Talked to one of the apprentices today, he just finished his first week of his first year heavy equipment mechanic apprenticeship schooling. If what he told me is true about the kids in his class, us fellas 30 to retirement age have nothing but job security.
Yabutt ! I want the next generation to carry the torch, learn, advance, and do good. Because I want to retire, really I do.
I have no data, but I suspect more and more young people are into drugs from an early age and dependent. It messes with their brains. You all know you have to retain scads of information in this business and know where to find it in your laptop when it is raining, cold and dirty. And also follow logical troubleshooting procedure and be able to use a meter and interpret it correctly. And of course make judgement calls about hard parts as well. I think that brain ability is lacking these days because the talent pool has fried theirs already. I never did that stuff and I have a hard enough time with mine as it is.
I don't know what's going on lately. It seems like the new generation just doesn't have that drive to learn and push their abilities.
Gen z is looking at how expensive housing is and life in general. They save 30k for a down payment and the price rises 100k, meanwhile. They don’t want to have kids, because both sexes have been indoctrinated to believe it only expands the patriarchy and harms the planet. They have given up before even getting started. Just stay in moms basement and smoke weed and play video games, or max out student loans pursuing worthless degrees they will never pay off.
There is a certain amount of talent available that want to use marijuana more than finding a higher paying position with requirements for passing a wiz quiz. Especially true in Alaska since legalization.
I have had some pretty solid apprentice mechanics come through our shop. There's hope, although it's a slim glimmer, it's there. These kids are taught skills we all take for granted. Phenomenal welders and fabricators. Good stuff to work with. Occasionally you find a thin-skinned snowflake, but for the most part good candidates to carry the torch. My only gripe is with the skills and education, they're also indoctrinating them to be good little Ds and to vote solely on what's good for their pocketbook. No thought on the repercussions of that type of thinking.
Drugs absolutely FUBARS their minds. My in-laws have some members with past drug use/abuse. It’s interesting to me the parts of their brains it affects. Short term memory, problem solving etc. One of them works for/with me. I know his history and shortcomings and assign tasks accordingly. Every now and then he surprises me with what he gets done. Other times he frustrates the **** out of me! I wish I knew what led them to drugs and their indignant ways. I often wonder what makes the younger generations think or “feel” that they don’t have to pay their dues like we did. Our parents had it different than theirs. Doesn’t make it bad or good. It is what it is. Figure it out and make the best of it. There’s always a way to get what you want if you’re willing to hustle. I’d give my left arm for a driven mechanically inclined 20 something that wants to learn as bad as I did 25 years ago.
Just another socialist tool to destabilize the future of the country. We haven't "learned" anything. College kids acting like Israel/Hamas is akin to our Viet Nam or Korea. For such an educated bunch, they sure are stupid.
I can't change any of that. I own the company. I am either going to find people who can do some of the work and leave a little margin for the company, or do it myself and charge rates that keep my workload manageable.
There is a little more to it than just the possibility of drugs. It started back in the 60's. My generation----my generation the kings of protesting and the drug culture, they wrote the book on it. They also wrote the book on debt and the use of plastic. They wrote the book on computers plus software and spawned the cell phone. They later became yuppies and started the super consumer phase. They are the ones who wrote the book on modern greed. They soon learned that fighting big brother was a losing cause, cut off their pony tail, lost the ty-dyed T shirt, ditched the micro bus, took a bath, bought a suite and a real car. They did all that and managed to have kids popping out, telling them {just say no to drugs}. All the while smoking pot in the wee hours of the night, never lost that habit. * Their kids got cars bought for them in high school then it was the thought everyone needs to go to college. It's where disciplining a kid in school came to an end. Kids under 18 suddenly weren't allowed to work if they wanted to. So they didn't learn the value of a buck--mom and dad have a money tree. Then add just a touch of social media and Vi-Ola a generational mess cooking in a pot that was just on simmer--boiled into what is our work force today. Buy him a phone at 10 years old and ruin his neck from looking down, that will keep him quiet. * The Greatest generation bought a house, raised a family in that house and died in that house, then along came boomer son who sold the house to use it as a piggy bank, and the rest is truly history. There have been many many articles written about this subject. * When the silver tsunami started about 10 years ago, and not just a coincidence the sales of pot climbed like a tsunami on a shoreline. No this problem started way back, I was there I saw it develop.
Preach brother! I will just add that "big gov't " had their hand in this mess every step of the way compounding the problem.
General lack of self control as a society, because there’s no need for it. Everything is available on demand. Nothing can be done to change that, it’s a forced change when it’s no longer available. Goes back to the old adage, “Hard times create tough men, tough men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create hard times.” Rinse and repeat.
An extremely over used and simplified adage to a very complex issue.
I found it odd when the apprentice said his shop partner didn't know how to read a tape measure. One would think that at some point in the 18-20 years of their life and 2,000 hours of on the job experience they'd have had to utilize a tape measure.
I ran into that a lot when I was teaching at the University. High school grads who couldn’t use a tape measure without a lesson on fractions.
Said by someone who always takes issue with my posts.
No I don't take issue with your posts, because I don't follow yellow iron, you didn't create that phrase.
I don't want to look too deep into it but there are a lot of fatherless homes these days. My old man taught me a ton of practical and useful stuff while growing up. My mom is a very smart woman but I don't think I'd be anywhere near where I am today if I hadn't had the old man there to show me how to be man in this world. We have to work on getting families back together if we want future generations to succeed.
I'll be turning 27 this coming Wednesday. Out of the people I know that's with in 5 or so years of me there's maybe 6 that I could trust to repair something I own. All but 1 are older then me. The 2 younger guys at my day job one he's a good hand but he overthinks and gets discouraged. I think he'll work though it im hoping so. The other when he's with me u send him to get pizza for lunch
You are right but: That can only happen if factors we don't talk about here come back into play. No ifs ands or buts about that. It's Sunday.
I hear you 100%. There's not one person or group at fault for that either.
I will be 58 this month i am glade i am not any younger because i think i have lived through some pretty good times. If there was a way i could live another life time after this one i dont think i would want to but i think every one thought things were getting worse and worse as they got older but the world is going on.
I haul these type of kids to school any day I fill in on the school bus. I hate to think of the type of world we would live in after they start running things. The only stable, well adjusted kids I see are the ones I haul up to the technical trade school. And, there are not nearly enough of them.
Kids these days is just a huge cop out "My anxiety" "Fear of confrontation" When I was young we had to learn everything, now kids with unlimited access to information just see if you can do it for them. If a young kid is hungry and has ambition, they will go really far in this world. The next generation will be better as they will be hungry as their parents will not do anything for them.
