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I ve kinda waited out a bit for posting ,but from my point of view there really are not enough younglings going into any blue collar type of work . I kinda think that when it comes to making money like everyone they want the largest return for the smallest effort in most cases. And the work we do is not the most rewarding over a few decades your bonuses are bad back ,knees shoulders and rotator cup aside from arthritis sounds like a good deal . I think most kids are not willing to put in the grunt work and think that doing some thing once correctly and your a pro and should be intitle one to a raise . lol

i hardly doubt any kid would walk my shoes in construction to get where i am and that aint saying much .

From starting out doing basement water proofing installing french drains in existing homes to digging under grounds and doing sewer and water main connection to doing finish work and hot water boiler and all the waste and vent ,b vent chimney installs and all plumbing junk to switching gears and doing hvac for about 35 year from residential to commercial ac splits to package rooftops ,multizone rooftops to process cooling for blow injection plants water towers,refregeration from freezers to blast freezer and in between all that work on single and old two pipe system and a few years of oil burner install and service . Oh yeah go get a chiller lic w toxic ref cert at over 50 . A request of my dad so i did it

i highly doubt that kids today would stick w anything that long while continue to learn more and more aspects of the trade . While learning all this stuff w fairly no monetary increase for long lengths of time ( raises once a year ) I think most of the truly smart one will be off to college and not dirtying there hands .

As time goes on finding the diamonds in the rough w 1/2 a brain that fit some basic requirements will be like hitting the lottery .Being the one big issue i hear is reliability and that lack of dong a couple of basic simple things like showing up to work on time and every day and doing that every day no excuses . Stay off your cell phone ,work like theres a flame on your **** instead of dragging your feet hoping that some else will pick up or carry material or garbage . Seems like the only time the flame is on is when its punch out time then theres a fire under there ****. I know there are a few kids out there like me when i was younger but i have to say i don't think there that stupid any more and realize that it s not glamorous as one may think but you may meet elvis as you are hallucinating in a 130 degree attic while the ho ask how much longer lol . That's glamorous for sure . i guess this is why there are so many non american doing the work but w our new immigration program there's no wonder there is a short coming of workers in the new construction fields and plenty of jobs available but no taker or at least not youngins .

Just my wierdo view standing w one foot on a banana peel and the other in a hole and ready to go at any point w zero resistance

peace and good luck clammy

It has been my experience that many techs do not have the fundamentals of servcing equipment as a skill. They are always looking for the quick and easy way out. I have been teaching natural gas and propane systems for over 50 years (58 years to be exact) and in recent years with all the new equipment techs seem to not have a working knowledge of the fundamentals.

They are trying to understand all the new concepts but the lack of the fundamentals catches them short.

My manuals which by the way are still selling after all these years prepare techs for being able to understand the complex new systems because they have experienced in a learning environment the older stuff. Then they are ready to conquer the new equipment which really once you go through the well written manuals most of the manufacturers put out today are not that complicated. It is the lack of basics that hurts the modern tech. They then are not patient enough to take the time to conquer the fundamentals and it comes back to haunt them on job after job.

I still continue to thank the US Navy for my educatiopn in electronics and also before that basic electricity. I feel sorry for folks who seek training and they lack the fundamentals. It is very difficult to handle electronics with out some education in same.

I see the future being that any problems with residentail equipment of any kind it will be removed and a new unit installed. The unit removed may perhaps be rebuilt or thrown away. Commercial equipment is another story all together.

Pipe Stories

Dan Holohan shares the tale of how nominal pipe sizes came to be, as well as some comical work stories. 

Read the full story here.

I especially like the Briggs standard explanation. When I was a kid growing up in New England I remember road crews removing and repairing water mains in the streets that were made of wood. WOOD! Some are still in use to this day.

Nice article. An enjoyable read.

You may have been thinking of this solar housing development in north central MA:

I prefer the Forecast sales beveled washer & bibb screw kits. In the mid 1980s, when I started, there were still tons of old style faucets & shower bodies. It was fun to rebuild stems & I have a full tool box with 6 different seat tools, et cetera. Mad Dog

Go big or go home.

—Eric