Pet peeves

[lewy]

What are some of your pet peeves?
One of mine is putting the switches & bank on the same side of the pole as compared to putting the switches on the other side of the pole where they belong.

[Lineman North Florida]

One of mine is putting the mack on before stretching out the hoist and putting them on when double dead ending for cutting in switches.

[reppy007]

Being sent to a call as a 1 man after the dispatchers have already gave that call away....either the person before wouldnt do the job or he couldnt do the job.....and I know this isnt the only place that it happens.

[reppy007]

another is somebody that cant make up his mind,the kind that talks...talks...talks doubting himself.....i know somebody thats still like that after 30 plus years.

[Swamprat]

Da$n....
Been thinkin bout it, and I honestly can't think of any. Maby aside from a over mouthy apprectace. But I had ways of dealin with that. Back in the day.

Interesting what NFLineman said. I was always taught, to put the Mac on First.
I still like that theory personally.

[Lineman North Florida]

Da$n....
Been thinkin bout it, and I honestly can't think of any. Maby aside from a over mouthy apprectace. But I had ways of dealin with that. Back in the day.

Interesting what NFLineman said. I was always taught, to put the Mac on First.
I still like that theory personally. That's the way I was taught as well, keeps someone from getting ahead of themselves and cutting the wire before the mack is on.

[JD426H]

I guess my biggest one is after racking the bucket, some dumbass lifting the outriggers before I get out of the bucket,off the truck and get my feet back on the ground. I took a quick trip to the ground once because of that. Was straddle of the bucket getting out, and up came the knees! Needless to say, after my cuss fit and chewing some asses....it never happened again.

[Swamprat]

I guess my biggest one is after racking the bucket, some dumbass lifting the outriggers before I get out of the bucket,off the truck and get my feet back on the ground. I took a quick trip to the ground once because of that. Was straddle of the bucket getting out, and up came the knees! Needless to say, after my cuss fit and chewing some asses....it never happened again.

There ya go! "After the cuss fit, and chewin some asses, it never happened again."

As the Journeyman Lineman, on MY crew... I always told my groundmen and apprentices, how I wanted things done, and made Da$n sure things were done that way.

If somethin new came up, that I didn't like...I would add it to the list, and make sure they knew I had added it to the list of "NOT to do", without cussin em out.
"So..don't let it happen again."

In my personal opinion, The Journeyman Lineman on the Crew...runs the show, and any particular Job that "crew" is assigned to do.

I ain't the GF, but I'm god da$n sure the "voice" on MY Crew, if I'm the top Journeyman Lineman on the Job. And I will, and always make sure, the people I am responsible for...understand that.

[bones]

I would have to say mine is 'one way' linemen. Even worst, vocal 'one way' linemen. You know the kind that will watch and even the minutest deviation from what they would do calls for a "what the hell are you doing" from the ground. You want to talk about having some demoralized apprentices that have completely shut down...

Worst yet is getting apprentices from these types. Apprentices that have absolutely no confidence in their abilities and wait for you to make every decision for them and tell them everything they should do. I consider 7th step apprentices basically linemen...that you have to keep an eye on. They should be operating at lineman level with the very rare interjection.

I don't consider it the ape's fault but do take it upon myself to bring him up to speed with reality because in six months, a year, he's going to be directly responsible for not only his life but others beneath him. A just topped out lineman that's been a drone apprentice the entire time and a 4th step new-be is a deadly combination.

Instead of directly telling an ape how I would do a job, I'd rather listen to his idea then broach any issues or concerns I may have. It may not be exactly how I would do it but I'll subtly tweak it enough to make it work. I may not say it but on the inside, I've been humbled by new ideas others have come up with.

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmm Until You mentioned it Bones I had forgotton just whadda bummer it is to get one of those guys on my crew. Its an excellant point bout not allowin em any latitude and does nothing to bolster confidence.And we all know confidence is a major player in our trade. I've had to work with one old foreman that only knew one way to do anything but he knew that way was safe. He was never open to deviating from his plan even a little bit. More often than not his plan had us working harder instead of smarter. I hated working fer that guy and did a lil jig when he got transferred.

[kooman]

one of mine is when guys dont watch the outriggers when they are putting them up or down.

[spark and bark]

one of my biggest is when a lineman loses the toss to go up the pole/bucket with the apprentice, they decide to lose all ground skills, and bad mouth the guys in the air's entire action making process. I was taught as a grunt that " a good grunt makes a bad lineman look good, but a bad grunt makes a good lineman look bad''. seems like the homegrowns at most utilities are this way.

