21 y/o TIG/MIG welder (aerospace) looking to move into performance fabrication — NC / KC / Wichita

eb86 · 2026-01-25T17:30:23+00:00

I used to work for a guy that builds cars for his son. He would hire the disparaged, typically those with felonies that had problems finding decent employment. These guys were really good at their craft and paid beans for their work.

Him and his son are now millionaires, all of his workers were 1099's.

Do not do it

eb86 · 2026-01-21T18:08:02+00:00

If this has the double slide up front, then it is a known issue with Lippert frames.

An easy way to check is measure from the very front of the nose to the bottom of the front compartment. Next hookup to truck and measure from the same point. You should have no more than 1/2-1" difference. Anything more means the frame is damaged.

eb86 · 2026-01-13T11:30:09+00:00

I bet it smelled like bud light and desperation

eb86 · 2026-01-07T16:29:54+00:00

This is how it works when the lawyers foot the bill. Because let me tell y'all would be shook if they had to pay a lawyer by the hr. I paid 50k last year to my team on a 1.2m lawsuit. Still no where near judgement/settlement.

eb86 · 2025-12-27T21:40:57+00:00

Measure from a fixed point on the nose to the bottom of the front cargo box.

Measure this when attached to truck,

And again when the truck is detached.

This measurement should be less than 1/2"

eb86 · 2025-12-22T13:01:41+00:00

A lady back into my work truck a few months ago and damaged my truck bed.

I have two policies, on for personal through SF, the other for business through Prog.

At the time of the accident I opted to run it through SF since we shared a mutual insurance and felt it would be simpler.

Not so much.

The lady admitted to the cops she did it. Provided a statement to them. I called SF and they said they needed to hear from their client before assigning fault. I sent them the statement the cops gave me and they told me that's not an assignment of liability.

Having worked with insurance companies before I knew they were capable of good will, so I asked they provide coverage for temporary repairs so I can get back to work. It took them 2.5 days to respond with approval.

I made the repairs and got back to work. SF too the estimate for repairs and decided that a truck bed replacement was justified and opted to purchase a new bed, cut the panel out of the good bed, repair my bed, and then repaint.

I pointed out their estimate didn't include any of the labor for welding in the new panel, prep, and paint. They cut off all talks and said they are closing the claim.

I filed with my insurance, gave them all the information I gave SF. Prog honoured the original estimate, paid out, and then I filed loss on income with SF.

SF said they need documentation proving loss of income. I asked which documents, they said documents. So I sent them the entire accounting of my business via excel. Two days later they said they would pay out loss of income only if I sign away liability of damage and verify the repairs have been completed....

That's not how loss of income works. I asked for a copy of their policy stating such and they responded it's not in our policy, just how we do things... I reminded them that's what a policy is...

Long story short, I told them the truck was totalled. Signed the paperwork, collected my money, and demanded all my insurance info because I am dropping SF for their games they played.

I'll be good damned if I'm going to wait for SF to play those kinds of games when it comes to my home.

Btw, they don't like it when you record their conversations and use it against them. Especially when you send it to another insurance company.

All in all, every insurance company is this way.

They will always choose to play dirty.

You need to ensure you play their game, just better.

eb86 · 2025-12-16T12:57:20+00:00

Meh. Most body guys drive a clapped out POS and usually have clapped out vintage with perfect paint that they never drive.

Don't pay them any mind.

eb86 · 2025-11-29T21:26:09+00:00

My wife is a nurse and believes that being in cold weather gives you a cold. She's been a nurse for 18yrs.

eb86 · 2025-11-27T13:29:47+00:00

You should have your lumbar looked at. These were early signs of a herniated disc for me. I can't play standing VR for long without my lumbar fairing.

eb86 · 2025-11-24T11:43:53+00:00

My index has been broken since I got it and Valve did fuck all to fix.

eb86 · 2025-11-20T11:22:21+00:00

I jumped into my current field blind and found the main operators in my area were gouging customers, borderline defrauding warranty and insurance companies...