Well I guess the, what I call "MIS-guidance" counselors have not changed one bit since the 1960's when I was in high school! Like I have mentioned a few times on this site, in the mid-`60's I tried to get to go to the then new trades school in the county. But I got shot down by the so called "counselor" she said "NOPE, you're college material!" That attitude was still "popular" twenty some years later. My older brother after retiring from 20 years in the Air Force ended up as an vice principal at a trade school a couple counties over from the one I tried to go to. He always complained about and to the "counselors" about how they liked to use the trade school as a "dumping ground" for the kids that were causing problems in the various high schools. One of his favorite things to ask these "counselors" was: "Do you really want "Dope head Johnny" fixing the brakes on your little girl Mary's car while he's high on the latest fad drug?" Not sure if that ever did any good other than making him feel good about putting them in their place.
These egg-head school counselors have less than zero clue how much brain power and intelligence is truely needed to be a tradesperson. Logical/critical thinking, deductive reasoning, problem solving abilities and thinking on the fly. Especially with how computerized equipment is today. You have to have brains AND brawn to excel in the trades IMO.
You just have to have the want that's what counts, no want or desire it ain't going to happen. Personally I've never seen brains & brawn all at one time in a human. * Any of the trades can be learned & taught, without a class room full of desire there is no teaching or learning. * The day of the week has nothing to do with it.
I somewhat disagree. Having the drive is the first part of the equation. You still need to be up to the task, physically, as well as having the brains to think a task or procedure through logically. I've never seen an Einstein-level genius with Schwarzenegger-level strength either but I know a lot of folks who can troubleshoot effectively and still break out a 20 lb sledge and hammer out track pins and pad swap just as quick as anyone else. I think being well-rounded is a very valuable aspect to being a tradesperson.
That's what I'm taking about, a average Joe.
Don’t get me started on what’s wrong with the system
I know this has been beat to death, but our particular trade, trucks and heavy equipment combines nearly every trade. There's not much we don't touch fingers with. Electricity both AC & DC, high and low voltage. HVAC, hydraulics, powertrain, plumbing, carpentry, welding and fabrication and then the sub specialties of each. We all have to retain the old tech and bridge the gap to current and now the introduction of hybrid power systems to mainstream equipment. The days of a strong back and a weak mind are numbered in this field.
Most of the shops I worked in had a couple or three strong backs with weak minds that did all the jobs the real mechanics did not like doing. I feel bad for future mechanics if those guys disappear.
TS, ‘the want’ It’s difficult to teach those without.
I'm quite aware of that--I was on the board of the local votech school. Which closed for awhile and has now restarted. Although that was some years back when I did that. Direct quote from instructor {Out of ten there is only 4 that have the drive and want/interest and most of the time it's only two so it averages 3 out ten that could cut the mustard}.
Rising Number of Men Don't Want to Work merican men are opting out of the workforce at unforeseen rates. For many, it's not an issue of not being able to find a job. They have simply opted out altogether. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found only 89 percent of working age men have a job or are actively looking for work. In 1950, that number was at 97 percent. While the early 1950s saw around 96 percent of working age American men between the ages of 25 and 54 working full or part-time jobs, that proportion has now moved to just 86 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And as fewer men financially support themselves, there are long-reaching economic and societal implications, experts say. "The U.S. has a major issue of prime-age men giving up and permanently exiting the labor force," Robin Brooks, a senior fellow policy research firm the Brookings Institution and the former chief economist at IIF, wrote on X, formerly Twitter this week. "What's striking about this is that it doesn't get talked about at all, not in the mainstream media and not by economists, even though this obviously feeds political radicalization." What Caused The Drop? Recessions often bring down the workforce participation rate, and often the numbers never quite recover. The 2008 Great Recession saw male employment decline from 88 to just 80.6 percent, and the rate has never been able to get higher than 86.7 percent since then. The pandemic saw a similar if not slightly different fate for men's work. After dropping to 78 percent in 2020, male workforce participation has essentially recovered to pre-pandemic times now but still remains far below the times of the 1950s. A larger factor may be men's declining participation in higher education . While women historically were excluded from universities, they now outpace men at college roughly 60 to 40 percent. And for those without a college degree, unemployment is far more likely. Those with only a high school diploma have an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent compared to just 2.2 percent of those who achieved a bachelor's degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A recent study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston linked a drop in self esteem related to the jobs on the market as a possible factor. The drop in men in the workforce has been largely concentrated among non-college educated men, and it's these men who face a significant decline in earnings. Over the timespan of 1980 and 2019, non-college-educated men's median weekly earnings went down 17 percent after inflation, while college-educated men saw earnings rise by 20 percent. "This finding suggests that deteriorating social status is a plausible key factor," the Boston Fed paper said. Of course, since 1950, there's also been growth in the United States' safety social net. While 1960 saw only 455,000 workers on Social Security disability benefits, that had moved to 7.6 million people in 2022. Of that cohort, 1.3 million were men between the ages of 25 and 54. "If the jobs don't meet people's needs, people can't work," Yvonne Vissing, a professor at Salem State University and an expert on the changing role of men in society, told Newsweek . "It's not that they won't work. They can't, given the job options, locations, tasks, hours, pay, and environments that are available." Men have also been more likely to go to graduate school or be stay-at-home dads in recent years. The shift in industry work available will also see men lose traction in the workforce, Vissing said. Most factory or manufacturing jobs are gone in the United States, and while STEM remains a hot field, health, education and administration roles are increasing in importance, Vissing said. These jobs are often held by women. Men also may be leaving the workforce due to a larger dissatisfaction with capitalist society, Vissing said. "Many jobs are simply not satisfying," Vissing said. "Working for others who get the benefit of our physical labor and intellectual property is not rewarding either emotionally or financially. People want to work doing jobs that matter to us. We want to use our creativity. We want to matter, and in many businesses, employees simply don't get treated with the respect and support that we need and want. People walk away from them." Rising number of men don't want to work As fewer men financially support themselves, there are long-reaching economic and societal implications, experts say. www.newsweek.com
^^^^^. This goes back to what I said about the industries doing it to themselves. I don't know anyone who wants to work in any job where they feel like no more than a number or cog in a wheel. When I use the word anyone-that's anyone with ambition.
Of course, since 1950, there's also been growth in the United States' safety social net. While 1960 saw only 455,000 workers on Social Security disability benefits, that had moved to 7.6 million people in 2022. Of that cohort, 1.3 million were men between the ages of 25 and 54. "If the jobs don't meet people's needs, people can't work," Yvonne Vissing, a professor at Salem State University and an expert on the changing role of men in society, told Newsweek . "It's not that they won't work. They can't, given the job options, locations, tasks, hours, pay, and environments that are available." Why are those 1,300,000 men not working? Article doesn't say, the professor says "they can't" but that's ********, or not for the reasons she states. ***** lazy & gaming the system is why. Joe H
Much respect TS. I am experiencing this lack of want in my situation and I should have mentioned that above.
