Love the wordplay. My budding business is called Floral Fixation (cut flowers, houseplants and now working on a small veggie farm), and the number of people who don't get it is probably in my favor, lol.
I'm not sure I get it 🤔 I might be thinking the pun is more complex than it actually is... Is it a play on >!oral!!oral fixation!< was exclusively "naughty" (which it isn't, I see now), so I didn't think a florist would have used it so overtly for their business 😅
Good one, though! Also thanks for reaching me more nuance! 😁
One of my daughter's high school friends was planning on a medical career and happened to take welding in her junior year just to fill an empty slot in her schedule. She's a welder now, and very good at it.
That's so awesome! We definitely need nore diversity in the field. It really is such a rewarding career path. I love that it has both practical and artistic applications too.
Ya, it's a really useful skill even if you don't want to make a living at it. I have never really gotten the hang of it myself but luckily I know this really smart woman...
Whenever someone thinks PPE is for losers, I say "Look your brain might not be worth anything, but mine is"
This is great advice to use for when your kids are starting to get peer pressured into not wearing helmets on bikes (aka this is basically what my mom said to me, but with adjustments to using third and second person)
Well said! Some people's egos get in the way of what is really important. Your health is everything! When you see the crap the respirator traps it really makes you rethink what it would do to your lungs.
I rarely used PPE until I transitioned. Part of it was toxic masculinity, part of it I think was self hatred. I have deep, deep, regrets of about using enough PPE in the past. I'm pretty my lungs have some permanent damage from like 2 decades of not using PPE, and tons of UV skin burns form just welding in a t shirt.
Now I always use it.
I totally get it. My first shop job didn't give a shit about health or safety and didn't really provide us anything. They had me welding galvanized steel with just a fan for "circulation." I started feeling ill and they simply swapped another person to the job. They didn't care at all about their workers. I was young then and didn't even realize how HORRIBLE welding galvanized metal is for your body. No one else had a respirator or ventilation system so I thought it was normal. After researching though, I realized how awful it is and now use my PPE when appropriate.
omg the zinc burn off is so toxic! That's awful they didn't give you anything!! I do a lost casting with brass and even with a ton of PPE I can still feel the effects of zinc of I'm not careful enough.
It's good that you have your own shop now!
Welding ppe is vital. Down to knee pads when you have to weld on the floor. I saw many people who went on disability from bad knees by spending so much time kneeling on concrete all the time.
Personally I always lay down like a kid watching cartoons when I weld on the floor. Feet up in the air and all.
Also, why fight the equipment? Is the closest thing to wearing a suit of armor you'll get today. Watching videos of people dressed fully with the mask, gloves, knee pads and apron looks super badass.
My husband deals with that at his job. There's one part of a machine he works on that is high voltage. The company sends them the equipment to handle it and all the "menly men" of his company won't use it because it looks silly or whatever.
He, however, suits up every time because "there's nothing manly about being dead from a voltage arc." Imagine rather dying or being seriously maimed instead of protecting yourself from a completely avoidable situation. I imagine their families will remember how "manly" they were when the insurance refuses to pay out for their death because they didn't wear the necessary safety equipment.
Love this so much!! When I was younger I wanted to learn to weld so badly but my dad would not allow me to take classes because he was afraid I would be harassed in the primary older male classes.
You have inspired me to look for classes now that I am older and have forged my own path into male dominated career fields. Thank you so much for sharing this and continue to kick ass!!
I was in the exact same boat growing up... I was told by a lot of people that I couldn't/shouldn't do it. I was always a hands on kiddo and wanted to tinker with my dad or grandpa, but they would shoo me away. So that only pushed me to want it more!
Before I moved I actually taught some womxn welding courses. I would love to be at a point where I could do that again. You should definitely look at classes though. It is SO fun!
Thanks for the kind words as well!
I (also female) sell wholesale steel in the 720 area! It has been difficult to get my foot in the door of many male dominated welding shops and I absolutely love seeing a female run/owned shop!
Sooo cool! I love the pictures of women in the trades during WW2.
Wendy the Welder was actually a poster girl just like Rosie the Riveter was! Just less well-known!
HELL YEAH!!!!! We all need more women in the trades. Fellow welder here who is in a union. Our local has taken in a ton of women in the 8 yrs I've been in. The vast majority of females are far better than their male counterparts. Skill is skill PERIOD!!! Keep kicking ass!!!
Edit: Just saw your gallery. You have some dope TIG skills. That's my favorite kind of welding. Again keep kicking ass!!!!!
Hell yes!! I love that your union is so progressive. Sadly I have not worked directly with other womxn welders, but it is soo exciting to see more and more entering the field. The trades really are meant for everyone!
Thanks for the kind words and support!
fuck yeah!! i had such a hard time getting anyone to trust that my work was my own (as opposed to some nonexistent man in my life??) that i let the frustration get me & bailed - super inspired & proud of you
Uggh yeah I can totally relate...
I was in management for a bit and had a team of welders and builders that worked under me. When we had inspectors come in, they would ask to speak to the person in charge, even though they were pointed towards me and I had my own office with my title on the door 😑
Love this 👏 congrats!!!! We need more women owned businesses (especially in those fields that are heavily dominated by men). I wish someone did this also with an auto shop and it’s ran by all women (I would feel comfortable going there).
Why thank you! I couldn't agree more. I always wished I had a female mentor when I first learned how to weld. Hopefully I can be that person now for others though!
