funwithfuel
Senior Member
Did I hit a nerve? I have some too. It's every guys guilty secret.
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This will be an interesting thread moving forward......
- Thread starter Vetech63
- Start date
Nah, I'm just screwing with you on this fabulous Friday morning. I was just remembering some thread about Harbor freight tools and how some thought they were the bomb. I have some select stuff from them myself.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
It's like the quintessential mechanic sneaking out of auto zone with a bag over his head carrying at set of flag belts.
funwithfuel
Senior Member
Around here, we call it Vato zone.
I see all your points. I have had a similar discussion with the owner prior to HNC's arrival. I told him what I thought he needed for his operation (That was when he tried to put me on fulltime........I declined) and that I would fill in with the heavier stuff for him as needed. I've decided that I need to ignore what I see going on (even though it drives me insane) and just do what I do. If I am approached for my opinion then I will give it, but I won't volunteer or get in the way. I will attempt to direct my own work with the company as long as I can be helpful and productive. Outside of that, it's business as usual with my other customers. I won't be back there til Monday but more pics of crap coming, I'm sure!
DMiller
Senior Member
HEY Now, I do resemble those remarks!!! Nephew is a HF Manager, get some GOOD Deals!!!
Spud_Monkey
Senior Member
We lack a Horror Freight in this town and nearest one is 4 hr drive one way to get to it. More cheaper to buy the top end stuff after you factor in fuel and time. Though when near one I do love their moving blankets, make such great uses like working in the dirt or insulated blackout curtains in my camper.
skyking1
Senior Member
Hey I see you putting more of his iron back in the field and that is as good as it gets. Full stop 
DMiller
Senior Member
Had days as those on bids, I did not cut pricing or call back, they would later call ME back try to talk me down as the Cheap Shop had screwed them over or failed to deliver. Would not feel sorry for them became T&M jobs after someone else dug around on a job. They had tough times with that but generally accepted as needed done.
Questionable wizard
Well-Known Member
I worked for an operation like you've described many years ago. 80-90 hour weeks trying to get all the broken stuff usable. I gave up after 3 months. After several years thought, the problems originated with the ownership not managing the situation correctly. It wouldn't have mattered how well I kept everything repaired, the hired HNCs who ki$$ed a$$ with the owners were maintaining their stability even though they couldn't perform.
Make your money while you can. Be ready to bail at a moments notice. It takes years of slow education of the owners to correct management mistakes they make. If you push too hard, too fast, they'll bite back.
I work under four owners of an excavating company right now who have a coveted club among themselves who no one is let in unless they are of golden blood. None of the four have any maintenance back round. Two of the four had no dirt moving or heavy equipment experience when they were invited to the club. I often have to show in elementary detail why a repair was made a certain way when the cost was higher than expected. I've taken many a hydraulic hose or O ring and snapped it in two before their eyes when they questioned work.
Make your money while you can. Be ready to bail at a moments notice. It takes years of slow education of the owners to correct management mistakes they make. If you push too hard, too fast, they'll bite back.
I work under four owners of an excavating company right now who have a coveted club among themselves who no one is let in unless they are of golden blood. None of the four have any maintenance back round. Two of the four had no dirt moving or heavy equipment experience when they were invited to the club. I often have to show in elementary detail why a repair was made a certain way when the cost was higher than expected. I've taken many a hydraulic hose or O ring and snapped it in two before their eyes when they questioned work.
DMiller
Senior Member
Have to laugh a bit, Golden Blood, Golden Children or Choices!! Saw that at the Nuke, many NAVY members were decent enough but a number would hire on ONLY Due to being Ex NAV Nuke, seems they were "OWED" the Jobs as they served in US NAVY and the Power Industry built 'Just For Them'. Ex NAV Officers would hire them in a heartbeat and be upset when they Would or Could not get Qualifications Cards signed by Senior Members of Operator Staff(Like ME). Guys just would not produce but HAD to be signed off as were 'Golden Boys'!!!
The nukes as well most power stations across the US are having issues with that very point with the HNC types, Want NC or No Responsibilities Types, just there for their Due Money.
The nukes as well most power stations across the US are having issues with that very point with the HNC types, Want NC or No Responsibilities Types, just there for their Due Money.
Just another day in paradise! 
Got the pump in the 700K today and all the tests passed. It's supposed to go out midweek so I can mark this off my to-do list.
HNC approached me this morning while I was removing the old pump and asked me if I installed the rubber tracks on the Cat 299. I told him I did of course and he replied........." Well, I appreciate the fact that you did that, but you are going to get me into trouble." I asked How So? It needed done and had been sitting there for days and no one was here......so I did it myself. His response was " We just hired a guy that is supposed to do that and that is what I was going to have him do today. Management will question why they are getting a bill from you when TNH was hired to do this." Yeah. I get it.......maybe I should have just let it sit there for another 2 weeks. Not an hour later the job super called me and thanked me for getting it done as they needed the machine. Go Figure! HNC then said he was ok with me doing some of the bigger repairs but to check with him first. Well, we have been down that road before, I always get "We can handle that" and nothing ever happens.
I am predicting here and now............They will be going back to their old ways shortly. TNH is evidently their golden child..........at least on paper This thread may end sooner than I thought. I'll be tackling an electrical problem on a Cat roller tomorrow and I won't have to worry about hurting someone's feelings there.
Stayed tuned!
Got the pump in the 700K today and all the tests passed. It's supposed to go out midweek so I can mark this off my to-do list.
