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This will be an interesting thread moving forward......
- Thread starter Vetech63
- Start date
Welder Dave
Senior Member
And what the employer should do and/or change to ensure the PM gets done so you're not swamped with the simpler stuff. Then you could concentrate on fixing the bigger repairs.
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
We tend to think regular PM is simple and easy. So it gets pushed to the back burner or said, any hillbilly can do that. But then when any hillbilly really does do it, over or under fills the crankcase and cross threads the drain plug you realize it might be better to pay a high dollar mechanic to do it right.
barrelroll
Well-Known Member
PM's and the lube/ PM bay are this double edged sward. You want them done right though your good mechanics are busy on more important jobs the green bean can't handle so the new guy gets thrown the easy PM while the high dollar mechanic is in the middle of a major repair. PM's is where many people start out, they learn how to spin on filters, fill fluids, and grease zerks. They don't have the years of experience to realize what they are looking at while they are doing the pm is about to fail. Or know there is a common problem with X piece of equipment and they should shine their flashlight up there when it's in the lube bay for a PM to check and see if it's starting to have the issue. Working with a good experienced teacher for a bit helps though you can't replace years of experience. One example I ran into here was the tension and bin pullies on one of our belts had 5 grease fittings in 1 spot and an orphan grease fitting on the guard 20' below it on the crusher floor. It takes a bit of experience to question why there's 6 fittings on one belt and only 5 fittings on this belt. The second newest guy who trained me had no clue about the orphan and hadn't been greasing it. The kid training me on PM's here had 5 months total experience on his tools. He knew how to fill out the PM paper, he didn't have a clue why we were really doing things or to open up his eyes, ears, nose, and touch things to look for more problems while we were given the time to look at the equipment. Yes the grease fitting finally got moved yesterday when we swapped out the pulley.
With the fuel/ lube guy a binder in each piece of equipment with the date/hours, the different fluids/ things like air filters that need to be checked, a line for checked, and a line for added would help keep the kid organized. If the equipment has grease zerks a picture of the machine with all the hidden zerks on it will help him remember where they are with possibly something designating the stuff that needs to be greased every day vs the stuff that doesn't/ shouldn't be greased every day. I know I can't always remember from day to day what I have added fluids the last 3 times I've looked at something or if a piece of equipment has 2 hours on it since the last time I checked the air filter and I probably don't need to check it again.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Perhaps the employer could hire an apprentice or pay extra to so you could hire one or even somebody with mechanical aptitude to do the more simple tasks. There are people capable that aren't going to cost $50/hr.+ that an experienced journeyman mechanic costs. Even if they need some training it will pay off in the end.
Unfortunately to give you an example of the issue we face with getting apprentices maybe one in 20 is decent. The rest range from lazy to just plain stupid with a nice healthy dose of dangerous and overly cocky across the board. When you find a good one it’s like striking gold.
And that’s for a program that puts you in school for five semesters to earn an associates degree, has you work when you aren’t in school between semesters, and gives you a really nice starter set of tools and a base level Snap On single bay rollcab plus if you work for is for just there years after they repay your school costs.
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,165
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
To me the guy doing what some think is simple PM's is one of the most important worker. He is all over the machine and sees it probably everyday or at least more than the guy doing major repairs. He, if he has his eyes and ears open, can spot things while they are minor things before they cause major problems.
Most definitely the case here. I watched these people try to hire someone for quite a while. Getting someone to just pass a drug test was a challenge by itself. If you were lucky enough to get that done, the next challenge was to get them to show up on time daily. I don't think I saw 1 work past a single week......too hot, ......too dirty.......not enough compensation.........etc..........
This is a huge reason I am hesitant to get that involved. 1st off......I am not an employee, so I don't feel like I have the authority, nor do I want it right now. Training takes time and patience which I am consistently short of.
2nd...I stress easily over others dumb ****. I may be setting myself up for an embolism. 3rd......When you have an employee or a helper, you are married to their own personal crap too. I just don't have time to deal with that either.