I think you guys tend to compare today’s generation with the generation that was spawned out of the Great Depression and WWII. Vast numbers of men who went through hard times and then were forged by that war. Concurrently with the war a large number of people were trained and skilled by the government in all manners of trades, forming a skilled labor backbone that carried American trades through the 80s and early 90s We don’t have the luxury these days, especially since there have been a couple of generations that got largely skipped for a few reasons. There are quite a few people coming into the trades nowadays, especially thanks to the efforts of people like Mike Rowe to expose the need and opportunity Sometimes I think you guys judge the incoming generation a little too harshly. For sure there are screwups and 9/10 times those screwups are Daddy’s Boy who are in it because their father thought that forcing the way he went upon them was the way. My father tried to force a couple of careers on me that weren’t my idea of fun and lacking motivation, I would have been just as ****** at them. The guys that want to be here in the trade get no credit. And the bosses and shop lead men expect them to walk in with 15 years experience as a journeyman as well without the will to implement a robust training program to educate and grow skills. Instead that same crappy management and crappy coworkers tend to run off people that want to do the job but don’t want to be treated like crap. Plenty of the young people I know entering the workforce have good solid plans to do good things with their life, and it’s a hard time these days for those that want to live life the right way and provide for themselves. Maybe we should stop bitching about “those damn kids” and think about trying to identify the gems in the rough and polish them?
You want to know my job hunting experience until I just happened to find a good program that was willing to give me a chance to escape the dead end .gov job I had before becoming a heavy equipment mechanic? “You’re overqualified” “Spend hours filling out resumes but get constant rejection letters and companies ghosting me” “You need five years experience” “where do I get that experience?” “By getting hired on here, after you gain five years experience” Half the workforce problem has been caused by companies themselves with their run amok HR departments and nonsensical hiring policies.
That's what I said in post #37, companies are reaping what they sow.
Every generation thinks they are more intelligent than the previous generation and wiser than the next generation. George Orwell
Don't even get me started
Do it. Let er rip, tater chip!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The problem with statistics is the hide as much as they reveal. There is a large cohort of folks who no longer need to work after 50. They won the game working at MegaCorp, and are Financially Independent Retired Early (FIRE). They contribute to that lowering employment number. If I had my ducks in a row I would have bailed at 60 or 62. That's working blue collar my whole life. People average about 6 different careers over a lifetime these days, so it is not unusual for the Voc Tech schools to run through a lot of candidates who really have no idea where their niche is. I have personally discouraged a couple of apprentices who were not cut out for the job. The one went back to tying rebar. I have also encouraged the good workers and even gone to bat for one that my crane boss was going to axe.
When I wanted a job, I went to the place I wanted to work Monday morning before anyone showed up. Introduce myself to the first guy that showed up and applied myself to the job. I usually got what I was after. Nowadays, nobody will talk to a kid trying to fill out an app. Apply online, email yer resume. That crap there is enough to **** anyone off. Then the crap mentioned by JD955SC, too much experience, not enough. And the best, no connections. Who do you know? What bit of difference does that make?! I see bonafide apprenticeships are often distributed that way as well. Some kids with good heads on their shoulders get in, but a lot of time it's a kid with no skills, no brains and no drive whose dad is drinking buddies with a director or manager. Terrible for the field as a whole.
In prostitution they use to be called knob hoppers-----now days just plain job hopper.
If you had no connections, you had to do what you had to do to gain experience and broaden your horizon. My first 15 years or so looked like the yellow pages for "truck repair"
A person needs to have a desire to do a certain type of job but part of the problem is that not everyone has the right stuff for the job they'd like to pursue. Just like you can't force someone into a specific job. Your parent may have excelled at their job and want you to follow in their foot steps but that doesn't always work out. I'm sure everyone in a trade has seen newbies come in that just aren't suited to the job. As far as trades schools, it's really disgraceful that they were often referred to as dummy schools and a dumping ground for the slower or problem students. None of the students wanted to admit they went to the dummy school. My dad had to fight to get me in a trade school and I'm grateful. I actually liked going to school again. I was much better working with my hands than sitting at a desk learning useless crap I'd never use. I got out early because I had a job offer to start an apprenticeship. I started at $7.31/hr. It went to $8.30 when they had a 13.58% wage increase a few month's later. Students out of a "smart" school would have been fighting to get a job at McDonalds for $4-$4.50 an hour. The school I went to wasn't considered a dummy school by employers. Quite the opposite, it had a reputation of having some of the best pre-employment training and employers knew this. It's really sad the trades and trades people aren't given the respect they deserve. It's even sadder they aren't promoted. There's already a shortage of skilled trades people and I think it's going to get to a critical shortage in the very near future. They'll come out with the next big project but there won't be the skilled trades people to complete it.
I'm jaded so my opinion of the younger generation in the workforce wouldn't be good. I'll let you fellas hash this out.
That's cuz you gots no patience fo dem young'ns. Remember, this great pyramid scheme relies on their success.
That’s understandable. I tend to think that way, as well. There may be a few good ones with potential here and there. It’s going to be expensive and time consuming to locate them. I wonder how well Cat ThinkBig is doing with recruitment and how much success the dealers are having? The best best practices for recruitment were well established. If that’s failing, I’m not sure there is much hope.
I guess at my day and age, my opinion really is just nonessential conversation. Nothing I say or think really matters or is going to change the outcome. * I'll have the corn beef hash with two over medium and sourdough toast & coffee please.
I feel bad for our apprentice, sounds like he's the only guy in his class passing so far. He's actually doing very well in fact.
Over the years ive had my problems with employing the younger generation and trying get jobs done.At times ive figured im just too much of a pr*ck to work for and left it at that.Im usually pretty happy working alone,but thats a tough way to move forward. In the last few years ive been working as a sub for another contractor that hires a lot of young guys. On his jobs he sends me out with some first class young guys ,often not super experienced in some of the work we do . But they are smart , keen and we get things done safely and productively. Its a pleasure to work with these guys. Now its on me to learn how to pass the experience forward.
When I worked at a huge manufacturing company in the early 70's, it seemed most of the people there (lots of old ww2 folks) fit what you say. I always wondered how they ever got into the profession. Kids? I remember working with fairly fresh tech schoolies that thought they were the all knowing gods of the particular trade. In other words little _______ holes. I've run into a few decent younger folks, but they are not mechanics. IMOP some one that has to go to a trade school to learn the old school mechanics doesn't have it in their system. They are doing it just because.
I see it as that's a good thing, employers will be all over him to hire.
I feel bad because he's currently surrounded by people who are holding him back.
I get that but there is different reasons for it. In my own case when dealing with new people learning...........it's not holding them back. Its more about not putting them in a dangerous situation or something that I know is over their head without some experienced supervision.
