "If you mess up, we just take you out side and beat the he!! outta you". Of course we have had a few guys come and go on their own accord. In any event, I think a good policy is to have a machine paid for with current and/or secured job contracts and of course based on previous work. I believe in supply-side economics, but internally I believe in demand-side. In other words buy equipment and upgrades based on your current and past workload not on possible workloads. I think a fatal mistake is trying to create a demand for equipment you have purchased in hopes to sell work you don't have. Anyway, lay-offs are devastating and are usually a result of poor management decisions. I hope you were not part of the lay-offs! If so, I hope you got yourself another job. If not, keep your experience in mind.

TacMig



Thank you for you'r concern. Unfortunetly I did get laid off and yes I found another job shortly after. They based the decision off there past workload from the decade or so they've been around but unfortunatly they slowed down to about 2-3 new jobs a week compared to there normal 50-60 jobs a week. One day they were so swamped they were turning down work the next day they could barley keep there head above water.:(They had never been that slow.

[tacmig]

Thank you for you'r concern. Unfortunetly I did get laid off and yes I found another job shortly after. They based the decision off there past workload from the decade or so they've been around but unfortunatly they slowed down to about 2-3 new jobs a week compared to there normal 50-60 jobs a week. One day they were so swamped they were turning down work the next day they could barley keep there head above water.:(They had never been that slow.

It's odd how the industry works and how it can effect your business. We are not a huge shop (about 9 guys and a couple skirts in the office) but it always seems the big guys get in trouble first fault or no fault. We do medium size jobs that consist of rails, fence, gates and lighting for custom homes and light commercial (condos hotels etc.) and having 2 or three jobs at a time is all we can handle and they keep inside fab/welding busy and of course the installers on site. Our highest paid employee who perhaps has the easiest job is a saleman who has been here for about 11 years. He lines jobs up one after another for both crews and has held a good record of it. He makes 10% of the job and as you can imagine selling 5 or 6 jobs at 20+K a month will bring you in some serious doe-ray-me. So his encentive is our gain and it is mutualy important to take care of one another. So we figure this is why he is the highet paid employee and we always stay busy. Win win senerio.. Glad you found another job and I hope your former employer pulls out of the slump! Nothing worse than bad times, it effects us all.

TacMig