Running the numbers of pipe fitting is not always necessary to complete a job. If you have the experience and the eye to get the job done, without going through mathematical functions, that’s great. I admit that I rarely have to use sophisticated math to figure out my piping layouts. But, I do know how to hit the mark right on the spot when I need to, and so should you. Accuracy can be critical. If you don’t invest the time to learn the proper methods for figuring offsets, you may cut your career opportunities short. Believe me, you owe it to yourself to expand your knowledge. Sitting still can cost you. Reach out, as you are doing by reading this book, and expand your knowledge.
Some people see plumbers and pipe fitters as blue-collar workers. This may true. If it is, I’m proud to wear a blue collar. Yet, if you proceed in your career, you may own your own business, and this will, by society’s standards, graduate you to a white collar. As far as I am concerned, the color of a person’s collar has no bearing on the person’s worth. Blue collar or white collar, individuals are what they are. We all bring something to the table. Yes, some people do prosper more than others, and education does play a role in most career advancements.
You may or may not need what you’ve learned in this chapter. However, knowing some simple math and having access to the tables in this chapter will probably give you an edge on many of the people you work with or compete with. Like it or not, making a living in today’s world is competitive. So why not be as well prepared as possible? Okay, enough of the speech, let’s move into the next chapter and study calculations that deal with welding fabrication and layout.
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