# Dumbest thing you've seen an apprentice do.



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

I was inspired by the master plumber's test thread. What is the dumbest thing you've ever saw an apprentice do? It could be your own as well. 

I've seen an apprentice pitch 100' of CI the wrong way but the worst i've seen was a guy ran pipe through his ladder. Imagine a standard 10' ladder he ran the pipes in between the steps of the ladder so you couldn't close the ladder or take it down. He was all proud of it and asked me how he did. I said great job, now put the ladder away. Watching him try and figure that out was worth the waste of hours.


----------



## user7551 (Oct 21, 2011)

I had an apprentice that was always rushing everything he did , then one day he was cutting a piece of 3/4 copper and when made the final run around the copper the cut piece flew out of hands into the air. Hes looking up and it lands right on his lip and makes a perfect half circle cut in his bottom lip and I just busted out laughing asking him how the #$#$ did you do that while looking for some paper towels for all the blood coming out of his lip.


----------



## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

Back in 1989 in my first week of learning the trade , I was told to opened a 6" clean out in the parking garage of a 15 story building that had a stoppage in the main.:whistling2:
I proudly through a pipe wrench on the clean out plug and then found myself standing under and taking a shower in a 12 foot high wall of the most God awful crap you ever had a nightmare of.


----------



## rombo (Jul 17, 2008)

Watched one guy try to snap a piece of cast. Put every last bit of strength he had into it.
Then I had to tell him he was trying to snap schd 40 black iron


----------



## PunkRockPlumber (Mar 26, 2012)

RW Plumbing said:


> I was inspired by the master plumber's test thread. What is the dumbest thing you've ever saw an apprentice do? It could be your own as well.
> 
> I've seen an apprentice pitch 100' of CI the wrong way but the worst i've seen was a guy ran pipe through his ladder. Imagine a standard 10' ladder he ran the pipes in between the steps of the ladder so you couldn't close the ladder or take it down. He was all proud of it and asked me how he did. I said great job, now put the ladder away. Watching him try and figure that out was worth the waste of hours.


Ok seriously. I was on a job where an apprentice ran pipe through a 10' ladder as well!! Crazy!


----------



## rombo (Jul 17, 2008)

This one takes the cake. And I promise I'm being 100% honest.

New guy started with us one day, we were running threaded hydronic piping. Had the ridgid 300 setup with lots of shavings in the oiler. Sitting around at coffee break guy starts asking about the threader. Wants to know how you feed the bucket off coal to power the machine!


----------



## aero1 (Feb 13, 2009)

set a toilet and not remove the knock out plug.


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I had one guy that was running water line and ran the pipes on either side of his head ... Once he was done he realized he could get his head out 

Had another guy putting in toilets on new construction and put all the toilet tanks on backwards

Sent from my miniature laptop


----------



## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

Not an apprentice, but an engineer. Myself and a technician watched him for half an hour trying to screw a 2" galvanized cap onto a 3' piece of 2'' pipe................was even filing the end of the thread .......still couldn't get it. Pity it wasn't a left hand thread. :blink: we were both absolutely wetting ourselves with laughter


----------



## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

I had one ask me for a raise after his 3rd day
I had one ask me if he could get two weeks pay in advance
I had one smoking a joint while driving MY VAN on company time
I had one get pulled over for speeding and hauled off to jail for failure to pay 5 years of child support
I had one say "check out the ass on her" to me when my 16 year old daughter was standing at the front counter talking to my wife.
I had more than one tell me they lost their license

I've about had my fill of them if you want the truth. There ain't no shortage of stupid out there


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

The dumbest thing I ever saw an Apprentice do: A 4th year Apprentice just 120 hours or so away from being eligible to take his JP test bailed on the program and became an Electrician. This was in 2008 when things started to really slow down for the Trades.

The last time I saw him (last year) he was minding the cash register at a local fried chicken joint.


----------



## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

nhmaster3015 said:


> I had one ask me for a raise after his 3rd day
> I had one ask me if he could get two weeks pay in advance
> I had one smoking a joint while driving MY VAN on company time
> I had one get pulled over for speeding and hauled off to jail for failure to pay 5 years of child support
> ...


 
Epic....



Was at my bosses house a few years back, his daughter came home from school with a bunch of friends, they were going swimming in the pool. He didn't know she changed cloths, saw a girl bending over at the pool and said damn I'd like to hit that A***, she turned around and it was his daughter....lol. 



As a fairly new Jman I have only a few comments about helpers..well other than myself.
Mined took a sheetrock knife and scrapped a bad spot on a 3/4 galvanized pipe, looked like someone turned on a sprinkler! Made for a long night.


----------



## skitian (Apr 5, 2011)

I had an intern keep digging on a 6" line while I took a 15 minute break, when I came back there was more dirt in the hole than when I left. Not just a lil bit either.


----------



## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

I got my boob caught in the drain cable once while clearing a main....my boss had to untangle it...bruised for weeks, but was a good laugh.:blink:


----------



## Tim`s Plumbing (Jan 17, 2012)

I am embarassed to say this but when I was an apprentice I did pipe fitting as well as plumbing. We had to hook up steam lines and compressed air to a rail tanker full of wax then pump into a tank inside the building. I had done this at least a hundred times after pumping I would blown down the tanker through a 1" ball valve on the top of the tanker. I came back about 20 minutes after I started the blow down process and the air had stopped comming out so I assumed it was done. I unbolted the access cover on the top tp remove the gasket material we used to seal it 2'x'2' red rubber 1/4" thick. The bolts are on a hinge and can be a pain to get off the lid one off the bolts didn`t wanna come lose so I hit a couple time with a 2' pipe wrench and it came. The lide blew open nearly taking my head off and the gasket material flew up at least 35' onto the roof of the building. The tanker was filled to 20 PSI it was amazing how much force 20 PSI can put out when you add volume into the mix.

Needless to say after that I always made sure the ball valve didn`t get plugged up with wax during the blow down process again.


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Wasnt a helper but it was myself. I was doing this house and the HO was walking around in regular street clothes and ball cap. I have only seen him in suits so I didn't recognize him and figured he was maybe a trim carpenter. The builder and HO were walking around and the builder came up to me and said, The dishwashers are here there are 5 of them. 1 is a drawer type that goes in the master bedroom.(they had a mini bar in the bedroom.) I asked why is there a d/w in the master bedroom and the HO said, I don't know. It's the first time I've heard of it too. I said maybe it's so she can wash her toys when she's finished. The builder quickly introduced me to the HO and changed the subject and walked away. I later asked the builder if he caught what was said and he said probably not. I'm still employed so thats a good sign.


----------



## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

Two I recall.

One put a plug into the T&P outlet, I only thought to look after he told me he'd "fixed a leak downstairs for the maintenance guy".