Here in Canada everyone in the trades has to go to school, its the way the system is setup. Sure you can moonlight but you won't ever make top dollar at a top end company without having completed the apprenticeship program. You'll most likely only ever just be some random guy working out of his tool shed for beer money.
Well, I guess I'll give my 2 cents here because that's about all it's worth. I have seen little to no willingness to learn; it's been more about what they can make monetarily. I've seen them unwilling to get dirty, clean up after themselves, and have very little respect for those with a hell of a lot more experience. The equipment dealers here see the same thing. The Komatsu dealer here has a program with the state college ran heavy equipment service and repair graduates coming out of that school. They bring them in for hands on experience at a training level pay................rightly so. I have been told that they only find one decent graduate out of 20. Most leave the program within weeks......the reasons? Too Dirty, too hot, too cold, too much physical labor, ...............you name it, they have it for an excuse. They don't teach this in the program. It seems they are unwilling to make the sacrifices needed and want to make as much money as they can without putting any effort in. I've been told the THINK BIG program has the same issues. Look, I have high expectations when dealing with new people in the industry. Will most young people not like it?........Yeah, I'm sure of that! Show me you , at the very least, can pick up after yourself, listen to me when I am trying to help you, and have some respect. Why is it that one of those is always missing. It doesn't matter how old you are or how much experience you have, you have to be accountable. If you can even do those 3 things that your parents should have taught you in their household............then we are not going to get along and you will think I'm the meanest person on the planet.
Problem is that its going to affect the quality of his experience there when he's the only one actually passing. The instructor is going to be stuck trying to get the rest up to speed.
Yes, but all of us have been in a similar situation sometime in our careers. It's part of the process of growing to be a very good tech and having a long-term position you can bank on for the future. If he is getting discouraged.........tell him not to let it bother him. SLOW and STEADY wins the race!
Here they start you out at 60% of Journeyman rate. You are supposed to get 10% each year you complete (60% in first, 70% in second, 80% in third etc). We have another young guy at our shop, fresh out of highschool. We just started letting him do some bigger jobs and this kid is showing some promise too. Not afraid to ask questions and he's not afraid to ask for help when he gets a little too far in over his head. I don't mind clocking in on his job here and there and helping him out because he wants to do well.
That's what I told him. There's a lot of good information in the 1st year and he'll get a lot out of it if he ignores his classmates.
Pretty much the same experience we've had with the last 15-20 hires we've had since 2020. We have stopped taking any applications from warehouse and/or forklift operators for green laborers. I don't know what happens at the Amazon DC here but they must not have to work hard and be able to stay on their phones all day. The labor market is so tight here if you want someone skilled you have to poach them.
Nothing wrong with going to a trade school for high school. It certainly doesn't mean that the students in it aren't cut out to be trades people. Some aren't but a majority are. Some people just don't apply themselves to anything. The school I went to basically gave the students introductory courses on different trades so they could get an idea of what type of trade they may like. Kind of like shop class in different area's for the 1st year. 2nd year you narrow it down more. I liked metal working so for the 2nd year had plumbing, sheet metal, machine shop and welding. The 3rd year you picked what you liked the best. You spent more time in the shop than you did learning the academic stuff, 4 classes in shop and 3 academic in the afternoon all year long. The academic stuff like math was geared towards what you use in the real world and in a trade. I had three 6 or 8 week work experience placements where I went to potential employers and was basically a jr. employee. I got out of school early because I had a job offer to start an apprenticeship. Actually I had 2 job offers. My grades were good and my teacher said to go for it. He encouraged me to go to the Nisku business park close to where I lived and apply for welding jobs after school. I had to do a job test. It was a vertical up beveled V groove with 6010 root and 7018 fill and cap. Not the most simple weld test. I had never done that type of weld before. When I was finished and went into the office I thought for sure I failed the test. The manager asked why my cap was so wide. I said I'd never done a weld like that before. He said oh and looked over at one of the foremen who was also there and said that's pretty good for never having done it before. I got the job offer to start an apprenticeship right there and they asked if I could start next week. I said I'd have to check with the school and told them I could the next day. There's not a chance I could have passed that test had I not gone to a trade school. It's not a test someone just walking off the street could pass either. Had I gone to a regular high school, I have no idea what I would have done for an occupation. I was fortunate to have a great welding teacher. Actually all the teachers were really good. They were trades people first and recruited to be instructors at the school. It's sad there are very few trades schools left especially when there's a shortage of trades people. I owe a lot to my dad for fighting to get me in the trade school and the trade school for having great instructors that made you want to go to school. I'm not ashamed I went to the "dummy" school. I think some people who didn't are the dummies. I could do other jobs but always a trade to fall back on.
Saw an ad for a Carlile warehouse position a while back that listed something to the effect of drug testing excluding mariwanna.
I have a hard time remembering all the decimal conversations and end up doing the math. IE 9/16 = .5625"
The railroad here is having a very difficult time recruiting as the majority of applicants fail the drug test.
Here they drag the process out for months and months. They called me SIX MONTHS after I interviewed to have me come back in. Nd got pissed when I said I've been working for 5 months already, sorry
They dropped testing for the devils lettuce for all positions except DOT. Because, they can’t find anyone that can pass.
For some it depends on the environment they grew up in {I say some}. I grew up during a different era, I grew up on a dairy farm. It was 24/7 it never really stopped, animals depended on me. Just how many get to live that life today? not many. It was all work at a very young age. Looking back--yes it could be agonizing--and looking back at it again I'm glad I lived it, it put ethics in my life. Young people don't have any of that in most cases. When a good worker comes along I guarantee somewhere somehow there was a person in their life that had allot to do with their outlook on life. I've said it before on here there is too much emphasis on money--{A mans true success should never be judged by the amount of presidents in his wallet but should be judged by his respect and pride in his work and respect for others and their fine work}. That in my book is what makes a person good at his job & his home life.
I don't feel too sorry for guys that made a boat load of money and spent it like it was growing on tree's then whine they're broke when the economy takes a down turn. The guy making a decent living and living within his means putting a little away each much gets a lot more respect than the guy showing off all his fancy toys and bragging about them. I also have no use for the keeping up with the Jones types that always have to the biggest or best just to have something better than their neighbor. Now if a guy buys 1 neat toy that he's saved up for and wanted for a long time, I'm happy for them.
Most who went north on the original pipeline---came back as broke as when they first went up.
I promise not to **** this one away. Well, only after purchasing a new pair of double-dees for Miss Coaldust. Maybe a Superduty in race red with some big ol’e mud grippers.
