HellaFab

We all have some kind of passion for welding/fabricating things... but what motivates you to do this as a profession? Are there any goals that you guys have set for yourself?
I am revisiting my goals and accomplishments from the last year and it would be nice to hear others perspective be it they weld their own stuff, do small fabrication or from the full blown race shops.


I know this might be a touchy thread so I will start with my motivation or goals...depending how you look at it.


Cheers,
Matt




Short term goals/motivation
Personally my goal is to always have a car in the garage to have something on the go. It doesnt have to be highly profitable for me, its just keeping me in the car scene that I enjoy.




Long term goals/motivation
-I would like to expand my reputation for high quality work to get more high end vehicles/exotics in the shop. There arent many of these vehicles where I live right now so this is a pretty big goal.
-If I can keep the same work coming in, but have the reputation for quality work it would be nice to make the work I do more profitable.

SovXietday

I do it because I love it. I'm heading into engineering as a profession though. I have welded full time on everything from model As to Hondas to high end exotics. What I've found is that, above all, I don't want to do this every day. The engineering day to day is hectic and keeps me busy doing new things, but has nothing at all to do with cars.

Short term - finish school and my project drag car. Do little jobs along the way that help me keep my skill up as well as enjoy myself with.

Long term - have my own big garage to go home to where I can do a mix of fab/engineering for customers on the side, and just enjoy it.

vtechjunkie

iTrader: (2)

I do it because it's a challenge, and fun. One of the more satisfying moments in life, is driving something I built from the ground up. Pretty cool experience IMO.

Short Term: Finish project car, find a way to progress each time I get into the garage

Long Term: No long term goals really.

Hidenplanvew

I like to make something new, something diffrent. See if there is a why to make the wheel diffrent or make it in another way that works the same or better. Plus welding is very relaxing to me and is my source of relaxation... that or guns lol

lilcraigford

My Dad is a fabricator so I grew up around that (his '60 Cal-Looker features a lot of one-off items). I really got into it myself because there aren't really any readily available components for my chassis (especially for a turbocharged application) - with the exception of the turbo manifold (fabricated to my specification) I've designed/cut/fitted everything myself (TIG welding is still beyond me, so its done by someone else). After struggling to settle into college (I graduated high school in '06) my projects helped guide me toward a career field that I've become very passionate about. I'm currently going to school for Engineering Design (a less math intensive, more CAD focused engineer).

Short Term: Get my car running on its current setup (shooting for sometime this June). I plan on making changes and building a forged motor next year. I should also be about a year away from my degree.

Long Term: I've got some really wild ideas for the car. I'd also like to go back to school to get some experience machining and tig welding (more for personal gain, but a second degree can't hurt).

ToxicFabrication

Because I see a true lack of quality in automotive fabrication and I truly love what I do. Most people do it on the side, or it's a "job" (9-5) or for the money. I do it because Absolutly am fascinated with how far I can push myself. I'm still as excited as the day I picked a TIG torch up. I hope to inspire others around me and push the meaning of quality far beyond what people thought possible. Im still learning something new everyday and it's exciting to see what tomorrow brings.

Please feel free to stop by my Facebook page every once in a while, hopefully some of what I do can help inspire some of you.

Collin

all_motor_mike

What motivates me. ..... well for starters this guy above me. ..... he's pretty good I guess...... and I like designing and building my own stuff instead of paying for it. ..... and yes I do it on the side for Extra $$$ also.


Mike

ToxicFabrication

Awww ****, mikes jumping in!

HellaFab

I've subbed to your page toxic.

gotten a few good ideas from you (vband for grinder pedistal) and your work is awesome.

ToxicFabrication

Glad I could help!

Alex L.

I always have new ideas, theories, or research to implement and very much enjoy what I do. It comes down to the pursuit of perfection and challenging myself to do better each time I weld. Collin's also served as a huge inspiration for me and always keep me humble.

FabChild

mike and collin, I love seeing your guys work. I'm on the hunt to get better myself and it's nice to have some inspiration! Tig Welding for me is a passion. I love it!

street93eg

Welding, what a great career for anyone that loves making things. Like the other guys on here I have to agree that TIG welding is amazing but I do enjoy some good old arc welding on a bridge or a building frame and just watching the flux peel itself off from setting the machine as close to perfect as possible.

Certified welding inspector is probably the best job you can get when you want to advance your career.

Best job I had was welding some stainless brewing tanks and getting a lot of free beer