Got an e-mail telling me to go out of business!
The gentleman stated that what I teach is no longer needed as gas and oil is a thing of the past. He went on to state that 83 year old men like me should know when it is time to quit as you are out of touch with what is happening to day. He also stated that all the stuff I teach is free on the internet so why pay for it. I wonder if he may be right as attendance lately has been slim. I will have to think about it. I guess maybe us old timers need to get out of the way and let the internet do its job.
Comments
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Tim, I'm 56 years old and I suppose I qualify as an old timer to some.
I still much prefer in person training, but I'm afraid that may be a thing of the past here in the NJ area. I suppose I may be the minority these days.
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He's not right. Just because he's too cheap to pay for quality advice doesn't mean quality advice isn't needed — and, except for a very few exceptions, it's not to be found oon the internet. Hang in there!
Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
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Gas and oil are things of the past?!?!?!? Not sure which rock he is living under. Queens , Brooklyn, Nassau county, Westchester...... Yet to see anything but oil or gas. And that's an awful lot of buildings. Just for starters
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And how how dare that @#$_&-+((//)((+-&&_$$##@@# be rude to one of the esteemed legends of our industry. Please give him my address and I will gladly roast him (literally) on my gas stove top
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I would suggest online/remote/zoom training sessions. Will allow you to reach more people. Googling for information is certainly not the best way to educate ones self. Training from an alltime master, is certainly far ablerandom Goggle searching.
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Back in the late 1970s when I was working at Nash Engineering as a service manager, Nash had stopped making pumping equipment for steam heating applications. Their primary emphasis was, and is now, vacuum pumps and compressors for industrial process applications. They were still supporting their heaing pump product line with repair parts and our service department doing repairs.
Our National Service Manager was visiting our office and told us "In 10 years there won't be any (Nash) heating pumps".
Well here it is some 40 or more years on and there are still Nash heating pumps in service. I'm working on one now that was made in 1929. True, there aren't as many as there were then, but still plenty around.
What I'm trying to illustrate is, at least from my experience, changes come slow in this business. I wouldn't let some know it all get me discouraged.
Dennis Pataki. Former Service Manager and Heating Pump Product Manager for Nash Engineering Company. Phone: 1-888 853 9963
Website: www.nashjenningspumps.com
The first step in solving any problem is TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.2 -
I'm not in the market for your classes (unless you offer something on growing better corn), but I like it here, I like trying to understand what you're all talking about, and well - now I'm annoyed. Plus, my dad would have been 83 this year. I definitely have more questions for him that I'll never know the answers to. If you'd like, kindly send the keyboard warrior that emailed you out here to the middle of Illinois, and the boys and I will have a talk with him. Better advice might be to ignore the idiot, but I'd find that hard to do.
Barring either of those options, since I've never met any of you, I tend to think of you all as a tough, honest and hard working group - with a lot of scars to prove what you've been through. One of my all time favorite movies to watch with my sons as they were growing up was Secondhand Lions. Something about that movie always has struck a chord with me. Anyway, there's a scene where Robert Duvall, one of the uncles is with his brother and nephew having lunch and some 'kids' come in. I'm trying to attach it. It's less than 4 minutes, and what I picture happening if someone tried to tell any of you to retire or go out of business.
I respect you folks. I have no idea what you're talking about most of the time, but I read and learn. Thank you all, and keep doing what you're doing. Retire when (and if) you're ready.
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@Tim McElwain , IMO, you were contacted by a smugnorant, techno-narcissistic, ageist, trolling, "current thing" ignoramus whose knowledge of the reality on the ground is so scant he is completely unaware of this shortcoming.
There's no substitute for interaction with the highly knowledgeable and experienced. It's priceless. How many times I've wished I could talk to long passed virtuosos in the field.
And here we are with you, a living treasure, who anyone in their right mind would want to encourage to continue passing on knowledge & Wisdom.