Two, a new hire, claimed to have a few years experience, cleaned 1" & 2" copper fittings, with a large box already cleaned.

He had cleaned the outside of the hubs - big box of 'em.


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

AlbacoreShuffle said:


> Back in 1989 in my first week of learning the trade , I was told to opened a 6" clean out in the parking garage of a 15 story building that had a stoppage in the main.:whistling2:
> I proudly through a pipe wrench on the clean out plug and then found myself standing under and taking a shower in a 12 foot high wall of the most God awful crap you ever had a nightmare of.


Similarly, we had a 12" RD riser going up side of mall, about 45'.
The pipe came down and 90 into a hole about 5' down.
After inspection I jokingly said, ok, who wants to smash in the test cap (with hammer) to release the water. 
New kid says ill do it, ill do it!
We giggled and said thats ok, we'll just use a sawsall.
He jumps in the hole and starts whaling on the cap. After about 6 hits the entire perimeter of the cap snapped off perfectly.
Water shot straight out, hit side of ditch and went straight up about 20'.
After the water subsided, he appeared with an inch thick of mud on and in every crevis of his body!:laughing::laughing:
Job superintendent comes out of his trailer (im thinking oh boy, im gonna get it now, as ive never even seen this guy smile before) He about wet himself n said it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen!:laughing:


----------



## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

aero1 said:


> set a toilet and not remove the knock out plug.


i did that once a long time ago when in a hurry LOL


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Had this guy helping me on boiler replacment job... he only been in the business 20 years at that time and asked me after the new boiler been installed, " Where the circ pump? " on the STEAM system.


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

I had an apprentice just last year, for the summer. As we get to the job, I told him to set up the pipe threader on the grass in backyard so we don't get any oil on the driveway. It was going to rain in about an hr, so I told him to get it all set up, & I went down stairs to start getting all the measurements. I come back outside, & the whole oiler was tipped upside down, & oil all over drive way. I have a Ridgid oiler, & he grabbed it, to take it out of truck, all the dies, cutter, & reamer were in there, & were all on 1 side I guess, & it toppled, as soon as he took it out of truck. Here I was worried about getting 1 drop of oil on drive, & he spills the whole thing. Then he just leaves it sitting there upside down:blink:. I guess thats why I work alone.


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Had an apprentice of our old crabby guy. One day they set a WH run the t&p to the pan and needed to run the pan drain to the floor drain below the new shelf they built for the WH. He tells the apprentice to drill a whole for the drain and goes for a smoke. Comes back and there is a nice whole in the pan for the T&P. 

He called a manager to pick him up, he was so mad. We hung the pan up on our shop wall, I don't know who it pissed off more. 


Had one who opened the dump port on our vactor after he tilted it back. He got lucky it was a trench and didn't have to much mud.


----------



## Radium (Dec 25, 2010)

My old boss's kid, drilled the 4" hole for the tub valve on a full height tub shower in the spot where we would normally drill the hole for the tub spout.

Sent from my iPad using PlumbingZone


----------



## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

We had an apprentice that couldn't get a drain open (main). He had the big machine out and was giving it hell! He finally called for help and one of the other journeymen shows up. The kid had pulled back two towels, 3 pairs of jeans and most of a shower curtain. It was a back to back apt and the neighbor wasn't home. He had rodded right through a toilet and that bathroom was destroyed.


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

We had just finished the underground drains on a residential rough-in and I had the apprentice set up and pressurize the 5 psi air test. After I was satisfied it was good, he decided to pop the test by removing the cap on the floor drain that everyone - including himself had been peeing in all day.

As soon as he put his nut driver on that cap, EVERYONE scattered. I've not seen so many wild eyed silent grins before or since...


----------



## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Many! But the worst is when you tell them its wrong and then they see you doing it and tell you so! I then tell them thats why you are now living the dream!:thumbup:


----------



## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

PinkPlumber said:


> I got my boob caught in the drain cable once while clearing a main....my boss had to untangle it...bruised for weeks, but was a good laugh.:blink:


 Pictures, or it didn't happen.:whistling2:


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

PinkPlumber said:


> I got my boob caught in the drain cable once while clearing a main....my boss had to untangle it...bruised for weeks, but was a good laugh.:blink:


As long as you didn't get your nipple pinched you should be okay...

it happen to me one time .... a pinched nipple really hurts


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

I would say a few things.. i seen them take off the check valve on a ejector pump to check inside the pit and when they got it off and went to take it out.. he forgot to unplug the power and the pump actually kicked on .. and was just spraying him with **** water.. too funny.... omg i was oh my.. u r cleaning that up... and u aint getting in my van.. ) 

the other time was not an apprentice but a repair i did they had these guys there the month before .. and the home owner wonder why the damm elbow was leaking im like im not sure.. let me look.. so i go and look omg.. these guys actually reemed out a peace of galv and pounded in a close nipple into the galv im like well when u think u seen it all.. i guess u havent.. 

and the other was a hotel i worked on... manager said a guy staying in a room claimed to be a plumber .. got a night free for fixing the spout on the bat tub.. but 2 days later water was leaking out the ceiling below so i go look... he used electrical tape to stop a split.. im like omg.. are u serious.. this guy said a plumber? more like a hill billy


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Had a guy who needed to sweat some joints before lunch. We go to lunch, he says he's staying back, wow I think, that's dedication. We come back, nothing is done and i'm livid. I got even madder when I pointed out to him he was using pipe dope instead of flux.


----------



## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

I got called out to a residential sewage ejector. Everything was backed up, so I pumped the system down below the top of the sump canister through the shower drain. Then opened the sump, and removed the pump, set it in the 5 gallon bucket of sewage, and had the apprentice take it out side so I could service it. There was a tampon jamming the impeller, got it freed up, plugged it in and checked it out and told him I was going to the truck, and to take the bucket of sewage down so I could dump it into the toilet when I got the pump online. I was going to the truck to grab a clean bucket to bring the pump down . Well, he thought he'd kill two birds with one stone and put the pump into the sewage bucket and carry them both down. But he never unplugged it. As soon as that float switch tripped he got the full brunt of raw sewage head to toe. I laughed so hard that I peed a little.


----------



## plumber666 (Sep 19, 2010)

I worked with a kid and left him to thread 90s onto some short pieces of 3/4", prefabbing for a big heat pump job. An hour later I came back, he only had a couple done, and had gotten a wrench stuck onto a 2' long piece of pipe. He was fighting with it, and I'm wondering how the heck he got a wrench stuck like that. I get up to help him and it was a crescent wrench!! I had to beat the adjusting wheel thang with a hammer to get it to open so I could get the flat jawed wrench off the round pipe. Still can't figure out how he did it, pure determination I guess.

