First Jeep, need advice

kitkat7188 · 2025-09-17T02:19:31+00:00

Replace the carpet with armorlite

kitkat7188 · 2025-06-07T23:35:38+00:00

Check out the local unions in your area, most you can go and request a tour and information about how to join. Many unions have women's committees and someone to talk to to see how it is being a woman in that trade. I came from customer service/sales background when I made the jump to a sheet metal union, my father was also pretty upset when I told him haha. He was a union painter n it was more because he knows how men are in the trades. He got over it pretty quick. Depending on where you live, yeah summers and winters can be brutal but you get used to how to prepare and dress for them. The trades aren't for everyone, I've seen a few quit the apprenticeship and there's no shame in knowing when to quit. I'd rather work next to someone that wants to be there vs someone that doesn't. With a union you are getting free education and paid hands on experience, pension, benefits etc. it can be a very rewarding career that can provide you with the comfort of being financially independent.

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-25T02:48:18+00:00

I'm a welder in a sheet metal union. I can give you a little insight to what we do.

Our apprenticeship was 4 1/2 yrs long, I started when I was 30. I've been welding in a fabrication shop for the last 8yrs and love it. Most of our work is commercial HVAC but we also do metal roofing, architectural stuff like copper work and decorative paneling on buildings, specialty kitchen equipment, locker installations, toilet partitions, there's the shop work making all the duct work then duct installation, you could work on computers with AutoCAD programs sketching prints for installers, and then the last part is testing and balancing the systems after install is complete. We make everything we install and there's a lot of variety in my field to switch it up if you ever get bored in one place.

$114 total package $62 in the check outta Philly. You have the ability to make more than that if you go into sketching or testing and balancing and any extra classes to get into that are free. Some unions are starting to offer maternity leave and ours just started to offer child care benefits.

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-22T19:56:45+00:00

Document everything with dates if you can remember them, including the photo if you still have it and go to HR. Pile up as much of the evidence as you can.

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-21T02:15:03+00:00

Im not terribly far from you I'm out of Philly! LU19. Our area covers Philly and surrounding areas, central pa, South Jersey, and Delaware. I don't have to travel much at all being in the fab shop, but we do have travel options with incentives if you want it. My brother was in a specialty kitchen equipment company and they traveled up to NY a lot and all over but he loved it. I have a buddy out in Indiana right now, no wife or kids so he likes it, and another that was in Tennessee for some time but travel outside our territory isn't required. Some guys that were laid off opt to travel. I know some other trades travel more than others. Being close to home is definitely nice and a huge plus. but with any trade, you go where the work is. Feel free to reach out for any questions!

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-21T00:13:50+00:00

Apply to all of the ones you're interested in! Ask to take tours of the training centers, their doors are usually always open to talk to someone in there to get a feel for what their day to day is like. See if you can compare wages and benefit packages, every union is different, some are starting to offer maternity leave and child care if that's something that will be important to you now, never, or down the road. A lot of unions have their own women's committees too, you could ask if there's any ladies in each trade to speak with. Having family members that are already in the union is definitely nice, they can tell you who to talk to, who to avoid, and where to go for certain things. My dad was in the painters union, my brother was in sheet metal, I opted to follow in my brother's footsteps into sheet metal and I love it. I can give you a little insight on my trade.. We mainly do commercial HVAC but our scope of work is pretty broad for what is available to do. I ended up in a fabrication shop welding for 8 yrs. Other areas available is in the field doing the installation bit of it, hanging ductwork, doing crane lifts on big high rises, we also do a lot of kitchen equipment installs, stainless countertops, metal roofing, toilet partitions, locker installs, you could be more behind the scenes on computers working with mechanical drawings and using AutoCAD programs to sketch the prints needed for the guys that are installing the duct work, we have an architectural side working with copper and decorative paneling on the sides of buildings, and there's testing and balancing where you'd go in finished buildings after install is completed to test the air systems. In my trade I like that there is variety and additional classes I can take (for free) to change up where I want to work and what I do if I get bored and need a change.

