[Poodle Head Mikey]

I don't think that is true. I always want to do things differently each time and people call me crazy.

PHM
-----------

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

That's the way we have always done it.

My father ran an oil refinery for Mobil Oil and I have some funny stories about me working there. My family always ate dinner together when I was a child - and talked - so I feel like I could operate an oil refinery after years of talking about valves and pipes and pumps and distillation towers and cracking temperatures and high pressure steam. <g>

One time I was independently called in to work at the refinery - some low temperature de-waxing refrigeration. My father was apparently a tough no-nonsense guy at work and had a 'not to be effed with' reputation. He had no idea that I was there working. So these two engineers get assigned 'to help me' and they are telling me all about what they think needs to be done. I disagree and they keep at it. They are saying things like: "Well; We always did it This way."

To sidestep a bit I deflect the conversation with: "So where are you guys from?"

One of them says: "Beaumont"

Somehow that immediately triggers a memory of my father - and I instantly blurt out what I had heard him say in a hundred conversations:

"Beaumont? Is this the way you did things in Beaumont? Because we had to close that bastard Down and we sure as hell aren't closing This place!"

So both of them stop dead and silently stare at me - like they just saw a ghost. In a minute both of them were gone and I never saw them again. <g>

Apparently they had had a previous run-in with my father. <g>

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

This has nothing to do with that but the refinery mention reminded me.

One time a chiller had been replaced by a union mechanical contractor - the one who had the contract for all the HVAC/R work at the refinery at the time. But the installer wasn't Authorized-Startup - I was.

So I get there and the atmosphere is pretty hostile. The refinery project-engineer assigns me two refinery guys from each trade: maybe a dozen or more guys. The engineer introduces me and says: "You guys are With Him (pointing to me) Whatever he wants - you make it happen - understood?"

On the worksite I first tell everyone to find a seat. Stay away from me unless I ask for something. Thanks.

There are a couple of outside union-fitters there - because they had done the install I guess. They are making snide comments and I ask them to go away. They get cocky, I call over the chief-assigned-guy, and say: please keep these guys away from me.

They two fitters ***** and glare at me but eventually leave the area.

So I am puttering along checking wiring and so forth and filling in forms when some little cocky guy blusters in with two tough-guy looking types trailing along behind him.

What's going on here? You! (to me) Are you a union member?

No; why?

This is a union job and nobody can work on anything who isn't union!

I'm not working - just doing the start-up - I'm sure it's fine.

He points a finger and blusters: "I'll say what's fine - not You! If you're not off this site in 15 minutes I'll close this whole refinery down."

So I said: Look; call (whatever the project engineer's name was) and work it out with him. It's time for my break - I'm going to get a coffee.

But instead of coffee I find a phone and call my father. I explain the situation and say: Look; I don't want to start some sh!tstorm here. This is the A/C for the executive building, the project is already behind schedule, and I know it has get started Now. What should I do?

You're in the plant now? No kidding? So what's this guy's name? And what did he say to you?

He said I had to leave or he'd shut the the whole refinery down.

Oh he did, huh? OK; you go find this SOB and tell him this: Shut the eff up and get out of the plant until I'm done here. Security will show you out. And if he says a single word about closing the plant say:

Better take your effing tools with you pal - because if you walk out now not a single one of you will ever set foot on this property again.

And if Anybody questions that - ask them if they know anybody who works there with the same name as you - because that is where Your authority comes from.

So I quietly go back and start working. The blustering business agent guy and his helpers comes back and he starts yelling how he told me not to touch anything, etc.

Eff you - I'm not in your goddamned union and now I remember why. This is My jobsite and I want You out of here - you're delaying me and I have work to do. Do I need to call security or can you find your own way back out?

Well; the top just about blows off his head and he starts Screaming. His helpers try to look their most threatening. Just about then the project engineer comes in. He tries to calm this guy down and and asks me to stop for a minute - "until we can straighten this out."

Look; I've got a lot to do here - and you don't have to straighten anything out - I want him and his friends escorted out the gate and off the property.

What?

Get him and them off this job site. Call security if you have to.

So the project engineer starts to get an attitude with me - it's His project and He'll manage it, etc.

So I go over to him, stare into his eyes, and put out my hand to shake: Do you know my name? (I had given him a card)

Yeah; sure.

OK - do you know anybody who works in this refinery with that same name?

So his face tightens up with immediate realization and then he just looks back at me.

OK then - that's who I Am. Now what are We going to do here? Can you get these guys out of here so I can work? Or will you be taking personal responsibility for any more delays?

He has a little huddle with the business agent, who is glaring at me the whole time, and he starts exporting them towards the door. The business agent pauses to say: You haven't heard the last of this!

Yes I have - be quiet and get the hell out of here.

And after that that job went So smooth. Everybody there was yes-sir -ing and no-sir -ing me the rest of the day. <g>

My father always loved hearing that story. <g>

 

[Poodle Head Mikey]

And that reminded me of The Manual Steam System.

I was there to fix the oil burner on the fire tube steam boiler but I walked around the facility too. There were round vertical-down fan coil units everywhere. From each trap drain there was a street 90 and a long nipple extending down. Each drop had a gate valve on the end. The valves were about 8-9 feet from the floor.

What's that?

What?

Why are those nipples sticking down from the traps?

To get heat - this is a manual system.

Tell me what you do -

(BTW: this guy is about 35-40 years old - second generation owner.)

Every morning we go around and drain the coils. Then we have heat again.

How long have you been doing that?

My whole life. In fact; that was my first job here. Every day before and after school I would go around and drain all the coils for the day.

That cast iron thing is a steam trap - they are all automatic.

No; you don't know how this system works - it's a very old system and it's all manual. I should know - this is the way we always have always done it.

How about if I just take a peek at a couple of these traps and see what I can do? Who complains the most when they have no heat?

So I replaced the guts in three units to start with and removed the long drains. Well; it was as though a Miracle had occurred. Literally not one person still working there at the time could remember the system ever having worked automatically. <g>

And many many service companies had been out there before me - but each had apparently accepted the "this is a manual system story". <g>