What to do in the afterlife (retirement)

[wickerdave]

You guys have always been great to give advice to both veteran and newbie alike, so I feel pretty good about asking for suggestions. My situation: I'm 62, went to welding school for 1 1/2 years in the Midwest at 60, worked for almost a year till got laid off, put in my retirement papers. Moved to Oregon a few months ago, welding jobs are few and far between around the Salem area, at least the ones requiring less than 5 years experience. Going back to school at local CC for a more formal Tig class. Putting up a 30x40 workshop in the spring. Have Miller 180 auto set, Hobart AC/DC stick welder and Miller Shopmaster 300 and spool gun. will be looking for Horizontal band band saw to replace one I sold. I would really like to come up with an idea of how to generate some income from my shop, doesn't need to be a fortune but enough to suppliment the retirement and keep me from going absolutley out of my mind with boredom!!!!!

Any ideas would really be appreciative. I can make just abount thing from a print, i"m just not that creative to invent the item,,,,

[rustybearing]

How about trailers. My father-in-law lived in Oregon and it seemed like everyone had a small trailer. Repair and custom mods or make new ones?

[wickerdave]

Thank you, not a bad idea, bears some serious thought and discussion.

[Bistineau]

Custom Barbeque pits might be popular too. Anything from a patio model to a trailer mounted rig with propane burners and all. You could build a few patio size rigs for examples to potential customers and to sell. Build them with heavier material than the thin sheet stuff that is commercially available, something that will last.
Also maybe some garden art type of stuff. Although you said you are creatively challenged. There is the welding projects site in the top right of this page that may spark some imagination for you. Give it a look.
Outdoor chairs and tables, maybe some with wood inserts if your handy with wood too.

[MMW]

Depending on the type of community I would start off just fixing things. Farm area then fix equipment, building boom maybe small excavating stuff, You could always do the homeowner type jobs also. If your work is good & your pricing fair the work will come. Hopefully this will be more to keep busy & supplement your income then to support yourself fully.

If you just want to make stuff I see people making yard art & selling it at the flea markets & fairs.

Just tig work? Then try all the local machine shops & motorcycle shops.

[weldonwelding]

Handrails. They are very simple to make. You just need a bandsaw, small mig welder, a self made jig and a good punch for the pickets. If you can get in with a local concrete cast company it could be a pretty good lil contract. They make precast concrete steps and they all need handrails. I am doing it now and it is working out pretty good.. the most expensive equipment required is the punch. I just bought a small ironworker (well worth the 5000) it paid for itself very quickly. Also with a iron worker you can make or buy a press brake for it and make clip angles for structural steel company's. You just need a good assortment of slotted punches and good supply of flatbar. There are lots of small jobs you can do with just the iron worker. Ya just gotta get the right connections. I am nowhere near retiring now but when I do I imagine I would enjoy small shop jobs of big quantity's

[weldonwelding]

Depending on the type of community I would start off just fixing things. Farm area then fix equipment, building boom maybe small excavating stuff, You could always do the homeowner type jobs also. If your work is good & your pricing fair the work will come. Hopefully this will be more to keep busy & supplement your income then to support yourself fully.



If you just want to make stuff I see people making yard art & selling it at the flea markets & fairs.

Just tig work? Then try all the local machine shops & motorcycle shops.

That's the kinda work that comes with experience actually working on that stuff. You don't learn on other peoples equipment. Your idea is good but for someone that only has welding school experience.....

[MMW]

Weldonwelding wrote -- That's the kinda work that comes with experience actually working on that stuff. You don't learn on other peoples equipment. Your idea is good but for someone that only has welding school experience.....

Understood, hopefully the OP is aware & able to make the call on if he is capable for a job or not.

[1930case]

Once you are set up, spend serious time PRACTICING what you want to be doing.

Make a bend tester and do destructive coupon testing. Bend testers don't lie, which is why we called ours "The Heart Breaker".

Also, since you are going to class, consider taking a machine shop class too. That and welding "go together" and will broaden greatly what you can work on.

[wickerdave]

very good idea, thank you