Electricity and Muscle

You see titles of blogs and magazine articles that are some variation of "Hand tools vs. Power tools" quite often.  It should not be "versus" anything.  These titles should be "Hand tools AND Power tools."  The tools you use to produce furniture and cabinetry should suit your situation.  That's all there is to it.  Sure, I have my own opinions on the subject, which I will get to later on, but let's concentrate on the real goal.  Giving mass-produced furniture the middle finger by building your own furniture.  I've rambled on (and on) about school districts across the US eliminating shop classes, so I won't go over that again.  What I am going to do is describe some situations and then state my reasons for the tool kit you might consider having.  Ready?  Go!

The beginning woodworker.  Think of the beginning woodworker as someone who didn't have the benefit of prior training.  No Cub Scouts/Boy Scouts, no shop classes in school (either due to no shop classes or choosing not to take a shop class), Dad wasn't around or simply wasn't a DIY kind of guy.  This type of person does not have the benefit of prior training to start with.  So, where do they start?  Well, if they have decided they want to try woodworking they have, most likely, seen a TV show or helped some friends with a project.  Deck building seems to be a common entry into woodworking.  Don't knock the deck building.  There's a lot of that going on and it's usually completed in a weekend with the help of many people.  This type of project is so common that there's an unspoken kit of tools for the job.  A chop saw, a cordless drill (or two), a post hole digger (usually a powered rental) and a hammer.  There's no joinery to speak of as everything is just screwed together and the required skill level is pretty low.  Design ideas usually come from some sort of "DIY" magazine or a "Home & Garden" show on TV.  These deck projects usually have, at least, one guy like me who has some experience.  I keep my mouth shut and do my best to help things along.  I've had some strange looks showing up to these things with my own tool box filled with *gasp* hand tools.  Power tools are much better suited to this particular type of project, but with so many people involved, electrical outlets are scarce.  I can set up somewhere out of the way on my saw benches and cross cut boards with impunity.  I'm no hand saw master but I can saw more than square enough for a deck project.  Inevitably, a few people will start talking to me about the tools I'm using.  I'm happy to explain what each tool is and what it is used for.  A lot of beginning woodworkers are spawned at these deck building parties.  Decks are a common "gateway" project into other things.  The newbie will probably pick up a woodworking magazine or two, watch some DIY videos or, rarely, pick up a book about woodworking.  The common route for these people when it comes to tool purchases usually start with a power tool kit, the tools they saw being used during the deck project.  Chop saw, cordless drill, hammer, tape measure (usually one that's way too long) and maybe a speed square.  It's a good tool kit to start with as a lot of things can be built with those tools.  The downside is that it is expensive.  Not having much experience, the new woodworker will probably go to a box store and purchase the cheapest power tools.  I see two big problems with that path.  Cheap power tools aren't going to last very long (inefficiency) and the user, usually, doesn't have any training (safety issue).  So, for a beginning woodworker, I would recommend the same tool kit, but that they replace the chop saw with a hand saw.  I know that sounds strange to recommend a tool that will require MORE effort, but let me explain.  When I'm talking to people about cars, one of the things I tell them often is that they're not as complicated as they seem.  Each electronic part on an engine replaces something mechanical.  A throttle position sensor (TPS) replaces a carburetor's accelerator pump.  Crankshaft and camshaft position sensors replace a distributor, a throttle body and fuel injectors replace a carburetor.  Now remember, I'm an old SOB.  I started in my career when carburetor's still existed on cars and fuel injection was still a "new" thing.  I've trained a lot of mechanics of my age and have learned that these old guys learn better when comparing new stuff to old stuff.  It's the same with woodworking.  A chop saw replaces a cross cut saw.  A table saw (in normal use) replaces a rip saw.  Powered jointer = try plane, powered thickness planer = jack plane, random orbit sanders = smoothing plane, routers = molding planes etc, etc.  A new woodworker with a chop saw assumes that when they set the saw to to 90 degree stop that their cuts will be square.  Well, you all know what happens when we assume.  It makes an ASS out off U and ME.  So, we've covered exposure to woodworking, exposure to tools and the desire to dive deeper into the craft.  What's next?

