I finally figured out why my weld prep was taking forever

For years I was grinding bevels by hand on pipe sections, thinking I was saving cash by not buying a proper beveller. Last job on a big boiler in Toledo, I spent like 12 hours just prepping joints for a single section. My foreman finally asked what my hold up was. When I told him, he just shook his head and said I probably lost a full day's pay in time on that one job alone. Did the math later, and yeah, that was about $400 in wasted labor I could've billed if I had the right tool. Never again. Bought a used portable beveller the next week. What's the one tool you guys waited way too long to get?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_mitchell23d ago

Ever try to cut sheet metal with tin snips when a cheap electric shear would do the job in seconds? I was that guy for way too long. My hands would be shot after a day of it, and the cuts were never that clean anyway. Grabbed a shear at a yard sale for twenty bucks and felt like an idiot for not doing it years sooner.

quinna8923d ago

What kind of sheet metal were you usually cutting? I can see snips being okay for thin stuff, but anything thicker seems like a nightmare.

oliverhernandez22d ago

Check out any other tools you avoided upgrading for too long. I put off getting a cordless drill for ages, using a manual one like a caveman. The time and effort you waste sticking with old gear is crazy.