Our Real Jobs

Started by glenn-k, February 22, 2007, 09:28:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

glenn-k

Something you're working on you'd like to show your friends?

Here is a place for that.

I'll start it off with the airplane hanger framing I erected last week  33' tall at the the peak.  This is at the first housing development in the US where you can fly home and park your own airplane in your own hanger.  It gained historic status a few years ago as it marked it's 50th anniversary.  All street signs are about 3 feet tall to miss the wings.


MountainDon

#1
No pictures handy right now. My real job for many of the years since '85 has been co-owner operator of a small preschool, with my wife. She opened it in '85 and I worked with her on and off over the years. In between I've had a playground design/manufacturer/install business, been the finish carpenter / cabinet maker / installer for a custom home builder. For a time I was a banker at one of the larger Banks in America. The corporate benefits were great. They were counter-balanced by my own dissatisfaction.



glenn-k

Interesting and diversified mix we get here.

I've done many things but in general tried to stay away from suits.  I once listed most of what I'd done here - it's kind of like I can't keep a job. :-/  ADD I guess.

MountainDon

#3
...I only went back to '85. Just more uninteresting stuff...  [smiley=rolleyes.gif]

At present I don't own a suit tho' I do have a sports jacket and a tuxedo (tux worn once a year at the dance club winter ball.)


Is it my imagination or the camera angle, but does that iron work get taller to one end? Maybe the "tail end" is taller?  :-? Maybe this one of those Escher things?

glenn-k

No imagination - very complex building there -- 20 some feet in the back - 33 in the front and flared from about 40 feet at the back to 60 feet at the front - rough figures.  The upper story is where the plane will be on display when hoisted by the dual forklift masts with lights shining on it to highlight it in the six bays of windows facing the runway.  Front center is the first of 7 mullions to go between sections of storefront windows.  

Laying out and welding the sleeper beams on top of the roof was quite a nightmare.  My head still hurts.  Things don't always go per plan either and you have to constantly watch for mistakes as you put it together or you end up doing it over.  Purlins run diagonally in line with the angled sidewalls - you may see the clips on the top of the framing.  There were several large mistakes on the steel for this project - some by the shop - some by the detailer - none by me of course...  :)



glenn-k

Well, we're glad you drop in here for a break once in a while, Gypsy. :)

optionguru

I own a garbage company but my normal day job is being a financial planner for one of the largest financial institutions in the world.  I know garbage and investments are two different worlds.  The garbage company was a whim that grew a lot faster than anticipated.

glenn-k



Sassy

#9
I was in banking for 10 yrs, also... as a kid we had a field trip to the bank & got to see all the money inside the safe - always thought it would be so cool to be able to count & work with all that money!  Naw... I worked in the real estate loan & new accts depts mainly but did my share of counting money.  I've been  registered nurse for going on 17 yrs now - still like that most of the time.  Done a lot of other stuff too.

So, a little off the subject, maybe I should start a new thread, but there may already be one...  Optionguru, what do you think of the Federal Reserve & the state of our economy right now?  I know the stock market keeps going up because the Feds keep buying more US Treasury bills & pump out more paper money...  oops, Glenn is going to get mad at me for hijacking his thread - I'd be interested in one of you starting a thread on that topic - get your view points... how 'bout it?  Have you ever read the book Creature From Jekyll Island?  I know Bart had some differing viewpoints.  

Homesick Gypsy - I once thought about becoming a paralegal... but didn't want to go back to school again.

Garbage is big business, Optionguru!  

...and pre-schools - how neat!  , Mountain Don.