A kit of hand tools.  That's what I recommend.  As with car parts, modern power tools are nothing more than replacements for traditional hand tools.  And in order to understand your power tools, you need to understand the hand tools they replace.  A new woodworker isn't going to know what a quality hand tool is.  I certainly didn't.  And here's a wake-up call.  You won't find many good hand tools in the box stores or hardware stores.  There are some good tools, but not as many as there was 50 years ago.  Here's what I recommend, and these can be had from a box store.  Time to use the list function (I'm part German and love organized lists)

• Hand saw.  Get a 20-ish inch "sharp tooth" saw.  They will get dull and can't be resharpened, but they will be a good starting point.
• 12' tape measure.  You don't need anything longer and you don't need the "Fat Max" either.
• 12" combination square.  About the best you'll find in the box store is from Johnson Level.  Don't skimp on this.
• Framing square or large "speed square".  The potential of these tools is something you'll grow into.  Again, get the best that is available. The framing square can also do duty as a straight edge.
• A decent cordless drill.  Think Milwaukee, DeWalt or Bosch.  Don't buy the cheap stuff.
• Brad point drill bits.  1/8th inch to 1/2 inch set will do.  Montana Brand is a good choice (if available).
• Coping saw and spare blades.
• Set of chisels.  3/8" to 1" is a good start.  Again, get the best available.  Irwin/Marples is common in the box stores and are of decent quality
• Sharpening stone.  You will find a coarse/fine Norton stone in most box stores.  Not  the greatest, but it will suffice.  You will quickly learn what a sharp tool can do.  Don't purchase the "cutting oil" displayed next to the stones.  ANY oil will be fine.  Even olive oil.
• Block plane.  I normally wouldn't recommend a block plane, but the so-called jack planes in the box stores are complete garbage.  You should be able to find a decent Stanley block plane (get the adjustable mouth version) at these stores.
• 16oz. claw hammer.  You won't find a decent hammer at the box stores but, at least, get one with a wood handle.  If you can get on E-Bay, you'll find old, good hammers all day long.  Regardless of your source, get a wood handle.  They can be shaped to your liking.
• Counter sink bits for screws.  At the minimum, get one for #8 screws.  
• Nail set.  If you're using nails, you'll need a way to set the heads below the surface of the boards.
• Awl.  This will work for marking holes or (in a pinch) scribing lines.\
• Workmate "bench".  As hand tool benches are concerned, these are horrible.  But, you need a work surface and a Workmate style contraption will do in a pinch.

Some of these tools are the predecessors to power tools.  Some of the tools have no "modern" equivalent.  There is so much you can do with the above-mentioned tool kit that I can't begin to list it all.  Would some of the operations performed by the listed tools be easier with power tools?  You bet your ass!  So, why am I recommending these hand tools over their electrical powered equivalents?  The kit of tools I've recommended can be had for much less than a powered chop saw or router.  They're also not dependent on electricity.  If the power goes out, I'm not in a bind except where light is concerned.  They're also more portable.  You don't need a power source other than your muscles.  The cordless drill could be replaced by a brace and bits, but you'll have to scour E-Bay or flea markets to find that stuff.  The tools I've put on that list can do a lot of woodworking.  They could build a tool box to house those tools.  Most importantly, at least in my view, those hand tools will show you how wood works in a way you would never get from power tools.  Woodworking is all about exploiting its weakness to get to its strength.  This small kit of hand tools is also portable and quiet.  A great benefit for people living in apartments with no dedicated shop space.  You need to start with this tool kit before moving on to power tools.

Now, what about power tools?  Power tools, for me, eliminate the drudgery of some hand tool operations.  I have no plans to get rid of my table saw.  My table saw is used for ripping boards to width, mainly, and for a few other operations.  A small case project, for me, isn't worth firing up the table saw.  However, if I'm making a large project that requires a lot of repeat operations, the table saw will be used often.  Especially if that project is being built out of plywood.  I guess I would say that you shouldn't think of power tools as tools.  Think of them as an apprentice.  An apprentice would be doing the rudimentary tasks of sizing boards to length, width and thickness.  Still, I think you should spend time learning to size your stock with hand tools.  When you do, you will be able to appreciate what the craftsmen of old accomplished and also how easy power tools have made things.  Again, when the power goes out, how is that thickness planer going to help you?  It won't.  A jack plane will.

You should start woodworking with the basic kit and go from there.  Your interests, available time and skill development will show you which path to follow.  It doesn't matter if  you turn into a power tool woodworker or a hand tool woodworker.  Your start should be with simple hand tools.  Just continue on with your craft and build your own furniture, your own cabinets, your own spoons and bowls... Whether by electron or muscle, each thing you build is, as Christoper Schwarz writes in his book "The Anachist's Tool Chest", "Woodworkers generally labor alone, producing objects that are the result of just our tools, our minds and our hands.  And the objects that we build are a slap in the face of the chipboard crap that is forced down our throats at every turn."