As an apprentice I once cut off a live stub out for a W/C whilst trimming out an apartment building (3rd floor). Before doing it, I sarcastically asked the J-Man if he was sure the water was shut off. He was quite a dickhead, and really let me have it for being a cocky, mouthy know-it-all. So I made quite the mess of drywall, carpet, etc. I learned a good lesson that day. So, the stupidest thing I ever personally have done was to ever take anything for granted, or give anybody the benefit of the doubt.


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/new-plumbing-18936/


----------



## FluidPlumbing (May 24, 2012)

I had a guy who connected a cold water main to the feed pipe on an F&E tank, mains pressure cold water with no float operated valve to shut it off... not only was it funny but it also made a great water feature


----------



## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

FluidPlumbing said:


> I had a guy who connected a cold water main to the feed pipe on an F&E tank, mains pressure cold water with no float operated valve to shut it off... not only was it funny but it also made a great water feature


And why do you think you don't need to post an intro!


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

gear junkie said:


> Had a guy who needed to sweat some joints before lunch. We go to lunch, he says he's staying back, wow I think, that's dedication. We come back, nothing is done and i'm livid. I got even madder when I pointed out to him he was using pipe dope instead of flux.


lmfao.. omg.. wow.. couldnt they tell the difference.. its not even like a oil its a paste..


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

LEAD INGOT said:


> I got called out to a residential sewage ejector. Everything was backed up, so I pumped the system down below the top of the sump canister through the shower drain. Then opened the sump, and removed the pump, set it in the 5 gallon bucket of sewage, and had the apprentice take it out side so I could service it. There was a tampon jamming the impeller, got it freed up, plugged it in and checked it out and told him I was going to the truck, and to take the bucket of sewage down so I could dump it into the toilet when I got the pump online. I was going to the truck to grab a clean bucket to bring the pump down . Well, he thought he'd kill two birds with one stone and put the pump into the sewage bucket and carry them both down. But he never unplugged it. As soon as that float switch tripped he got the full brunt of raw sewage head to toe. I laughed so hard that I peed a little.


 kind of the same thing i seen in a way.. thats funny as hell...


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

The other thing i seen was the funniest was a apprentice who was running supplys to the newly added bathroom.. go figgure get everything piped up.. go and turn the toilet on.. omg the toilet was steaming.. hes like umm i dont know but the toilet is sweating.. im like wat u mean sweating.. i go and look.. he run the hot line over to the toilet instead... im like u got to be kidding right..

the other was another job i have 2 kinds of copper on the truck Red and blue... now u know like i know M And L but they i guess dont know that .. so we are doing a job and i go to overlook the work and i said u did connect the hot and cold lines right.. hes like ya.. look i ran blue for the cold and red for the hot.. im like .. wtf .. u did wat.. im like u dont use M copper for jobs like that.. thats for small repairs... hahaha its not about hot and cold with Red And blue // or in other words / M & L omg funniest thing.. i wasnt at the time i took money out his check .. that was wasted copper...


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Affordable said:


> lmfao.. omg.. wow.. couldnt they tell the difference.. its not even like a oil its a paste..


When he said ill stay here for lunch, he meant, ill stay here n smoke some weed then hurry and screw everything up before you get back!
I geuss ?


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

89plumbum said:


> When he said ill stay here for lunch, he meant, ill stay here n smoke some weed then hurry and screw everything up before you get back!
> I geuss ?



oh gawd that made my day ... thanks.. that one made me laugh..


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 17, 2012)

Had a green apprentice working with us in a big 16 foot crawl, at the end of the day i told him to get all our tools out from the crawl he goes down and the first thing he picks up is the worklight then he went back down, a few minutes later he pops his head back up and said he couldnt see anything down there. 0.o i about came unglued.


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> Had a green apprentice working with us in a big 16 foot crawl, at the end of the day i told him to get all our tools out from the crawl he goes down and the first thing he picks up is the worklight then he went back down, a few minutes later he pops his head back up and said he couldnt see anything down there. 0.o i about came unglued.


And the glue to put you back together was still in the crawlspace, right?:laughing:


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

In 1984 my brother's first day. During lunch break. He was sitting by the generator he picks up a striker and started playing with it. I told him don't do that next to the gener......... Fire! He caught the generator on fire. He takes off his shirt as I run to a loader operator. Now the generator and his shirt are In flames. Loader operator dumps a bucket of dirt on it. Now you dig it out I told him. It started back up and we resumed our day. Quitting time, we load the truck. I asked him to back up the truck. He put it in reverse, gunned it and ran over the generator. Boss was not happy but after a few years we still laughed about that day.


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

MTDUNN said:


> In 1984 my brother's first day. During lunch break. He was sitting by the generator he picks up a striker and started playing with it. I told him don't do that next to the gener......... Fire! He caught the generator on fire. He takes off his shirt as I run to a loader operator. Now the generator and his shirt are In flames. Loader operator dumps a bucket of dirt on it. Now you dig it out I told him. It started back up and we resumed our day. Quitting time, we load the truck. I asked him to back up the truck. He put it in reverse, gunned it and ran over the generator. Boss was not happy but after a few years we still laughed about that day.


I feel sorry for that generator lol

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Saw a guy put cardboard over a basement stair cut out without steps then turned around and walked over it. Went straight down 8 feet into a muddy basement. Broke his arm. I myself cut a waste arm off and did not see the water line behind it flooded the third floor and two units below.


----------



## PlumberJake (Nov 15, 2010)

My first summer working with my grandfather he told me to replace a flush handle on an old toilet while he went out and replaced a broken handle on a sillcock. I was 13 and he didn't tell me that the threads were left hand. I just thought the old 'zinc' nut was seized so I cranked on it..... and sure enough got wet. We ended up replacing some ceiling tiles in the basement and grandpa didn't have the heart to charge the old lady for the service call or the new toilet.

The next summer grandpa supposedly turned the breaker off for the water heater so I could use my newly acquired electric water heater diagnosing skills. Of course, I didn't verify with the tester that power was off and I welded my screwdriver to the side of the tank. Grandpa thought it was hilarious.


----------



## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I think my dumbest moment as an apprentice was I roughed in a chase at a hospital and I was a 1st year. Did it by myself and proud of my work. Journeyman said it looks great but make the nipples longer for the sloan valves. Notta problem I grab the torch and start to unsweat the first one and all the sudden POP as I land on my arse I remember that I had that on test with air! After everyone realized I was OK we all got a good laugh!


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> Had a green apprentice working with us in a big 16 foot crawl, at the end of the day i told him to get all our tools out from the crawl he goes down and the first thing he picks up is the worklight then he went back down, a few minutes later he pops his head back up and said he couldnt see anything down there. 0.o i about came unglued.



omg.. now thats funny.. i prob be heated too...