This is a very interesting thread!   :)

glenn-k

#10
Being too lazy to type, I went to and old file and found a listing of my experience - definitely the King of ADD.  Much of this is concurrent and some with a crew of employees or co-workers.  I'm not a million years old. :-/  Maybe 1/2 million. :)

THS
2 years Vocational Electronics
2 years Drafting
2 years Wood Shop

Construction Apprentice to Mandeville Mann –restored Circa 1910 homestead –all phases
Contractors License—1978 to present -CA Studies as required.  Concurrent with other jobs
Private Instrument Commercial Pilot –Studies and training as required
Water Well Driller license — Studies and training as required - 10 years concurrent with other jobs -drilled appx 300 wells


AWARDS
LIGA International –Outstanding Service Award - Flights to a clinic in Mexico
FAA –Wings Awards


WORK EXPERIENCE

1960-1966
Russo Homestead Restoration –Private Project—M. Mann
All phases –electric—carpentry –drywall—plumbing—landscaping—general construction

1966-1969 Manager
Widow Creek Trout Farm and Hatchery
Helped restore, maintain and operate historic hatchery and retail U-catchem business.

1969 - Union 76 - mechanic -manager- attendant

1969-1970 Head Mechanic - radiator re-coring- learned body and paint after hours assisting body man-
Ballard Motors Dodge Dealer
Car and truck –maintenance –all phases

1970-1971 Diesel Mechanic –Welder
Hoovers Supply and Repair
Log truck and heavy equipment maintenance

1971-1972 Blacksmith—Welder
Johnson Welding
Blacksmith—welding—drop hammer—forge

1972-1974 Telephone Cable Splicer—Heavy Equipment Operation and Maintenance—Building and underground construction

1972 - current  - Certified Welder- All position - All thickness

1974-current
Self Employed—General Contractor - welding contractor
Gateway Enterprises
Heavy Construction —Buildings to 8 story—300+ pre-engineered steel buildings —Shopping Centers—Hospital buildings—Residential and special buildings—Septic Systems—

1977 Commercial drivers lic - Peterbilt and flatbed to haul own buildings - appx 5 bldgs per week sometimes.

1979 to 1983 Peterbilt with 45' Reefer and 40' flatbed - long hauling California, Washington, Texas loops

1984 to 1992 - installed roll bars, A/C units and hydraulic sloper blades on Caterpillar and similar equipment various California locations
1992-current Licensed Water well driller -stopped drilling around 2002 - keep license current - occasional pump job and consulting

2002 - Self guided alternative building study and implementation - solar power study -Wind Generator study, installation and maintenance of own system.

Daddymem

#11
I'd show picture of what I've done as a site civil engineer...but who want to see pictures of poo, stormwater, and dirt moved around.  Here are some of my more visually pleasing projects:

International Cargoport in Boston, MA  Did the site work on this one.  It is built on top of Quay walls.  This is where the military had fenestration buildings, the old railroad tracks are still there and could not be disturbed by our work-they could be activated for national emergency still.  The garage ramp was tricky and getting this bugger to drain to low points was tough.  Also had to invent a way to treat the stormwater-I used stainless steel baskets attached under the deck-the underneath is actually hollow and fills up and empties with the tide.

162,000 sf Office Building/Warehouse in Medway, MACheck out those drainage pipes and underground detention...wait can't see that stuff.  Can see portions of the 10,000 gpd recirculating sand filter septic system and the covers for the 30,000 gallon septic tank and my beautiful stormwater basins.  Building has been empty for 5 years.

Cape Cod Nursing Home in Bourne, MA  Another beautiful piece of work they buried.  14,000 gpd Bioclere septic system complete with comminuter.  Little did I know that my grams would be in that very nursing home later.

High-end residences in Providence, RI  Lots of tough site work with those courtyards and little of the land left undisturbed made for a difficult stormwater project.  We ended up treating the stormwater with a swirlchamber and discharging to the river across the street.  Had to engineer a hill along the garage to cover hazardous less than desireable soil.

Future University in Pakistan  We are designing the water supply and treatment system, the wastewater treatment system, fire protection system, and water reuse for irrigation system.  At least with the treatment plants my work won't be buried as usual.  :)

glenn-k

Really interesting, Daddymem - thanks for posting that.

