# Threading Rigid Conduit



## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I saw a help wanted ad, and it said you had to have, at least two years experience, threading rigid conduit. I've never threaded rigid pipe before, but I would think, it can't be that complicated. I would think you could learn in an hour or two. Am I wrong ?


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

dronai said:


> I saw a help wanted ad, and it said you had to have, at least two years experience, threading rigid conduit. I've never threaded rigid pipe before, but I would think, it can't be that complicated. I would think you could learn in an hour or two. Am I wrong ?


A couple of hours of experience would be good enough for the guys that are looking for two years experience.

Good luck with that.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

dronai said:


> I saw a help wanted ad, and it said you had to have, at least two years experience, threading rigid conduit. I've never threaded rigid pipe before, but I would think, it can't be that complicated. I would think you could learn in an hour or two. Am I wrong ?


They're also looking for someone who ran plan out and run RMC. Any monkey can thread it.


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

dronai said:


> I saw a help wanted ad, and it said you had to have, at least two years experience, threading rigid conduit. I've never threaded rigid pipe before, but I would think, it can't be that complicated. I would think you could learn in an hour or two. Am I wrong ?


If you're threading, then "cutting to fit" like you do EMT isn't gonna fly.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

"Experienced State Certified Journeyman and Apprentices with two years experience bending and threading rigid conduit. Must be able to verify experience. "

Here's the ad


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

dronai said:


> "Experienced State Certified Journeyman and Apprentices with two years experience bending and threading rigid conduit. Must be able to verify experience. "
> 
> Here's the ad


So...how are you going to fake this?


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Dronai, its a different animal unless you have straight runs in trenches only to deal with. Up on the sides of walls or ceiling work with lots of bending and 90's is when the fun starts. If all you do is emt though, a bit of a learning curve but not so hard to adapt to. If you hardly do pipe work, well then I think you may need a year or two before you apply for that one.


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## iAmCam (Dec 3, 2007)

Any good books or videos or websites on how to learn to run ridgid pipe and thread and bend it?


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Benfield's book, also the one with the green cover ( I don't remember the name of that one right off, but I have it in my office someplace). Look at Mike Holts website you should be able to find a bunch of good stuff.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> Dronai, its a different animal unless you have straight runs in trenches only to deal with. Up on the sides of walls or ceiling work with lots of bending and 90's is when the fun starts. If all you do is emt though, a bit of a learning curve but not so hard to adapt to. If you hardly do pipe work, well then I think you may need a year or two before you apply for that one.


 
I"m a maestro with Emt !!! I would think anything over 1/2" Rigid with an bender, would be a biaaach.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

It's not as hard as everyone makes it out to be. Everyone thinks their little piece of the pie is the only piece and noboby else can figure it out. News flash, most of us have the skills to pick up new parts of the trade fairly fast. 

Bending rigid requires more planning and good measuring skills. Measure twice, bend once. If you have unions it can be a lot easier to get it done. You have to think about threading the thing together. Bending up to 3/4 on a hand bender isn't to bad but you have to think about leaving your tails long enough if you have to bend over your shoulder. Usually I can find a stairwell or something to keep the bender on the ground. I'm sure there are some you tube videos on running rigid and operating a threader.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Stick to trying to break into controls man, rigid work gets old and boring.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

I had to bend and thread a bunch of 1/2" today. Made for a long day,, I had to use a 30 year old craftsman hand threader.. No oil around so it was slow going. 

Doing ridged by hand isn't hard at all. Just measure twice and use stairwells and loading docks to hang the tails off of. I'll bend up to 1" ridged by hand. After that I take it back to the shop and use the hydraulic.

And Jlarson is right,, it gets old real quick. 
Controls is were it's at.


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

You could make some nice bends in 1/2" to 1" with a Greenlee 1800 bender.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Jlarson said:


> Stick to trying to break into controls man, rigid work gets old and boring.


Pretty much most assembly line conduit work gets boring after you run the first 100 feet.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Programming controls gets boring after you spend enough time at it also. 

All of it gets boring if you let it. 
I like mixing it all up. 
I especially like moving around alot.
I like the young secretaries although they don't like me much.....:laughing:
I hardly install rigid now, but I used to enjoy it when I did. 
The environment we worked in - airports was a cool deal, lots to keep you thinking and lots to distract you as well. Gas stations were interesting to work on (before pvc became the norm for them) but the sun and dirt all day was a drag so I wasn't all that hot to wire up gas stations. Did a few.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Go to the union section and ask this question. You are in the wrong place.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Programming controls gets boring after you spend enough time at it also.


