Earned my pay this AM

[Soundguy]

I was setting in the office ( reading tractor mail /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ) When the boss ran in in a panic.

We had a track hoe broke down in middle of the road where it had been clearing ROW. Fairly large machine.. high volume road.. and a high $ municipal project. Not much more than loaders out on the job.. nothing big enough to drag it out of the way.. even if it could be drug. Some sort of guid or keeper for a pin came apart. Nothing more than a piece of metal and a bolt.. but wasn't in place and machine didn't like it I hear.

Both mechanic's were/are in another county doing work on an equally important piece of equipment. Local JD HE delaer didn't have the part in stock.. could have it in the morning.

While the boss was wearing a rut in the carpet I asked what the part looke dlike and if it could simply be made. He looked at me kind of funny and asked me if iknew how to run the sho equipment ( welder, plasma cutter, band saw.. mill.. etc. ) I said that I could run most of it..

Ended up cutting a 2.5" x 5.5" piece of 1/2" flat stock and then drilled a 3/4" hole in the middle for a keeper bolt. Mechanic had the chuck key to the drill press and all the good bits in the truck. i had to use a pair of pliers and a pipe wrench to lock an old 'used up' bit into the chuck /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. Cutting oil was with the mechainc.. only stuff I could find to cut with was atf.. so i went to cutting.

Took about 45 mins to cut the stock down and drill it. I was just dressing the edges and hole with a file/grindstone when the boss ran out to the shop to check on progress. I slapped a 3/4"x2.5" coarse thread bolt inthe hole to check it.. handed him a stack of washers and watched him jump in the truck an leave.

As I walked back to the office I niticed that my shirt became a casualty... cutting oil and shavings all across the upper mid section above the shop apron.. pants got some on the sides.. I guess that apron was a tad small...

For the record.. YES.. I used approved safety glasses and gloves on the hot stuff.

I'm a tad smelly now.. but the office AC feels pretty good!


No point to the message.. just felt like sharing.. now that I got the grime off my hands...
Soundguy

 

[Varmintmist]

Did it work?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

If it did then the point is you fabbed a chunk of iron into a part and saved the day. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If it didnt work, you wasted the bosses time, go hide. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[GerardC]

So, do you get a raise or do you need to hide??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PineRidge]

Fixing a track hoe with a few shop tools in a pinch?

Soundguy I have always enjoyed reading your posts here at the TBN site. But if this kind of thing keeps up we are going to have to change your TBN handle to McGuyver. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowrev]

UH OH now the now that the boss knows you can do that kind of stuff........
Ben

 

[Soundguy]

I casually called out to the job right before lunch asking how the hoe was doing. They said it was digging stumps. That was good enough for me.

Funny thing was.. if we would have got that from the JD dealer.. it probably would have been a 80$ part plus 20$ for overnight shipping.

Yep.. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Now he knows I can make things... I'm not sure that is great info in the long run /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.

I already get called out to the job for electrical repairs.. Our mechanics are nice guys.. but if it has more than a red and black wire.. i get a phone call.

Half the time I get calls for hyd plumbing as well... Gosh i love the wet oily jobs almost as much as the hot sweaty wiring jobs. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

As A matter of fact.. i gotta go install an inline filter for the ice machine sometime today... Already got the tubing cutter 'warming' up on the desk right now.. just trying to build up the gumption to go back out in the heat. Looks like I'll be on my 3rd shirt for the day !

Soundguy

 

[Jagmandave]

Welcome to my world! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Putting out "fires" is pretty much what I do all day, although usually indoors in the A/C - but of course my shop isn't a/c'd!
Since most of my machines use of the shelf stuff, I can usually buy the parts I need from Grainger or someone, but when something breaks and they need it right now, I resort to making what I need. It can be fun and very satisfying....... when it works!

I remember one day the owner of our company introducing me to one of his contemporaries - after my name he said "And he knows how to weld!" with great pride and amazement. I just smiled.......

 

[frank_f15]

GOOD JOB! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif That is why they pay you the BIG BUCKS /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Wayne_Freeman]

Boy, just think of all the stuff I could do with SoundGuy as my neighbor! When you get tired of Florida come on over to South Carolina for a while.

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> UH OH now the now that the boss knows you can do that kind of stuff........ </font>

Yup. The more they know of what you can do, the more they will expect of you! Been there.