Where are the Mechanics?

[Truck Shop]

Where are the Mechanics? I think most of them including me are hiding and fa^ting around on Heavy Equipment Forums. Com

Truck Shop

 

[typ4]

Great...I took off a few days to paint my new 30x34 shop bay...so far, 25 gallons of primer, the OSB of the walls and ceiling really suck it up, next, 5 gallons of ultra high gloss white for the walls. Finishing the concrete floor is next!.

Pictures or it didnt happen lOL

 

[DMiller]

Pictures or it didnt happen lOL

LOL!!! HAHAHA!

 

[thepumpguysc]

I guess there IS a shortage of inj. pump mechanics around here..??
I got 2 calls yesterday.. a friend of a friend kinda deal..{word of mouth}
& on BOTH of them, the guys said>> I didn't know ANYONE DID this sort of thing "OUT HERE"..
& when I finished the jobs for 1/2 of what Ford woulda charged for JUST showing-up {a service call}.. They were both happy..
They didn't have to mortgage the house AND they were up & runnin the same day..
I guess I need to start advertising.. but then again, I'd be busy.. & who wants THAT.?? lol

 

[r20d12]

Yeah that busy stuff is for the kids. For me it's "you want me to do what? Jerry springier just start!"

 

[thepumpguysc]

" I know dats right".. The phone hasn't stopped ringing this morning.!!
Fords.. Komatsu's.. John Deere's..
Dammit people.. I'm tryin to work in my garden.!!! Everytime I walk in the house to get a cold drink & a smoke, there a msg on the phone.. its 10:30.. I'm goin back to bed.. LOL..

 

[Jstrumbo]

Alot of wisdom in this thread, I'm very green so it's a blessing to listen to you guys!

 

[r20d12]

The best thing you should learn from us old farts is to use a crane whenever possible! It will make life after 40 much nicer. Its a good living just don't let the job overshadow your family.

 

[Jstrumbo]

Noted r20d12

 

[Jstrumbo]

And speaking of cranes: the company I plan to have an apprenticeship with specializes in 24hr crane repair. I wanted to go with them because I figured if I specialized in something, I would get paid better. They told me they have a massive shortage of skilled labor, and made it sound like the money is better than other applications, they didn't shoot me any numbers but is that generally true? Is the crane industry really better money? Google couldn't answer this one for me, and I couldn't find any previous threads so forgive me for asking

 

[thepumpguysc]

Generally, Yes..
& take this next sentence to heart>>
you never get paid what you deserve.. you ONLY GET what you negotiate.!!!
Good luck.

 

[DMiller]

I was specialized Diesel Engines at first, do something and get really good at it while expanding boundaries a little at a time. Air systems, hydraulic accessory systems(Brakes, controls) work into electrical diagnosis and the world becomes your oyster as the machines all begin to fall into simpler categories of the above. Add some weld time(MIG and TIG with GMAW) and you will become a all around value to whomever gets their grips on you.

 

[hetkind]

Pictures or it didnt happen lOL

Pics will come when the floor is done, repaired areas are currently curing

Here is a pic from when we were laying the top deck

 

[John C.]

All the different parts of the mechanic trade can pay pretty good. I found that it is the sides of the industry that really make the differences. Cranes are good but the size you are working on makes a difference in the kind of work and the amount of pay you get. Anything more than 500 tons usually means lots of time sleeping in motel beds, when you don't have to work all night on a setup or a repair. The small end of the fleets seem to stay closer to home but there is still plenty of repair work needed and possible any time of the day through weeks and months. Cranes also mean you have to be well rounded on your skills. In addition to engines and drive trains you will need to be good at electrical and hydraulics and then you get into the crane parts of that industry. Winches, types of line, rigging, juicers against friction models and duty cycle cranes as opposed to lifting cranes and on and on. In my experience if you are good with cranes you can usually work on about anything. Also in my experience the good crane people usually turn their noses up at yellow iron.

 

[DMiller]

Old cranes, electrical commutators to the swing cab, newer ones with air and hydraulic rotary joints, not much worse as to numbers of contacts or lines, varied voltages or pressures, corrosion, wear. Then the varied controls in those cabs, multiple winches, load cells, basics of math for angle to load capacities which many newer ones do for you, boom, mast, winch, transport direction or swing, using spotters, radios, learning the language and signals getting them down to a science. Refusal to do something stupid or daring, nothing ABSOLUTELY Nothing is taken for granted on a Crane.

Just a side bar, do NOT let anything happen to your eyes. 20/40 corrected BOTH to operate a mobile crane even to work on them as far as I know as you will have to operate to validate repairs. I no longer qualify, can get the eye test for my CDL but crane quals NO WAY with a pushed 20/50 corrected left eye, bad day and long passed but still, KEEP THE SAFETY GLASSES ON!!

 

[r20d12]

Well that would suck to get medicaled out of a job. Ill stick with yellow iron. I used to do some crane work. Mainly electrical and hydraulic stuff on Grove. Did boom pads on one when they first made the switch to the round bottom booms, couple hydraulic swivels too. I never liked the liability. Same reason I never liked over the road trucks though I have to some since they haul the yellow iron. Main thing is to do what you enjoy.

 

[old-iron-habit]

The best thing you should learn from us old farts is to use a crane whenever possible! It will make life after 40 much nicer. Its a good living just don't let the job overshadow your family.

For sure, and add knee pads, ear plugs, and a kidney belt when you lift, not after you hurt it.

 

[td25c]

On the liability issue ......

I'm in the liability business .

It equals cash ... Not everyone will step up & take the job ...

World gets small real fast when talking numbers to a customer when no one else wants to take the risk .

That's America

 

[Wes J]

Sure. That's why brain surgery costs so much.

I have done some contract work in places that make nuclear weapons. You need something like $10 million in liability insurance to get in the door. I had an armed escort at all times, even in the bathroom. No cell phones anywhere. The company I was working for made machines that actually made plastic explosives for the detonator of the nukes.

You can basically name a price. But, what a pain in the ass. I've heard of facilities where you cannot bring in any tools. Others where you can't leave at night, you stay there until the job is done. I heard about a guy who worked on some machines at a US mint facility. You can't even wear your own clothes inside.

 

[td25c]

Yeah Wes .. Sounds like the same security in a casino ..

Have a customer that works in the" count room ". Revenue agents present , cameras everywhere , coveralls with no pockets , don't raise your hands or wave them in any matter while counting .

The thieves are afraid someone might try to steal from them I reckon .

Funny part is he gets questions all the time by patrons at the casino about tip's on how to win ?

" Get the hell out of this place fast " . You will be an instant winner . LOL !