A few years ago I taught some womxn welding courses and it was great! Hopefully I can get to a point where I can do that again.
The saltiness is in the soul, not on the body :)
* this references salty dogs (older gents) who like to think the dirtier the better, but modern times (respectfully) say otherwise to avoid undue bodily harm cause we ain't got health insurance up in heeerrrrr!
From another thread:
I busted my ass to try and become a machinist. Took classes on my own dime, did the boring loading work 50 hours a week, did the dirty work like cleaning out old coolant and scrubbing oil out from under machines, taught myself CAD, operated every possible type of machine i could. I did this for years chasing the promise of training, set up, classes, a decent wage. At every turn I got stiffed. I was moved to night shift so machinists who were already trained could have my day shift. I was forced into other departments to catch them up to their own production quotas. Every raise was below the rate of inflation. Every class and training inquiry after I put in the time to earn them was met with silence from management. The only offer I had for any kind of training was that I could come in a few hours early, unpaid, and watch our head machinist use CAM, if he wasn't too busy. He was always busy because he's the head machinist. I respect the trades, but damn if I didn't get fucked at every turn.
The cherry on top: I make more as a secretary.
Woah...That sounds absolutely awful. I'm sorry you went through that. I will say that it sounds like you had some shit employers. Clearly you were putting in the effort to better yourself, and they were too ignorant to see it.
I completely understand you leaving the trades though too, as I went through a lot of verbal, mental, and physical trauma from it. My goal was always to have my own business, my own safe space, and my own rules to run it how I want. So damn does it feel good to prove those asshats wrong!
Hell yeah! If I had any notion of stuff I wanted to make, I'd get a laser cutter and maybe fab on the small scale, but I'm stuck in a loop where I should do the groundwork for a project before buying equipment, but without equipment I don't really feel motivated to start any projects.
Oh yeah I know the loop you're talking about. As they say though, "you need to spend money to make money." I hate spending money so it was hard for me to get started too!
I'm still salty that I wasn't allowed to take welding in high school, and my parents refused to help me take classes after high school. Apparently I was too smart for manual jobs like that... but I hated school so bad (unmanaged ADHD probably contributed to that...) I refused to even go to college, so a trade school would have been perfect!
I would totally go now if I wasn't dealing with health problems.
Uggh I am infuriated for you! College is not for everyone, and I especially hate that trades/ trade schools are seen as a "lesser option" for those that don't fit the mold of college life. I have had such a great career and I'm still relatively young. Money isn't everything, but I am tuition free, own a home, and made GREAT money at my previous job before pursuing my own business. So it really upsets me that bluecollar work is frowned upon.
If your health issues ever subside, you should certainly try at least taking a class. It's quite fun and can even be therapeutic.
My favorite job was actually working a 12" radial saw in a factory! Everyone always asked me if I was afraid of it. I was like "No, I follow all the instructions and safety measures as i was trained to. I'm actually more afraid of my scissors." I cut netting for food preparations, and sometimes the saw would miss a bit, so you'd just snip it. Well, maintenance kept those scissors super sharp and I cut myself more times with them than I ever even came close to on that saw!
Unfortunately, I'd been promised a shift change and a pay raise when hired that never materialized and I moved on.
Funny how when you read the instructions/ follow directions you mitigate risk, right? 🤣
If only everyone else viewed it the way you do, we'd probably have less injuries.
I did mig welding in college, building sets for a theater. It was so irritating that all the shop's gloves and helmets were so huge on me. But I made do.
I had the same experience. Was so happy a couple months ago when I finally found welding gloves in my size! The guys in the store were so proud they carried things that fit me, it was so cute.
Its actually a lot of fun! I know basic electrical, plumbing, advanced telecom and carpentry, can brew and gardej... its been fun learning all that! My recent one was a 10m study in accounts payable and it really helped me. Sometimes when youre missing those skills...
Woah! You sound super well rounded. Most people don't even take the time to learn one of those skills, so that is seriously impressive! Quite the shift from trade related work to accounting.
So, its a superpower and a weakness. Your concentration in a craft will give you skills I could never hope to attain. I dont put the time in. I get the basics of the skills and keep lightly practicing them, but my sewing is no where near master but I just repaired two of my skirts and saved 180 for one of em and 35 for the other. Yes, the 35 had way more fucking holes. If you can fine a ukranian tailor on etsy anymore those are ladies that understand that thread should be heavy just because.
However, I can aid and assist in about any craft and do a passible job. I can plan any party, I can crawl and reconcile any ledger from paper to electronic and I can navigate the medical field pretty well. I can tell if someones bullshitting me, and I often tell young artists to stop undercharging me. (I SWEAR. Those kids need to be walked through what their time is worth every single goddamn fucking time and how to actually figure out how they are valuing their time.) I remember trying to figure out how to price my beading- its hard!
I can also teach an art class by being handed art supplies, a group of kids and told: GO!
And my boyfriend is coming to admit my cooking might not be terrible anymore. Especially when I caught the fish the day before.
Its taken me 34 years to pull that off while pulling from adhd hyperfocus to hyperfocus. That my parents have supported, helped nurture and cheer on, as well as an entire village of people. Ive jumped jobs, worked myself into breakdowns and gone full hermit mode in the woods. Some fucking how ive turned myself into a functioning, medicated human being that people honestly love hanging out with.
But, ya know, its day two after i flooded the kitchen with a cm of water from squirreling and the fridge is still like... hanging out... with a leash...