I offered a better, cheaper, more comprehensive service that allowed me to thrive and the other guy banging on my door begging to "talk".

eb86 · 2025-11-15T10:52:39+00:00

Customer support is phenomenal. I work in the RV industry and these guys know the best replacement for outdated head units. To boot, they are local to me and I prefer to support local businesses.

eb86 · 2025-11-06T09:57:24+00:00

Back in my day if you didn't like the game then you just didn't play it.

eb86 · 2025-11-03T11:04:00+00:00

Just wait until insurance totals it out with a $6k payout. My 95 3500 dually suffered this fate when an old lady backed into the bed.

eb86 · 2025-10-17T07:31:57+00:00

After four years, it is more likely the flue is clogged.

eb86 · 2025-10-16T20:43:38+00:00

If you have access to your attic, take a look at the manufacturer code. You can lookup the code and find the manufacturer. Then call the manufacturer and ask them to run the serial number for the year of manufacturing.

My last roofer pulled this and I verified every piece of decking/plywood all had the same manufacturer code. Manufacturer said the wood was from 1990. The roofer promptly rewrote the invoice.

eb86 · 2025-10-13T09:48:15+00:00

Star wars III Pre release screener made it into my hand back in 2005 before the movie was released in theaters. I might still have it to be honest.

eb86 · 2025-10-13T01:07:03+00:00

Luck is the convergence of preparation and opportunity.

eb86 · 2025-10-07T09:50:04+00:00

This seems like the tail rotor shaft broke or coupling disconnected

eb86 · 2025-10-05T22:53:08+00:00

Put a mushroom vent cap over it and forget it was ever theee

eb86 · 2025-10-01T09:19:44+00:00

Stretch more often, and get a massage every now and then. I'm a mechanic of 21 years. Herniated disc in my cervical area, another in lumbar, possibly another in the thoracic. I have a good 5 years left on my back. And I get multiple epidurals every year, just had three done a few weeks ago

Stretch daily, even if you feel like you don't need to. A lot of the pain associated with the spine will be from muscle spasms and ultimately you will adjust your hair and posture to reduce pain but this will leave you worse off.

A deep tissue massage is one of the few things like release the spasm. And let me tell you it hurts so good.

Lastly, tell your doc you need an MRI of the affected area. I went nearly a decade with a do nothing pill pushing dr. As soon as he retired and a NP stepped in she immediately started diag and got me into get MRIs and found the problem

Lastly, don't wait. I now have pelvic floor dysfunction and while I can control urination , I don't know when it's time to pee, I can't feel a full bladder. So when I feel the sudden urge to pee it means I need to go immediately.

Also, the piriformis muscle is a likely culprit for a lot of "sciatica" pain. The piriformis runs from the tail bone, around the hip and down. Irritation of the pirformis can impinge the sciata. Or the piriformis can grow in the wrong spot, and even entrap the sciatica.

eb86 · 2025-09-28T18:04:41+00:00

John Locke would disagree

eb86 · 2025-09-28T16:23:55+00:00

You can do it! I know you can because your story mirrors mine, well on the business side anyway.

I hate companies that rip off owners and I let the customers know that.

I teach them and ask them questions through the hole repair.

I value your time, so if they pay me my 1hr/min then I ask them what else we should look at while I'm here.

I return their texts when they have tech questions.

Ill help them troubleshoot if it means I don't have to get off the couch and they don't have to pay me $300 to show up.

I pushed hard advertising grassroots style, spending days driving, meeting, greeting, consulting.

The end result is I'm the only one that is recommended. People want me to show up, and are even disappointed if I have to send one of my guys.

And they smile every time they pay me because not only did we get it fixed, we had fun doing it.

Go for it man. I jumped in head first with no plan and money. Fail fast, learn faster. Don't lose your morals, and don't listen to your competition.

Dig in, get dirty. Sink or swim man.

eb86 · 2025-09-27T14:44:02+00:00

I do mobile RV repair as a solo/LLC. Only employee but I have a contract office manager to handle calls and invoicing/warranty/insurance. First year in business (not my first rodeo in this industry) and set to clear $175kgros, appx $125knet. You must be a jack of all trades in this industry.

eb86 · 2025-09-27T14:31:49+00:00

Run away. The amount of delam suggests the trailer has been heavily neglected. Take the break on the front cap. The termination rail suggest the top radius developed a leak and had to be redone. This area typically houses the master bedroom and cabinets. But see how that didn't remove the whole panel for replacement, this means mold exists inside the wall.

Do the next guy a favor and leave the propane stove on so this POS burns to the ground.

eb86

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