The millions of combustion devices are not going anywhere overnight. All the more reason to learn well.You've got the wisdom, your toxic friend does not. Act accordingly!
Terry T
steam; proportioned minitube; trapless; jet pump return; vac vent. New Yorker CGS30C
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Asking him, or her, what they are willing to pay for that suggestion🤐
Probably an electrification troll, Elon maybe
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
Probably called you on a smart phone, made with plastic (petroleum) in a factory (that uses fossil fuel to heat and power) and slave wages, so the parent company can be worth a trillion dollars.
But clearly, you're the problem…lol.There was an error rendering this rich post.
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Gas and oil will be around for decades yet. How can I describe the gentleman and his beliefs without getting political. I can't …
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two words for him and there not Happy Birthday.
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Sometimes as your fame rises, as your reach grows, you will attract "haters". And when your dealings move to the online world, those "haters" will sometimes feel emboldened to make personal attacks against you. What they want is for you to get upset. In my experience with internet trolls, it is generally best to block them and move on. Don't give them the satisfaction they crave in acknowledging them.
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Stop when YOU want to stop Tim. Plenty of gas, oil and steam around never mind the hot water.
Probably someone that works for the electric company
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Whacko Timmie...that"s all Jealous, keyboard warrior. Timmie the U.S. Navy Vet would still whup em! You are Wall Treasure Elder Statesman for us. You go as long as you want to go. Mad Dog
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Don't let anyone tell you when it's time.
That is your decision, only you can make it.
I'd take your class if it were online, as I'm in the farthest corner of the continental US.
I'm quite sure I'm one of the young guys here at
Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!0 -
I certainly would not refer to that guy as a "gentleman"……………..
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting1 -
The gentleman stated that what I teach is no longer needed as gas and oil is a thing of the past. He went on to state that 83 year old men like me should know when it is time to quit as you are out of touch with what is happening to day. He also stated that all the stuff I teach is free on the internet so why pay for it.
Send your son a reply email and say you still love them, but that you still have some youngsters that need to learn this stuff. And that you will try to get to Sunday dinner more often.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Directly above my head is a gas water heater with a pilot burning as I type. I thought I knew everything There was to know about that pilot untill I came here and found Mr McElwain. Thank you sir.
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For someone living far away from any qualified steam man, you guys ARE the internet. I'd have no chance with our old gas boiler without you guys
Bryant 245-8 2-pipe steam in a 1930s 6-unit 1-story apt building in the NM mountains. 26 radiators heating up 3800sqf.1 -
Many people are real tough 💪 sending an anonymous letter, or saying something behind your back. He has to walk 🚶♂️ in the 👞 shoes of a Coward and you Timmie walk the Foward Deck of life in the Shoes of a Hero...an industry hero to 🇺🇸 us. Carry on sailor!
Mad Dog
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My Very patriotic mother, Colleen (RIP) flew Old Glory outside our childhood home across town EVERY DAY AND NIGHT (spotlight) except for like the two weeks before St Patricks Day. In those two weeks, The Flag of The Irish Republic flew. One year, she gets a nasty, insulting -ANONYMOUS of course (Coward) - letter about how terrible it was to fly This Non-American Flag..blah blah..blah ..you're not a Good American 😕....et etcetera.
She was really upset 😡. I wanted to dust it for finger prints and pay them a visit. I did one MUCH better..REVANCHE! My Floral Park American Legion Post had a contest about dedicated Flag flyers..it nominated her. She won, was in the Village paper and got honored at a Ceremony. She felt extremely proud and better about the whole thing. I'm sure that jerk was stewing...ha ha. Mad Dog
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Disheartening that we have become a society that accepts and possibly encourages randomly attacking one another for absolutly no rational or productive purpose. I call them keyboard comando's. This crap didn't fly when you had to insult people face to face.
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How about this for a positive direction for me to go. I just got a call signing up three guys to my next class. So much for going out of business.
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