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

well yet again another thing i never thought i would ever see in my life.. i seen today.. u know i get to the point where i think .. home owners will do the most dumbest things in plumbing.. anyways.. so i get this call.. and they said ya my bathtub is backed up.. im on a slab and no access point.. im like ill check it out.. so i head over there.. start testing things see where the clog is around.. ask if u got a clean out.. no we dont.. walk out the side door.. here is the sidewalk.. now.. i look at the sidewalk looks like a busted water main just bubbling out of the concrete crack.. im like wtf.. so i ask them.. this been doing this long .. they said never noticed it.. im like ok so i say this is new concrete sure they didnt brake the pipe when they took out the old.. concrete .. so he says there once was a pipe there .. thought it was dead.. im like define pipe.. a 4" castiron or clay peace with no cap.. im like is it a clean out .. they said whats a clean out.. im like omg.. they didnt
the concrete guys or home owner filled in there clean out a few months back with about 8" of concrete.. so long story short.. idiots.. but i did bust it out and fixed the problem.. like i thought.. roots..


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Went out to help a cherry running a vent for about 3 hrs. Told the guy to take a break and walk me through diagnostic as he did it. We walked into the bath with a sunken tub full of poo water. He said he would check it every time he ran his cable in and out. I reached down and hit the drain lever and walked out. Must have been the cleanest line in Tucson.


----------



## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Almost every apprentice I have ever worked with will take a trap off a kitchen sink the first time or two reach up and dump it in the sink. I just watch and wait!:laughing:


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

I got a strange one from a newer guy at the supply house. While working on a grocery store I placed an order that had 12- 1/2" watts 9D Back flow preventers. They delivered 12 - 1/2" Black Iron 90's.


----------



## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

rombo said:


> Watched one guy try to snap a piece of cast. Put every last bit of strength he had into it.
> Then I had to tell him he was trying to snap schd 40 black iron


Hey wait a sec...... I have done that:blink:


----------



## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

Done that one


----------



## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

deerslayer said:


> Almost every apprentice I have ever worked with will take a trap off a kitchen sink the first time or two reach up and dump it in the sink. I just watch and wait!:laughing:


Are you following me?


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Anyone guilty bringing purple primer into a finished home?


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

MTDUNN said:


> Anyone guilty bringing purple primer into a finished home?


I decline to answer that on the grounds that it might incriminate me.


----------



## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

The dumbest thing an apprentice ever did to me was question my knowledge. He was wrong! He is was also now unemployed!


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I once had an apprentice working with me that I had to buy him one of these tapes just so I could get him to cut me a piece of pipe...

It didn't help much I kicked him off my truck a week or 2 later...


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Redwood said:


> I once had an apprentice working with me that I had to buy him one of these tapes just so I could get him to cut me a piece of pipe...
> 
> It didn't help much I kicked him off my truck a week or 2 later...


I think he must have traveled south, Redwood...I just had to climb out of a tunnel a few nights ago to explain tape increments to him for the second time in the last two weeks.

Did your ex-helper get easily distracted by a near constant stream of texts and internet video to his Iphone as well?

If so, I _know_ it's the same one...he's in Texas now and his name is Alex.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

DesertOkie said:


> Went out to help a cherry running a vent for about 3 hrs. Told the guy to take a break and walk me through diagnostic as he did it. We walked into the bath with a sunken tub full of poo water. He said he would check it every time he ran his cable in and out. I reached down and hit the drain lever and walked out. Must have been the cleanest line in Tucson.


 What's a cherry???


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> What's a cherry???


A type of fruit tree rumored to be despised by both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They produce small pitted fruits in early summer that are favoured by both birds and people.

Although mostly sedentary by nature, occasionally one can be trained to do plumbing work if you can get them off their Iphones long enough to learn something.


----------



## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

Bosses son calls me up one day and asked me how to wire an electric water heater. I just laughed and hung up.

When I started full time working for my grandfather we used to plow our shop in the winter but did not really sand it much. Well Lets just say I came in a little hot one day (in a company truck) and tried to stop. Now I don't know if you guys down south have ever tried to stop a moving vehicle on ice but lets just say you just SLIDE. I railed the building, moved an I-Beam, garage door would not open. The old sledgehammer was used to knock it back in place so the garage door would open. Oh, and I crushed the gutter.


I was once on a job site and the electrician and I watched the AV guy try to drill holes in wood with a 2" hole-saw, with a hammer drill, on hammer. Watching the hole-saw bounce off the wood for ten minutes and this guy not making any progress and have NO CLUE why. It was priceless.

I've seen water treatment piped backwards.
Backwards traps.
There are arrows on check valves for reason. (if you're too stupid to figure it out without one)

I could probably think of a lot more. I think we can all agree that some people are just plain F-ed up. 

You learn from your mistakes though....I have not driven into a building since!:laughing:


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

rjbphd said:


> What's a cherry???



That's what we called the new guys in the 82nd Airborne. It was mostly for anyone in division less than a year, just out of jump school. 

Before Airborne school you were a "leg" after you were a "Cherry". 

In context: If someone can't read a compass- Fing Cherry.

If someone passes out at a party after 6 beers- Fing Cherry.


----------



## skitian (Apr 5, 2011)

I was doing a water service replacement and my boss, whose rarely in the field anymore, was in the house putting a stand off plate on a poured concrete wall, with my tools, sends my helper out to see if I have any more masonry bits, I said none of my bits are dull what does he need another one for. I listen closely to him drilling while I'm outside, told my helper to go put the drill on hammer for him. Not his only mistake on that job, he core drilled the concrete wall about 2 1/2' to high, damn hole was almost out of the ground.


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

skitian said:


> I was doing a water service replacement and my boss, whose rarely in the field anymore, was in the house putting a stand off plate on a poured concrete wall, with my tools, sends my helper out to see if I have any more masonry bits, I said none of my bits are dull what does he need another one for. I listen closely to him drilling while I'm outside, told my helper to go put the drill on hammer for him. Not his only mistake on that job, he core drilled the concrete wall about 2 1/2' to high, damn hole was almost out of the ground.


Heh...bosses are often their own worst enemies :yes: 

I could list off a dozen similar incidents off the top of my head, but out of respect and fondness for the worst boss perpetrator in my career I will resist the temptation...again


----------



## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

i had a helper once that worked for us for a whole week that told me he had run tons of cast iron.

i was running some ho-hub vents and gave him some measurements to cut, the CI was in a different room and i was wondering what was taking him so long to cut a few pieces, so i go and see whats up.

he had the 2" cast iron in a pipe vise and was trying to use snap cutters on the pipe.

 really, everyone i know just leaves the pipe on the ground and snaps it there.

i heard of another helper that would lock a hacksaw in the pipe vise and hold threaded rod in both hands and furiously move the rod back and forth to cut it :laughing:

seen a helper one day destroy about 15 2" screw-in test balls because he wouldn't read the pressure gauge on the test ball pump.