I went to the cape one time with one of my granddad's old cousins - she is now gone.  Had a house in Hyannis and knew all the old gossip about the family.  I was researching family history at the time.

Sassy

#13
I guess I'll add a few more things to my resume...

Babysitting 10y/o - 17 y/o
Played organ for church 12 - 17 y/o
Packed peaches 17 - 20 y/o (summers)
Community College 1969- 71 fultime
Took off from school one winter to snow ski  :)
Sales clerk & credit dept clerk at Sears 17 - 20 y/o
Editor of local newspaper (interviews, wrote articles& editorials, took photos, layed out papers, ads) 20 - 21 y/o
Sorted frozen veggies (summer) 21 y/o
Nursing home - CNA 22-23 y/o
Banking (loans, teller, bookkeeper, new accts) 23 - 33 y/o (had 2 kids during that time)
Tied raspberry vines one winter after they had been cut
Grocery store clerk for 6 mo
Home health care for paraplegic 6 mo
Back to school to get my nursing degree - 1985 - 1990
Grocery store demos parttime while going to school
Student nurse parttime while going to school
Registered nurse 1990 to present (ICU, clinics, ER, patient education)
Received Nurse of the Year in 2000
Alternative building/gardening at present



glenn-k

Reading a bit more on Karachi, I think maybe some Kevlar would be a good investment - we need you to come back here, Daddymem. :)

Daddymem

#15
It's not the bullets this time of year...it's the kites ya gotta watch out for:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6233461.stm

And I wouldn't drink the water after what I've been reading.... :o

MountainDon

#16
I don't think anyone's going to have a lengthier resume than Glenn's. Variety is the spice of life or something like that.   :-/

I don't have a ready to copy 'n' paste list at hand so I'll wing it, leave out the years and test my tyyping.  :P (look at that)

Work experience:

Surveyor (1+ yrs)   :(
Mechanic apprentice (1 yr)
Country route milk truck contractor (2 yrs)   :(
Wholesale auto parts warehouse; worker (inventory specialist = gofer up to manager, then quit to...) (2+ yrs)   :-/
take a year + off work to bum around Europe (22 countries)  ;D ;D
Retail camera store; sales specialist (see above), to shipping/receiving specialist to asst mgr, to purchasing agent, then owner (13 yrs)   :)
Opened preschool with wife   ;D
Playground design/mfg/install business (also did decks)   :):-/
  (The Great American Southwest Playground Company.... had a fit of over enthusiasm....  :-[
Finish carpentry, cabinet business   :) :-/
A+ and MCSE computer specialist   :-? :-/
Banker   >:(
Retired (semi-sorta)  :)
Preschool   :) :)

Some things oberlapped, co-existed at times

glenn-k

#17
Oh oh - Don - you reminded me of a couple of things.

I ran Milk truck for my dad off and on for a couple of years - door to door delivery route - also did bread earlier and eggs with the milk - regular breakfast wagon :).  To this day I almost barf when I smell or accidentally get a taste of sour milk -  :-?  We had a cooler full of leftovers that sometimes got too old.  Couldn't sell it then. What are those chunks in my chocolate milk? :-/

I also did the Windows 95 MCSE Beta test - Beta tested for Symantec also- was about 2 questions short of passing the preliminary Win95 test and could have studied a bit and made it , but then got to thinking that they didn't make a suit that would fit me. :)  Never got paid for that but did the study - prompted by all the major problems with my computer hardware when Win95 first came out.

I did a bit of aerial Photography and Sightseeing Airplane Rides to use my Commercial Pilots license for a couple years part time.

While doing steel buildings we poured all of our own concrete.  About 300 floors with footings - average 40 x 60 x4"

I also had trenchers and installed drip and sprinkler irrigation systems for a year or so.  40 to 80 acre average - some contract trenching -a few large ranches and sites around the valley.  I also trenched footings in housing tracts once in a while. :)

Could be more -- it will eventually come to me. :-/


jraabe

Glenn:

There must be a few things you haven't done?