2 cans of Double-D 40 are cheaper hahaha
I get a kick out of guys figuring they can get their welding ticket and just go pipelining and make the big money like someone they know did. It doesn't work like that. First it takes a lot of experience and skill but more importantly it's not an easy job. The big money jobs are usually 6 or 7 days a week and up to 12 hours a day. Doing consistent high production x-ray quality welds out in the field hour after hour and day after day for sometimes month's on end is no easy feat. Add in inclement weather and it's an even tougher job. You have more than a 10% failure rate (x-ray) and you'll likely be looking for another job. It's really demanding work and not something you just decide you can do to make big money. You can't always do something just because you know or heard of someone else that did it. Not everybody could do what Truck Shop, the Pumpguy and several other members can do. It took them years and years to perfect their craft. Not everybody takes that much pride in their work. Some are pretty good but still don't have the secret sauce that makes them true craftsmen. If it's not perfect, it's not good enough.
I've known a few pipeliners that made really good money but it wasn't all year long so at the end of the year they didn't really make a whole lot more than the guys with a steady job in a shop. They lived high on the hog when making the big money and then find themselves struggling until the next big job. It doesn't always come or takes a lot longer than they expected.
The schools make schoolies that can talk good, some may come out ok but most come out with an attitude that is what they are best at. Just like colleges and engineers, they come out and can use computer software, and work some math, but know nothing about how machinery works, since they never fooled with it. Just look at the various journals on the subject they say this as well.
I don't know how it works in the US. Typically how it works here is you'll get hired on as a labourer to start with. If you show an aptitude for the trade and you're reliable then the employer will gradually start giving you small jobs to do. They'll eventually register you as an apprentice and once you get the required amount of on the job hours (usually around 1500) you attend 8 weeks of technical training. Rinse and repeat 3 more times. As you prove you can handle it the boss will give you bigger and more important jobs. Its not like you're attending an entire year of tradeschool all at once and then coming out into the workforce with zero real world experience. Its a 4 year deal that is mostly on-the-job work experience. Every trade in Canada is more or less setup in a similar manner. We do have the option to challenge each year and just do the tests at the end though. I do wish US-based equipment manufacturers would recognize our Journeyman qualifications though. Its a waste of time having to sit and watch online training modules about the basic theory of literally everything just to be deemed "qualified" to work on their product, as well as attending their product-specific training. All that basic theory was covered in the apprenticeship.
Get the Tremor package!
If you took the money out of the equation most of the work would fun . Unfortunately you need more money every day just to exist in this world.
We have a young girl that started her apprenticeship for heavy tech, still in high school but shows up early and works hard then run off to school for a class then comes back at it. She has been doing brakes on trailers, replacing s-cam tubes, anchor pins. tri-function bushings, can do it all, showed her how to use the proper tooling and safety things to watch for and off she goes. Oh and she is also doing her pilots license as well. I said to the boss if all the young people are like her we are in good hands.
Been everywhere, but the electric chair. Seen everything, but the wind blow. Reminds me of Tattoo the Great.
Speaking of Matt Boyed, I met a fella this week from Louisiana that did a turn-around with Matt, when he was just getting started with animation. Small world in the oil biz. It’s been a great week hanging out with the Texas pipeliners and refinery hands I had the opportunity to work with in DFW. But, I got to get my *** back to Alaska and the safety of the trailer park. Big and scary down here and way too much concrete. How bout’ that BBQ? Knowwhatimsayin? .
I don’t have the testicular fortitude or moxie to be a West Texas pipe liner, but I wouldn’t mind having a West Texas style welding rig to just pose with.
Don't see welding rigs like that around here. Seems like it could be a bit of a pain. Look fancy but not the most practical. Those you have to reach down into the compartments to get your tools. Most of the welding rigs here have have vertical cabinets with shelves and tool boxes in them and a work space on the back with a vice and/or a pipe spinner. Hard to find pics. of some of the really fancy decks but here's a few options. Welding Deck Gallery Industry-leading aftermarket accessories for the transportation sector and service vehicles. acemfginc.com
You don't understand how it works in Canada. You work at a job and go for formal training AND testing 6 or 8 weeks every year until you get your journeyman status. You don't pass the written or practical tests, you don't go to the next level and you don't get a raise. 1st year gets min. 60% of journeyman rate, 2nd. year 75% and 3rd. year 90%. These are minimums. An employer can pay above the min. rate. In welding if an exceptional apprentice gets his C pressure ticket to weld on pressure vessels they often get paid the same as a B pressure welder. Once they get their journeyman ticket they have to retest to get their B pressure ticket. C ticket is only temporary while they are still an apprentice. Most of the trades in Alberta require the employee to be either in an apprenticeship program or already a journeyman to work in that trade. There are a few exceptions. If someone wanted to start their own welding business, or other trade, they have to be a journeyman in order to advertise that they do welding or the trade they claim. It's not strongly enforced but from a liability standpoint if something broke or went wrong and it was found the person wasn't qualified, they could be in a heap of trouble. If coming from another province employee's require a Red Seal ticket that is good for all of Canada. Sometimes the qualification tests can be challenged. If a person can prove their hours in a trade they can take the appropriate tests and be qualified if they pass. They may not get journeyman status but could get 2nd or 3rd year status. I worked with a guy from Sweden who used to build ships. Really good welder but never did any cutting. Fitters did all that and the welders just welded. He passed all the welding tests but they only qualified him as a 3rd year apprentice until he could pass the cutting tests. If you fail a test you have to wait a month or more before you can try again.
Don't need 4wd in texas
Some of the stupidest welding trucks are lifted 4x4's. People can't afford both so make their toy their work truck. Everything is too high. They can't reach the top shelves in the cabinets and the work deck on the back is chest high. Who wants to have to climb on the truck to get something or lift a 50 or 60lb. piece on and off a 4' high deck?? Totally impractical.
Don’t know where you’ve been in Texas but when it rains in south Texas the caliche turns to slime that fills the tread on your tires and turns them into slicks and over here in East Texas it’s pretty sandy and loose soil. I get dragged in and out of job sites on a regular basis.
Those are bad ***.
I’ve been impressed with the Canadian truck body manufacturers. I like the concept of these Brutus beds for a pick-up. Almost purchased one to try out.
There was another popular brand of HD truck boxes but I can't remember the name. Looking online some of the really fancy aluminum welding decks can be over $24K!
Dollars to donuts says she winds up in an aviation shop somewhere, who would want to work on greasy nasty trucks pushing you to slap on a bandaid, when you can do clean airplanes instead and are told to always do it right?
You just summed up why I only put about 2 years in equipment dealers. When they wanted me to half donkey it I wasn't too happy. Doing repair under my own domain makes that a non issue if that's what the customer insist on they can find another repairmen!
I worked with a couple aircraft mechanics over the years. They told me there is a lot of paperwork in the aircraft maintenance business. I hope she likes paperwork. If someone comes to the shop I work at and wants a half donkey job done we show them the way to the door and tell them to not bother coming back.
