Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

[Emerikol]

Cheesy, better hold off on the SS as long as you can. The payout rate goes up in an unsustainable curve the older you are when you start collecting. That's good for anyone close to collecting that can wait a few extra years, but for those of us that are younger (I'm 38), we know better. There's no way that SS will ever be there for us, even though Uncle Sam is still collecting those taxes out of our paychecks. As they say in France "c'est la vie, non?" Speaking of France, I spent some time over there while in the service of my dear Uncle Sammy. It's a beautiful country ruined by its people... Keep us posted on any new developments. You and Mrs. C are still welcome to come out this way and enjoy some of the nice riding weather we've got out here. It's going to be about 84* today. Tough, very tough... Keep your head up, brother. It'll all work out in the end.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Formaggio, does that mean less wrench time for you?

Weld-I really don't have a clue.

Em-No real plans to collect SS yet, but I'm glad it's there, along with my 401K, if I need to bail. I did download a couple of countdown apps to my phone just to have fun with. 46 days, 4 hours, 53 minutes.
The first time I was in France was 1991 and I bicycled 1500km. On purpose. Second time, I was working in a small town outside of Lyon. I've found that there is Paris and there is France. France is better.

Since January 2nd, I've flown 10,000 miles, rented five cars, and spent 20 nights in hotels. Today is the first Friday I've gotten home before 10pm. This will feel like a three day weekend.

[BlackBike]

Hate to say it, and you know it...they are putting the full court press on you.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

Hate to say it, and you know it...they are putting the full court press on you.

Yup.

So, going to play by their rules. Then have them explain to the customer why stuff isn't done when they promised.

Also, and this is per Harold, Jason and I are to no longer visit the sales staff for the purpose of doing a 'courtesy repair', on a piece of equipment that is way out of warranty. Just because said customer MIGHT buy a multi-million dollar piece of equipment is no longer a valid reason.

Truth be told, Harold was the worst one at this. Don't know how many times I visited a certain east coast transit to retrain untrainable operators because the customer MIGHT buy 10 of our cranes. They ended up buying a Hitachi. So whenever I hear they MIGHT BUY, I roll my eyes and extend my middle fingers.

[cheesy]

Back here again and things are....nice?

Seems that the new COO pulled the warring factions (Manufacturing vs Sales, Service, and Distribution)together and read all the riot act. Some were demoted and some were promoted. I was neither, thank you very much.

I have actually been able to get things that I came down here for accomplished. Still getting pulled in different directions but nowhere near as much.

Monday, there were ten 39' track panels to unload from a couple of trucks. Each were in the neighborhood of 8000lbs. I gathered up a few people that had rigging experience and I ran the crane. We got the first five unloaded in fifteen minutes.

Second truck showed up about an hour later and one of the rigger guys asked if he could run the crane, so I sent him up in the seat. Took him a little bit longer but got it done safely. I had to grab another body to rig chains, though. I told the guy running the crane that, at sixty two years old, I'm done climbing up on trucks. Guy said he thought I was in my early fifties.

The Leadman finally admitted that he was in way over his head and has asked for my help. He's been shadowing me and taking a boatload of notes. Yesterday, while working on troubleshooting some equipment, he goes "You do all this and have never had any formal training?"
Me-"Other than a two day class in hydraulics about twenty years ago, nope."
Him-"Without any certs, we could only hire you as a laborer, but you're putting most of us to shame."
Me-"Experience isn't a piece of paper. It can be a bitch if you don't have any."

I did introduce myself to the new COO as no one seemed willing to do it. Apparently, he'd been wanting to meet me.(Things like that always cause me worry) He asked why I didn't make the move to SC. I told him my age, my home was nearly paid for, and that half my grandkids are 30 minutes away. He said, "Hell, I wouldn't have moved, either." We did a little small talk about others we know in the organization,(I have a dozen years seniority) then went our separate ways for the rest of the day.

I have a major project to start tomorrow. I'm pretty much going to just set it up, give some direction, turn the crew loose on it, then stand back.

[BlackBike]

Experience and productivity = untouchable

[BlackBike]

They want me to do some work at the nsa in san antonio now. Sounds like a big time sink to me. Have to jump thru a clearance run around with proving my citizenship. Too bad they can't just go downtown with a pick up and just get some day labor like everyone else.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

They want me to do some work at the nsa in san antonio now. Sounds like a big time sink to me. Have to jump thru a clearance run around with proving my citizenship. Too bad they can't just go downtown with a pick up and just get some day labor like everyone else.

Have the same deal with a certain east coast transit. Need a criminal background check just to get on their property. As I despise them, I just say no.

Well, I spoke too soon. Today sucked. To be honest though, only one thing was a Beaufort screw up. Every other thing was bad luck.

The married certified welders didn't show up because the wife's aunt passed away and the funeral was today.

Went to pressure wash the project machine with the heated washer we sent down from Elgin. Got everything plugged in, pulled the trigger on the wand, aaanndd the pump locked up. That tripped a breaker. And started the downhill slide. A new pump is $400.

Dragged out the newer gas engined pressure washer and it had an empty fuel tank. Walked clear across the building before I found a can with some fuel in it. Filled the tank, thinking this stuff sure looks like two stroke. It's windy and someone is burning brush, so I can't smell anything. Walk back across the building to put the can back in the cabinet and notice 'Diesel Fuel' written on not one, but two, red gas cans. Sun uv a...Took pictures of the cans and sent them to the entire management staff with the caption, "WTF!". Then proceeded to drain the fuel tank and float bowl of the pressure washer. Made the Leadman stop what he was doing to go out and find two diesel cans. His excuse was that they needed cans right away. These were the first ones he found and he had labeled them, so it was my fault that I didn't read them. I exploded. It's now March, he bought the cans in October, six months ago. Plenty of time to get the correct ones. Labeling the cans won't fly in a Life Safety Inspection, but is sure to bring a spendy fine. I guess I should be happy that it wasn't gasoline in a diesel can. Had that happen in Elgin.

