Here is a view that is not meant to offend anyone or belittle either one of the two trades. I have done them both and have respect for all who perform as a professional.
Boilermakers very seldom weld in a jackstand. Pipefitters very seldom weld in a mirror.
Pipefitters very seldom wear a mask to prevent inhalation of heavy metals, dust etc. Boilermakers very seldom wear starched khaki shirts.
Boilermakers welds often meet the code but may not be nice to look at. Pipefitters welds usually look very good (see jackstand above)
Fitting pipe takes 1)technical skill and knowledge, some tools for precision alignment, and some strategically located tacks. Fitting for boilers takes comealongs, chainfalls, ropes twisted around tubes, wooden and steel wedges, and at least one "HURRY UP NAIL IT !"
PIpefitting requires the completed joint to be aligned and true when its done. Boilermaking requires it to be done.
Pipefitters and Boilermakers both have "Emergency Outages" . One involves alot of steam heat and money, the other may involve a breaker thrown at the house!
Many boilermaker tube welders love to weld pipe, few pipefitter welder like to weld tubes. Both may have a hard time doing the work of the other.
PIpefitters very seldom come across a task that involves an expander, mandrel, lipping tool, melted crisco dripping down your neck and a handheld motor with enough torque to break your arm.
Boilermakers very seldom come across a task that requires you to know that the tangent of an angle is the ratio of the rise to the run or that the pythagoream theorem can be explained with a 3,4,5 triangle.
Pipefitters make some of the best looking code quality Xrayed welds that can be had. Boilermakers weld in places that can often times only be inspected by feel.
Pipefitting is one of the best trades in the world, So is boilermaking :) .
They both require a great deal of knowledge and love for the work if you want to be good at them. One may be a little hotter, one may require more math, one may work all year, one may work seasonally, blah, blah, blah.
The boilermaking trade is going to encompass some skills related to pipefitting, ironworking, millwrights, tank building, flat plate layout and fabrication, the ability to read drawings, etc.
The pipefitting trade requires knowledge of valves, instrumentation, material estimating, flange boltup, the abilty to read drawings and often times make drawings, numerous material designations etc...
Both trades require very high degrees of welding skill. In my opinion, unmatched by few.
This is only my view, I am sure some more opinions will follow and those may very well be based on a greater amount of experience than I have. I like em both cause I GET TO WELD!
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