Just finished my interview with the union, wondering what would be the next step in the apprenticeship application process. I presume they take in apprentices biannually around fall and spring, and are going to start going through the list of applicants quite soon. They said they are going to be in contact with me, I'm curious when exactly they will reach out though.

Hi,any have blue book in pdf?

On the road, got screwed on my room, and stuck in the basement. It’s just pipe all day.

So I’m about to start the process of joining my local ua and I’m just curious, I get conflicting answers from people, will it be hard for me to find jobs that will let me on the site? My felony is for fleeing and eluding, no violence, theft, kid touching, or drugs. Got convicted in January.

Here are some nice pictures from a German colleague

Located in Ontario, specially the GTA. My boss told me last week he has no idea when our next job will start and that he’s depressed.
Thank god i have another job at a warehouse where i get 40-50 hours a week at.
But obviously i want to work pipefitting lol. I am non-union and just applied to local 401 and I didn’t get selected.
Any advice? Its getting scary now.

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I’m developing a 3D piping calculation and visualization app called PipeMasterLogic. It’s still in beta, but I recently added a feature that lets users share the piping models they create as interactive 3D links.

This model was drawn using my program. You can rotate and zoom it directly in your browser—no installation or login required.

https://www.pipemasterlogic.com/viewer-share.html?id=8fee2ce25ef9d6667c3d30c3db6dec1f

I’m a pipefitter building this in my spare time, so feedback from other pipefitters and people working in the field would be appreciated.

https://www.pipemasterlogic.com/viewer-share.html?id=348f289f9b9d344cbd1701bd5f12c7df

I attended a recent job fair for experienced pipefitters at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. I have a MECHANIC ASSESSMENT APPOINTMENT coming up and wanted to know what to expect. I know he said I’ll be fitting pipe, but he didn’t specify to what extent. I worked at HII Shipyard as a pipefitter, but that was six years ago. I still have that knowledge, but I’d be a fool to act like I’m perfect, so if you have any insight or advice, I’ll definitely take it. My current job is shutting down soon, so I’m very serious about this.

My husband and I are considering relocating to South Carolina and we’re wondering how much he can make as a licensed pipe fitter. He’s currently working in waste and water treatment making prevailing wage. Any insight?

What gloves yall wearing? We provide Milwaukee Cut1 nitrile dipped but guys are complaining they’re wearing out too quick, and cut1 doesn’t hold up to most of the work. They don’t want the ole shitty cotton ones, and want to maintain dexterity.

Anybody a part of the SoCal 484 Pipefitters Union?

Do any of you use a folding ruler? I just started using one.So far I like it , but It got me curious. I never see anyone use one.

How do most people do all their calculations for things like offsets, cutbacks, tube bending, takeoffs, etc? Do you use the Pipe Trades Calculator? Blue Book? Pencil and paper? Or just by memory?

I've been sketching out an app idea aimed at making these calculations but before I sink real time into it I want to know:

• What do you currently use?
• What's annoying about it?
• Is this even a real pain point, or does everyone just have it memorized by year 5?
• Would you actually use/pay for something better, or is this a solved problem?

Not trying to sell anything — genuinely trying to figure out if this is worth building. Appreciate any honest feedback, even "this is dumb, nobody needs it." I know most guys I've worked with use a combo of things but thought I'd ask a larger audience.

See repost

Is a high 80’s test score enough for me to not worry about taking the GAN again? Really want to get in but really don’t want to test again. I know relevant experience is considered too, but for the argument I would say I have zero relevant experience.

Hi all. Please forgive me if it's not appropriate to post here with this question!

My best friend's son just got his union call today, and is starting next Tuesday. I have known him since he was a baby and I'm so proud of him and happy he has this opportunity! We want to send him a congratulatory gift that will be useful as he starts his apprenticeship. All I can think of is perhaps a nice cooler or a lunch box, but even then I do not know where to start with finding what works best for on the job. I am looking to spend around $100. He will be working in the Midwest, so temperature and weather extremes on both ends of the spectrum. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you very much!

EDIT: I went with a 19qt Engel Drybox with an extra tray. I sincerely appreciate all of the great suggestions! I passed the rest to his mom in case anyone else in the family is looking for a gift.

Hello all. I just got accepted as an apprentice. I have absolutely no experience whatsoever with plumbing and pipefitting, except testing fire hydrants, for whatever that's worth. I've never welded in my life except for a bit of soldering when I was little. The heaviest machinery I've ever operated is my dad's Kubota.

They know this and that's not a problem. Still, I feel like my work and education would go smoother if I at least knew a few extreme basics before starting. For example, the UA instructor who gave us our OSHA 10 class mentioned that hand and arm signals would be a handy thing to read up on before starting. That's something I never would have thought of. Are there any other tips that might make the first weeks or months of my apprenticeship smoother for everyone involved?

Put another way: If you were told you would be working with a brand new apprentice with no experience, what would you think when you think "Man, I hope he AT LEAST knows..."?

Thank you all very much for your time.

Almost finished with trade school about to get sent somewhere on an outage for the first time. What can I expect?

Anyone ever work with any? And what kind of job was it on?

I’m mainly looking for advice from guys in the deep South—Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana (not really Georgia since their union is a lot stronger).

I’m a pre-apprentice with Local 119, and I just got laid off. They have no idea how long it will be before I get another job. I’ve got a wife and two kids to support, so that’s pretty stressful.

Now I’m looking for any job I can find until the next union call, but there aren’t many jobs around here that pay the $21–$25 an hour I need. Every time a layoff comes around, it feels like my family’s livelihood is at risk.

At the same time, there are shipbuilding companies down here that pay about the same as the union, or even more, and they have free training centers with steady work instead of the constant risk of layoffs. They also have pretty good benefits. I know they don't have free healthcare or a pension like the union, but those don't really matter if I can't consistently provide for my family long enough to make it to retirement.

It's really got me thinking about what the right move is. I want to build a career, but I also need to make sure my family is taken care of now, not just years down the road.

I’m mostly looking for advice from guys in the states I mentioned, but I’m willing to hear opinions from anyone with experience.

Edit: thanks to everyone for the advice. I know pushing through and figuring it out is the best option . This is my first layoff and it’s just stressful trying to figure out how to make it until I get the next call.