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  1. #21
    Sharp new hooks Guest

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    yeah we've been told that, i'd imagine it'd piss them off a lot and i wouldn't blame them for tearing us appart.
    thanks for the advice though.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    up a creek in the N.W.; Washington state
    Posts
    147

    Default Sharpnewhooks

    Hey just getting back to your answer to my question. NO ON THE JOB TRAINING means your in a classroom enviroment at all times(even in the poleyard). Big difference...that's why at certain places your nothing more than a 2nd step app. Nothing against you, but their are better ways to get to where you want to be. IBEW.COM...JATC/NECA...OUTSIDE LINEMAN...TRAINING. woody

  3. Default old school is the only school

    im 26 years old been in linework since i was 19 went 3 years college run my own garage,the way if got in and every other lineman i know got in was to know people and ask ask ask questions. i live and work in southeast kentucky and the only way to get on at any utility in kentucky ive found is get on at acontracter as bad as that sucks thats the game you have to play to get on. i went in at 19 in lexington fot davis h elliot line construction worked 6 years for them and from day one trying to get on at kentucky utilities. but is was the only way due to down sizing when someone retires theres a opening for a lineman only AT ELLIOT you work away from home go on all the storm trouble iv wrked from oki to baltimore to florida. worked 2400 to 34.5 on the board and off the wood when it was allowed hot sticked 69 to 161. im primarily a mountain lineman where you learn and come up with ideas that no books or classrooms will ever show you ,only the situation and the old timer can show you when you work in the mountains you make every move count every tool has 5 or more uses. im very lucky to have the old timers to teach me what they know if not i wouldent have made it just some of there tricks have saved my life more then once. i went through their traing and got my journyman card and their safety is top notch. it took me 6 years to get on and taking the entrance test 2 times to get here now im ibew and when i need a tool i get it with elliot they wouldent hardly get materialhandler buckets for abvios reosons but now i get the one i want. its nice now but you have to take journey to get to the gold.if you want learn the right way the old school way ask around look at contracter crews working if theres a old forman and a old lineman working thats where you want to go thats where youell learn the most and come up the quickest just be ready to take some shit and be yealed at thats part of it. its for your own good. if you go the other rout youel make lineman but you wont know what it was like to be a lineman. all the training and all the new constrution will never phase out when you will need to something that only old school skills can get done. if you guys want a job with davis h elliot and can half ass climb or drive a truck let me know and talk to some people for you their office is in lexington ky.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Pure Michigan
    Posts
    202

    Default new school

    I understand that there are alot of old school linemen out there still. I've worked with a few, and they are smart, hard working, kick your ass if you mess up guys. But, I've worked with more guys from the "new school" and I think I can see the difference. Let me first compare old school and new school in the case of another trade that is very important and many people rely on, doctors. If I had my choice of learning from, working with, or even being treated by an old school or new school doc, I know I would choose new school. Better training through the IBEW and the National Joint Apprentice Training Committee and more diversity through those training programs. I am not saying I'm better than anyone, but if you ask most working linemen they'll tell you that there are less acidents nowadays, more work getting done right the first time faster. Yeah, I didn't get to start as a grunt but I'm an apprentice and I pay dues just like evreyone else and I do my job the best I can. I hope one thing that remains from the transition of old to new school is the work ethic, because I work damn hard and I am pretty sure every lineman works hard, wether they are union or not. "The times they are a changing."
    I may be stupid, but at least I'm ugly

  5. #25
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Baton Rouge ,La
    Posts
    992

    Default Old school vs new school

    Mike, Ive read your post several times and I understand your line of thought on learning new methods and the latest that technology has to offer.But thats what being a lineman is about , always learning and comming up with new ways to skin the cat ! Going with your analogy on Drs' I have had some problems lately with my ankles. I went to 2 young orthopedic docs.The first ones office has about 20 people working for him and they herd patients through like cattle at a stock yard.We went to xray first and then to another holding pen then to a room and told the doctor will be in shortly. 30 minutes later in walks a good lookin young girl maybe in her early 30s and doesnt even introduce herself or say three words to me. She walks in and looks, at all the xrays and mounds of paper work I filled out, not me, then told me there is nothing wrong. All I need is to go to therapy and she will be glad to set it up for me. Total time spent with me 60 seconds. I asked if she was Dr. Johnston and she said no, she was a assistent/practicioner.So I asked to see the real Dr. "hes on vacation". After 6 attemps at trying to see a real Dr, I get in and the real Doc does the same thing! Looks at all the stuff in the folder and says "therapy and we can set it up for you". I called my ENT doc and asked for a referal. He sent me to an much older guy. He ( a real doctor) walks in first and spent the first 5 minutes just asking questions and listening to what I told him. Then he actually looked at my ankle and put it through some motion and then explained what was wrong and what it would take to correct it.I told him about the other wanting me to do therapy and he laughed and told me therapy doesnt fix torn ligements. After it was repaired I then went to therapy to help speed the recovery time. Now I ask you which one of these two would you go to ? Ill take the old school doc anyday. He keeps on top of all the latest methods and technology (he sent me for an MRI to confirm his diagnosis). But he knows and does things they dont teach in schools these days. Same with me, I get to install set up and use all the latest computer controlled reclosures and sectionalizers and relays. I'm always learning from others who have found better ways and methods.But I have and still can change out cross arms and bells on 69 kv transmission hot sticking off the pole. I have and can tell you what to expect it and what it feels like to work 500kv hot and the things you need to do to work it safely . I know things degreed electrical engineers dont. The old school trainning I recieved by old lineman who have been doin it since WW2 is locked up in my head and I will gladly pass it on to any young buck with the right attitude and wanting to learn the best trade in the world. Its all about the RESPECT I'll show the old linemen. I expect the same from the younger bucks comming up. Some have it and some dont .Some make it to Journeyman and others are sellin shoes in the mall !Take some from both schools, you have to to keep up. But never...........never.............. dis old school !