[HookinAintEasy]

sloppy ass transfomer banks that looks like a rat is living in it show some pride make it look nice...
:eek: and when you dont square your washers!:nightmare:

[lewy]

sloppy ass transfomer banks that looks like a rat is living in it show some pride make it look nice...
:eek: and when you dont square your washers!:nightmare:
I hope you are kidding about the 2x2 washers.

[Bighorn Ape]

when im operating a piece of equipment and someone gets in the BITE....whether its between a backhoe and pole or on a rope tugger or tensioner...when i see that type of BS, I just get ready to Lock it down and chew some ass.

I dont care if they want to work stupidly, just not around my equipment, with my hands at the controls.

We have a "JL" that does this constantly.

[HookinAintEasy]

I hope you are kidding about the 2x2 washers.

lol yea when I was at line school couple years ago i had a instructor that would just about throw the tool shed at us is they werent! dont really care to much now just do it outta habit

[Swamprat]

lol yea when I was at line school couple years ago i had a instructor that would just about throw the tool shed at us is they werent! dont really care to much now just do it outta habit

Sorry man.
Ya "Square" your washers.
And, the reason ya do it, is for the Lineman that come behind ya to work on the pole ya built. It shows that the Lineman that built this pole, had some sense of Pride in "Looks"...for other linemen.
God knows the public don't see sh$t in the pride of the construction of a distribution pole. Every pole I have ever climbed, I look at the pole, and the way it was built...and wonder about the lineman that built it....by the Way it was built.

Maby we should just change to "Round" 2" washers...
that way we can dumb down the thinkin process of linework and new linemen, and the pride of the trade a bit further.:mad:

[STLmo1986]

I do stuff like that out of my own sense of it bothers me.even to the extent of put a switch cover or wall outlet cover on I make the slots of the standard head screws all horizontal. Once ya get in the habit of it, it takes no time at all

[lewy]

Sorry man.
Ya "Square" your washers.
And, the reason ya do it, is for the Lineman that come behind ya to work on the pole ya built. It shows that the Lineman that built this pole, had some sense of Pride in "Looks"...for other linemen.
God knows the public don't see sh$t in the pride of the construction of a distribution pole. Every pole I have ever climbed, I look at the pole, and the way it was built...and wonder about the lineman that built it....by the Way it was built.

Maby we should just change to "Round" 2" washers...
that way we can dumb down the thinkin process of linework and new linemen, and the pride of the trade a bit further.:mad:
I take a lot of pride in my work so that it is neat in appearance, safe & easy for the next guy to work on, but unless I am using 4x4 curved washers, I never really cared how a 2x2 washer was lined up.

[reppy007]

I take a lot of pride in my work so that it is neat in appearance, safe & easy for the next guy to work on, but unless I am using 4x4 curved washers, I never really cared how a 2x2 washer was lined up.

Im with you lewy,next we might be lineing up the nuts.....im sure theres plenty out there,talking about knocking out two birds with one stone.

[linescum]

"I guess my biggest one is after racking the bucket, some dumbass lifting the outriggers before I get out of the bucket,off the truck and get my feet back on the ground. I took a quick trip to the ground once because of that. Was straddle of the bucket getting out, and up came the knees! Needless to say, after my cuss fit and chewing some asses....it never happened again." Posted by J426H


I make it very clear if i'm in the bucket let me KNOW you are raising the riggers and if your in the bucket i will let you know.......

[rob8210]

I once worked for a guy that wanted his washers diamond shaped. Why? So water runs off them right. But what about curved washers? F*** off he said

[reppy007]

I once worked for a guy that wanted his washers diamond shaped. Why? So water runs off them right. But what about curved washers? F*** off he said

Thats funny.this isnt even the joke thread.....so that the water runs off them right....did I get that right....so the water runs off them right......that is funny..........once while up a service pole,I told another young Jy that the drops had several bad spots in them....the rubber coated #4 drops......I climbed down and walked over to the line truck and overheard him telling the headlineman what I said......they were on the other side of the truck......then the headlineman yells at him saying...........ARE THEY GETTING TWO -ucking FOURTY?.....jy says yes......headlineman says ......-uck those drpos........so the jy walks to my side of the truck.....and I ask him what the headlineman said..........he tells me ....-uck those drops:D

[HookinAintEasy]

I was talkin about square washers not the round ones always square um.. sorry fellas

[rob8210]

I was talking about square washers too, duh!!!