Have you ever been a govenment spy???  8-)

MountainDon

#19
Ah, Glenn. You shouldn't have added to your list; it reminded me of a couple things too.

I also did home milk for a short time. Had a Divco, special made for frequent stop delivery use; stand up and drive or sit and drive... one pedal for clutch and brake (press down and clutch disengaged then the brakes actuated. Three different throtlles and a second hand lever for the brakes as well.
 http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/divco.htm
Off and on since then I've had thoughts from time to time of finding one to play with.

I hauled ice cream from the dairy plant to a sub-plant in a city about 130 miles away, once or twice a week. The tractor was an old gas cornbinder with a short insulated semi trailer fitted with "cold plates" to hold the temp. No onboard reefer, just plug it in overnight. The ceiling was loaded with the plates (top heavy) and it somehow tipped over on me one day.

I did the MCSE thing on WinNT; I had about 6 courses under my belt and Win2000 came along. When I started there was a shortage of IT folks, later a glut and the salary plummeted in inversely. I decided I didn't want to do that afterall.

I did sprinkler and drip for the custom home builder inbetween finishing. It was one house at a time, leaving time for me to pursue stuff on my own.

And I was a spy.  Nah, not really.   ::)  ...although I was a mystery shopper for a week.


glenn-k

You got me there, John.   :-/   Only thing close is chasing down spammers on this forum. :)  

Don, we had a Divco also for a while- not quite as many levers as yours but we could drive it standing up.  Also a White that was standup if I remember right- both only had insulated boxes.  We also used Ford vans.

I tipped my 45' reefer full of frozen corn over on 97  So. of Bend, Oregon avoiding killing 3 carloads of gawkers looking at a wreck as I rounded the corner on the icy road.

I completely plumbed at least 5 houses with copper - and ABS waste lines, Fletcher coat Gas lines,  etc as necessary right after I wrecked the truck.  I actually bought a second truck and reefer and put a driver on it because I couldn't lose money fast enough with one truck.  That managed to finish me off.  That put me over 100K in debt and the banker was surprised when I made the final payment on my loan in a few years.  He never thought I'd do it.  I many times wondered.


glenn-k

#21
I got one more--

While in HS a friend and I worked for a contractor doing contract painting at a professional level after school or weekends.  We painted motel rooms at a large ocean front motel.  The contractor taught us how then we went from there.  I know we did it cheap and good.  About 2 1/2 hours per room as I remember, including cutting in with a brush - no sloppiness and no paint spots left on anything.

I also cut and sold fire wood after school and weekends.  $20 a cord delivered.  I could cut, split and load a cord in 2 1/2 hours.  My uncle gave me decks of alder logs that were left too long and checked at the ends.  I used a 7 1/2 hp Homelite with a 36" bar and went through multiple logs at one time.  
Average 12" dia and split one time with a 4 lb single bit ax.

It's funny - I see kids up here in the mountains doing the same thing -- It's like a time warp.  These guys are the ones I count on as work assistants and business associates.  Seems I can trust them - not that they aren't wild little rascals sometimes.  I took out a separate contractors license with some of them on it.  It really limits gov. control over us.  I teach them my secrets of business.  Do you think I have ruined their lives? ;D
Maybe that's 2 more. :-?

jraabe

#22
Yep, you've probably ruined them for life. And a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

They may never be able to adjust to the real work of a corporate drone.

benevolance

I am so inferior guys*LOL*

So very inferior...almost ashamed to post....So I will pass ;)

glenn-k

#24
I doubt that, Peter.  You are here aren't you? :-?  That in itself raises you above the rest. :)

I'm just a lowly hick from the sticks who can't manage to stay at one thing too long.  I get bored to easily.  Fortunately I do stick at most jobs long enough to get to be fair at them.

Now I am spreading the idea of self sufficiency and independant thought to a few of our future generations.  I must be stopped. :-/

You are already on your way and are not in much danger of total failure as I see it. :)

Heck - I didn't even make it past high school. :P