I donno, being a programmer has it's perks, you get paid to sit at a computer and eat junk food and drink caffeinated beverages.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> I donno, being a programmer has it's perks, you get paid to sit at a computer and eat junk food and drink caffeinated beverages.


Your probably more tuned for it than me. I'm neanderthal. I gotta go climb a ladder at least once a day or I get a funny feeling in my sola plexis.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Your probably more tuned for it than me. I'm neanderthal. I gotta go climb a ladder at least once a day or I get a funny feeling in my sola plexis.


Naw, programmers are too odd of a bunch for me. I keep them in their own room so the odd doesn't spread :lol:


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Jlarson said:


> Stick to trying to break into controls man, rigid work gets old and boring.


 *I'm trying ! *



Peter D said:


> Pretty much most assembly line conduit work gets boring after you run the first 100 feet.


 *Agree*



macmikeman said:


> All of it gets boring if you let it.
> I like mixing it all up.
> I especially like moving around alot. *That's what I like about my service work.*
> quote]
> ...


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## Steinsbu52 (Aug 4, 2011)

Wirenuting said:


> I had to bend and thread a bunch of 1/2" today. Made for a long day,, I had to use a 30 year old craftsman hand threader.. No oil around so it was slow going.
> 
> Doing ridged by hand isn't hard at all. Just measure twice and use stairwells and loading docks to hang the tails off of. I'll bend up to 1" ridged by hand. After that I take it back to the shop and use the hydraulic.
> 
> ...


Using oil for threading makes the cutting of the metal easier and does not destroy the threads that you have made. WD40 also works in a pinch.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

tkb said:


> So...how are you going to fake this?


 
Fake what ? I don't want to do this. Just asking how difficult could it be ? 

I am looking for something different than what I've been doing half my life that's all !


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

dronai said:


> Fake what ? I don't want to do this. Just asking how difficult could it be ?
> 
> I am looking for something different than what I've been doing half my life that's all !


I fully encourage and applaud your efforts Dronai. Keep going with it, never stop or even slow down the inertia.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

dronai said:


> Fake what ? I don't want to do this. Just asking how difficult could it be ?


It really ain't that hard. I think it took me all of a day to learn how to thread, bend and layout stainless pipe and when I started electrical stuff I ran RMC without any extra thought.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Jlarson said:


> It really ain't that hard. I think it took me all of a day to learn how to thread, bend and layout stainless pipe and when I started electrical stuff I ran RMC without any extra thought.


*That's what I figured !*


Jlarson, the ads I look at daily are all for construction electricians. Today I found one that said Industrial Electricians (I was thinking here's my chance to get at controls, or something different)

I have an ok thing going for a long time now, but It would be nice to get into something I haven't worked with before.

All the industrial jobs want about 5 years experience with drives , PLC's, Etc. The ads say, Construction electricians without the above exp. don't apply.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Yeah, plants don't really want to take on a new guy with no experience in controls and have to train them or take on a construction guy that thinks cause he can bend pipe he's the best. 

This is the hard part with what you want to do. You probably will need to get in with a controls contractor that needs EC's to do install to get experience.


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## Steinsbu52 (Aug 4, 2011)

dronai said:


> *That's what I figured !*
> 
> 
> Jlarson, the ads I look at daily are all for construction electricians. Today I found one that said Industrial Electricians (I was thinking here's my chance to get at controls, or something different)
> ...


Find a way to join your local IBEW local and get into their apprenticeship program, you talk you need the education


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Steinsbu52 said:


> Find a way to join your local IBEW local and get into their apprenticeship program, you talk you need the education


I went to an electrcial maintenence program about 20 years ago now. NEC, Theory - 2 classes, Motor Control.

I am now training with PLC's on my own. 

I called my local Union here, and he wanted me to deactivate my Contractors license, and He would get me in for $25/hr, under a different classification, because of all my years field experience. Then I could do more training like your saying. 

But some of the union guys are calling me for work !! I heard that 1,100 are waiting on the bench in LA, for work. 

So why would I deactivate my license for that.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

dronai said:


> So why would I deactivate my license for that.