My wife's cousins both went that route (siblings, brother and sister). He became a Heavy Truck Mechanic, she went to school and became a certified Welder. Both worked in their trades for 4 or 5 years, and then she found a local custom plane builder was hiring. She interviewed, got the job, liked it so much she bragged on it so her brother applied. Both are quite happy with the pay, the work environment, and work schedule.
I worked with a guy who did the opposite. Aviation to Heavy Duty. He said the pay in aviation sucks if you're doing maintenance for one of the larger airlines. The money was in the private fleets with the smaller planes.
That cartoon still going, haven't seen them in years. I spent a few months around Houston and Gavelston. I thought Anchorage drivers were **** till dealing with those drivers. We had a rental van, I elected to just ride, wasn't ready for doing 90 in a 65 on a 74 lane highway. Dirt barely 2 lanes roads are my liking.
I noticed that folks were commonly running 85-90 in a 65 and no traffic enforcement. Not necessarily complaining, but I’m certainly not accustomed to casually driving like that on a commute in a strange city.
The highway close to the farm they run 70 + i dont like it and my old trucks are not set up to run that fast. Luckily there is a good scrap yard that i can get to without ever being on the no speed limits highway. I guess there is a shortage of highway patrols?
"She makes the Indy 500 look the Roman Chariot races...."
Any ideas on how to school up the younger guys to become more independent? I have a couple young labourers at work that have no idea how to take the initiative. They could walk past three overflowing garbage cans on their way over to ask me what I want done next and not clue in to just take the trash out. I want to try and change that so they just get it done without asking.
Some of that comes with age and experience. Look back at 20yr old you vs now and most anyone will say "damn i was a dumbass"
That goes back to upbringing. I don't think you can train that in later in life. A lazy upbringing will result in a lazy adult. .
The kids these days are looking for leaders to teach them something not an instructor the problem is they have never experienced a true leader in a work environment My opinion is based off the experience of how I am filling positions with 18 year old kids that know nothing it takes 6 months of them showing up with spotty attendance and it takes about that long to break the phone habits biggest difference I get is I will jump in and push a shovel for a half a day with the labor crew when I can and typically out work them and they are embarrassed by it typically The thing to focus on is character development if you can make better people out of them you will get a better employee but it's time consuming and mentally abusive to yourself the common denominator with all the guys that smoke weed I have employed is they didn't have dads growing up so we approach them like there 12 and go from there I work for some really corporate gc and I can see a lot of problems with the industry the guys at the top all have 4 year degrees or are over 50 that don't and everywhere I have been where college degrees were all management it didn't matter what experience you had or could perform it didn't matter you were never going to be equal with out that paper and that is not leadership no one will follow that anywhere unless it's a cliqish little group of like minded thinkers and that's why there is such a disconnect cause you have to conform to the group or be pushed out I spend 20 plus hours a week on a tailgate mentoring youg guys thru financial things relationship things philosophy and societal governance theory because it develops them as a person and they get a sense of investment and being wanted that they never have had before and I do not pay top wages for the green guys cause I don't need to for them to stay People won't excel when there being forced to conform to what the industry says they should be give the guys the room to approach on there level and when the opportunity comes to throw them in over there head where safety is not a big concern then do it worst thing is they will have to redo it they need to fail so they learn they can our culture has taught everyone 40 and younger that if you fail you will never achieve your dreams so people are scared to perform because somehow failure became fatal and yes that attitude costs mony sometimes but the experience they get makes that money back the next go around
One of my favorite sayings - "If you ain't screwing something up once in a while you're not doing anything." The most successful people have had multiple failures. I've screwed up so much stuff and lost a ton of money over the last 30 years.
Maybe it would kick their brain in gear if you said, well for starters you could take the (overflowing) garbage out. Then explain to them to be more aware of what's going on in their environment and just do what's needed without asking or needing to be told. I worked at a golf course years ago. The superintendent was really good and very hands on. Had a great foreman for many years. He was telling me how he picked the person to be the foreman among a few candidates. There is often garbage or other debris and stuff laying around on a golf course. People can be too lazy to find a garbage can. Anyway he noticed 1 guy that would always stop to pick stuff and even go out of his way to pick it up if he saw something. The guy was very aware the golf course needed to look it's best. The other candidates were good workers but the 1 guy was a lot more tuned in to his environment so got the foreman job. He worked at the golf course for over 30 years and the superintendent was very pi$$ed off with the golf course when the guy retired. He was no longer the superintendent but kept in touch and originally hired the guy. While he was still superintendent he tried very hard to get a pension for the guy. The guy worked at the course for about 10 more years with other superintendents. It was a bloody shame the golf course was too cheap and never did give him a pension. He deserved it more than anyone.
Bravo--AzIron. * I was at a local hardware store some weeks back rounding up some new fasteners. This young women asked if I needed any help, no-but thankyou for asking. Then she said {your names Mike right? you worked for Tate? Correct. I've heard about you--everyone says your the real deal. I went through the diesel program at the C.C. for two years. As I turned red. * You haven't found a job yet? I'm looking and have applied but I think because I'm a women no one really is interested. But I keep trying. What areas do you think you are strong in? Actually electrical I did well my grade point was 3.5, but mechanically I kind of lack. * Well I'm starting to assemble a Cummins--would you like to assist? Holy smokes--you bet. So she had two days off in row that coincided with my time frame, she set the crankshaft, liners, hung the pistons on the rods & installed rings plus loaded in the bores. She did exactly as I told her, listened to me not one whiny *** comment of {I already know that}. When done she admitted she learned way more in those two days than six months of class. She has good sense and ability. * She will go far.
Here’s a theory I have on why some of the younger kids don’t stick their neck out….they’re scared to death of failure. Growing up with social media all they see is success and others roasting people for mistakes. I see it in my 14 year old son. I have to remind him that I realize he’s only 14 and my expectations are set based on that. I don’t expect him to know how to run the OH on an engine or how to use a meter for more than voltage tests. I do have to remind him occasionally to take care of remedial tasks. My BIL works with me. I’ll spare yall the story of why he’s where he’s at. Suffice to say he wasn’t raised and mentored right. To use a coaching analogy I cannot grab him by the facemask and chew him out. I have to father him. What I’ve learned is some people aren’t good at recognizing tasks that need to be completed. I don’t necessarily know why. I focus on teaching them to think and be observant more so than focusing on the actual task. I had a helper for a few weeks this summer and she never figured that out. She was raised poorly and she’s just not very smart. BIL wants to learn and be what others consider to be a well rounded mechanic. He absolutely has the drive. He struggles with slowing down and thinking. That’s what I have worked on the most, take your time and work it out in your head. We’re not in a rush, we’re paid by the hour and we want it done right. If we spend a bit longer on the job than it should take I’ll adjust the bill accordingly. If I find somebody that truly wants to learn I can handle the rest. Frustrating? You bet. Rewarding, it certainly can be. My shop ain’t the place for somebody that just wants to do one thing until they can’t get it wrong. We do a lot and I’d need somebody willing to learn on the go all the while aware of their strengths and weaknesses. No big deal at all, right?
