# Side Jobs



## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

Is there a lot of work or things to do on the side? Like once I know more about plumbing is there work in bathroom renovations or is that not complicated enough for a plumber..


What are some side work a plumber could pick up. Please let me know.

I start school on monday


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> What are some side work a plumber could pick up. Please let me know.


Cleaning toilets....pulling hair from sink drains...that sort of thing.

You start school on Monday...first lesson is today ~ don't cut the throat of those who will employ you.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Cleaning toilets....pulling hair from sink drains...that sort of thing.
> 
> You start school on Monday...first lesson is today ~ don't cut the throat of those who will employ you.


 
I won't cut the throat. I will just pick up some weekend work or whatever.

And are you serious about the cleaning toliets and unclogging drains?


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## BigMikeB (Aug 1, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> I won't cut the throat. I will just pick up some weekend work or whatever.
> 
> And are you serious about the cleaning toliets and unclogging drains?


 
Yeah, plumbers unclog drains, pull "blockages" out of toilets, etc.

#1 Rule in plumbing: **** flows downhill

#2 Don't chew your nails after work


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

BigMikeB said:


> Yeah, plumbers unclog drains, pull "blockages" out of toilets, etc.
> 
> #1 Rule in plumbing: **** flows downhill
> 
> #2 Don't chew your nails after work


Rule number one is Don't get any on you.


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## BigMikeB (Aug 1, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> Rule number one is Don't get any on you.


See I've been out of service work so long I forgot already


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> I won't cut the throat. I will just pick up some weekend work or whatever.


Real plumbers don't work weekends?




pyroracing85 said:


> And are you serious about the cleaning toliets and unclogging drains?


Who do you think does this work? 
oh, wait..these must be some of those jobs "no American wants".


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Real plumbers don't work weekends?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I didn't mean it like that. I just meant as in that is pretty simple stuff. Must take like 10 minutes to do. How much do you usually charge to "unclog" a toliet?


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> How much do you usually charge to "unclog" a toliet?


I don't do "sidework" nor toilets.
<~~~see over here: 
Trade: Lic. NJ Electrical Contractor


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

Celtic said:


> I don't do "sidework" nor toilets.
> <~~~see over here:
> Trade: Lic. NJ Electrical Contractor


 
Ohh ok... I got ya.. Yea I am going for the more mechanical side of construction.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> Ohh ok... I got ya.. Yea I am going for the more mechanical side of construction.



Learn the job before you "set the world on fire" 

It's good that you're going to go to school. IF you have the free time, STUDY STUDY STUDY - there is plenty of time to work. You'll find that the cream rises to the top and the slackers ...well, they are slackers, what else is there to say :laughing:


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Learn the job before you "set the world on fire"
> 
> It's good that you're going to go to school. IF you have the free time, STUDY STUDY STUDY - there is plenty of time to work. You'll find that the cream rises to the top and the slackers ...well, they are slackers, what else is there to say :laughing:


 
There will be plenty of time to study. I am studying right now. DIY bathroom remodeling. I guess it is the best I can find on the computer..


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> There will be plenty of time to study. I am studying right now. DIY bathroom remodeling. I guess it is the best I can find on the computer..


You'd be better off working on math and formulas commonly used in the plumbing trade, like capacity of a tank, capacity of a cylinder, figuring offsets, etc.

When I do 15" cast iron soil pipe it is quite handy to be able to figure a rolled offset on paper instead of trying to hold the two fittings where they look like they should be and measuring between the two of them.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> You'd be better off working on math and formulas commonly used in the plumbing trade, like capacity of a tank, capacity of a cylinder, figuring offsets, etc.
> 
> When I do 15" cast iron soil pipe it is quite handy to be able to figure a rolled offset on paper instead of trying to hold the two fittings where they look like they should be and measuring between the two of them.


 
Please tell me more. What kind of formulas are these?


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> You'd be better off working on math and formulas commonly used in the plumbing trade, like capacity of a tank, capacity of a cylinder, figuring offsets, etc.
> 
> When I do 15" cast iron soil pipe it is quite handy to be able to figure a rolled offset on paper instead of trying to hold the two fittings where they look like they should be and measuring between the two of them.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That's STUDYING.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

In a simple 45 degree offset, the the advance and the set are constant, they are always equal, so you need a formula to figure the travel, which is also a constant, the advance multiplied by 1.41, minus to takeoff of the fitting on either end.