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Bayside500 said:


> i had a helper once that worked for us for a whole week that told me he had run tons of cast iron.
> 
> i was running some ho-hub vents and gave him some measurements to cut, the CI was in a different room and i was wondering what was taking him so long to cut a few pieces, so i go and see whats up.
> 
> ...


I believe it was 22 2" test balls and 3 3". This is after 3 people told him he was overinflating. Who did the all thread? Never heard that one.


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

We had a helper that was going to use blue pipe sleeve and 2 hose clamps to repair a broken 1" pvc water service. The plumber said to him don't you think you should use red sleeve? That could be a hot water meter.


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Bayside500 said:


> i had a helper once that worked for us for a whole week that told me he had run tons of cast iron.
> 
> i was running some ho-hub vents and gave him some measurements to cut, the CI was in a different room and i was wondering what was taking him so long to cut a few pieces, so i go and see whats up.
> 
> ...



I was not here for it but, they were pulling a grinder pump out at the poo ponds of a small town here in OK. The plugged the 12" and pumped the vault down. After pulling the pump they were trying to get the mantel piece off and one apprentice decided to add some air. I guess he let to much out getting the hose hooked up. The whole town drained into the vault, it took them 4 hrs to pump down enough to reinstall the plug. 

You can tell when the guy is on the Shlt list because the boss will start telling that story again.


----------



## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

house plumber said:


> I believe it was 22 2" test balls and 3 3". This is after 3 people told him he was overinflating. Who did the all thread? Never heard that one.


i stand corrected 

the rod and vise idiot was at another shop


----------



## artisancorp (Nov 10, 2008)

We had an apprentice set 15 toilets in an apartment building without removing the knock out caps. He thought that they would dissolve


----------



## SHAUN C (Feb 16, 2011)

We had an apprentice stick his hand inside an 8" cleanout to deflate a testball with 5 floors of water behind it, a hotel with 95 rooms. I don't know how it didnt rip his hand off, but it broke his arm


----------



## Abel Plumber (Sep 3, 2011)

2 years ago had a helper back a truck into the building we were working in. On his first day.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Short while ago, there was a so-called apprentice from Long Island, claiming to be a master plumber posting mr know more than we do, only to be shot down and slammed the door in his face.


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

dumbest thing I ever seen an apprentice do is steal some journeyman's pictures and post it as their own.. :laughing:


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

OldSchool said:


> dumbest thing I ever seen an apprentice do is steal some journeyman's pictures and post it as their own.. :laughing:


Lol you should read both my posts in the rebux thread

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Mississippiplum said:


> Lol you should read both my posts in the rebux thread
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


I read it all... Just pulling your leg Missy :laughing: 

Making light of your situation :laughing:

Got to admit .. it is funny :laughing:


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> I read it all... Just pulling your leg Missy :laughing:
> 
> Making light of your situation :laughing:
> 
> Got to admit .. it is funny :laughing:


You'll be on that ride for a while MP... :yes:


----------



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Redwood said:


> You'll be on that ride for a while MP... :yes:


right now he is only going down the city main sewer line ... it will be a while before he get to the sewage treatment plant


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Hopefully I'll hit a lift station and speed things up lol

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

OldSchool said:


> right now he is only going down the city main sewer line ... it will be a while before he get to the sewage treatment plant


Wait until he hits the macerators. That's going to leave a mark.


----------



## hanksplumbing (May 21, 2012)

RW Plumbing said:


> I was inspired by the master plumber's test thread. What is the dumbest thing you've ever saw an apprentice do? It could be your own as well.
> 
> I've seen an apprentice pitch 100' of CI the wrong way but the worst i've seen was a guy ran pipe through his ladder. Imagine a standard 10' ladder he ran the pipes in between the steps of the ladder so you couldn't close the ladder or take it down. He was all proud of it and asked me how he did. I said great job, now put the ladder away. Watching him try and figure that out was worth the waste of hours.


knew a guy who soldered 15 out of 25 swing check valves on before he realized that he needed to remove the foam pc out of them ,couldn't figure out where all the smoke was coming from then blamed the supplier . another guy left in his 3" dbl test ball in place , then denied it , even after they jackhammered up the concret and gave it back to him as proof.


----------



## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

show up on the second day !


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

pilot light said:


> show up on the second day !


Several that have not!


----------



## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

We were digging up a water line leak at a residents house I was an apprentice back then I was digging around found what appeared to be a root but something about no trees in sight made me question it so i dug around it bosses son (apprentice) decided that's a root and went to break it stab it with the shovel and well now we got a gas leak it was the main line to the neighbors house before it goes into the meter


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Had the bosses son with me to jett some lines at the mill we service. As always we sit and wait for them. I was getting a Pepsi from a machine and I noticed he was trying to figure out the carousel food machine. Before I could help him he put his $ in opened the door on an empty slot and was trying to turn it by hand from the inside. 

I just walked out shaking my head.


----------



## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

I had a re-pipe going on and my apprentice was cutting out a square inside a cabinet when the home owner came over to me and said I do not want to get someone in trouble but come here.

We walked into the master bathroom and there he was lying on the floor sawing logs. I took a little water and dripped it on his face. Way too funny. He thought it was her dog.


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Richard Hilliard said:


> I had a re-pipe going on and my apprentice was cutting out a square inside a cabinet when the home owner came over to me and said I do not want to get someone in trouble but come here.
> 
> We walked into the master bathroom and there he was lying on the floor sawing logs. I took a little water and dripped it on his face. Way too funny. He thought it was her dog.


I would have let him sleep and put his pink slip on his chest so he found it when he woke up.


----------



## 6th Density (Nov 29, 2010)

1) We always duct tape our glue rig's together. 
First day at work helper asked," Okay, so the primer is always on the left side?"

2) Had a helper get tired of priming then glue. So he mixed the 2 together. Didn't find out until water test. You all already know the outcome! :furious:


----------



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

one time as an apprentice i was installing new angle stops. I asked the forman if water was off he said yes. so their i go, i was halling butt in a hospital putting on stops and i passed a hallway to start on the other side cut off a stub out in the physical therapy room they had a special floor so people that fall wont get hurt. well i cut the line and full blast of water o shiot with no one around so i pressed my shoe against the pipe it stoped it for a while till i stared feeling water gushing into my privates foreman comes and says ill turn off the water well some idiot forgot to put a shut off valve at that room. hour later water gets turned off. boss asked what happened and i said the forman said water was off he of corse lied. well now i check my self to make sure water is off and i check everything before starting a job and i take no ones word for it btw now i drill little holes in caps before i put cut for stops


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Richard Hilliard said:


> I had a re-pipe going on and my apprentice was cutting out a square inside a cabinet when the home owner came over to me and said I do not want to get someone in trouble but come here.
> 
> We walked into the master bathroom and there he was lying on the floor sawing logs. I took a little water and dripped it on his face. Way too funny. He thought it was her dog.