I have hope for them. They're on time just about every day and I hardly ever catch them on their phones during work hours either. I think we can get them whipped into shape, I just need to find out a way to make it happen.
My father in law made a 10 point bullet list for his shop for the young guys to reference when they had finished their assigned work for the day. Simple things like empty garbage cans, pick up and take care of dirty shop rags, clean up oil dry, empty oil drain containers, sweep floor, clean work bathroom, etc are on there in the order he wanted them done daily. When a young guys would come find him to ask what was next, he would just send them to the list on the wall. After a few weeks, those guys quit asking what was next because they knew to work the list and it started getting done through out the day. After a couple months, they were asking whats next, but they had already done their assigned work, plus the housekeeping list, and then he knew they were ready for more responsibility. @Truck Shop thats awesome to hear about your experience with an up and coming young person. I know everything isn't doom and gloom and it's nice to hear a positive story like yours to back that up.
True. Rented a place to a welfare rat and the sense of entitlement that she was "owed" was sickening. She was 3rd generation welfare.
We have a new apprentice. He started at another shop and is part way through his second year. He has been with us for five weeks now. The owner told me he did not think he was going to make it a couple weeks back.The apprentice needed way too much supervision. I told him be patient. He has a very good work ethic and when there is nothing to do he cleans the shop or deals with the garbage or the dunnage from the parts store you don't need to tell him to do it. He drives an old beater Ford car and has a tool box older than mine. He told me he is saving to buy a home. Apparently when his grandfather passed the home stayed in the family and he can buy it for a fairly good price. He is not a druggy or a drinker, he seems to have his head screwed on right better than most guys in their early twenties. I haven't caught him on his phone once since he started. He is a little scatted brained but he is a good worker and I'm pretty sure he will work out in the end.
Some guys are afraid of getting chewed out if they do something that isn't technically in their job description but it's most often because the boss is a jerk. I'm paying you to turn wrenches not clean up the garbage in the lunch room kind of deal or we gave laborers for that. Some bosses will set up little tests to see if employee's catch on and do what's needed. Other bosses are just jerks that think you can read their mind. The job I had before my last one the owner was an idiot and I was glad I found a much better job. They moved into a brand new building and still had some shelving and displays to set up. There was a corner display they were going to set up but didn't have all the pieces needed to put it together so it was kept in the back. One day I came in and there's a pile of pieces for the display on the showroom floor. Nobody knew why they were put there since the other parts were still missing and nobody said anything. The next day I needed to fax. or copy something. I noticed there was a memo on the machine. It said the boss wanted meetings with someone else and myself. They were seperate meetings and I had no idea what for. Sure enough later in the day I got called into the owners/bosses office. He starts off asking if I'm OK. Yeah, then he says you always used to be pretty active checking the inventory on the shelves, helping the other guys out and keeping busy... but the last few days I've noticed your just standing around not doing much. I'm a little puzzled what he's referring too and then he proceeds to chew me out for the pile of pieces for the display on the floor. I said as far as anybody at the counter knew, they were still waiting for the main pieces so the display can be put together. The other people there were as puzzled as I was why an incomplete pile of display pieces was dumped on the showroom floor. It was totally BS why I got singled out. It was the beginning of a lot more BS too. The reason was because the owner expected sales should automatically jump rapidly because they have a brand new fancy building. He had really delusional idea's of what he thought they should be bringing in every month and it was based on absolutely nothing. A new building doesn't just double your sales the minute you open the doors. This was in an industrial park with several other very large welding supplies he had to compete with. I really think he thought he was going to open a fancy new store and take all the business away from the long established suppliers who had been there for years. Maybe just maybe the majority of the fab shops were happy with their existing suppliers?? A few years later and he declared bankruptcy but used another company he had to buy the assets of the welding supply. Before that he wanted all the employee's to take pay cuts. One guy with over 40 years experience in welding supplies was dismissed while on holidays for not taking a pay cut. No severance pay or anything. He was suing but his lawyer stumbled around for way too long. In the mean time the business went into bankruptcy so he basically lost out on a pretty clear cut wrongful dismissal suit. The owner inherited a bunch of money and acted like he was a spoiled rich (punk) kid. Bitching to the employee's about how much money he's losing yet has a Jag worth over $100K parked out front. Other times he'd pull up in a fully restored vintage muscle car he inherited. Just a real sleaze bag who had no idea what he was doing!
There are smart young replacements out there---The industry needs to quit demanding/looking for journeyman level replacements with cadet experience, not a realistic approach. She wants to work, prove herself.
When working with young people I have to remember to be more gentle and caring, that is not a bad thing, just not the way I was brought up at work myself. You have to give people what THEY need to help them move along, not what YOU would have needed a generation prior. Sharp and loud words motivated me but they seldom seem to work now. They will just quit. I was always afraid to quit. The flip side of this is, you have to be nice and friendly with them, but still send them packing if they are not up to snuff. It is a two way street.
I'd rather catch an experienced guy pushing a broom than standing around doing nothing while on the clock.
The experienced guy cleans up his own mess--looking for tools he might have left behind.
That's what I've learned working with new folks in the industry; Don't be afraid to show what you know and what you don't. If it's a problem you don't know off the top of your head, you'll learn together. Luckily it seems anxiety and stress is easier to talk about now, and I've spent lots of work hours with people of all ages that will work their ass off and ask questions if you let them be heard (and not treat them like idiots if they ask about something they don't know).
One thing I do that rubs a lot of people the wrong way. If they ask me a question I know they already have the info I will only steer them to recall that info, or what book to find it in, or what pieces of logic to put together to make the conclusion. I will not just tell them the answer. It infuriates some people but I am not going to stop doing it. What if I am not around to just answer some question.
Just a reminder of what they did once in the past is OK. If you have to keep telling them the same thing over and over shows they aren't really paying attention and applying themselves.
“Show me what you found in the service manual, and what you don’t understand about it” Is how I phrase it.
Then---the people who made it through the system yet cannot use or read a micrometer. No point in forcing or embarrassing them with the fatherly figure. { Today is----wire harness repair 101 or compressor rebuild 101}. Get allot further joking around than stern father like approach----got to remember, they already had a dad-if he was around. They don't need another.