[cololinehand]

Worked for an REA that wanted the washers squared because when the wood shrunk over time the washer would "diamond" indicating the bolt was loose.

As for my pet peeve it's leaving bin doors open. If your workin of the side and come down out of the air with the door open it gets bent to he**. Lay down bins that you are in alot are cool thought like the bolt bin.

[polehiker]

Thirteen years after I retired, who gives d--- what my pet peeve was, but here it is."People that wouldn't take the time to block and key an unguyed pole properly and then a few months later someone else had to do it right." Be safe and look out for your buddy.

[reppy007]

Thirteen years after I retired, who gives d--- what my pet peeve was, but here it is."People that wouldn't take the time to block and key an unguyed pole properly and then a few months later someone else had to do it right." Be safe and look out for your buddy.

Thanks polehiker.......key...I havent heard that term in years,and havent seen a pole keyed in the same amount of years......you might have lost some of the newer guys on that one.

[STLmo1986]

Im curious.how is a pole block and keyed?

[kooman]

Im curious.how is a pole block and keyed?

the way we do it is take a 3 or 4 foot piece of pole, slice it down the middle and bury it just below ground level crossways on the stress side of the pole (round part toward pole and flat side toward dirt) and done correctly it will help hold the strain on an un guyed pole. we still do it quite often.

[Pootnaigle]

ummmmmm I have also seen some made of a split pipe with a 24" peice of channel iron welded to it to form a L . The channel iron is placed on the ground under the surface and the pipe fits snugly against the base of the pole and can be secured using lag screws. This works really well.
if you are gonna use an old pole then the key to making that work is the trench you hafta dig to get it to fit snugly against both the pole and the wall of the trench.

[STLmo1986]

Gotcha, cool stuff

[bluestreak]

Used to have wooden pole keys that where 2"x24"x24" you would rake the pole over a little dig a slot in front of the pole just big enough to get the key into usually have to beat it down the last few inches. Have'nt seen a real one in twenty five years last time we used a good x-arm cut into 2 foot pieces.Keying poles was done because pole was'nt out of line enough to call for a guy rod and then somebody added something like a CATV cable and pulled the hell out of it.

[polehiker]

We used a treated 2x6x6ft board. Cut the board in 2 3ft pieces, nail em together and cut a good tight slot in front of pole and drive it down with the 3 ft horizontle with anchor buster tool. First tho we put the expandable pole key in at the butt at base of pole ,used an anchor rod to get it down there. Busted it open with busting tool, unscrewed rod, raked pole 1/2 to full width. This is put in opposite side of board. When its done right it locks that sucker in there tight. I probably made that as clear as mud, but what else can you expect from an old guy that can only wish for the good old days of doing line work. Stay safe. Look out for your buddy.

[Swamprat]

the way we do it is take a 3 or 4 foot piece of pole, slice it down the middle and bury it just below ground level crossways on the stress side of the pole (round part toward pole and flat side toward dirt) and done correctly it will help hold the strain on an un guyed pole. we still do it quite often.

Yup, that's the way I was taught to make a Key. Always made ours 4 foot.

The "Key" to a good Key, is the way it's installed.
We would always try to climb up the pole, take a handline, cinch it to the pole, and try to pull the pole forward as much as we could, and then tie the handline off. Even if ya get an Inch, of seperated dirt, at the bottom of the pole.... on the pull, it makes a difference.

The REAL Trick of makin a Key Work on a pole, is how ya dig the hole. Ya gotta dig the hole "Tight". Then, put the split pole Key in, and Sledge hammer it down at least a foot and a half.

A "Good Key", installed correctly, works real good...

We use to use mostly, "old", 45 ft. Butts for our Keys.

[polehiker]

I'll bet the butt off of a 35ft pole would work as good Swamp. Just tryin to jerk your chain a bit Swamp.

[Swamprat]

I'll bet the butt off of a 35ft pole would work as good Swamp. Just tryin to jerk your chain a bit Swamp.

Heh, heh, heh...
It probably would my man.:cool:
For some reason, our "management" just chose 45's.

I think their reasoning was, it was basically the standard pole for our distribution system back then, and the butt was bigger than a 35. We had, of course 30's, 35's and 40's, but the Keys were made from the 45's. Just a "Bigger butt" ya know!:)