Go get some tools and start building stuff!

Craftsmanship (an alcohol fueled rant)

There's a time and place for craftsmanship and then there's a time and place for getting things done.  The box you see here is one of my latest projects and is going to one of my nephews.  He was recently sworn in as a deputy at the local county Sheriff's department and I wanted to make something special for him.  I selected some of the best wood I had on hand, carefully prepared that stock by hand, cut the dovetails by hand and am at the point of putting some sort of finish on it.  A project like this is worthy of my best efforts because it's not something that will be thrown away when fashions change.  It's also built well enough that it will outlast (by a long margin) any crap that you can find at your local Ikea store.  This simple box will, probably, go through a generation or two of future family members.  It's totally worth the effort I put into it.  Then there's the Limbert-esque bookcase I have in my living room.  It was in an issue of Popular Woodworking and I thought it was something I could make.  I found out the hard way that my skills were not up to par with the project.  About five years passed from the start of that project until completion.  When I look at it all I see are the glaring flaws, but that's a self inflicted punishment all woodworkers seem to have.  That bookcase is one of the things I've made that will probably get handed down from one generation to the next.  Again, worth my best efforts.

A woodworking magazine editor recently put a photo up on their blog of a kitchen drawer that had been dovetailed.  By hand.  The reasons given were "practice", "Good therapy", "Lack of efficient power tools at home" et al.  Fine.  Whatever trips your trigger.  The reason this editor was getting so much crap, from other woodworkers, was because this editor is trying to sell the house.  Why is this fact important?  I'm glad you asked.

In this day and age people don't know quality cabinetry from a hole in the wall.  They don't give a rat's ass either.  The overwhelming trend is people thinking good furniture comes from Ikea and kitchen cabinets are purchased from the local Orange Borg.  Again, whatever trips your trigger.  What you people don't realize is that the cabinets you're purchasing from Lowly's are mass produced like cars and toasters.  They're made to match whatever kitchen styling fad is current and they can only be expected to last until the next fad comes along.  Period.  I look at these assembly line cabinets regularly and can see the signs of CNC robots everywhere.  It's probably a long shot, but I'll assume you know what a dovetail joint looks like.  You might be browsing cabinets at the Orange Box, will pull open a drawer and notice some dovetails.  "Ooooh, look Muffy.  Dovetail construction."  Yeah, dovetails made by a computer aided machine.  The cabinet doors will probably be "cope and stick" instead of mortise and tenon.  And that "Antique Cherry Finish" that you're drooling over?  It's plywood.  Sorry to burst your bubble.  Does it really matter?  No, probably not.  You'll fill your kitchen with whatever is trendy and then, ten to fifteen years later, rip it all out and replace that stuff with something "modern."  You should be ashamed of yourselves.  You, through your lack of knowledge (thanks for cutting all those shop classes public school systems across the US!) are the reason real quality cannot be found in every store.  If you found a local woodworker and asked him/her to make you cabinets for your kitchen, you would pass out when told what it would cost you.  The shit you find in the box stores is cheap because there's hardly any craftsmanship involve.  It's all assembly line CNC stuff.  It's not made to last for generations.  The factories are giving you what you want.  Low prices, simulated styles and just enough quality to last until you change your fucking mind again.  Sad.

What really irks me is that the people creating the demand for cheap, lack-luster kitchen cabinets are often the same people who haunt antique stores.  Where the hell do you think those "antiques" came from?  Ever think about that?  You should.  Those old blanket chests, tables, secretaries, wash stands, dry sinks, chairs etc came off the workbenches of men (not being sexist, women weren't doing this sort of thing way back when) who were working with hand tools and ages old construction methods.  That's why those antiques you treasure so have lasted as long as they have.  Just look at all the shit DIYers are making with old doors.  Headboards, dressing screens and such.  Ever ponder why those doors are still around?  In a hundred years from now, you won't be finding any "antiques" that have been put together with pocket screws.  The public demand for lower and lower prices drove all those old craftsman out of business.  It became a factory thing.  And what is the goal of a factory?  Lowest possible overhead and highest possible profit.  Quality?  Meh.  Whatever gets the "product" through the warranty period and then nobody gives a fuck. 

If I was planning on selling my house I would not waste any time or craftsmanship when replacing kitchen cabinets.  The chance the next owner would even know what a dovetailed drawer looks like, much less a  hand cut dovetailed drawer, is slim to none.  I'd thrown effort only into the drawer pulls, door knobs and cabinet doors.  Those are all anyone is going to be concerned with.  "Ooooh, look Muffy.  Those drawer pulls have an antique brass 'finish' on them."  Hook, line and sinker.  I would spend my skills only on things that I could take with me.

