# How's and Why's



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

*So when you learned the trade.... what did you learn first*

----- *The How's*

or 

----- *The Why's*


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## TPWinc (May 30, 2011)

"Here's how we do it."
"Why?"
"Because that's how we do it."

I had to pay attention to figure out why!


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Learned the hows first. When I asked why all I heard for the longest time was " cause I said so that why":laughing:


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## 1703 (Jul 21, 2009)

Learn basic hows first.

I personally retain the more intricate hows if I understand the whys.


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Kind of both at the same time due to my being a "why?" kinda guy. At first the boss thought I was being a prick but eventually realized that I really did want to know the reasons behind why we were doing things. Not saying every explanation was in depth but he realized pretty quick that if he explained to me why we were doing something he rarely had to tell me again when or how to do that task.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

Nice question.

I was lucky in that I started out working in my father’s plumbing supply house. This enabled to learn the why and how at the same time. We had fantastic plumbers that came into the supply house and they would take the time to explain to me how things worked and would explain why it worked.

When I started working in the trade I had a leg up on the other plumbers due to having this knowledge and what kind of merchandise was available to do a job. If a fitting was not available the old timers that taught me also taught me substitutes to put together in order to complete the tasks at hand within the laws. They taught me to think in ways that were not one dimensional and to have 3 or more ways to complete the job.


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## trick1 (Sep 18, 2008)

I went to vocational technical high school....I learned the why's in theory and blueprint reading and then the how's in the shop or at my employer's


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

First thing I learned was what different types of fittings there were to get for the mechanic I was helping. Then when he was soldering on a ladder I learned how to dodge the solder he was dripping on me while still footing the ladder for him.
Those were the good ole days...:thumbup:


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

cityplumbing said:


> First thing I learned was what different types of fittings there were to get for the mechanic I was helping. Then when he was soldering on a ladder I learned how to dodge the solder he was dripping on me while still footing the ladder for him.
> Those were the good ole days...:thumbup:


Sounds like my training


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## greenscoutII (Aug 27, 2008)

I learned the hows first. What kept me interested is learning the whys.......


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Absolutely the how's. Learned the whys as things went along.


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## cityplumbing (Jun 12, 2010)

BROOKLYN\PLUMB said:


> Sounds like my training


It was in NY so it's possible...


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Here's how an average day went my first year in.

Me: I think we should we should do it this way.

Plumber: You what?

Me: I think we should...?

Plumber: You what!?

Me: I think...?

Plumber: You don't get paid to think! Now go dig something!

How's first, then why's.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Same here. Learned the 'how' first.

Maybe we should start a new thread on this. First plumbing outfit I worked for taught me some stuff incorrectly. For example, when I asked my boss, Ed, why we were installing vac. breakers on hose spigots his answer was, "Some guy decided you need them."....:blink:

This boss, Ed, had me pre-fab tub and shw. valves in the shop sometimes. I never used a fitting brush to clean the copper fittings and he never taught me to de-burr the copper tubing. I didn't even know you're supposed to clean the copper fittings with a fitting brush 'til I went to work somewhere else.

Ed also never used any cleaner (back then purple primer wasn't code, we used clear cleaner on PVC) on his PVC. He only used (1) glue pot. He did this on both DWV and pressure lines.

Years later when I did some research into whether or not Ed was a master plumber, I found out that some other man was Ed's qualifier. Ed wasn't even a master plumber. But at the time I was new to the trade so what did I know?

Anyone else have any similar experiences where you were taught incorrectly, only to find out later that the way you were taught was wrong?


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

I was taught the "Hows" out in the field -- The "Whys" were left to me to learn on my own time.


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

Pretty much the how's. I had one good guy that gave me some of the why's but got a code book and that really just gives you " how" and" How not" Still figuring out the why's 
You get in a bind and wonder if something thats against your code is going to function properly or not . Thats the why, and even when someone tells you Why you dont know if they are just full of B.S. or if thats the reason. So this site helps me sort through it.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

jeffreyplumber said:


> Pretty much the how's. I had one good guy that gave me some of the why's but got a code book and that really just gives you " how" and" How not" Still figuring out the why's
> You get in a bind and wonder if something thats against your code is going to function properly or not . Thats the why, and even when someone tells you Why you dont know if they are just full of B.S. or if thats the reason. So this site helps me sort through it.



http://www.buildersbooksource.com/cgi-bin/booksite/24921

Hands down the very best training aid I have ever come across.

The IPC offers a similar training aid.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

My boss worked fast and didn't have time to explain the why's, besides we had to hurry because "inspector will be here anytime and we will all go for coffee".