Yeah don't do that.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I don't know what it's like in cali but here the best control/industrial/utility outfits like us are non union. The only thing the union really does in that area is construction and the only reason for that mostly is cause the GC's give them work when the rest of us are on other stuff already.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

When it cools off Jlarson, I'll fly out to Arizona, and thread some Rigid pipe for you !!! Your about an hour flight away.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

We don't do a lot of rigid anymore, jacketed MC is the way to go, no bending, no threading, no pulling, just strap and terminate. Plus it pisses off the pipetricians :thumbup:


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm just joking !!! 

A week of being an Industrial Service Electricians helper, maybe I wont think the grass is greener.

I can also stop at 220/221's, and jam with him on his new drums. 

And... Worst case, I can always stop in Vegas to make the trip worthwhile. :thumbsup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

dronai said:


> I'm just joking !!!


I know, no one actually wants to come here. 


I'm serious about MC though and tray cable too, if I have my way that's the way the trade will be moving.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

*Arizona*

Jlarson, I don't know if you saw the movie, but if she's at the dam, I'm going.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Damn ...... 













No , I not talking about the thing that holds back water in case the master of all spelling is still awake......


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Steinsbu52 said:


> Using oil for threading makes the cutting of the metal easier and does not destroy the threads that you have made. WD40 also works in a pinch.




Wd40 for threading rigid your company must spend lots of dollars on dies!

Your threads must be all chipped up from that .

If your in a jam and dont have cutting oil .

Go to the nearest auto parts store get out of your truck go inside the store and ask for 90 wt rear end fluid .

Dont use anything else or watch your dies burn up .


And yes if they ask for 2 years that means two years running rigid is high dollars well i guess thats mean not one or two 1/2 stubs but maybe lots of pipe that cost big bucks and they dont want some idiot running it and spending thousands on the learn as you go crap.

There some who should stick with control work and let the monkeys run the pipe. oops spell error THERES oh ch-- SPELLING WAIT OHH SH== I cant spell or make a sentence brother but i can run rigid and lots of it .


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

One thing about guys that bend and thread rigid pipe. They will go to great pains not to use a threadless. Its like a defeat. Other guys will come by and look at the work and see exactly where you went wrong. 
You really have to plan every foot of a pipe run to make sure you have a clear elevation from the beginning to the end of the run. Every change in elevation or bend has to be carefully planned to avoid unnecessary bends.

It takes a while to get that pipe mentality into your head but you soon learn to do it with out much effort. I believe this is why they are requesting a couple of years of experience.
Threadless fittings sometimes cost more than the conduit itself. Also, the conduit is extremely expensive these days. Keep a very careful count of your pipe pile. The last thing you ever want to do is screw up the last piece of pipe. 
Planning every foot of the pipe run is paramount to a good installation.
Understand your bender
Make sure to protect your dies and use plenty of cutting oil.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Steinsbu52 said:


> Using oil for threading makes the cutting of the metal easier and does not destroy the threads that you have made. WD40 also works in a pinch.


That I know already. 
But in a pinch, cold coffee worked also. 
Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

jrannis said:


> One thing about guys that bend and thread rigid pipe. They will go to great pains not to use a threadless.


I had a guy a long while back that wanted to take some sheets off the side of a metal building so he could avoid using a few compression couplings. :no: He didn't last long. 

As for mess ups, we started to bring it all back to the shop and the shop guys would chop it up and make nipples out of it, we still do that on the rare occasion we have a rigid job.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Well let me add how to run rigid you measure it out meaning the route were its going whats in the way count the bends elevations to other trades the plan of the rack .

Box sizes and locations things in your way .

Beams walls decks chiller lines duct work ect ect .

Than you cut and thread it bend it in the bone yard or in the building ..

Screw it together on the ground and you get three man to pick it up one shot and install it .


This is how you make it look good no threadless fittings unless its a absolute gotta have it . 4 inch gets real high dollar on fittings when you do that your making bucks and your cost is less .

But most folks bend it then cut & thread spending 6 months trying too screw it together and wonder why they have no hours left .

Just a thought but what do i know iam from the I/4 corridor were trialer trash ossps spell check TRAILER / OOPS .



Try putting coffee in your truck next time your oils low or maybe WD40 .


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

piperunner said:


> Screw it together on the ground and you get three man to pick it up one shot and install it .
> 
> This is how you make it look good no threadless fittings unless its a absolute gotta have it . 4 inch gets real high dollar on fittings when you do that your making bucks and your cost is less .
> 
> ...