We use to take break on a poured tilt wall everyday around 9:30 AM. One of our guys would always fall asleep and we would have to wake him to go back to work.

One day he fell asleep... no shirt on (pale complexion). We all just walked into building, kinda just forgot about him.

He comes in 2 hrs later huffin n puffin, all burnt up and dirt all in his eyes from lulls & tractors passing by him for 2 hrs.:laughing:

He never let it happen again!:laughing:


----------



## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

Years ago saw a guy turn in a receipt for reimbursement (Drinks from convience store, he also had rolling papers on the receipts)


----------



## Ginawings (Aug 3, 2011)

Met a journeyman that got his license.

Going to go ahead and call him an apprentice.

He was riding with me for the first day or something. Asked me what a inside cutter was.

Then a few days later, boss was asking him some general knowledge questions.

asked him if a toilet was rocking, what would you shim it with.
His reply?

Angle stops of course.


----------



## piper1 (Dec 16, 2011)

TallCoolOne said:


> Years ago saw a guy turn in a receipt for reimbursement (Drinks from convience store, he also had rolling papers on the receipts)


 :laughing::laughing::laughing:


----------



## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

I CONFESS yrs ago I hooked up a DW to a new garbage disposal ,forgot to knock out the plug, had to pay service call as the HO called an appliance guy out thinking new DW was not pumping water out.


----------



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

i have seen the dumbest thing ever a guy i know went and took his j mans he didnt send the 25 dollars for liscense lol dumb ass lost his liscense he went back to test and failed now he working at HEB bagging groceries that was the stupides thing i have ever seen


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

retired rooter said:


> I CONFESS yrs ago I hooked up a DW to a new garbage disposal ,forgot to knock out the plug, had to pay service call as the HO called an appliance guy out thinking new DW was not pumping water out.



I got my butt chewed up one side and down the other for that, in front of the rest of the company. My supervisor screamed he had to knock it out blah blah blah for free blah blah. 

When he finally asked why I was laughing I told him I didn't install the GD I just pulled out a broken piece of galvanized and retapped the drain line. He got played. :laughing::laughing:

I was not an apprentice but he was treating me like one.


----------



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

13 pages and still going strong. this was a good article to post about.. seems like everyone had a memory on this one..


----------



## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

retired rooter said:


> I CONFESS yrs ago I hooked up a DW to a new garbage disposal ,forgot to knock out the plug, had to pay service call as the HO called an appliance guy out thinking new DW was not pumping water out.


 
Me too. Couple weeks ago.


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

some of these stories are just crazy:laughing:


----------



## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

show up late and get fired. 
fail a drug test and get fired. 

Mistakes can be corrected. But to lose a great job because of your lack of discipline and self-control, that's just dumb.


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Plumbersteve said:


> show up late and get fired.
> fail a drug test and get fired.
> 
> Mistakes can be corrected. But to lose a great job because of your lack of discipline and self-control, that's just dumb.



I agree so much


----------



## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

I thought this belonged here too.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 17, 2012)

revenge said:


> one time as an apprentice i was installing new angle stops. I asked the forman if water was off he said yes. so their i go, i was halling butt in a hospital putting on stops and i passed a hallway to start on the other side cut off a stub out in the physical therapy room they had a special floor so people that fall wont get hurt. well i cut the line and full blast of water o shiot with no one around so i pressed my shoe against the pipe it stoped it for a while till i stared feeling water gushing into my privates foreman comes and says ill turn off the water well some idiot forgot to put a shut off valve at that room. hour later water gets turned off. boss asked what happened and i said the forman said water was off he of corse lied. well now i check my self to make sure water is off and i check everything before starting a job and i take no ones word for it btw now i drill little holes in caps before i put cut for stops


In cases like that sometimees instead of drilling a hole in the cap ill drill a screw into it so if needed i can use the screw to plug it. Depends on the stuation im in though


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Plumbersteve said:


> show up late and get fired.
> fail a drug test and get fired.
> 
> Mistakes can be corrected. But to lose a great job because of your lack of discipline and self-control, that's just dumb.


How about fail drug test, come back week later begging for another chance and fail it again.
Seen it happen twice.


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

How bout smokin dope all weekend, when he knows I'm starting a huge job, on monday. Then coming in late monday morning, & bragging & laughing, about what he did all weekend. Then you know, after doing that all weekend, he was about as useful, as wet toilet paper.

I use to tell him what POT stands for; Putting Off Thinking.:yes:

Should I have fired him? Yes. Did I fire him? No. I had so much work, that I was desperate for help, & kissed his drugged out a$$. That's why I work alone now, cuz I never want to get in that predicament again.
Would I fire his a$$ today? In a heartbeat.:yes:


----------



## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

The first helper I hired was a dope smoker. I told him that I drug tested, but I guess he didn't believe me. After doing a job at a hospital where we ran about four hundred feet of cable and it was too heavy for the auto retrieve to pull without assistance, I took him for a drug test.

When we got to the lab, he realized what it was and asked me why we were there. I told him it was a drug test, he told me that his "cousins were smoking marijuana in the living room of his house while he was in the kitchen and that he may have inhaled some...." I told him that I knew better than that and he admitted to it, so I told him he was fired. He asked "what am I gonna tell my girlfriend?" I told him to tell her that he was told that we drug tested, but decided that smoking pot was a good idea and lost his job. 

His other behaviors earned that firing, but not being able to pass the drug test made it easy to get rid of him.


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

How about going through all the steps, to help your apprentice get his Jmans license, including registering him with the state, as an apprentice, as soon as he started working for me. Then he does this.

#1-The night before the test, he was at a mutual friends house, till after 10 pm. His test was 2hrs away the next morning, in lansing mich, at 8am. Hell he could never make it to work by 8 am, how's he gonna be 2hrs away at 8am.

#2- The test prep sheet, gave you a detailed list of materials you needed to bring, for the copper project. One of the items on the list, was a 3/4" X 1/4" brass bushing. Well of course, he starts getting all his stuff together, the day before, & can't find a 3/4" X 1/4" brass bush, so he brings a 3/4" X 1/2" brass bush, & a 1/2" X 1/4" black bush. To a plumbers license test. Amazing! And when he told me this, he thought nothing was wrong with what he did.:laughing: Of course he failed.