In a rolled offset using two 45's, where you are changing both elevation and plane, it gets a little more complicated, as you need a measurement for rise, spread, and setback before you can figure your set. The set formula for that is rise squared plus spread squared, once you arrive at that, the square root of that sum multiplied by 1.41 is your travel piece, minus the fitting takeoff on either end.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> In a simple 45 degree offset, the the advance and the set are constant, they are always equal, so you need a formula to figure the travel, which is also a constant, the advance multiplied by 1.41, minus to takeoff of the fitting on either end.
> 
> In a rolled offset using two 45's, where you are changing both elevation and plane, it gets a little more complicated, as you need a measurement for rise, spread, and setback before you can figure your set. The set formula for that is rise squared plus spread squared, once you arrive at that, the square root of that sum multiplied by 1.41 is your travel piece, minus the fitting takeoff on either end.


 
How long have you been in the trade? How did you learn this stuff? Do you own your own business?


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> How long have you been in the trade? How did you learn this stuff? Do you own your own business?


18 years.

I learned some of it through my unions school as an apprentice, I learned a lot of it in the field when I was running new high rise work. When you are coring decks for 15" soil pipe it helps a lot if you put the core hole in the right place the first time.

I own a business, but it has nothing to do with my trade, I work as a foreman, estimator, and general guy in charge for someone else in the plumbing trade.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> 18 years.
> 
> I learned some of it through my unions school as an apprentice, I learned a lot of it in the field when I was running new high rise work. When you are coring decks for 15" soil pipe it helps a lot if you put the core hole in the right place the first time.
> 
> I own a business, but it has nothing to do with my trade, I work as a foreman, estimator, and general guy in charge for someone else in the plumbing trade.


 
So you are saying owning a plumbing business has nothing to do with the trade?

What kind of advice would you have for a newbie plumber looking to get ahead..


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> So you are saying owning a plumbing business has nothing to do with the trade?
> 
> What kind of advice would you have for a newbie plumber looking to get ahead..


No, my business is not a plumbing business, I design and build stock car chassis as a side business, aside from working as a plumber full time.

You want to succeed as a plumber? Learn the math, know exactly what it takes to do anything, and make sure everything you do looks perfect. I was a foreman one year after getting my license by going that route, and I was running a crew of fifty guys doing new high rises two years after that. Keep in mind, it is always easier to do something on paper three times and get it right, than to do it once with 15" cast iron pipe and get it wrong.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> No, my business is not a plumbing business, I design and build stock car chassis as a side business, aside from working as a plumber full time.
> 
> You want to succeed as a plumber? Learn the math, know exactly what it takes to do anything, and make sure everything you do looks perfect. I was a foreman one year after getting my license by going that route, and I was running a crew of fifty guys doing new high rises two years after that. Keep in mind, it is always easier to do something on paper three times and get it right, than to do it once with 15" cast iron pipe and get it wrong.


 
Stock cars huh? What series? Down here we have FASCAR (FLORIDA). I always wanted to build super late models. Is that what you build?


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## crb555 (Jun 14, 2007)

The Pipefitters handbook is a good resource for determining offsets, etc.

Plumbing can be a very rewarding trade, but as with everything else, you get out of it what you put into it.

Get every certification you can..... med gas, backflow, competent, confined space,... etc. The time you spend educating yourself in the trade will have a bigger payoff long term than the little bit of money you can make as sidework in your early years of it. Being in the top 5% of your trade will absolutely ensure your ability to make a comfortable living no matter what the general economy is like.

Crb5


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

crb555 said:


> The Pipefitters handbook is a good resource for determining offsets, etc.
> 
> Plumbing can be a very rewarding trade, but as with everything else, you get out of it what you put into it.
> 
> ...


 
How can I learn more about the certification you are talking about? Who gives out the certifications?


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## MechanicalDVR (Jun 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> How can I learn more about the certification you are talking about? Who gives out the certifications?