After calming down from that little episode, looks like the major project has a major snafu. Rail clamps from 2005 might not fit on a 2015 machine. Told the geniuses that said they would fit need to come up with a fix because that part, according to them, is not my job anymore.

Saying "That's not my job anymore" carries a bit of satisfaction.

[minimac]

Don't leave us hanging!

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by minimac

Don't leave us hanging!

Sorry. I'm back in Beaufort this week. The 'This isn't your job anymore' has made it more bearable. When new and old managers want me to find something, confirm a part number, pick something or someone up, I shake my head and tell them that it's not my job anymore.

I have been working with the new soon to be Leadman. A whole 'nother person. I explain how something is done and he does not take notes. He gets into it for the first hand experience. Yesterday, we pulled four 900lb tires off of one of our 360 cranes. I drafted some of the visiting Italians who build the crane to help and they were adamant that I needed a tire jack to remove the tires. I asked them if they had one in their back pocket because I didn't, then crawled under the crane and repeatedly pushed on the tire with my feet until it dropped off of the hub. The new Lead did the other three. The Italians had eyes a big as saucers. I had to explain to the one Italian that speaks English that very rarely are repairs done where there is a shop with a concrete floor for a tire jack. I consider myself lucky if I can score a boom truck to snag a tire off a hub.

The soon to be former Leadman is being moved to QC, which he is better suited. Guy is too fond of paperwork for my taste.

Things are starting to gel, though, and some semblance of order is taking place. The plant super and I were discussing how the move happened and both agreed that where we are now, we should have been at three months ago. Also, that this place should have been at least 90% ready to go before Elgin started to wind down.

Today, though, Jason and I are driving to Atlanta, and back, for a thirty minute job that the customer will pay dearly for. Best part for me is that I won't be walking the entire length of that building umpteen times today. By three pm, I'm wiped. I'm also the oldest guy working in the shop. I can run circles around most of the youngsters but not for as long as used to.

Vacation next week.

[cheesy]

Survived another week. The Atlanta trip, though a long day, was worth it. Not only were Jason and I out of the building for the day, but I got to shut down an arrogant a-hole. And I did it in front of his boss.

When we got to ATL, I strolled over to the crane while Jason had a smoke. I turned back to him and told him not bother with what was in the trunk, we wouldn’t be needing it. Got hold of the foreman and showed him that the new brushcutter they didn’t buy from us didn’t work because it was plumbed to the wrong hydraulic circuit. The foreman called over his mechanic so I could show him what needed to be done. All I got from the mechanic was attitude.

According to him, I didn’t know what I was talking about. That the new brushcutter was plumbed exactly the same as the old one, yada yada. Only word out of my mouth was “Bullshit”. So, he says he can prove it and walks us over to the old brushcutter. He points to the coupler and tells me it’s the same way. I go, “Nope, that’s a female coupler. The new unit is plumbed with males. It will never work with male couplers.” The guy swears a blue streak at me, tells all of us he doesn’t need this shit and storms out of the shop.

Now, the foreman is standing there with us, watching the mechanic have his meltdown. As the mechanic is walking away, the foreman turns to me and says, “I finally have a reason. Sorry you guys had to come all this way for our screw up. Send me the bill.”

As this BS took a bit longer than planned, we had to push it to get back to Beaufort. If anyone saw a white Prius in left lane of I-20, heading to SC and doing around 90mph. That was us.

[Darkrider]

Originally Posted by cheesy

Survived another week. The Atlanta trip, though a long day, was worth it. Not only were Jason and I out of the building for the day, but I got to shut down an arrogant a-hole. And I did it in front of his boss.

When we got to ATL, I strolled over to the crane while Jason had a smoke. I turned back to him and told him not bother with what was in the trunk, we wouldn’t be needing it. Got hold of the foreman and showed him that the new brushcutter they didn’t buy from us didn’t work because it was plumbed to the wrong hydraulic circuit. The foreman called over his mechanic so I could show him what needed to be done. All I got from the mechanic was attitude.

According to him, I didn’t know what I was talking about. That the new brushcutter was plumbed exactly the same as the old one, yada yada. Only word out of my mouth was “Bullshit”. So, he says he can prove it and walks us over to the old brushcutter. He points to the coupler and tells me it’s the same way. I go, “Nope, that’s a female coupler. The new unit is plumbed with males. It will never work with male couplers.” The guy swears a blue streak at me, tells all of us he doesn’t need this shit and storms out of the shop.

Now, the foreman is standing there with us, watching the mechanic have his meltdown. As the mechanic is walking away, the foreman turns to me and says, “I finally have a reason. Sorry you guys had to come all this way for our screw up. Send me the bill.”

As this BS took a bit longer than planned, we had to push it to get back to Beaufort. If anyone saw a white Prius in left lane of I-20, heading to SC and doing around 90mph. That was us.

Wait...a Prius can do 90?

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by Darkrider

Wait...a Prius can do 90?

Surprised me, too.

[ben2go]

The ones around here can't seem to break 30mph downhill with the wind pushing them.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by ben2go

The ones around here can't seem to break 30mph downhill with the wind pushing them.

Must be them SC drivers. Up here, the little poops are twenty over in the left lane.