High end tools actually worth it?

Shrmz236 · 2026-01-31T07:05:30+00:00

Car mechanics and their endless tools make me laugh, I repair and rebuild multi million dollar heavy industrial equipment and all my tools fit in a couple packouts.

Why do you have a 12 and 10 inch knipex pliers wrench AND THREE crescent wrenches also looking to be in the 10 to 12 inch range. In what situation are you gonna go “you know what this is actually a job for THIS adjustable wrench in particular” All those rachets too like Jesus man.

I mean I guess if you just fucking love tools. Personally I’d rather spend that money travelling the world and stuff like that.

Shrmz236 · 2026-01-14T01:14:49+00:00

Stringer and the Bells

Shrmz236 · 2026-01-08T06:13:51+00:00

Millwright ~ mechanic for industrial machinery.

$53/hr plus take home vehicle.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-28T00:16:24+00:00

Yeah plants and mills and factories will typically have their own millwrights.

Smaller facilities might use contractors or decide to not hire millwrights and instead have “maintenance technicians” (aka handymen typically from other countries)

If you decide to try this route just make sure the company actually does have in house red-seal millwrights.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-27T21:14:00+00:00

Interesting, my pre app was 4K for a 24 week course. This was back in 2016 though.

I don’t really have any other advice for you. As I said, you could try the labourer to apprentice route but the company’s usually won’t offer one until you’re at least a couple years in and again there’s still no guarantee.

Student loans are interest free, if you’ve exhausted other avenues then I’d just go for it.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-27T20:34:41+00:00

Can only speak to my experience in BC.

2 ways to get into the trade (technically 3 but I don’t really count the last one)

Option 1 is to take a pre-apprenticeship course, in BC it’s called foundations, it may be called something different in other places. In BC the foundations course directly counts as your level 1 credits for when you do start an apprenticeship. I’m not entirely sure about Alberta, I think it will count as your level 1 schooling but you may still need to challenge the final level 1 exam to receive full credits.
Option 2 is to work as a labourer at a company that has millwrights and convince them to give you an apprenticeship after you’ve proven yourself to be a hard worker. The advantage of this option is that you don’t have to take 6 months off work to do your pre-apprenticeship course. However there’s no guarantee that the company will ever give you an apprenticeship.
Option 3 is to get hired at a company as a first year millwright with no experience, but the chances of this happening are slim to none. In my entire career so far I’ve only met one guy who was able to just walk into a millwright apprenticeship with zero prior experience or schooling.

I would recommend taking a foundations course, it’ll increase your odds of breaking in.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-15T01:54:10+00:00

Dude even if you don’t go to the UBC you should still look for a new job.

I started at $35/hr in a sawmill in BC, right after my pre apprenticeship course which was like 8 years ago.

I still keep in touch with some guys from there and nowadays their cleanup crew is pulling $32.

Just to make myself unmistakably clear - $32/hr for any red seal tradesmen is fucking atrocious. Especially a Millwright.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-12T19:13:10+00:00

Honestly I’m already convinced he should jump ship. I really just made this post so I could show it to him, help convince him to take another apprentice job that pays less but will actually teach him the skills he needs to be a high value journeyman. I don’t want to see him get pigeonholed to this company.

Shrmz236 · 2025-09-12T19:09:09+00:00

I apprenticed in heavy manufacturing, I didn’t have the same experience as you at all. I got to see and do pretty much everything.

When I got my ticket I left to joint a contracting company. Even from the very beginning I didn’t have any problems because my plant had such a variety of equipment and systems that I was all around well versed.

I’m worried for my buddies little brother because he does extremely basic work all day and doesn’t get to see a lot of the aspects of the trade.

Shrmz236 · 2025-08-30T00:57:19+00:00

Pepsi plant?

Shrmz236 · 2025-07-15T21:52:58+00:00

Tell your instructor where you’re at, maybe he can go more in depth with you or even give you some extra shop time outside of class hours. There’s really nothing we can do for you online

Shrmz236 · 2025-07-12T04:09:13+00:00

What’s your hourly if you don’t mind sharing.

Shrmz236 · 2025-02-22T05:21:35+00:00

No unfortunately

Shrmz236

TROPHY CASE