cause they think they have a monopoly on "rocket scientists".
Wrong.
We have a crew of "short bus scientists" at work.
A little background first. I work at a manufacturing plant for heating and A/C units. I have done everything from push a broom to run some of the shops. I've worked in Q.A., production, special projects and training. I stepped down from Supervision less than a year ago to go back to the shop floor, long story that I'll save for another time.
Back to the "short bus". Currently I'm a "brazer" on one of the A/C lines. My job is to "braze" the copper joints together on A/C's to seal them, (over-simplification but you get the drift).
To do this, we (all the brazers) use a two headed torch that belches flame at approximately 4500 degrees F. The silver rod we use for the brazing melts at 1625 deg.F. And the copper itself melts at 1800 deg.
Now concider, the torch is 10 times hotter than anything you would normally cook in an oven. The silver melts at JUST 175 deg. cooler than the object you are putting together.
Working on tubing from 3/8" (about the size of a pencil) up to 1 1/4" (just about the size of your sink drain), we can braze 4 joints on a unit in under a minute, (4-5 seconds for the 3/8" and about 20 seconds for 1 1/4"). And, we are working, up to our armpits, through an opening 14" wide with hot tubing from a previous operation right next to our left arms.
That makes things HOT and QUICK. Not to mention dangerous.
One of the "scientists" on the line likes to push the units down the line after his little bit of work is done. Without looking first to see what's happening downstream.
Here you are, tucked up to your armpits inside a unit, minding your own business swinging flame, when BAM...your whole world moves. Usually right into soft body parts not meant to deal with 1000+ deg. heat.
On more than one occasion I've come out of units to give him a what for and a how come. All I get is his mantra of "I'm sorry. I'm so stupid."
It is hard to believe he is not handicapped in some way. I've even warned him that other brazers are not as tolerant as I am. That they will shove the torch up his ass and stick a lit match between his teeth and then wait for the entertainment to start. So far, no luck breaking him of this habit.
All I can do is lean up against the line and hope to feel the vibrations of the units moving soon enough for me to react. That and listen to, "I'm sorry. I'm so stupid."
Idiots happen.
Tell him that he better shape up or I'll have to pay him a visit. Then give him some of the names of people I've worked with so he can find out what that means. I'll bet he shapes up (or quits) in no time!
Posted by: bogie | August 10, 2003 at 04:03 PM
Could you activate the HTML in the comments section please? That last comment would have been a lot more effective if the tags had done their duty!
Posted by: bogie | August 10, 2003 at 04:05 PM
...hmmm...now I'm scared...how come I didn't find you earlier bogie and you could have helped me sort out the eijits I worked with :^)...
Posted by: billy | August 10, 2003 at 04:11 PM
Don't be scared Billy - just don't piss me off! I'm also not sure if my act would work overseas - there's that whole words-mean-something-else thing that I would have to work around (although I am sure my tone of voice and animated gestures would have gotten the point across).
Wich Dude - thanks for turning on the HTML (see, he knows how to stay on my good side).
Posted by: bogie | August 10, 2003 at 07:54 PM
Hmm the tags didn't work in that post either. If the italics comes up on this post then HTML works and the I have found that the underline tag can't be used. If the italics don't work, then something wonky is happening.
Posted by: bogie | August 10, 2003 at 07:57 PM
Yup, the italics worked. Another mystery to work out Dr. Watson.
Posted by: Wichi Dude | August 10, 2003 at 08:56 PM
Maybe it only supports certain HTML tags. I know it will support italics and links, but have never tried underlining before. Maybe bold will work instead.
Posted by: bogie | August 11, 2003 at 08:12 AM
Woops, forgot to close that link tag.
Posted by: bogie | August 11, 2003 at 08:12 AM
Don't you just love it when I experiment on your blog?
Posted by: bogie | August 11, 2003 at 08:14 AM
OK with me.
Posted by: Wichi Dude | August 11, 2003 at 08:01 PM