Heavy equipment operators of treasurenet!!

[Guns Blazing]

Thank you everyone for the good advice, I have written a lot of this down. The school is ATS in Wisconsin, has anyone heard of the school? I am so excited? What are the hardest and easier machine to run?

 

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[TJE]

Thank you everyone for the good advice, I have written a lot of this down. The school is ATS in Wisconsin, has anyone heard of the school? I am so excited? What are the hardest and easier machine to run?

No machine is 'hard' to run, unless you don't enjoy it!
Alot of hard workin men and women...giving honest advice on here.
Only thing I could add is...don't just be aware of everything/everyone below and around you...but also above you..ie. powerlines, trees, manmade or natural overhangs, even copters...every jobsite may/will be different, depending on what piece of heavy equipment your operating.
Awareness and calmness produces Saftey! ... Happy Trails

 

[AbTexEx]

Ask lots of questions about everything
Even if it sounds dumb or redundant


Ask anyway


It's the things you don't know that get you in trouble


Old school was:


"The keys are in it, fuel pump is behind the shop"

AJones

 

[Guns Blazing]

Ill have my metal detector and im going to search the surrounding area in my down time, are there any stories of equipment operators uncovering any treasures?

 

[Chug And Red]

Don't run over your Bosses Foot!! LMAO Yep dump truck!!!! And alway take your Detector With you!!!

 

[BosnMate]

Easy does it on the hydraulics. Smooth is the word. Get the feel, it's easy to slam bang. Ease into the control, you'll get the feel and it'll come naturally.

 

[cooper1841]

Started bottle collecting, when I was operating. My labor's knew to stop me if we uncovered any,, and we allways did. Started collecting then, and did so for 25 years, Mostly civil war, and pre- civil war that I kept

 

[Gold Maven]

Ill have my metal detector and im going to search the surrounding area in my down time, are there any stories of equipment operators uncovering any treasures?

Back in the early 1980's in central Ohio, an Amish dozer operator was shoving over a barn to make way for a strip mine when he thought he saw a shimmer of gold. He got off the dozer, and sure enough there were 10 and 20 dollar gold pieces scattered all over the debris. He had another man with him, but wanted it all for himself, so before his co-worker saw what he found, he filled his lunch box up, and went back to work. Later he admitted he didn't get all of the coins.

He got them home, and over the next few days started feeling guilty, and went to the owner of the company to feel him out. He asked the boss what would happen if a treasure was found, how would the finder be treated, the boss probably could read the Amish guy like a book, and said that he would make a fair split with the finder.

The Amish guy brought the gold in, it was right before the price went up in the 80's, and it was sold for over $250,000. Probably about 2 million today. My Uncle worked in the office, handled the coins and was privy to the numbers, he said the boss gave the finder $ 500.

Research showed the farm was built in the 1880's, and shortly after moving into the area with his family, and building his house and barn, the man died suddenly, and his family could not find where he had hidden their money.

It was in the barn, between the floor of the upper level, and the ceiling of the lower level.

 

[RushinPA]

Stay away from the stakes......old surveyor story if you are lost, pound a stake in the ground and flag it, an operator will be by shortly to take it out. On the same note, drove by a new subdivision today, seems the recession has sucked all the talent out the area. The cleared areas was so filled with stakes, you could not drive a small skid steer without taking one out. Sometimes the GC's want you to stake everything out today, when they are not ready for it till May. Must have been over three hundred stakes of all colors in the ground.

 

[Bum Luck]

Thank you everyone for the good advice, I have written a lot of this down. The school is ATS in Wisconsin, has anyone heard of the school? I am so excited? What are the hardest and easier machine to run?

You're going to come out of the school with just the basics, no experience.

It's a bit pricey, I've heard.

 

[fishstick]

Alot of good info here for you to take in. ALWAYS pay attention to your surroundings. Pay attention to other operators and watch how they do things, it wont take you long to know which ones are good and bad. IMHO learn to run a HOE, they are easier on the body. After you get some seat time under your belt try to get in a GPS class because alot of jobs are goin to them. Good luck and BE SAFE!!!! LOCAL 181......

 

[Keppy]

I'm new here, but I've got about 40 years operating experience. The best advice I can give you, is the same advice that an "old timer" told me when I first started operating. "You will learn something every day that you operate a piece of equipment. The day that you don't learn something, is the day that you need to get off of that piece of equipment, because you'll never get any better than you are that day".

..... Well i have been around it and done most of it for over 40 years............... And still do part of it part time.......... And there are days that i don't learn something ...A lot of days...most days i don't learn something new .............. For WHEN YOU ARE GOOD YOU ARE GOOD... I NEVER HAD A ACCIDENT AND NEVER HURT ANY ONE............. LIKE I SAID WHEN YOU ARE GOOD YOU ARE GOOD .........

 

[mtau]

I've never hurt anyone either. As far as accidents; does 130ton piece of equipment out of control on ice, count? Or 1000ft highwall failing, and almost burying you. Yes, I've had a few "accidents", but I have never destroyed a piece of equipment.

 

[mtau]

Thank you everyone for the good advice, I have written a lot of this down. The school is ATS in Wisconsin, has anyone heard of the school? I am so excited? What are the hardest and easier machine to run?

There is no piece of equipment that is hard to operate, if you know what you are doing, and no piece that is easy, if you don't. Everyone has their own learning curve, so there is no standard for becoming a "finish operator" It took me about 10 years to become a blue top blade operator, but that was before GPS units. It's lots easier now.

 

[Bum Luck]

Ill have my metal detector and im going to search the surrounding area in my down time, are there any stories of equipment operators uncovering any treasures?

Yes. Keep your eyes open; you'll easily see dirt that has been disturbed before, and vertical shafts are easy to spot. Chunks of dirt, bottles, plaster, etc. are the more obvious signs.

Misery is what keeps more people from digging; but a machine conquers that.

As a surveyor, I'm always on the lookout for signs of man, but the more subtle ones take some skill and practice.

 

[Guns Blazing]

I'm glad I started this topic!!! Such good info, call me a dreamer but I'm looking at used excavators on Craigslist, I want to own my own business someday. But first things first, I gotta pass school, I leave may 6th, signed up, done deal. I hope my dreams of this working out don't implode.

 

[Sackett]

I work around heavy equipment a lot. Some operators are great, and others are terrible. I've seen some pretty hi drama and amazing work.

I really believe it is a gift. You either have it or you don't. If you're one of those that doesn't, give it up so you don't kill somebody.

Yes it is a gift, sometimes it can be taught to those who have the gift, but have never been around the equipment to know. It seems to me that it is the "blood" , yes in the genes, The Owen side of my family can run anything that moves, and fix the things that don't move so they will move, born with it. I was born with the gift and did not have a clue until I was 18 and went to work as a mechics helper...i started out as a "tool getter" but soon learned that I had the gift..the Fisher side of my family can't...My dad "thinks" he can run a tractor will a 3 way bucket,,,,WATCH OUT...hahaha, but seriously it can get you killed graveyard dead in less than a faction of a second...my dad has been on helicoptor ride to a trama center!!!!