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Service/Install Attire

Tinman
Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
edited April 2016 in THE MAIN WALL
Nothing against these fine gentleman but who actually goes to work on boilers, furnaces, and AC's dressed like that? I have a hard time making our dark blue MMD work shirts not look black 2 hours into the day.
I wear Lee Dungaree Carpenter jeans and company T's and thats all I expect from anyone that works for me. Just replace them when they get worn and tattered.
I'm guessing most who wander on the Wall aren't the uniform types?
Steve Minnich
Rich_49

Comments

  • njtommy
    njtommy Member Posts: 1,105
    Carhart canvas work pants are my favorite and a company T-shirt or hoodie. I need to make a t shirt with a hoodie pocket in it. It's my tool pouch
    4Johnpipe
  • Tinman
    Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
    That's why I like the Lee Dungarees so much. I fit my torpedo level, pencil, marker, and non contact voltage detector in the side pouch.
    Steve Minnich
    njtommy4Johnpipe
  • Docfletcher
    Docfletcher Member Posts: 487
    edited April 2016
    At IBM we serviced large and medium'ish printers with ink and toner. What's more we did it wearing Grey or Blue suits and white shirts and ties. Might get 4 or 5 calls a day and you had stay looking sharp. One thing you did not want was to have a fortune 500 manager complain about a poor looking IBM service guy. Admittedly many guys kept a spare shirt in the car.
    TinmanChrisJ
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    edited April 2016
    This is my boiler servicing suit!







    .
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    DocfletcherkcoppEricAuneIronman
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,159
    Duluth Trading Post. Good goods, fit generously, tough as nails. They even have a few things which are almost as tough but looking pretty sharp for when you have to wrestle with the suits...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    EricAune
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Only the desk jockeys look like that.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Ironman
  • rick in Alaska
    rick in Alaska Member Posts: 1,457
    Black Carhart carpenter pants and black t-shirts with company logo and my name on it. And I DO keep my shirt tucked in!
    Rick
    kcoppIronman
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    In my rural area Key Bib overalls are common for farmers/ranchers (and me). They wear well, no plumber butt, protect your shirt, plenty of pockets, hammer hoop etc.
    Good ventilation in the summer and in the winter plenty of room for sweats underneath.
    Really comfortable, once you have tried them anything with a belt is not good.
    Newish pair for casual work or meet and greet.
    Once your'e into the basement then the older ones get the wear.

    Used to be the standard uniform for most tradesman.

    I tried the Duluth Bib overalls but the pockets are just not cutting it for functionality.
  • rick in Alaska
    rick in Alaska Member Posts: 1,457
    I might try going with bibs again. The idea of no belt digging in to my back sounds appealing right about now. I used to wear them when I was doing fire sprinkler installations and they worked out just fine. About time for new outfits anyway as the ones I have are getting worn out. And the waist seems to be getting smaller on them somehow..........
    Rick
    kcopp4Johnpipe
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,018
    I've been a big fan of DuluthTrading stuff, recently the quality and sizing consistency has slipped. I have returned 4 or 5 pieces without a problem. They are about the most $$ wear also. I find Carhartt has expended their line and abetter value. Look for it at the farm stores not Mall of America if cost is a concern
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Gave up on Carhartt after they started wearing out 3x as fast as they used to. When they moved their production (ISTR Mexico?) the fabric started breaking down after 10-15 washings.

    Have had good luck with Wrangler Riggs of late. A bit spendy, but they're holding up quite well.
    Gordy
  • Tinman
    Tinman Member Posts: 2,808
    Yeah I gave up on Carhartt jeans 20 years ago? I still use their zippered hoodies for work.
    Steve Minnich
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Pants, specifically the Carhartt carpenter pants. Useless junk.
    Tinman
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    I don't think attire type is an issue so long as it looks reasonably proffesional. Funny how dressing attire trends have changed over the decades. While uniforms give a proffesional appearance it is no indication of the quality, and knowledge of the work.

    Use to be a nothing but Levi's 550 fan for fit. 40-45 bucks a pair see ya. Remember when they were stiff as a board? Now.....

    Carhartt preyed on the construction industry as the elite brand name wear for fit, and durability. Now after people are sucked in quality gets sucked out, but the price goes up. Never was a fan except for the winter coveralls.

    Pants seem to take the most abuse. Had good luck with lee carpenter pants. Price, fit and durability seem a good match.

    Sizing QC is a brand to brand issue.
  • FranklinD
    FranklinD Member Posts: 399
    For the heavy equipment servicing, we recently switched to lightweight, dark blue coveralls with about 100 pockets. Can wear almost anything underneath with no fear. Name and company patches on the chest, and many places also embroider the back (we don't).

    They seem to last about three years for a set of ten, for me at least.

    Underneath it's usually Wrangler Carpenter jeans and a tucked-in blue or gray t-shirt in the summer, hooded sweatshirt in the winter, with a thinsulate Carhaart jacket over the top.

    I agree...the carhaart stuff is NOT holding up like it used to 10-15 years ago. I had to quit buying Red Wing boots for the same reason...kept falling apart on me within a year, and at a couple hundred bucks a pair it was ridiculous.
    Ford Master Technician, "Tinkerer of Terror"
    Police & Fire Equipment Lead Mechanic, NW WI
    Lover of Old Homes & Gravity Hot Water Systems
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    The blue Key Brand bib overalls have thinned out over the last 30 years. Now make in Mexico. The company tried farther south some years ago but quality really dropped. So they brought the business north and produce a fair item. They tend to lose the blue much quicker. They even offer the "stone washed" look for more money. Standard pair is right at $30. The bib saves a lot of shirt fronts and did I mention the back saves a lot of embarrassment when bending.

    Our tax man of years ago had mentioned that for work clothes to be a deduction that: shirts have to have a company logo, outer covering such as overalls would qualify and of course safety boots.

    My other concern is to wear all cotton work clothes. Poly melts into your skin, cotton will burn you but not melt like polyester material. Any burn victim with all poly clothes has a more complicated recovery. Years ago at an electrical line workers safety meeting it was stressed that if nothing else to wear cotton underwear. Today my son's company requires everything to be FR at company expense. There is also a bib version in FR, good if you have to have safety/tool belt on all day.
  • New England SteamWorks
    New England SteamWorks Member Posts: 1,505
    I've tried them all, and finally found a winner a few years ago. This is a tip you'll thank me for forever: TRU-SPEC Men's Cotton 24-7 Pant. They have plenty of pockets, are 100% cotton, fit real comfortably, and they have this secret elastic deal in the waist that makes bending super easy. Once you try these, -you'll never wear anything else.
    New England SteamWorks
    Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
    newenglandsteamworks.com
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Looks nice. Wish they made overalls and coveralls...
  • I used to wear Oshkosh B'gosh men's bibs, but they closed the plant in 1997. They were extremely comfortable.

    The Carhartt men's dungarees are my new favorite. Extra thick denim; they have a lower thigh pocket that I use for my tick tracer and Sharpee; very comfortable and cozy.

    http://www.amazon.com/Carhartt-Original-Signature-Dungaree-Darkstone/dp/B000ZBJ64A?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

    I also like Blaklader pants with extra pockets and integral knee pads.

    http://www.amazon.com/Blaklader-16001370949934-X1600-Work-Pants/dp/B00E1O5I30/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1461719756&sr=1-5&nodeID=7141123011&keywords=blaklader
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab