Excavator operators - How do you know??

[dayexco]

loading trucks out of a bank/quarry, is a good place to learn where your controls are, how the machine performs...you know you're getting close when they yank you out of the quarry...and throw you on a pipe job, where attention to detail, and continually be concerned/worried about the lives you have in the hole underneath you, and the utilities you're digging around to do your job.

 

[dayexco]

as a for instance...my daughter, when she was 12....was top loading dump trucks in a pit...and i'm proud to say very proficiently after about the 5-6th day.....would i put her on a pipe crew at that stage? uh-uh

 

[JS580SL]

Take care of the machine, work with safety as the number 1 priority, do your best and at the end of day you enjoy what you do and make a living at it you must be doing something right.......thats my stand.

 

[sluggo]

Well around here I know of about four that are the best operators there is.They can operate any thing.And yes they are the best.
But the funny thing is they are never working.They have no Grey hair because their age is 17 to 22.Their best work is operating a beer can.

Sad to say,but you see alot of that these days...

 

[JS580SL]

Im 21 and not all off us are punks. I run a 580 backhoe full time, been running this machine over a year. Worked straight through winter, get my fair share of compliments, etc. etc. I do my job, work hard, and dont brag. Way I look at it, you wanna see what I can do, sit and watch but opinions are opinions and bragging isnt a way to make a pay check.

I pay attention to what I'm doing and listen and learn to the more experianced and know they can show me how it's done. Ive argued with people close to my age before but I know what Im capable off and at the end of the day its not a competition.

 

[sultan]

Im 21 and not all off us are punks. I run a 580 backhoe full time, been running this machine over a year. Worked straight through winter, get my fair share of compliments, etc. etc. I do my job, work hard, and dont brag. Way I look at it, you wanna see what I can do, sit and watch but opinions are opinions and bragging isnt a way to make a pay check.

I pay attention to what I'm doing and listen and learn to the more experianced and know they can show me how it's done. Ive argued with people close to my age before but I know what Im capable off and at the end of the day its not a competition.

I agree. I'm even younger than you, and I've never run heavy equipment as my main job, so I admit that I'm not the greatest operator around, and am willing to learn from the more experienced. I have seen some know-it-all punks here and there, young [and old too ] but there are plenty of young fellows who can run equipment decently and don't claim to know everything.

 

[2stickbill]

I agree. I'm even younger than you, and I've never run heavy equipment as my main job, so I admit that I'm not the greatest operator around, and am willing to learn from the more experienced. I have seen some know-it-all punks here and there, young [and old too ] but there are plenty of young fellows who can run equipment decently and don't claim to know everything.

And those that don't claim to know everything are good operators or they soon will be.

 

[Cat is ALL]

A good operator doesn't compare himself to other operators, he compares himself with the job he's done.

A good operator once told me that you when your done your job and your walking it over you should never have to use your boot to knock down a small windrow or blemish.

Some people just don't have it, a kid could jump on a machine and just naturally have a good touch, the next guy jumps on and slowly becomes a good operator, and the next guy can jump on a machine and not be able to do anything, and after years of experience still not be able to do anything. Those people usually end up working at home depot

 

[Acivil]

Making every motion count I believe is very important... fast+smooth+safe= efficient/profitable. Or if you win and Excavator Rodeo... you might be alright then....

 

[gasfield315c]

A good operator doesn't compare himself to other operators, he compares himself with the job he's done.

A good operator once told me that you when your done your job and your walking it over you should never have to use your boot to knock down a small windrow or blemish.

Some people just don't have it, a kid could jump on a machine and just naturally have a good touch, the next guy jumps on and slowly becomes a good operator, and the next guy can jump on a machine and not be able to do anything, and after years of experience still not be able to do anything. Those people usually end up working at home depot

i agree, i started operating equipment full time when i got out of highschool, i am 23 now and have never been laid off, noone has ever knocked my work, and i love what i do. But i had some good teachers, i had a natural nac for the machine, and i had a seasoned vet teach me how to go about things, like the man said some people got it, some dont

 

[DoosanFan]

I am looking to get a job around equipment these holidays (Thank you FIFA), and there are a lot of things that I have picked up off this thread... I have to say, operators in general are my heroes, and I'm not being funny. Sure, I've met a lot of operators who are in it for the paycheque, but most love it. I know a wheel dozer operator, been on the same machine since 1986 when the machine was bought new. It doesn't do much work, but he looks after it. He doesn't allow the mechanics to service it unless he is there.

Treatment of equipment here... Operators are harsh, I won't say they aren't, but then again, so is Africa. Counter weight scratches happen, but a lack of proper training facilities is apparent. Most recieve on the job training from some one who actually doesn't know all that much about equipment themselves, so that is a problem. But for all their shortcomings, our operators are good.