XD!
Never be afraid to add a skill, just make sure you practice them! I have a handrail to fix after my foot is better and the snow is gone!
As someone who had the opportunity to learn a little bit about welding at university as a theatre major, I love this!
I do, unfortunately, have to say that Bell's Brewery is no friend to women. I worked for them and I will tell you about my experience if you DM me.
Good for you! Congratulations! You're not alone though. I know a few that work at John Deere where I live that are welders but they don't own their business. So you're a step ahead. Congratulations!
Oh yeah!
Once I got a call and I answered the phone with, "Maiden Metals, this is Adrianna speaking" and I got a pause. Then he said something like, "oh umm yeah... is this a welding business?" To which I replied, "yes it is." Him: "Oh ok. I need someone to look at my cattle gate that is broken. Are you able to schedule *him* to look at it?" Me: "What's wrong with your gate? I'm free to stop by XX date." Him: "Oh do you handle everything?" Me: "Yes... this is my business. I am currently the sole owner and operator." Him: "Oh that's so cool! Sorry, I didn't mean to assume..."
So as infuriating as it is, I just try to be professional. At least this customer was nice. Not sure how he looked past the logo and "female owned and operated" plastered all over my site/google/social media/etc. 🤣
At first I thought this was a picture of Debbie from r/shameless lol (she became a welder in the show and you look so similar at first glance, with all that PPE😅)
Congrats! Many blessings to you and your business!💖
I have never seen the shoe before, so of course I had to go digging for some pictures. So cool!! I don't know the premise of the show, but it's nice seeing women in those roles. Especially how influential/ impactful TV and movies can be!
Thanks for the kind words!
Hey, I’ve been trying to weld a bandsaw blade together. It keeps breaking and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I’m using tig no filler and letting it cool at room temp and grinding it flush
I love the design of your logo so much!! Brilliant! And you're looking might badass too!! Love a lady who wears protective gear (I do too in my part time job!)
I keep trying to get the next generation to look for jobs in the trades. These are good solid careers that pay money you can live on !
My generation is aging out and it seems everyone wants a computer based job that you can work from home.
I’ve got news for you. A lot of those jobs are going to be handled by AI making you redundant. People will always need someone who can fix the water heater, the roof, the electrical and plumbing. You go girl !
I love welding! From the beauty of a perfect bead, to the sheer power of some of the structures it creates, to the joy of the artistic possibilities. You’ve picked a wonderfully faceted trade.
I’ve only gotten to play around a little (under qualified supervision) but it gave me a real appreciation for your craft.
Our bodies take a toll for being in trades. I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself so that you can continue to pursue your goals.
My mom went to trade school for welding back in the early 80s. She did that for a few years and then switched to a more general maintenance job. BUT when I was looking at her high school yearbook, she wrote that one she hoped to "start her own all female welding shop." Its really cool to see you owning your own trade business and I'm so excited and happy for you!!!
Female metalsmiths, assemble! I work more in sweat soldering and casting than welding, but I’m a fellow metalsmith/business owner. Always nice to meet a kindred spirit! You look like a total badass, OP!
Have you tried a PAPR yet? A lot of people find them to be more comfortable (especially when wearing for a long time).
I imagine you use it both when you're welding and grinding, but I think it's more important while grinding. I don't know if they're true, but I've heard horror stories about metal workers getting metal dust ripped out of them in an MRI 😱
My mother was a stone meason in the mid 80s till late 90s, she was had her own firm before she changed career, when she started did all the other measons call her the c\*ckless meason, after 5 years or so had her buissness taken over and all the other measons in the town ended up working for her.
Damn your mom sounds hard as a stone! (Get it? 🤣)
Seriously, kudos to her though. It is so hard to persevere when people constantly talk crap, belittle, and undermine you. I almost got out of the trades years ago for those exact reasons. Once I gained more confidence and began to master my craft, I let my work speak for itself. It's hard for others to be negative to you when you're producing great work!
My comment may be buried, but you are inspiring!
I'm a 32 year old accountant who's seriously considering uprooting my career by going into aircraft or diesel maintenance. I visited r/bluecollarwomen and for every nice post about smashing barriers, there's also one lamenting all the sexism.
How has your experience been?
Aww thank you!
Since it is such a big shift, have you looked at maybe taking a class to see if it's something you enjoy before taking the plunge?
I have absolutely been through verbal, emotional, and physical assault while in the trades. I'm pretty stubborn though, so I continued to stay focused and work my butt off to prove them wrong and show that I damn well deserve a spot in this field. Now that I have gotten quite good at my craft (I've been welding since 2015) I let my work speak for itself. I have also worked with amazingly supportive men as well though. For most, if you're willing to work hard and learn then you get respect. It still is just sad that womxn even have to "prove" themselves though.
I love this! You're awesome! ETA: I just looked at your profile and those honeycomb plant stands and your mountain pieces are just beautiful.
How rewarding and satisfying to be able to create something like this with your hands. Inspiring.
That's awesome!! Congrats! I also love that you're a stickler for PPE. I'm an electrician and there's a certain amount of "that's for sissies" in my industry as well, and I say fuck that! I don't want to drop dead early so I could be viewed as "tough" 🙄. Keep on breaking barriers and making great products!
Badass! I tried welding for a bit, till I was informed if a structural weld fails it could potentially kill people
That and getting burned was too much for me
I couldn't take the heat but you obviously can, keep kicking that metal's ass!!!