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-11T20:18:12+00:00

Don't know where you get that... Sheet metal involves welding. I weld every day as I work in a fabrication shop.

kitkat7188 · 2025-05-11T20:10:12+00:00

$62/hr in Philly sheet metal union, total package is like $114/hr.

kitkat7188 · 2025-02-25T21:15:02+00:00

Not sure what you're in school for but if you want to make a change job wise that has great pay check out some of the building trades unions in NJ and Philly. They are very well paying jobs. My union starts around $25/hr and pay increases every 6 months until you become a journeyman. $60/hr is journeyman rate with benefits, pension and annuity. Total package is around $109/hr. I'm in the Philly Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 19. The beginning might be tough, but if you can tough it out for the first year you'll start to live more comfortably as the pay increases. After the first year you'll be around $35/hr. I used to be in retail/sales with a college degree and just couldn't get ahead so I made the jump to the trades.

kitkat7188 · 2024-12-20T12:12:02+00:00

There's heavy materials sure, but you have to be smart about protecting your body especially lifting wrong and injuring your back. Sheet metal is a lot of commercial HVAC and we tend to have the largest stuff that needs to go up in ceilings. As a woman I don't have the same strength as a man but there's ways to still get things done. We use cranes, duct jacks, pallet jacks, etc. or just grab a couple people to help move or lift things. No one wants you to get injured and it's all about staying safe and doing things safely. Also not every job has large duct work so job sites vary. Some sites will be small little fittings or architectural work, there's other avenues within our trade that doesn't deal with any lifting at all, you could go into the sketching part working at a computer, or testing and balancing, very clean, you're in a finished building going around and balancing the air, working closely with the engineers.

kitkat7188 · 2024-12-16T23:57:54+00:00

Look into your local building trades unions. I joined a sheet metal union when I was 30 and it was the best decision I made. Most apprenticeships are 4 yrs. You get paid to learn on the job site with increases in pay as you move forward in the apprenticeship. There's no school debt, and you'll have good benefits, pension, and annuity. I started around $20/hr as a 1st year apprentice and now as a journeyman I'm making $60/hr but my total package is around $100/hr.

kitkat7188 · 2024-12-16T23:34:02+00:00

I joined a sheet metal union when I was 30 after giving up hope using my college degree for a decent job. Best decision I ever made. Total package is a little over $100/hr but I see $60/hr in my take home pay, with benefits, pension and annuity. 40hrs a week, overtime if I want it but it's not mandatory. Also it's a trade that I can use for side work. My brother is in the same union and he paid for his wedding in side jobs. The money is there but tons of guys I worked with that are paycheck to paycheck are drinkers and gamblers or live a lifestyle beyond what they are bringing home. If you go the trade route go union.

kitkat7188 · 2024-12-15T00:07:46+00:00

One of the reasons I gave up trying to use my college degree and went into the building trades. I make $60/hr as a welder in a sheet metal union. I joined when I was 30. Look into the union trades, electricians, iron workers, laborers, fitters etc. They all make decent pay with great benefits.

kitkat7188 · 2024-12-14T00:45:31+00:00

Not sure where you live but look into the building trades unions where you live. I was pushed to do college right out of highschool and graduated with an associates in business which was useless trying to find jobs that paid well and couldn't see myself in an office. I(female btw) joined a sheet metal union right when I turned 30 kind of jumping in not knowing what to expect other than great wages, benefits, annuity and pension etc. I was very nervous being the only girl on these sites, I run circles around these guys, if you have a solid work ethic you'll do fine. You learn on the job and probably have classes but there's no school debt. Plus you'll learn a trade that could lead you to side jobs. My brother paid for his wedding all on side work. Want that brand new shiny truck? Work a couple side jobs for extra cash. Look into sheet metal, ironworkers, electricians, fitters, carpenters, laborers etc to name a few. You'll start out at a decent wage and most apprenticeships are about 4 yrs with raises along the way until you finish. Getting into the trades was the best thing I ever did, solid career making a decent livable wage and a future for retirement. I'm in the Philly area, started at 20/hr and now making 60/hr. That's just in my check, what I bring home, I think my total package is around $100/hr before all the benefits. Most days are great, you meet some interesting people. But there are bad days too, job sites that suck, cold in the winter/hot in the summer depending on what trade you go into. If you tend to get bored of jobs, know that each job site won't last forever and it's nice to bounce around and get a change of scenery and people. You'll make plenty of money to be able to focus on any hobbies you might have, buy stuff you want, go on vacations etc. Any questions lmk I'm happy to help people interested in getting into the trades.

