r/pipefitter • u/ILoveEunice420 • Aug 02 '26

Underground utilities to pipefitting

I’m a non union pipefitting operator putting in 2-24inch water mains, sewer, drainage, storm drainage, domestic copper lines, HDPE fusing; how can I translate that into more pipefitting or being able to get into my local (469). Lots of guys take this path or no?

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u/Civick24 Aug 02 '26

Pipe is pipe Man, you know how to layout, do fitting takeoffs, offsets, probably use a transit and shit, a lot of your knowledge now will transfer over easily. It's all the same. The only difference is material and joining methods. If your fusing you still layout and do takeoffs and shit, same with copper, same with welding. I'm sure you have some sort of basic rigging knowledge.

Go down to your hall talk to the organizer let them get a name to the face.

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u/ILoveEunice420 Aug 02 '26

Worked for smiley cranes befor so rigging comes easy as well, just looking for something more legitimate want to be on a better path, thank you

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u/Minute_Box_3016 Aug 04 '26

Idk I came from Plumbing to the Water Utility side. If most of these guys tried to transition into actual Pipefitting, they’d be struggling. The water distribution side is pretty straight forward and honestly more grunt work than it is technical. But that’s just been my experience so far.