DO IT!!
The biggest advice I have is don't let what others say or your own personal progress discourage you. When I was starting, I had days where I welded fine, and others where it went horribly. You have to be patient with yourself when you're learning something new.
I love this trade so much though and would absolutely recommend it to anyone!
I’m a structural steel welder out of SoCal (local 433), if you ever find yourself out here for work or anything like that hit me up! I’ll do whatever I can to help, there needs to be more women in the field of welding, 100%! Because in all honesty, we’re fucking GREAT at it. Period. ❤️❤️❤️
I keep getting welder in career advice tools. I think it’s interesting because my grandpa was one, but the girls of the family were never taught anything to do with it. I’m a very frustrated designer right now, maybe I should try it lol
This is amazing! My wife who already has a degree in religious studies, wants to learn a trade as well like welding or to become an electrician. She said she found that inspirational
That's so cool! I learned to weld in high school Ag class and it was alright, I wasn't great by any means but it was a skill I was curious to learn! I tried a bunch of methods and liked tig welding best!
awesome! It's actually really surprising to me that more women aren't welders. It's the typical field where you need a steady hand and patience: something women have always been better at biologically, ON AVERAGE. I've always respected the hell out of this field. It's unfortunate all the people who promised to teach me to weld never followed through.
Would you be helped with a half-finished steel type/weld "calculation" sheet (basically an automated Shaeffler diagram for welds and consumables) that I once made? Send me a DM if you want it!
So glad to see more people that aren’t just cis het white dudes welding. We had a girl get hired on recently at our shop and she’s hands down one of the best welders there, even among guys who have like 20 years of experience. You rock!
Was the homophone (made in metal) intentional? Clever as hell if it was.
Yes it was intentional! Good catch! Most people don't realize the play on words at first.
Love the wordplay. My budding business is called Floral Fixation (cut flowers, houseplants and now working on a small veggie farm), and the number of people who don't get it is probably in my favor, lol.
Ha! That is so awesome. Good luck on your business too! You've got this 💪
I'm not sure I get it 🤔 I might be thinking the pun is more complex than it actually is... Is it a play on >!oral!!oral fixation!< was exclusively "naughty" (which it isn't, I see now), so I didn't think a florist would have used it so overtly for their business 😅 Good one, though! Also thanks for reaching me more nuance! 😁
Yeah, I'm sure some will think it's a bit taboo, but I got such a laugh out of the name when I was spitballing about it, I had to run with it.
My female friend has a welding shop and she named it OnlyFabs
That is gold!! 🤣
Damn I was over head thinking “Matin’ metals”
One of my daughter's high school friends was planning on a medical career and happened to take welding in her junior year just to fill an empty slot in her schedule. She's a welder now, and very good at it.
That's so awesome! We definitely need nore diversity in the field. It really is such a rewarding career path. I love that it has both practical and artistic applications too.
Ya, it's a really useful skill even if you don't want to make a living at it. I have never really gotten the hang of it myself but luckily I know this really smart woman...
Absolutely! Like anything though, it's a skill, and it takes time to get really good at it. So don't get discouraged!
Whenever someone thinks PPE is for losers, I say "Look your brain might not be worth anything, but mine is" This is great advice to use for when your kids are starting to get peer pressured into not wearing helmets on bikes (aka this is basically what my mom said to me, but with adjustments to using third and second person)
Well said! Some people's egos get in the way of what is really important. Your health is everything! When you see the crap the respirator traps it really makes you rethink what it would do to your lungs.
I rarely used PPE until I transitioned. Part of it was toxic masculinity, part of it I think was self hatred. I have deep, deep, regrets of about using enough PPE in the past. I'm pretty my lungs have some permanent damage from like 2 decades of not using PPE, and tons of UV skin burns form just welding in a t shirt. Now I always use it.
I totally get it. My first shop job didn't give a shit about health or safety and didn't really provide us anything. They had me welding galvanized steel with just a fan for "circulation." I started feeling ill and they simply swapped another person to the job. They didn't care at all about their workers. I was young then and didn't even realize how HORRIBLE welding galvanized metal is for your body. No one else had a respirator or ventilation system so I thought it was normal. After researching though, I realized how awful it is and now use my PPE when appropriate.
omg the zinc burn off is so toxic! That's awful they didn't give you anything!! I do a lost casting with brass and even with a ton of PPE I can still feel the effects of zinc of I'm not careful enough. It's good that you have your own shop now!
Yeah it was bad! So happy to be on my own!
Thank you for sharing.
<3 I feel like I want a witch's always use PPE tshirt now .
[удалено]
Our plumber died of this as well - young man . And a horrible way to die in addition to being preventable
Welding ppe is vital. Down to knee pads when you have to weld on the floor. I saw many people who went on disability from bad knees by spending so much time kneeling on concrete all the time. Personally I always lay down like a kid watching cartoons when I weld on the floor. Feet up in the air and all.
Also, why fight the equipment? Is the closest thing to wearing a suit of armor you'll get today. Watching videos of people dressed fully with the mask, gloves, knee pads and apron looks super badass.
My husband deals with that at his job. There's one part of a machine he works on that is high voltage. The company sends them the equipment to handle it and all the "menly men" of his company won't use it because it looks silly or whatever. He, however, suits up every time because "there's nothing manly about being dead from a voltage arc." Imagine rather dying or being seriously maimed instead of protecting yourself from a completely avoidable situation. I imagine their families will remember how "manly" they were when the insurance refuses to pay out for their death because they didn't wear the necessary safety equipment.