I will point things out that should be done as helpful suggestions. Outside of that, it will cost a crapload more than I am currently getting........which is pretty nice right now.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
I guess it depends on location as far as finding decent help. It used to be hiring kids who came from a farm or had worked on equipment a little were interested in getting into mechanics and really applied themselves. There used to be some good trade schools with some eager to learn students but a bulk of them have shut down. They claim people aren't interested in the trades anymore. I think in the very near future it's going to be very difficult to find anyone who knows how to diagnose and fix older equipment. That's why this forum is so good but what happens when the group of experts on here aren't around.
hosspuller
Senior Member
Barrelroll's post reminded me of a story about a young bride cooking her first Thanksgiving meal.
She got the required turkey and in preparation, broke its legs. The young husband was aghast at this desecration. "How can one eat it caveman style without a handle on the leg?" "That's how my mother cooked the turkey" replied the bride.
Young bride called her mother to ask why she broke the legs for all the Thanksgiving turkey meals since young bride could remember.
"That's what my mother did as long as I can remember " replies Mother of young bride.
Luckily, the bride's family is long lived, and Grandmother is still residing at the old homeplace. Asked why she broke the turkey's legs for the Thanksgiving meal ... Granny said. "Our oven is too small to fit the turkey big enough to feed the entire family and friends."
"Why" is not a stupid question. So, you wrench benders... remember this story.
She got the required turkey and in preparation, broke its legs. The young husband was aghast at this desecration. "How can one eat it caveman style without a handle on the leg?" "That's how my mother cooked the turkey" replied the bride.
Young bride called her mother to ask why she broke the legs for all the Thanksgiving turkey meals since young bride could remember.
"That's what my mother did as long as I can remember " replies Mother of young bride.
Luckily, the bride's family is long lived, and Grandmother is still residing at the old homeplace. Asked why she broke the turkey's legs for the Thanksgiving meal ... Granny said. "Our oven is too small to fit the turkey big enough to feed the entire family and friends."
"Why" is not a stupid question. So, you wrench benders... remember this story.
Bumpsteer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,342
- Location
- Front seat on the Struggle Bus
- Occupation
- Mechanical designer
Lmao.....that is something loml would do.
Ed
Ed
Bumpsteer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,342
- Location
- Front seat on the Struggle Bus
- Occupation
- Mechanical designer
Zz
Camshawn
Senior Member
I remember Dad cutting the legs off a turkey with a hack saw for an exceptionally large Christmas dinner when I was a kid for the same reason. Cam
barrelroll
Well-Known Member
Barrelroll's post reminded me of a story about a young bride cooking her first Thanksgiving meal.
She got the required turkey and in preparation, broke its legs. The young husband was aghast at this desecration. "How can one eat it caveman style without a handle on the leg?" "That's how my mother cooked the turkey" replied the bride.
Young bride called her mother to ask why she broke the legs for all the Thanksgiving turkey meals since young bride could remember.
"That's what my mother did as long as I can remember " replies Mother of young bride.
Luckily, the bride's family is long lived, and Grandmother is still residing at the old homeplace. Asked why she broke the turkey's legs for the Thanksgiving meal ... Granny said. "Our oven is too small to fit the turkey big enough to feed the entire family and friends."
"Why" is not a stupid question. So, you wrench benders... remember this story.
That's a great story. I printed that out and put it on my locker.
I got 1 hour into this..............and then the rain started.
I got the machine cribbed where I wanted it (right behind the drum) and got the front piece off. Rain today, so I won't get anymore done til later in the week
I got the machine cribbed where I wanted it (right behind the drum) and got the front piece off. Rain today, so I won't get anymore done til later in the week
digger doug
Senior Member
"Todays game was called off on account of rain"......
Nige
Senior Member
HarleyHappy
Senior Member
Put an easy up over it lol.