Excavator operators - How do you know??

[Alaska Sunrise]

I still consider myself very "green" when it comes to operating, but I have a question for all you experienced operators out there: When do you really know that you are a good operator?

 

[Dirtman2007]

I still consider myself very "green" when it comes to operating, but I have a question for all you experienced operators out there: When do you really know that you are a good operator?

When people you are working for tell you.

 

[2stickbill]

When you get a BIG raise.

 

[RDG]

When you can do the job safely, on budget and to the customers satisfaction so that they will hire you again for their next project instead of the opposition. Cheers RDG.

 

[diggerdave1958]

Well, Alaska Sunrise, I have been running Equipment for most of my fifty some years, I started at my Fathers Ready-Mix Concrete Plants running loaders in the summer when i was out of school and have been Excavating for the last 20+ years and i am always see something that i could do better and faster so i guess to answer your question is when u feel confiden in doing something new that u have not done before and u get the job done. Tks

 

[tootalltimmy]

I am at the 50 plus age and have been at it for a couple of years off and on. Long ways to go. Hope I live that long to be a good, safe operator. Need more seat time yet.

 

[RonG]

When the boss gets in the trench to lay pipe for you or directs you while excavating around obstacles such as other services,gas lines etc while the laborer who should be there does other things.Ron G

 

[T.McG]

You know you are getting good when you get more done running smoothly than someone who is slam banging everything.

 

[watglen]

I'm no bloody good, i know that, but i still get the chance to direct others. What i preach is a this; a good operator will run the machine so you can't hear it. When you're running, there shouldn't be any noise except the engine. No pounding, shaking, rattling, jerking, jarring, and definitely no wrecking anything! Good operators run quiet.

Good operators take good care of their machines. They keep it clean, well lubed, and well maintained.

:drinkup

 

[tonka]

I'm no bloody good, i know that, but i still get the chance to direct others. What i preach is a this; a good operator will run the machine so you can't hear it. When you're running, there shouldn't be any noise except the engine. No pounding, shaking, rattling, jerking, jarring, and definitely no wrecking anything! Good operators run quiet.

Good operators take good care of their machines. They keep it clean, well lubed, and well maintained.

:drinkup

^^^this^^^

 

[joispoi]

When you can reach out all the way with the gummy, pull it in towards the machine at full speed keeping the grade perfectly level and without banging around, shift over one bucket width and then push out again at full speed maintaining the same grade, leaving no windrows and the grade is ready to be seeded or lay sod with no need for raking.... Then you can say you're "good".

I can get the job done without too much noise and without making a mess, but I won't stand up and anounce that I'm "good" .

 

[xcmark]

If your woring for a large company and your not the one thats layed off at the end of the jobs ...... This will be your first indication your good! If you work deep into the winter doing any type of work even if its not in a machine . A good company union or non-union will always try to keep its best guys going even in hard time like now.

 

[Hollywood627G]

When people you are working for tell you.

How do you know those people know what there doing in the first place. "That guy says I'm better than this guy, and this guy says I'm better than that guy, but you know what? They all suck!" A blademan once told me.

 

[Truckie]

I will go along with what everyone on here has said so far.
You know your good when you boss introduces you to some high profile customers and tells them this is my ace operator in the yard and on the road and driver.
Also you know your good when you get all the weird jobs or the jobs no one else can be trusted on or to do.

 

[monster truck]

Have someone else ask the truck drivers that your loading. Trust me, they have an opinion

 

[ih100]

Why do you need to know how good you are? If you haven't killed anyone, hurt yourself or wrecked the machine or job site, you get invited back the next day, you're good enough. You're only as good as your last job.

 

[plantman.uk]

why worry what others think if you and them go home safely each night there will always be people in this job who will have something to say about how you operate it so don't worry yourself just do the best YOU can....good luck to ya

 

[reddot556]

let other people tell you that...never assume your good, always think you have more to learn..if you start struttin around thinking your all bad ass you'll get a nickname like primadonna..or worse

 

[expatracer]

if you work for a company like the one i do you get sent out to a lot of different jobs ever thing from demo to pipe work and anything in between . like last week cutting sand grade for a steel yard this week digging around tension piles in the middle of bc place .so when you stop worrying about the new job your going to the next day . and always keep you mind open

 

[dayexco]

when you can stick a kitchen match in the crack of a sidewalk, tape some sandpaper to a bucket tooth, reach out and light the match without breaking the match stick.