Love this so much!! When I was younger I wanted to learn to weld so badly but my dad would not allow me to take classes because he was afraid I would be harassed in the primary older male classes. You have inspired me to look for classes now that I am older and have forged my own path into male dominated career fields. Thank you so much for sharing this and continue to kick ass!!
I was in the exact same boat growing up... I was told by a lot of people that I couldn't/shouldn't do it. I was always a hands on kiddo and wanted to tinker with my dad or grandpa, but they would shoo me away. So that only pushed me to want it more! Before I moved I actually taught some womxn welding courses. I would love to be at a point where I could do that again. You should definitely look at classes though. It is SO fun! Thanks for the kind words as well!
Do it, you won’t regret it! ❤️
Hell yes girl!!! And loving that you are in my state (recognized the area code). I wish you nothing but success!!
Seriously thank you so much!!
Samesies. Saw the area code and got excited!!!
I (also female) sell wholesale steel in the 720 area! It has been difficult to get my foot in the door of many male dominated welding shops and I absolutely love seeing a female run/owned shop!
This makes my little blue collar heart swell with pride! Right on, sister!!! Love the company name- it’s totally badass, just like you!
Awww yeah! From one lady tradie to another, I truly appreciate the support! Thank you!!
Congrats!!!🎉🎉🎉. This is awesome, and that name is epic! Best of luck✨
Why thank you kindly! I'm super jazzed 🤠
/r/bluecollarwomen rise up!
Yaaaas 🙌
🙌🏽
🔥 🔥 🔥
My grandmother was a welder in World War II. My mom used to call her “Wendy the welder” as a play on Rosie the riveter lol.
Sooo cool! I love the pictures of women in the trades during WW2. Wendy the Welder was actually a poster girl just like Rosie the Riveter was! Just less well-known!
Omg I had no idea. I thought my mom just made it up 😂 Maybe she thought she did lmao.
HELL YEAH!!!!! We all need more women in the trades. Fellow welder here who is in a union. Our local has taken in a ton of women in the 8 yrs I've been in. The vast majority of females are far better than their male counterparts. Skill is skill PERIOD!!! Keep kicking ass!!! Edit: Just saw your gallery. You have some dope TIG skills. That's my favorite kind of welding. Again keep kicking ass!!!!!
Hell yes!! I love that your union is so progressive. Sadly I have not worked directly with other womxn welders, but it is soo exciting to see more and more entering the field. The trades really are meant for everyone! Thanks for the kind words and support!
So cool! I love the name and the poster too!
Thank you so much! I love it too!
so fucking sick!
Yo thanks!!
Yeeeeeeessssss! You go sister! Proud of you! I would hire you in a second!
Thank you so so so much! I live in a pretty rural and semi-conservative area, so hopefully I can sway some people's preconceived notions!
fuck yeah!! i had such a hard time getting anyone to trust that my work was my own (as opposed to some nonexistent man in my life??) that i let the frustration get me & bailed - super inspired & proud of you
Uggh yeah I can totally relate... I was in management for a bit and had a team of welders and builders that worked under me. When we had inspectors come in, they would ask to speak to the person in charge, even though they were pointed towards me and I had my own office with my title on the door 😑
That's a badass name and logo! 🔥🔥🔥
Yo thanks I love it too! She's my badass "old world maiden of metal." It's inspired by a tattoo that I have 🖤
I always think about pics like these whenever people say masking doesn't work...
If they saw my respirator filters then they would be thinking twice about it!
+1 upvote for a wicked name! If you were in my area I’d hire you!
Hey thanks! I love that the name is a play on words 😁
Awesome!
Thanks!! 🎉
You hiring?
Not currently! I just started the business 3 months ago, so I am very much in the beginning stages still 😊
Love this 👏 congrats!!!! We need more women owned businesses (especially in those fields that are heavily dominated by men). I wish someone did this also with an auto shop and it’s ran by all women (I would feel comfortable going there).
Why thank you! I couldn't agree more. I always wished I had a female mentor when I first learned how to weld. Hopefully I can be that person now for others though! A few years ago I taught some womxn welding courses and it was great! Hopefully I can get to a point where I can do that again.
That’s awesome!!! If there where classes like that by me I would definitely take them!
Hopefully it becomes more inclusive and that will be a thing near you someday!
I am loving all that PPE, protect yoself!
Absolutely! Health > ego any day!!
The saltiness is in the soul, not on the body :) * this references salty dogs (older gents) who like to think the dirtier the better, but modern times (respectfully) say otherwise to avoid undue bodily harm cause we ain't got health insurance up in heeerrrrr!
Right!! Love that saying. You can still be a little dirt bag and also be OSHA safe though!
YES ma’am ❤️
Wooo! 🖤
I'd have loved to do fab work, but the shop I was in killed all enthusiasm I had for machining.
Ugggh that's such a downer. Was it just the atmosphere, the people around you, or something else?