    Koga

  6. #26
    Thunderchild Guest

    Thumbs up

    keep this in mind..

    linework aint for everybody.
    the marines aint the only ones that are few and proud!

    it may look cool..being up in the bucket on a nice summer day, wind in yer hair, getting a farmers tan and ya got plenty of good ground help.

    but it aint like that all the time.

    most people never see the time your out a three in the morning...its 15 degrees and raining or sleeting, your up a pole on hooks with a flashlight with dead batteries youre wet and freezing cold and ya got the new guy that dont know crap for ground help.
    you worked all day and got called out just as you were going to bed.

    or a tree falls in that one spot they never got to trim. its out in a swamp where every mosquito and his cousin lives and you have to carry all the equipment in through the mud on foot. you get there, climb 45 feet and sag three phases of 4/0 primary and a 1/0 neutral. no breez there aint a leaf moving for miles, there aint a piece of a cloud in the sky to hide the sun, its 95 degrees with 100% humidity. youre soaked to your fruit of the looms with sweat. you didnt get to eat lunch and you got the new guy that dont know crap for ground help.

    there are many other scenarios to talk about.

    so think long and hard before you decide to do linework. it aint all fun.
    i been doin it for 27 years...i love it and wouldnt trade jobs with anybody.

    linemen are a breed to themselves...we're proud of what we do and not everybody can do it. i guess maybe its cause....we're a breed to ourselves.
    Last edited by Thunderchild; 02-16-2006 at 06:08 PM.

  7. #27
    stumpdogg Guest

    Thumbs up old school

    Koga, I hear ya man. I've been a klumbsum since 78, and all the good habits i got from the old dogs. I learned hot work from my hooks when buckets were somthing to wish for. I am strickly transmission trash, very little distribution, I ain't complaining mind ya, just the roll of the dice. I used to love to do 69 to 161 hot stick but i don't have the stamina I used to.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    North Central FL
    Posts
    5,695

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Koga
    Take some from both schools, you have to to keep up. But never...........never.............. dis old school !



    Koga
    What a wonderful post Koga. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I love the example you used! Right on target buddy!

    I love hearing from our youth. Youth will give you new ideas with the spirit and energy! I really love the energy. I'm in the business of YOUTH!

    But, I don't know how many times the boss has said that it takes experience to actually know the difference between youth and experience. I've heard him compare what use to be and what is now. It's great to have both knowlege/experience. The boss loves working with new apprientices. Every new one has a difference personality, and a different way to approach them or if they can take whatever the boss decides to throw there way! LOL!

    But, it boils down to this, if you can respect the old lineman's knowledge and experience, most likely he will hear your suggestions. If you don't, you might as well hang the hooks up. For if you don't have an openmind to where your line roots came from, most likely you will not grow in your boots/hooks.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Baton Rouge ,La
    Posts
    992

    Default Ive always

    been told, here in Baton Rouge we get the best trainning anywhere .And once you top out at 1st class you can go anywhere and work with the best.I've talked to several guys that left and went to work on the east coast and up in Mich. and they confirm that.The fact that they came back after being gone a few years speaks for its self. Now this was the old Gulf States Utilities trainning before Entergy took over. We did everything from 500 kv transmission to underground distribution services and plugging meters. Alot changed right after Entergy took over. It was the pits. Layoffs and people running scared.Moral went to hell and every supervisor they brought in was a hatchett man. It seems though as if we're comming full circle and back to the old GSU ways now.One constant remained through out the whole ordeal. That was the old guys that where left refused to change our approach to doing the job the way we knew was the safest and to look after each other.We have spent more time with each other on top of poles in hooks and in the bucket doin hot work than we have with our families.Ya we have our gripes and bitchen and call each other no good sobs at times. But theres not one of em I couldnt call for help with ANYTHING ANYTIME and get it. If they tell me something about the job when I get on site. I know its that way.Its the bond we have to trust each other. As Ive said before all my supervisors now are guys that came up with, the old GSU way, and if I tell them something ,they know Im not trying to run a line of BS on em. My job now is to pass that on to the young ones. Every once in a while ya get a new guy that has a natural apptitude for the work and catchess on quickly. He comes up with some good ideas to add to or a new way to do something.I try to listen to everyone in the tailboards . That way we both know they understand whats goin on and what is expected of them. And we get that trust and bond with each other that you have to have in this work. Just the way I was taught and see it .My humble opinion .Old School !


    Koga

  10. #30
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    North Central FL
    Posts
    5,695

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    Quote Originally Posted by barehander
    To feel the confidenece that comes with experience, that's why we're a crew.........to take the knowlege from others, and remember it.......
    he doesn't realize how well he was trained.......

    Quote Originally Posted by Koga
    .... My job now is to pass that on to the young ones. Every once in a while ya get a new guy that has a natural apptitude for the work and catchess on quickly. He comes up with some good ideas to add to or a new way to do something.I try to listen to everyone in the tailboards . That way we both know they understand whats goin on and what is expected of them. And we get that trust and bond with each other that you have to have in this work. Just the way I was taught and see it .My humble opinion .Old School !


    Koga
    Thanks guys for your contribution to this thread. Hopefully, some will take this advice to the line.

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