Didn't I read you are in school for mechanical engineering?
You should have had Geometry and Trig by now. Simple formulas using sine, cosine, and tangent should be old hat for you. So pipefitting should become second nature. 
The union I belong to teaches classes for certs in medical gases, backflow preventer maint., valve rebuilding, etc, etc
Find out about getting into a United Association Local and do yourself a favor.


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## pyroracing85 (Aug 3, 2007)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Didn't I read you are in school for mechanical engineering?
> You should have had Geometry and Trig by now. Simple formulas using sine, cosine, and tangent should be old hat for you. So pipefitting should become second nature.
> The union I belong to teaches classes for certs in medical gases, backflow preventer maint., valve rebuilding, etc, etc
> Find out about getting into a United Association Local and do yourself a favor.


I understand Sin Cos Tan and all those they are easy.

No applying it might be different since I am just book work.


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## MechanicalDVR (Jun 23, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> I understand Sin Cos Tan and all those they are easy.
> 
> No applying it might be different since I am just book work.


Well you seemed amazed at the 1.41 rule for the 45 offset, so I was wondering if you were paying attention in math class. As long as you can measure there is no difference in on paper and onsite.


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

is this hallisydesigns? :whistling


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

pyroracing85 said:


> Stock cars huh? What series? Down here we have FASCAR (FLORIDA). I always wanted to build super late models. Is that what you build?


I have designed and built cars for ARCA, ASA, NASCAR Realtymax tour, UMP, DIRT, and various track spec cars. I have built cars, and have raced at at, Volusia speedway park in Florida, I taught the yankees how to outcheat the rebels down there. Lately I am designing drag car chassis, as well as Sprints and Midgets. One day I would like to make my chassis business my full time job, but the competition is a bit rough.


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## Herk (Aug 1, 2007)

To Pyroracing:

I'm not sure what you mean by side work. If you mean what sort of jobs can a plumber do besides putting new plumbing in buildings, then some of the posts were correct - you can combine your work with cleaning drains, general repairs and so on. If you mean that you work for a plumber during the week and just do jobs of your own on the side on weekends, I'd caution you that for many shops, that could be reason for instant dismissal. If you're doing the jobs on weekends that your employer should be paying you to do on weekdays, you're his competitor.

There are many aspects of plumbing. I've worked many of them - commercial, residential repairs and construction. In my own shop, I don't clean drains because I work with someone else who I give the cleaning work to and he gives me the plumbing work. But many franchises are now working it both ways - Mr. Rooter and Roto-Rooter and the like want to have plumbers going out, so they can get business from both drain cleaning and repair work. Here, no license is required for drain cleaning, so upgrading to plumbers is a major difference in the quality of personnel. 

Since the big box stores began to spread, there is a lot of illegal work going on. People in some states get specialty licenses allowing them to install water heaters or other limited work. For example, backhoe operators can install sewers and waterlines outside the building. But then, once on the job, they start seeing other things that they want to tackle and step outside the bounds of their limited license. Also, there are companies that job out work from Home Depot and Lowe's and they aren't always careful about checking licenses.

And here in Idaho, code enforcement is minimal, with perhaps one inspector for a couple of counties. They get away with a lot. 

Sorry to ramble on so much.


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## Grumpyplumber (May 6, 2007)

*Pyro,*
*Here's an idea - instead of investing your personal time doing work you may not know how to do and wind up in trouble over, invest in what Killer suggested by studying. Think of it like a stock market investment towards your future.*
*You'll be very surprized at how complicated "simple" plumbing can get, there are formula's & constants on loads of things an outsider would never think we come across for things like boiling points under pressure, vacuums, pressures, volumes, angles (there are a few more that come up in my states exam aside from the 45/1.41), expansion.*
*More importantly, there is general code, like minimum size for gas, water, vent and drain lines in certain situations, hanger intervals for various types/size piping, sizing, prohibited fittings, the list goes on.*
*You seem very intelligent, but I'm getting the impression you may be under-estimating what you're getting into.*
*There is also one VERY important factor that you must at least in small part understand - experience.*
*There are things we come across that NO amount of equations or bookwork can resolve, in fact it almost seems silly sometimes that license exams rely so heavily on written knowledge.*
*Have patience, good things don't happen overnight.*


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