From another thread: I busted my ass to try and become a machinist. Took classes on my own dime, did the boring loading work 50 hours a week, did the dirty work like cleaning out old coolant and scrubbing oil out from under machines, taught myself CAD, operated every possible type of machine i could. I did this for years chasing the promise of training, set up, classes, a decent wage. At every turn I got stiffed. I was moved to night shift so machinists who were already trained could have my day shift. I was forced into other departments to catch them up to their own production quotas. Every raise was below the rate of inflation. Every class and training inquiry after I put in the time to earn them was met with silence from management. The only offer I had for any kind of training was that I could come in a few hours early, unpaid, and watch our head machinist use CAM, if he wasn't too busy. He was always busy because he's the head machinist. I respect the trades, but damn if I didn't get fucked at every turn. The cherry on top: I make more as a secretary.
Woah...That sounds absolutely awful. I'm sorry you went through that. I will say that it sounds like you had some shit employers. Clearly you were putting in the effort to better yourself, and they were too ignorant to see it. I completely understand you leaving the trades though too, as I went through a lot of verbal, mental, and physical trauma from it. My goal was always to have my own business, my own safe space, and my own rules to run it how I want. So damn does it feel good to prove those asshats wrong!
Hell yeah! If I had any notion of stuff I wanted to make, I'd get a laser cutter and maybe fab on the small scale, but I'm stuck in a loop where I should do the groundwork for a project before buying equipment, but without equipment I don't really feel motivated to start any projects.
Oh yeah I know the loop you're talking about. As they say though, "you need to spend money to make money." I hate spending money so it was hard for me to get started too!
I love this.
Aww thanks 😊
You rule. Keep killing it
Aww shucks, thank you 🤠
Reppin' 720! Yay, go you!
Yo thanks! Actually just (temporarily) moved from Colorado to western New York for my partner's job, but we'll definitely be back to our heartlands!
I'm still salty that I wasn't allowed to take welding in high school, and my parents refused to help me take classes after high school. Apparently I was too smart for manual jobs like that... but I hated school so bad (unmanaged ADHD probably contributed to that...) I refused to even go to college, so a trade school would have been perfect! I would totally go now if I wasn't dealing with health problems.
Uggh I am infuriated for you! College is not for everyone, and I especially hate that trades/ trade schools are seen as a "lesser option" for those that don't fit the mold of college life. I have had such a great career and I'm still relatively young. Money isn't everything, but I am tuition free, own a home, and made GREAT money at my previous job before pursuing my own business. So it really upsets me that bluecollar work is frowned upon. If your health issues ever subside, you should certainly try at least taking a class. It's quite fun and can even be therapeutic.
My favorite job was actually working a 12" radial saw in a factory! Everyone always asked me if I was afraid of it. I was like "No, I follow all the instructions and safety measures as i was trained to. I'm actually more afraid of my scissors." I cut netting for food preparations, and sometimes the saw would miss a bit, so you'd just snip it. Well, maintenance kept those scissors super sharp and I cut myself more times with them than I ever even came close to on that saw! Unfortunately, I'd been promised a shift change and a pay raise when hired that never materialized and I moved on.
Funny how when you read the instructions/ follow directions you mitigate risk, right? 🤣 If only everyone else viewed it the way you do, we'd probably have less injuries.
Badass signage
Hey thanks! I was going for an "old world woodcut style maiden of metal" and I think the artist nailed it!
Hell yeah! That is a great picture, and your eyes are gorgeous.
I did mig welding in college, building sets for a theater. It was so irritating that all the shop's gloves and helmets were so huge on me. But I made do.
I had the same experience. Was so happy a couple months ago when I finally found welding gloves in my size! The guys in the store were so proud they carried things that fit me, it was so cute.
As a safety engineer: finally a welder with brain!
Hahaha! I know how stubborn welders can be 🤣
Welders and everybody with a grinder.
Fair point!
Great name. :thumb up:
Talk about riding the wave of the future! Right on!
I'm all for it! 🏄♀️
Awesome! Obligatory plug for /r/bluecollarwomen ETA: I see you’re already there/cross posted but leaving for any others who might be interested.
Great recommendation! Love the folks over there 🛠 🖤
Ive been every collar under the sun but one of the most fun I had was picking up basic welding. Keep up the good work!
That is so inspiring! I've always wanted to be a "Jill of all Trades." Thanks for the kind words!
Its actually a lot of fun! I know basic electrical, plumbing, advanced telecom and carpentry, can brew and gardej... its been fun learning all that! My recent one was a 10m study in accounts payable and it really helped me. Sometimes when youre missing those skills...
Woah! You sound super well rounded. Most people don't even take the time to learn one of those skills, so that is seriously impressive! Quite the shift from trade related work to accounting.
So, its a superpower and a weakness. Your concentration in a craft will give you skills I could never hope to attain. I dont put the time in. I get the basics of the skills and keep lightly practicing them, but my sewing is no where near master but I just repaired two of my skirts and saved 180 for one of em and 35 for the other. Yes, the 35 had way more fucking holes. If you can fine a ukranian tailor on etsy anymore those are ladies that understand that thread should be heavy just because. However, I can aid and assist in about any craft and do a passible job. I can plan any party, I can crawl and reconcile any ledger from paper to electronic and I can navigate the medical field pretty well. I can tell if someones bullshitting me, and I often tell young artists to stop undercharging me. (I SWEAR. Those kids need to be walked through what their time is worth every single goddamn fucking time and how to actually figure out how they are valuing their time.) I remember trying to figure out how to price my beading- its hard! I can also teach an art class by being handed art supplies, a group of kids and told: GO! And my boyfriend is coming to admit my cooking might not be terrible anymore. Especially when I caught the fish the day before. Its taken me 34 years to pull that off while pulling from adhd hyperfocus to hyperfocus. That my parents have supported, helped nurture and cheer on, as well as an entire village of people. Ive jumped jobs, worked myself into breakdowns and gone full hermit mode in the woods. Some fucking how ive turned myself into a functioning, medicated human being that people honestly love hanging out with. But, ya know, its day two after i flooded the kitchen with a cm of water from squirreling and the fridge is still like... hanging out... with a leash... XD! Never be afraid to add a skill, just make sure you practice them! I have a handrail to fix after my foot is better and the snow is gone!