I agree how you do it and it makes it look better. Threadless connectors in the middle of a run make it look silly. 
I don't do 4" stuff. I stay lower and send the bigger jobs to our main shop. 

The coffee thing was all I had yesterday. I wasn't at work and the hand threader is my personal one. It's an old Craftsman 3 die head unit that belonged to my father in law before he passed. 
Believe me, the die heads are irreplaceable and it was a last ditch effort to use coffee. Anything to cool the teeth and clear the chips is better then nothing.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Wirenuting said:


> Threadless connectors in the middle of a run make it look silly.



No one but another electrician would even give it a second thought.

What we see as beauty most others see as just another ugly mechanical system in a building.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

We were called in to "advise" another contractor on this one. The upper rack is EMT. Its all 4". Yes, 350 max in those C condulets.










Before strapping: bottom unistrut looks bowed a bit:











OK, shred it....


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Jlarson said:


> We don't do a lot of rigid anymore, jacketed MC is the way to go, no bending, no threading, no pulling, just strap and terminate. Plus it pisses off the pipetricians :thumbup:


Thank god for those products. We seen your pipe bending skills. You had a hard time with pvc.:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

jrannis said:


> OK, shred it....


Factory 90s, real electricians don't use factory 90s.



Just kidding. :laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Loose Neutral said:


> Thank god for those products. We seen your pipe bending skills. You had a hard time with pvc.:laughing::laughing::laughing:


What are you babbling about.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

http://www.electriciantalk.com/f2/not-doing-box-offset-every-time-25000/index2/#post465735

Proofs in the pudding.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Hackidy hack hack.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

BBQ said:


> No one but another electrician would even give it a second thought.
> 
> What we see as beauty most others see as just another ugly mechanical system in a building.


I'm most critical of my own work. 
I'm OCD towards myself.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Jlarson said:


> Plus it pisses off the pipetricians :thumbup:


I really am way to good at doing that.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

BBQ said:


> Factory 90s, real electricians don't use factory 90s.
> 
> 
> 
> Just kidding. :laughing:


They didn't own a bender. Just think how much it would have cost them if it were an outdoor installation.


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## JD_ (Jul 8, 2011)

I love how JL is the only one being helpful to dronai, everyone else is just running their mouth about conduit and sounding stupid.


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## JD_ (Jul 8, 2011)

Loose Neutral said:


> Hackidy hack hack.


You got a code ref to back that up right?

BTW some of that is my work I think, seems like I helped on that job.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

Crawl back under your bosses desk.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

JD_ said:


> I love how JL is the only one being helpful to dronai, everyone else is just running their mouth about conduit and sounding stupid.


That statement sounded stupid. 
"Everyone else", makes it sound like your included.


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## JD_ (Jul 8, 2011)

Struck some nerves I see. Lol

Still waiting on that code reference. Take your time, I'm doing inventory all day, I got plenty of time.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

JD_ said:


> Struck some nerves I see. Lol
> 
> Still waiting on that code reference. Take your time, I'm doing inventory all day, I got plenty of time.


Didn't strike mine. 
Someone has to count the beans, glad it ain't me. Hope you have a great day.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

RMC can be tricky when assembling pieces together with 90s and other bends. You need to carefully lay out and plan installations trying to avoid the use of costly Ericson unions.


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## Steinsbu52 (Aug 4, 2011)

dronai said:


> I went to an electrcial maintenence program about 20 years ago now. NEC, Theory - 2 classes, Motor Control.
> 
> I am now training with PLC's on my own.
> 
> ...


1100 out of how many, you need to find yourself a niche in any company, I work year round for the last 20 some years. I program PLC's some, control wiring, troubleshoot controls, install conduit (EMT, GRC, SS GRC, Ocal, MC).
You want go in the local as a Journeyman and Ghent prosper from there.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Dronia, you'd be crazy to dump your license IMO. For what the chance to start all over again?

I have another idea that might get you where you want to be, I have to do a little research first.


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## Steinsbu52 (Aug 4, 2011)

Jlarson said:


> Dronia, you'd be crazy to dump your license IMO. For what the chance to start all over again?
> 
> I have another idea that might get you where you want to be, I have to do a little research first.


I agree, always research your options before giving in to just money or just opportunity. There is always some underlying items in every opportunity.


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