James Butler is a youtube guy who gives advice about bossing, and other things. He usually takes the gentle approach too. One video he posted a while back was about somebody who just didn't get anything until he took the grouchy approach and yelled at him. Apparently that is what the guy needed. I am still not going to be that guy.
Yes and no. Can't fault a guy for taking a few mins here or there to "catch their breath" or cool down/warm up, depending on the weather. Some places have designated break times, most places I've worked didn't. Need to use the bathroom, take a few to stretch, get water, snack, etc, etc have at it. Most people don't abuse it.
That nowadays is similar to some that can't read an analog clock. At least for some of them, there are digital micrometers now, yeah funny stuff, I wouldn't want one, no need to have a battery device that is not needed. How many now can even read a vernier scale?
I personally hate the idea of battery powered anything on a service truck. When you go to use it, it's either dead or the battery corroded everything and now it's junk.
I hear ya, but sometimes the coal bin is empty too. @Truck Shop good on you for that teaching moment. I go a long time between those and they are good times.
I figured there was a reason she asked my name---and it sure wasn't for my motley looks.
I made this sled gauge---big reason for digital---I don't have strain my already strained eyes. *
I got tired of dial calipers breaking from the truck on bumpy roads, and I didn't want digital, so I bought Vernier this time. I got it out of the box, can't see the lines good enough any more.
The last year or two my eyes have turned to ****. I’ve got readers laying everywhere. Bifocal safety glasses and some 3.0’s for schematics. In front of my face to 4’, garbage. From 4’ out better than 20/20. What you gonna do? Lol
Good thing I learned before my eyes went bad, because I wouldn't hardly be able to learn this stuff now.
Working with a master on something would be a thrill for most people who hope to become masters in their own right. A master willing to share his knowledge is something to appreciate. Usually the best of the best are fully confident in their skills and willing to share but there are some wanna be's that are pretty good but afraid the newbies are there to take their jobs so don't share anything.
In many ways engine rebuilding is becoming a thing of the past, at the cost of rebuilding not many shops want to suffer the cost of one going upside down, so it's order OEM reman. And because of the sky high prices less & less become skilled. * As far as training replacements---in many cases the instructor/mechanic doing the teaching is far to reserved---students get bored with boring instructors. The ones here at the local CC are probably as good as an example as any for being the {pie are square/shop lab coat/looking into the heavens while orating about the finer points of oils. They loose the students interest, a shop that is all serious stuff the live long day is a boring place also, and makes for sub par work when employees are droned by dullness.
^ Much better to get animated about getting an old noisy smoky engine going after a few long days after class. It is fine to build a new engine to spec, but getting something running without new parts ( because they are NLA ) is fun.
Very true. I remember when I went for apprenticeship training there were a couple instructors who were very good but also very boring just the way they talked. Remember one in particular that was just flat when he was explaining something. The tone of his voice almost put you to sleep. Another one was memorable because he wore tinted safety glasses all the time except when teaching in the classroom. You never saw him outside a classroom without the tinted glasses. My high school welding teacher was awesome. He asked if we wanted to see some X-rays. Yeah, so the next day he brings some. He turns the projector on and the 1st X-ray is of a penis. Everyone was a little confused and took a few seconds to realize, that's not a weld... He says, "You said you wanted to see some X-rays". The rest were X-rays of welds showing good welds and welds with flaws. He was really good. If someone didn't have work boots to go on work experience, he'd give them one of his pairs if they couldn't afford them.. I think he bought some for students too. Was especially sad to read that he had dementia the last 6 years of his life and passed away at 72.
Some years ago I helped a old high school friend with his worn out hippie bus, 1967 chevy. Honed installed rings, lapped the valves, installed a used cam and lifters out of another, I had a used high volume oil pump, and a used double roller chain set. Not much new other than rings, bearings, seals and gaskets. Used 1 quart from Ellensburg to Flagstaff. Drove it to Vermont, Main, Florida, and who knows where else. I think there was $110 in parts. It was also a odd one, truck 327 four bolt with steel crank.
Check out zoro.com for Pyramex Emerge full lens safety cheaters, none of that bifocal crap, think they go to 2.50. Z87 specs with side shields, very comfy to wear, think were about $9 a pair. Well worth a gander.
I dont need cheaters (naturally far sighted), but I have always liked Pyramex frames. Super comfortable for all day wear. I used to buy their mirror finished safety frame, sunglasses for like $3/pair by the box ($30). Used to go through a pair every week or two during the summer. I got older, had to get prescription glasses for all day use, ended up with regular prescription frames from eye doctor. Still a +1 for Pyramex safety frames.
Probably should just get fitted with prescription squints but then what the hell do I do with all these cheaters?
Thanks. I’ll take a look. Last winter I realized it had been like 16 years since my last eye exam. Had some $ left on our FSA. Got checked out. Still better than 20/20. Doc said just get readers. I do have a little astigmatism and his tech mentioned glasses for that with antiglare. Wow what a difference in the dark or a dark rainy day while driving. I hadn’t realized the change in that part of my vision either.
I have an astigmatism on my right eye. About 10 years ago, my brother became an optician. He found out and instantly recommended coated lenses. Wow. Night and day difference for my vision. Driving in the rain at night was horrible before, but it is significantly better now.
Same here. Almost couldn’t believe it
Hello from the New Generation! I'm 22 and I say the same things about my generation. Kinda embarrassed of the things my generation does to be honest and that's why I strive to prove I'm not like them! At 7 I was mowing the grass at home and running my dads tracked T190 Turbo. At 12 I was mowing for a local used car dealership. In HS I got a summer job working for a local park district where I learned many aspects of growing flowers and landscaping. Around the same time I got into working on old small engines. Since I learned about landscaping I then started doing it for other people. While all the other kids were going out shopping after school or playing video games at friends houses I was mowing. While they had to buy the newest phone and trendy clothes I was buying equipment to do more/offer more services. After HS I got a part time summer job at a local highway department weed whacking around stuff in ditches all day. That winter I went and got my Class A to hopefully plow for them. Sadly they didn't have a need for another person to run a plow as the previous 2 winters I plowed with my dad for an excavating company which was a lot of fun and long nights! Last year I stopped mowing/landscaping for people after 9 years and got my current job. In that time I ended up acquiring a mowing trailer, 2 mowers, a few hedge trimmers and what not. Almost went big and expanded but decided I like my current job and rather keep doing landscaping. My managers like me and realized I'm more mature than some of the 30 year old employees and temps we have and assigned me a 2024 L90H loader to run at work. We have a new kid a year out of HS and loves to just get stoned on the weekends and doesn't take anything seriously. Always rolling into the parking lot right at 8 when everyone else is already there getting ready for the day. Always blame's everyone else for his mistakes. Just an average kid that belongs to my generation Sorry for that being so long winded
Just waddled through this post, fits pretty well what is happening throughout the working environment.