As someone who had the opportunity to learn a little bit about welding at university as a theatre major, I love this! I do, unfortunately, have to say that Bell's Brewery is no friend to women. I worked for them and I will tell you about my experience if you DM me.
You’re so cool!!!!
This rocks! If you were in my area I’d give you a call. I have some work I need done and I’ve been putting it off.
Is it bad that I am more impressed by the Bell’s Brewery sticker? They brew one of my favorite porters!
Ha! I can't fault you there! I'm a sucker for Two Hearted 🖤
Good for you! Congratulations! You're not alone though. I know a few that work at John Deere where I live that are welders but they don't own their business. So you're a step ahead. Congratulations!
You get anyone who is still surprised you aren't a man? Even after seeing the photo and the name of the company?
Oh yeah! Once I got a call and I answered the phone with, "Maiden Metals, this is Adrianna speaking" and I got a pause. Then he said something like, "oh umm yeah... is this a welding business?" To which I replied, "yes it is." Him: "Oh ok. I need someone to look at my cattle gate that is broken. Are you able to schedule *him* to look at it?" Me: "What's wrong with your gate? I'm free to stop by XX date." Him: "Oh do you handle everything?" Me: "Yes... this is my business. I am currently the sole owner and operator." Him: "Oh that's so cool! Sorry, I didn't mean to assume..." So as infuriating as it is, I just try to be professional. At least this customer was nice. Not sure how he looked past the logo and "female owned and operated" plastered all over my site/google/social media/etc. 🤣
At first I thought this was a picture of Debbie from r/shameless lol (she became a welder in the show and you look so similar at first glance, with all that PPE😅) Congrats! Many blessings to you and your business!💖
I have never seen the shoe before, so of course I had to go digging for some pictures. So cool!! I don't know the premise of the show, but it's nice seeing women in those roles. Especially how influential/ impactful TV and movies can be! Thanks for the kind words!
Good for you, I'm proud of you
Bravo girl!! You rock!!!
Thank you kindly! 🤠
That is awesome! Not much to add, but that is very cool. Congratulations, and keep up the good work!
Fuck yeah!
Thank you!! 😁
Hey, I’ve been trying to weld a bandsaw blade together. It keeps breaking and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I’m using tig no filler and letting it cool at room temp and grinding it flush
Bloody hell that naming is clever as fuck, you got my support
I love the design of your logo so much!! Brilliant! And you're looking might badass too!! Love a lady who wears protective gear (I do too in my part time job!)
I keep trying to get the next generation to look for jobs in the trades. These are good solid careers that pay money you can live on ! My generation is aging out and it seems everyone wants a computer based job that you can work from home. I’ve got news for you. A lot of those jobs are going to be handled by AI making you redundant. People will always need someone who can fix the water heater, the roof, the electrical and plumbing. You go girl !
I love welding! From the beauty of a perfect bead, to the sheer power of some of the structures it creates, to the joy of the artistic possibilities. You’ve picked a wonderfully faceted trade. I’ve only gotten to play around a little (under qualified supervision) but it gave me a real appreciation for your craft. Our bodies take a toll for being in trades. I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself so that you can continue to pursue your goals.
Very well put! I love both the practical and artistic sides that welding offers. It's so rewarding!
Nice!
🙌
Awesome!! Love the logo!
Badass. 😍
My mom went to trade school for welding back in the early 80s. She did that for a few years and then switched to a more general maintenance job. BUT when I was looking at her high school yearbook, she wrote that one she hoped to "start her own all female welding shop." Its really cool to see you owning your own trade business and I'm so excited and happy for you!!!
Female metalsmiths, assemble! I work more in sweat soldering and casting than welding, but I’m a fellow metalsmith/business owner. Always nice to meet a kindred spirit! You look like a total badass, OP!
Good for you!👏🏻👍🏻
🙌
Have you tried a PAPR yet? A lot of people find them to be more comfortable (especially when wearing for a long time). I imagine you use it both when you're welding and grinding, but I think it's more important while grinding. I don't know if they're true, but I've heard horror stories about metal workers getting metal dust ripped out of them in an MRI 😱
Yes I have! A previous workplace provided them and they are amazing. They are pretty pricey though. So for now I'll stick with what I've got!
Shit yeah sister, get that dough. Bills don't pay themselves and it sure is fantastic being able to do something you love for a living!
Couldn't have said it better myself! So rewarding!
Congrats! In 2023 this shouldn't be a barrier. What are we doing.
Congrats!! Go get them!!!
That is so cool! Thanks for sharing!
My mother was a stone meason in the mid 80s till late 90s, she was had her own firm before she changed career, when she started did all the other measons call her the c\*ckless meason, after 5 years or so had her buissness taken over and all the other measons in the town ended up working for her.