HNC approached me this morning while I was removing the old pump and asked me if I installed the rubber tracks on the Cat 299. I told him I did of course and he replied........." Well, I appreciate the fact that you did that, but you are going to get me into trouble." I asked How So? It needed done and had been sitting there for days and no one was here......so I did it myself. His response was " We just hired a guy that is supposed to do that and that is what I was going to have him do today. Management will question why they are getting a bill from you when TNH was hired to do this." Yeah. I get it.......maybe I should have just let it sit there for another 2 weeks. Not an hour later the job super called me and thanked me for getting it done as they needed the machine. Go Figure! HNC then said he was ok with me doing some of the bigger repairs but to check with him first.
Well, we have been down that road before, I always get "We can handle that" and nothing ever happens. I am predicting here and now............They will be going back to their old ways shortly. TNH is evidently their golden child..........at least on paper
This thread may end sooner than I thought. I'll be tackling an electrical problem on a Cat roller tomorrow and I won't have to worry about hurting someone's feelings there. Stayed tuned!
DMiller
Senior Member
Sounds like HNC is scared for his own butt being thrown to the wind!!
Thirty5D
Active Member
. . . so that he can be prepared to take the credit.
____________
This situation reminds me of a story that a crusty, but likeable, blacksmith from New Hampshire told me:
"Once upon a time there were two guys shoveling coal. Then, one guy figures out that he can make the same money if he stands around and counts how many shovels of coal that the other guy shovels. Now, there's nobody shoveling coal."
(Thanks Ron.)
BigWrench55
Senior Member
Isn't that cute.
Someone is worried that they are about to be found out.
If he's not the one that called you in then I don't see the need to tell him sh¡t.
ianjoub
Senior Member
I am glad the holiday is over. I needed more of your entertaining stories!
I've spent the last hour getting this info on their Bomag 1300 profiler.
I ran into the profiler 2 months ago about an hour south of here when I was repairing a paver. The right front track assembly had been removed from the machine and was gone. I enquired about it from the paving super and he stated that the dirt side of the company had borrowed it, broke it, and had to fix it. Thats why I didn't get a call about it. NFG had pulled the assembly because he couldn't figure out how to remove the master pin in the rail. I had seen the assembly sitting in their shop several times over a month ago lying there with open hose ends on the floor. Not long after it disappeared and when I again enquired about it........HNC sent it to the dealer for them to install a new rail and prep it for reinstallation on the machine.
FLASH FORWARD to an hour ago...........I call the paving super to enquire whether the Bomag had been put together or not or did he know the status. He then told me to check on it for him and that HNC had just been screwing around and not doing anything. He also told me that they hadn't approved any work to be done because it was too expensive. I called the dealer to find out that the track rail has been installed and the assembly is ready there sitting on a pallet. I call the paving super back and inform him that it is sitting there ready to be picked up.........evidently HNC told the dealer to do whatever was needed without getting it approved by the paving super. I told him I had zero confidence that HNC could do the install and that I would do it if needed. He then calls the general super and HNC and they said that the dealer is going down tomorrow to install it. The paving super isn't happy, but said they better get it right or its their baby til they do.
Here is the fun part I get to call the owner tomorrow and tell him I had NOTHING to do with this. His son (the pilot) is responsible for having the dirt mechanics working on the paving equipment that they are NOT supposed to be touching.
The machine was down for 2 months because they ordered a new rail from Bomag @ $1900.00. The parts manager emailed me the parts list costing $3100.00 by itself. I just checked my cost on the same rail is $600.00 plus freight and I can have it in 3 days. I figure by the time the dealer has this finished its a $6K bill and was totally unnecessary. The absolute stupidity here is insane. I don't know how much more I can witness and say sane myself. I may be reaching my limit real quick!
I ran into the profiler 2 months ago about an hour south of here when I was repairing a paver. The right front track assembly had been removed from the machine and was gone. I enquired about it from the paving super and he stated that the dirt side of the company had borrowed it, broke it, and had to fix it. Thats why I didn't get a call about it. NFG had pulled the assembly because he couldn't figure out how to remove the master pin in the rail. I had seen the assembly sitting in their shop several times over a month ago lying there with open hose ends on the floor. Not long after it disappeared and when I again enquired about it........HNC sent it to the dealer for them to install a new rail and prep it for reinstallation on the machine.
FLASH FORWARD to an hour ago...........I call the paving super to enquire whether the Bomag had been put together or not or did he know the status. He then told me to check on it for him and that HNC had just been screwing around and not doing anything. He also told me that they hadn't approved any work to be done because it was too expensive. I called the dealer to find out that the track rail has been installed and the assembly is ready there sitting on a pallet. I call the paving super back and inform him that it is sitting there ready to be picked up.........evidently HNC told the dealer to do whatever was needed without getting it approved by the paving super. I told him I had zero confidence that HNC could do the install and that I would do it if needed. He then calls the general super and HNC and they said that the dealer is going down tomorrow to install it. The paving super isn't happy, but said they better get it right or its their baby til they do.
Here is the fun part
I get to call the owner tomorrow and tell him I had NOTHING to do with this. His son (the pilot) is responsible for having the dirt mechanics working on the paving equipment that they are NOT supposed to be touching.The machine was down for 2 months because they ordered a new rail from Bomag @ $1900.00. The parts manager emailed me the parts list costing $3100.00 by itself. I just checked my cost on the same rail is $600.00 plus freight and I can have it in 3 days. I figure by the time the dealer has this finished its a $6K bill and was totally unnecessary. The absolute stupidity here is insane. I don't know how much more I can witness and say sane myself. I may be reaching my limit real quick!
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BigWrench55
Senior Member
Just remember that this isn't your circus and those aren't your monkeys. Just cash those checks as fast as you can before HNC and TNH spend it first..