I even told him, that the test was no walk in the park, & if it was easy, then it would be no big deal to even have a license. I told him how I went up the day before the test, & rented a hotel close by, & just sat in the room, & studied all day. I read the code book atleast 4 times over, the day before my jmans test. Made sure all my page markers were in place ect.. but thats why I passed both tests 1st time, & he took the Jmans test twice, & failed twice.


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Don The Plumber said:


> How about going through all the steps, to help your apprentice get his Jmans license, including registering him with the state, as an apprentice, as soon as he started working for me. Then he does this.
> 
> #1-The night before the test, he was at a mutual friends house, till after 10 pm. His test was 2hrs away the next morning, in lansing mich, at 8am. Hell he could never make it to work by 8 am, how's he gonna be 2hrs away at 8am.
> 
> ...


what line of work is he in now


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

affordabledrain said:


> what line of work is he in now


 Last I heard, he moved to Texas, & was doing handyman work I guess for some cattle rancher. He took alot of tools that were mine, & all my materials that he had in his truck too. He's been gone from me now though, for about 7yrs. So who knows, & who cares what he's doing now.


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

we all hate a tool thief


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

affordabledrain said:


> we all hate a tool thief


When I tried to get all my stuff back, he was claiming that I said he could have it all, or that I gave it to him. Yea right. Then he stopped taking my phone calls, & eventually moved. So I lost all contact with him.

He was so unorganized, & clueless when I hired him. So I was willing at the time, to give a little now, to get a bit of a return later on, just as an investment in a long time employee. So I bought copper fitting trays, nipple trays, drills, electric chisel, flair tools, taps, drill bit extensions, & on & on, not to mention, ladders & materials. I had his truck stocked with copper pipe, valves, strut, & strut clamps, toilet parts, faucets & parts, ect.. Never got any of it back. Now I paid him extra per hr, for use of his own truck. If things would of worked out, I planned on giving him my old truck, which was set up & in good shape, & then buying a new one for me. But now that I look back, I'm glad I didn't take that plunge.:yes:


----------



## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

Don The Plumber said:


> When I tried to get all my stuff back, he was claiming that I said he could have it all, or that I gave it to him. Yea right. Then he stopped taking my phone calls, & eventually moved. So I lost all contact with him.
> 
> He was so unorganized, & clueless when I hired him. So I was willing at the time, to give a little now, to get a bit of a return later on, just as an investment in a long time employee. So I bought copper fitting trays, nipple trays, drills, electric chisel, flair tools, taps, drill bit extensions, & on & on, not to mention, ladders & materials. I had his truck stocked with copper pipe, valves, strut, & strut clamps, toilet parts, faucets & parts, ect.. Never got any of it back. Now I paid him extra per hr, for use of his own truck. If things would of worked out, I planned on giving him my old truck, which was set up & in good shape, & then buying a new one for me. But now that I look back, I'm glad I didn't take that plunge.:yes:


You sound like a rug 

I can't imagine allowing someone to get away with that? 

If it was all in your truck you would have had no problem getting it back so I think that's mistake one. The second mistake is not handling the matter swiftly and with overpowering force, it's not a choice he has, to return all thats yours. And the third mistake not holding a grudge. 

That's the one thing where the Arab world has it right thieves should have their hands chopped off, especially if its another man's tools!


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

BROOKLYN\PLUMB said:


> You sound like a rug
> 
> I can't imagine allowing someone to get away with that?
> 
> ...


 Before I knew it, he had left town. Walked away from his house & everything. Took the truck to Texas, from what I heard. I didn't inventory, or have proof of all I did, so yep, I made big mistakes. But hind site is 20-20 right? Easy to say what I should of done after the fact. So I just moved on. But I do hold a grudge. This is probably the biggest reason, I have no interest in hiring & training anyone else, ever again.

Then what do you suggest? Hiring a lawyer, & going after someone, who aint got a dime to their name? Yea, business sucks sometimes, but you just gotta suck it up, & move on, thats what I did.


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

My old boss had to go pick up his trucks several times unannounced escorted by sherrif just to hope he got everything back.

He was up to about 15 trucks/vans and everyone took them home. 

From what I here, he's down to a couple of trucks and him back in the field workin out of the back of his suburban.

I used to tell him he was addicted to abuse!


----------



## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

89plumbum said:


> My old boss had to go pick up his trucks several times unannounced escorted by sherrif just to hope he got everything back.
> 
> He was up to about 15 trucks/vans and everyone took them home.
> 
> ...


 
That's some down sizing!


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

affordabledrain said:


> we all hate a tool thief


I'm something of an "odd duck" in this regard: although I am a journeyman and work for others, I own ALL my own tools. All I ask for is a truck. I try not to make a big deal about it (other journeymen get defensive and annoyed), but this is really how it should be IMO.

When the shop supplies the tools most plumbers don't take care of them: the tools aren't theirs *shrugs*...so shops wind up with an inventory of damaged/abused tools that don't get the job done efficiently and dispite the best efforts of the shop owner the tools circulate from one truck to another as need arises.

Due to this reality tools tend to get lost/broken/stolen at a scandalous rate. It makes me furious when I see other plumbers abusing shop tools (nearly gone fisticuffs more than once over this).

I imagine many journeymen here will be annoyed at me for saying this, but journeymen need to bite the bullet and buy their own tools. It takes time, effort, and discipline, but once you've got your own tools they _don't_ get abused and you've got _what_ you need, _when_ you need it on the jobsite.

You will become more efficient and merit top pay and you are _never_ cast under suspicion when tools go missing at the shop. 

It puts you above the fray: Do it :yes:


----------



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

I have to buy all my own tools to except for a few sewer machines and other big items but us as techs gots to draw the line somewhere i think all hand tools and torch equipment from employee all power boss I think thats fair in my opinon but my co dont run like that every tool we buy except sewer machines shovels picks etc power and hand tools we supply


----------



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

Don The Plumber said:


> Before I knew it, he had left town. Walked away from his house & everything. Took the truck to Texas, from what I heard. I didn't inventory, or have proof of all I did, so yep, I made big mistakes. But hind site is 20-20 right? Easy to say what I should of done after the fact. So I just moved on. But I do hold a grudge. This is probably the biggest reason, I have no interest in hiring & training anyone else, ever again.
> 
> Then what do you suggest? Hiring a lawyer, & going after someone, who aint got a dime to their name? Yea, business sucks sometimes, but you just gotta suck it up, & move on, thats what I did.


 dont let one a hole get you down if i had a mentor that was willing like you i think i would be a better plumber today


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

revenge said:


> I have to buy all my own tools to except for a few sewer machines and other big items but us as techs gots to draw the line somewhere i think all hand tools and torch equipment from employee all power boss I think thats fair in my opinon but my co dont run like that every tool we buy except sewer machines shovels picks etc power and hand tools we supply



Are you guys paid more hourly. Since you are responsable for your own tools and equipment


----------



## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

nope boss is just a cheap arse


----------



## Qball415 (Nov 20, 2010)

revenge said:


> nope boss is just a cheap arse


I believe he is just resourcing as much as employees are willing to bear.