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## user7551 (Oct 21, 2011)

I learned How to use a shovel and jackhammer very well for the first year. If I asked why we were doing something a certain way I was told because I said so.


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## gasaman (Oct 19, 2009)

First 3 things I was taught:
Hot's on the left
S**t flows downhill
and
Payday is Friday


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

gasaman said:


> First 3 things I was taught:
> Hot's on the left
> S**t flows downhill
> and
> Payday is Friday


First three things I was taught:

1. Shut up.
2. Be quiet.
3. Stop talking.


Gramps was such a kind soul. :whistling2:


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

I never have looked at the upc training manual does it really explain why? Seems it would just tell you the right way but not get into why


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Early on I asked why and dad said "because I god damn well told you so" and that was all the why I needed for many a year.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

In my opinion you didn't learn anything until you learned why... :whistling2:

Anybody can join pipe together, face it, it's not exactly rocket science...
Even Nacho can do it most of the time...

Hey you have to have a vent on a drain or, it won't drain right.... Right? :laughing:

But when you learn why then you know how....

Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day....
Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime....

Just my $0.02...


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Redwood said:


> In my opinion you didn't learn anything until you learned why... :whistling2:
> 
> Anybody can join pipe together, face it, it's not exactly rocket science...
> Even Nacho can do it most of the time...
> ...


:yes:


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

I seem to recall a long, tedious and heated thread on the subject of venting and drainage and if I recall correctly...............I won :thumbup:


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

jeffreyplumber said:


> I never have looked at the upc training manual does it really explain why? Seems it would just tell you the right way but not get into why


THE UPC INTERPRETATIONS MANUAL DOE'S LIST THE CODE REASONS :thumbsup:


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

OldSchool said:


> *So when you learned the trade.... what did you learn first*
> 
> ----- *The How's*
> 
> ...


Good poll now goto Google and type in
contracting the why's and how's that make it work parr
In fact I'll Google that for you 

http://letmegooglethat.com/?q=Contracting+the+why's+&+how's+that+make+it+work+parr


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## plumber666 (Sep 19, 2010)

I worked for two types of journeymen back in the day: one kind would give me a straight answer when I asked why, the other kind told me to shut up and keep working.

I soon learned that the second type didn't know why either. If I'd gotten stuck working with them type'a guys I'd never stayed in the trade. 

When I show an apprentice a "how", they say, "cool".
When I tell an apprentice a "why", they say, "awesome".

And if they don't care about the "why", I don't waste my breath.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

The man that knows how will always have a job.

The man that knows why will always be his boss.


(Just like Milton Berle, I know a good line when I steal one.)


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

I learned by handing tools to a Master plumber. He wanted me to, as he would say, "read his mind" , on what he was doing and what he would need next. It got so quiet when we worked together, people would come in and see what we are doing. The only time we talked is when we walked in and left and maybe cleaned up. We talked in the van going to the next job.

I learned alot and still remember alot of what he said as he said so little, it was like it must be important that he said that so I will remember that.

He hated Drain Cleaning of any sort, so that became my job. It was easy for me because he showed me how to "read" plumbing and look for clues to clear the stoppage.

He passed in his sleep and I stayed in the industry.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I think everybody was taught, 'this is how we do it..'


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## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

Always the hows. But always was asking why.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

Just as another said earlier, I learned the hows for several years when I started, but learning the why's is what keeps me interested. If you know the why's you can usually figure out the hows.


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## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

Learned the Why's first: " Because gravity makes it flow downhill", "Because most everybody gets paid that day" and "Because s#@t gets under your nails". Aside from that it was absolutely the how's. I think the old-heads look for that spark in an individual who will question the why, or even attempt to think forward to the next step. That's when they know if they got a possible keeper. It's tough to get 'em to open up but man they sure as hell want to share it with someone who is deserving.


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

For me it was making friends, and shutting up. See that shovel, that jackhammer, that broom and dust pan. Those are going to be your best friends this first year. If you shut up and listen, you may even learn a thing or two while you're digging, and sweeping up after me.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Redwood said:


> Hey you have to have a vent on a drain or, it won't drain right.... Right? :laughing:





nhmaster3015 said:


> I seem to recall a long, tedious and heated thread on the subject of venting and drainage and if I recall correctly...............I won :thumbup:


I think we were on the same side...:thumbup:

Incidentally I just put your video up on a forum thread where the handi-hacks were telling someone that the toilet wasn't flushing because the vent was clogged...:laughing:

At least they will know the advice they were getting was faulty.... :laughing:

We'll see if that evolves to death threats like it did here...


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

No problem with Dad telling me how...
It's when I asked why that I got his foot up my a##.


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