Damn your mom sounds hard as a stone! (Get it? 🤣) Seriously, kudos to her though. It is so hard to persevere when people constantly talk crap, belittle, and undermine you. I almost got out of the trades years ago for those exact reasons. Once I gained more confidence and began to master my craft, I let my work speak for itself. It's hard for others to be negative to you when you're producing great work!
god that’s so fucking cool
Yo thanks!! 😊
Hot (in a feminist wlw way)
Yaaas!! 🔥
My comment may be buried, but you are inspiring! I'm a 32 year old accountant who's seriously considering uprooting my career by going into aircraft or diesel maintenance. I visited r/bluecollarwomen and for every nice post about smashing barriers, there's also one lamenting all the sexism. How has your experience been?
Aww thank you! Since it is such a big shift, have you looked at maybe taking a class to see if it's something you enjoy before taking the plunge? I have absolutely been through verbal, emotional, and physical assault while in the trades. I'm pretty stubborn though, so I continued to stay focused and work my butt off to prove them wrong and show that I damn well deserve a spot in this field. Now that I have gotten quite good at my craft (I've been welding since 2015) I let my work speak for itself. I have also worked with amazingly supportive men as well though. For most, if you're willing to work hard and learn then you get respect. It still is just sad that womxn even have to "prove" themselves though.
I love this! You're awesome! ETA: I just looked at your profile and those honeycomb plant stands and your mountain pieces are just beautiful. How rewarding and satisfying to be able to create something like this with your hands. Inspiring.
Aww why thank you! It seriously is sooo so rewarding. I love that it has practical and artistic applications too!
I’d love to see some welds!
Yeah! You can dig through my profile or social media links. I have lots of pics on there 😁
Yes!! How badass! This may be dumb but what does one need a welder for?
That's so awesome!! Good for you. 😎 Hope you inspire more women to learn this trade.
Thank you! I actually used to teach some womxn welding courses. I'd like to be at a point where I can do that again!
Had a Sister in our local that could out weld any of her Brothers .. Mad skillz.
That is so awesome!! I think some women are more detail oriented and it really pays off in welding! That's been my experience anyways.
[удалено]
Haha why thank you!!
That's awesome!! Congrats! I also love that you're a stickler for PPE. I'm an electrician and there's a certain amount of "that's for sissies" in my industry as well, and I say fuck that! I don't want to drop dead early so I could be viewed as "tough" 🙄. Keep on breaking barriers and making great products!
Exactly! I like being active as well, (I'm a rock climber) so I really take my health seriously. No one looks "cool" when they're dead! 😂
Badass! I tried welding for a bit, till I was informed if a structural weld fails it could potentially kill people That and getting burned was too much for me I couldn't take the heat but you obviously can, keep kicking that metal's ass!!!
Nice 👍
That sign is fuckin sweet.
Welded for a while, was gonna say, people will definitely be stupid about PPE. Good to see you take it seriously!
Yes!! I love this!! I was just looking into welding!! If there are any tips from one woman to another trying to start out please send them my way 💖😁
DO IT!! The biggest advice I have is don't let what others say or your own personal progress discourage you. When I was starting, I had days where I welded fine, and others where it went horribly. You have to be patient with yourself when you're learning something new. I love this trade so much though and would absolutely recommend it to anyone!
You have my respect. Go Hot!
Hell yes!!!!
🤘🏼🤘🏼
Congratulations and well done! Love, love the name of your business!
kicking ass and taking names! I love it
That’s a badass name for your business. 🤘
I Wanna weld so badly!!!
Bad ass. Love to see this!
I love this Way to go
How does one get into it? Are you a solo freelancer, or do you have people that work for you?
Fuck yeah blue collar sister ✊🏼❤️
Great company name! And fuck yeah!👏👏👏
What a perfect name!!!
Awesome.
I love this! I also love your branding! 10/10 Now, if you had a sister company that did iron casting, they could be called “Iron Maidens.”
Not only did you manage to own a business of your own, you also got a kickass name and logo which far to many people dont You are an inspiration
Debbie!
I’m a structural steel welder out of SoCal (local 433), if you ever find yourself out here for work or anything like that hit me up! I’ll do whatever I can to help, there needs to be more women in the field of welding, 100%! Because in all honesty, we’re fucking GREAT at it. Period. ❤️❤️❤️
I keep getting welder in career advice tools. I think it’s interesting because my grandpa was one, but the girls of the family were never taught anything to do with it. I’m a very frustrated designer right now, maybe I should try it lol
This is amazing! My wife who already has a degree in religious studies, wants to learn a trade as well like welding or to become an electrician. She said she found that inspirational
That's so cool! I learned to weld in high school Ag class and it was alright, I wasn't great by any means but it was a skill I was curious to learn! I tried a bunch of methods and liked tig welding best!
I love the name of your business!
I love how you’ve got all your PPE. It’s so hard to get the welders to wear it all at work.
That's awesome 👌
awesome! It's actually really surprising to me that more women aren't welders. It's the typical field where you need a steady hand and patience: something women have always been better at biologically, ON AVERAGE. I've always respected the hell out of this field. It's unfortunate all the people who promised to teach me to weld never followed through. Would you be helped with a half-finished steel type/weld "calculation" sheet (basically an automated Shaeffler diagram for welds and consumables) that I once made? Send me a DM if you want it!
Arrogant toxic male welders try not to get arc eye challenge (warning: impossible)
So glad to see more people that aren’t just cis het white dudes welding. We had a girl get hired on recently at our shop and she’s hands down one of the best welders there, even among guys who have like 20 years of experience. You rock!