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

dude that sucks, but if you ever decide to go on your own you have all the tools. 

I apprenticed for a shop that supplied all of the power tools. The bag part was going into the shop to get the shopvac. and finding that it had poo still in it or worse


----------



## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

I have never heard of a plumbing or HVAC company around here that paid for any hand tools. They will usually pay for power tools. Some of the larger HVAC companies will supply you with everything.


----------



## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Show up the next day then I know he/she has what it takes to be a contender!:thumbsup:


----------



## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

Hand tools are too easy to lose/steal/break/toss.....techs supply their own, as well as basic power tools. They own it and they will care for it better.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

While working at former company... I brought all my hand tools to replaced the crap they gave me.. if they used it wrong like using my good screwdriver for chiseling concrete... I tell them its yours and I charged them another new driver for me... when my philips are slightly worn.. I give them to company as they are way better than those 5 dollars wooden package screwdriver set. What's galls me is when I see them take and use the customer's tools.. quickest way to lose customer's trust.


----------



## MacMech (Sep 15, 2011)

Had a first year expand a half inch Wirsbo ring and get it stuck on his finger. Then ask me what do you think will happen?
I told him I didn't know better go check with the boss.

Had a couple go looking for my metric adjustable wrench. Or a left handed pipe wrench is a good thing to go hunting for.


----------



## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

MacMech said:


> Had a first year expand a half inch Wirsbo ring and get it stuck on his finger. Then ask me what do you think will happen?
> I told him I didn't know better go check with the boss.
> 
> Had a couple go looking for my metric adjustable wrench. Or a left handed pipe wrench is a good thing to go hunting for.


My boss' favorite is sending people to the truck for the bottle of bubbles for his level.


----------



## PunkRockPlumber (Mar 26, 2012)

Continue on to become a journeyman.


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

affordabledrain said:


> dude that sucks, but if you ever decide to go on your own you have all the tools.
> 
> I apprenticed for a shop that supplied all of the power tools. The bag part was going into the shop to get the shopvac. and finding that it had poo still in it or worse


Just curious... whats worse?


----------



## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

89plumbum said:


> Just curious... whats worse?


 
Semen...It's all I could think of that could possibly be worse. 

Yep a shop-vac full of semen....that sucks


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

RealCraftsMan said:


> Semen...It's all I could think of that could possibly be worse.
> 
> Yep a shop-vac full of semen....that sucks


Or a shop Vac full of used tampons

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Grease waste trumps turds in my book


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Mississippiplum said:


> Or a shop Vac full of used tampons
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


The office girl was using it for her personal bathroom when she was doing inventory in the shop.

Yes she was on the rag and must of ate a ton of chilli:laughing::laughing:


----------



## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

affordabledrain said:


> The office girl was using it for her personal bathroom when she was doing inventory in the shop.
> 
> Yes she was on the rag and must of ate a ton of chilli:laughing::laughing:



NO!!!


----------



## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

It was funny The owner a guy in his 70s picked it up and it went all over his shoes. needless to say he was a bit upset. I couldn't stop laughing


----------



## PinkPlumber (May 20, 2012)

she would be soooo fired.


----------



## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

Better check any 5 gallon buckets, or sump baskets, that were in the vicinity. What the heck, don't you guys have a working bathroom for this pig to use? Or was the bathroom not sanitary enough, for her?


----------



## PrecisePlumbing (Jan 31, 2011)

johnlewismcleod said:


> Grease waste trumps turds in my book


Ill take chit over a grease trap any day of the week. That smell stays in your brain for a few days after. Id be doin something else 3 showers later and still slightly smell it in my nose urrrg


----------



## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

PrecisePlumbing said:


> Ill take chit over a grease trap any day of the week. That smell stays in your brain for a few days after. Id be doin something else 3 showers later and still slightly smell it in my nose urrrg


I'll, see your grease trap and raise it with, skin and hide effluent, it literally sinks into your skin. Evil stuff. Had a mate working there as a fitter, and 3 months after he left , his missus could still smell it on his skin, I was lucky enough to only work there on occasion.


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Adamche said:


> I'll, see your grease trap and raise it with, skin and hide effluent, it literally sinks into your skin. Evil stuff. Had a mate working there as a fitter, and 3 months after he left , his missus could still smell it on his skin, I was lucky enough to only work there on occasion.


 That's why its recommended to wear tyvek suit and stuff some vick up in ur nose.


----------



## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> That's why its recommended to wear tyvek suit and stuff some vick up in ur nose.


I was wearing PVC waders, had to throw them out, coz they still stunk after pressure washing and bleaching
I like the Vick idea though!


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Adamche said:


> I was wearing PVC waders, had to throw them out, coz they still stunk after pressure washing and bleaching
> I like the Vick idea though!


Back in my Union days we were sent in to tack weld repair panels in the sump/grinder storage tanks on a commercial Catcher/Processor fishing boat. I threw everything I was wearing that day away, including my respirator and hard hat.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Asking questions on the PZ without consulting his JP first.


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Adamche said:


> I'll, see your grease trap and raise it with, skin and hide effluent, it literally sinks into your skin. Evil stuff. Had a mate working there as a fitter, and 3 months after he left , his missus could still smell it on his skin, I was lucky enough to only work there on occasion.



Fetid grain in the pit under a grain elevator, a few years worth. We jetted it to liquid and then pumped it out. Rubber boots out with all your clothes.


----------



## red_devil (Mar 23, 2011)

I had my appretnice check all the mj bands on my sanitary today. Went down stairs and noticed water on the floor, he was undoing the storm drain that had 2 floors UNDER TEST!


----------



## Pipefitter56 (Apr 6, 2012)

We were testing all new underground we had put in in a plant..so the other helper was watching our stub up and making sure the water wasn't going to overflow..well he lit his lighter so he could see down the pipe and the water was pushing all the glue fumes out and a fireball came out and burn his eye brows slap off.. We laughed for days about it..they still haven't grown all the way back lol


----------



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Pipefitter56 said:


> We were testing all new underground we had put in in a plant..so the other helper was watching our stub up and making sure the water wasn't going to overflow..well he lit his lighter so he could see down the pipe and the water was pushing all the glue fumes out and a fireball came out and burn his eye brows slap off.. We laughed for days about it..they still haven't grown all the way back lol


Ha!...LOL :laughing: ....*intro, please*


----------