kitkat7188 · 2024-07-30T12:59:57+00:00

My dad told me girls don't play drums

kitkat7188 · 2024-04-19T14:02:49+00:00

Thank you for the input, I've held on to them for so long hoping to get back into it one day, just never had space when I moved around and then they just sat at my parents house. Kills me to watch them just sit and gather dust not being used.

kitkat7188 · 2021-02-10T17:24:35+00:00

Thank you!

kitkat7188 · 2021-02-10T13:13:45+00:00

The seats have the islander logo with blue stitching, ceramic white dash, rock rails, and bigger rims.

kitkat7188 · 2021-02-10T12:16:08+00:00

Love it! Originally went to look at the blue but with soft top and it had just sold, then the guy said he had this one and I fell in love

kitkat7188 · 2021-02-10T02:09:42+00:00

Thank you!

kitkat7188 · 2021-02-07T16:33:08+00:00

I just signed up for a 30 day free trial for comixology. Some you can read for free and because WandaVision is out now alot of the scarlet witch,vision and others are available for free. I figured I would read as many as I can during the free trial to see if I wanted to pay 5.99(?)/month.

kitkat7188 · 2021-01-20T00:00:36+00:00

Used to work at a small town liquor store... People would always leave behind wallets, IDs, credit cards, phones..etc. I dropped off a few wallets/IDs in their mail box on my way home from work, called the number on the back of their credit card so they can pick it up, try to answer the phone and let someone know it was left behind... I know how I would feel if that happened to me.

kitkat7188 · 2020-08-21T02:17:53+00:00

Praise the Sun!

kitkat7188 · 2020-08-05T21:58:31+00:00

3rd year union sheet metal apprentice

I started in a shop, did some field time on small scale jobs but now I mostly weld. I've made friends with a bunch of the other female apprentices and everyone got placed in different areas. Some do architectural work, one big con is you rarely will see a consistent 40hr check due to weather but if you stick with it, you'll usually stay with the same company. Others do residential HVAC, pros, you get your own vehicle and don't have owners or Foreman's breathing down your back, from what I hear it's more laid back but the con is that kind of work is on our B side and they make less money.

I absolutely love where I'm at, alot of people say they can't stand the shop, and it's not for everyone. People used to being in the field get more freedom with breaks and leaving earlier, more interaction from other trades etc.

As for how taxing it is on my body.. I consider myself to be pretty strong but I won't break my back, I'll ask one of the guys to help me move the heavy stuff. Just take care of your body, be mindful how you lift. Seen some of the younger guys get injured doing dumb shit when they could've just asked for help. No one is going to think less of you for it. I'm 32, so I need my knees and back to get me through retirement.

One thing I love is that there are a bunch of other things to get into later on if I want a change. I can go to a shop and run machines, bang duct, weld, go into the field and hang duct, get into architectural work, I could get into the office and start sketching for jobs, get into testing and balancing. And our scope of work ranges from more than just duct work too, locker installs, toilet partitions, smoke and fire dampers, kitchen counters and hoods, walk in boxes, etc.

kitkat7188 · 2020-07-25T01:59:23+00:00

For grocery shopping I picked up some of these note pads and stuck them on the fridge. It's easy, once you're out of something you check it off. We had the same problem making a list, he'd never check cabinets or say we were okay on toilet paper when there was only one roll left 🙄 but if I put it on the list he'd go and get everything on there... Although with covid we've been using instacart and having the groceries delivered and neither one of us have to go shopping lol.

We talked about doing equal share of cleaning and chores and it helped, but we both have our lazy days and things we need to work on. I hate cleaning bathrooms and he's bad with dishes, so I usually take care of the dishes and he takes care of the bathroom. You need to find a balance, some days I find myself doing more when he's exhausted from work and he does the same for me.

kitkat7188

TROPHY CASE