You need to stop treating cabinetry and furniture as disposable items.  You're the problem.  Quality furniture and cabinetry is going to be really, really expensive.  But it will last many lifetimes.  The cabinets in my kitchen are original to the house.  They're ho-hum in style and lack dovetailed drawers, but they were built when people still gave a damn.  Despsite the lack of dovetails, they've lasted 60 years and counting.  Get a subscription to a woodworking magazine.  Just one year will do.  After you've read every issue cover to cover, go to the local box store and look over their cabinets.  I guarantee you'll see them much differently than you did a year prior. 

"Queen of the Road. Dan Rather Reports."

Watch this video  Queen of the Road: Dan Rather Reports.  Dan Rather is damned good at his job.  I think there should be more journalists like him.  On to the "meat" of this article.

The issues covered in the video are real.  The running joke in the trucking industry usually involves a Swift Transport driver not being able to back up.  Sometimes the joke runs true, sometimes it doesn't, but when you're involved in the trucking industry you can see where the problems lay.  Trucking is all that different from any other industry.  It's a cross section of humanity but in rigs that are hurtling down the highways at 65mph and at gross combined weights of up to (and sometimes over) 80,000 lbs.  There is also a shortage of drivers.  The trucking companies (the large ones) are like airlines.  Moving product (freight for trucking, people for the airlines) is what counts.  "Butts on seats" is what it is referred to.  The trucking companies need their rigs to be moving in order to make money and people are required to drive those trucks.  To the large trucking companies, the drivers are nameless, faceless "wheel holders" that are a necessary evil.  It's not much different than working an assembly line for a large manufacturer.  We shouldn't pretend to be shocked that workers are treated like cattle.  It's always been that way.  The critical difference is in the assembly line itself.  If a machine operator fucks up, they could get killed.  One person.  If a truck driver fucks up, a whole busload of kids could get killed.  That's a pretty big responsibility and the majority of drivers I've met in my line of work are aware of their responsibility to the public at large.  A rather outspoken statement for a guy who just fixes trucks for a living?  Sure.  But there's more to it.

My employer requires me to keep a valid CDL (Commercial Drivers License).  As a mechanic I often am required to road test big trucks and in order to road test trucks, must be able to do it legally.  My employer "trained" me and payed for the written tests and the road test.  My employer also pays for the medical examinations I am subjected to every two years.  Fair enough.  My "practical" training was mostly driving trucks into, and out of, the shop.  After watching the video I linked to above, I had better training than a lot of actual drivers.  I probably spent more time backing trailers in the shop's yard than I did driving forward.  I drove a tractor (no trailer) with the boss exactly once.  My major "on the road" training came one day when we had to do some container hauling.  You see, we haul empty shipping containers, as a secondary business, for another company.  This other company rents containers to people.  The company finds the closest vendor, calls them, tells the vendor where the container needs to be and we deliver it.  It's something providing income for our shop that isn't too much hassle.  I spent a day with the boss delivering, dropping off and picking up containers.  It was good practice, along with the stuff I did at the shop, for my road test.  I passed my road test the first time and have held a valid CDL since.  That's my personal experience as a driver.  But what about my experience with the actual trucking industry?  Next paragraph.

My experience with the trucking industry revolves around the service calls I run as a mechanic.  I can split the industry into two components.  The owner/operators and small "mom & pop" companies versus the big companies.  Generally speaking (the exception makes the rule), the owner/operators and small companies take better care of their vehicles and have more experienced drivers.  The big companies (think JB Hunt, Swift, CRST, Schneider etc.) usually have well maintained equipment, as far as can be expected for such large companies, but the quality of drivers is pretty bad.  Don't think for one minute that I'm stereotyping these drivers.  I do realize that most drivers for large companies are still wet behind the ears.  Still, some of them shouldn't be driving a big rig.  A couple of examples.  I get a call service call requesting wrecker service for a truck that is stuck at a loading dock.  I get out of bed, go to the shop, fire up the wrecker and head out to the location.  I find the rig at a loading dock which hasn't been plowed (this is during winter by the way).  I ask the "driver" to try and pull out of the dock so I can see what I'm dealing with.  I only see the rear drive tires spinning.  "Do you have the forward drive axle engaged?" I ask.  I'm met with a blank stare.  I climb the steps and look into the cab, "Put your hand on the right side dash panel and put your finger on a switch.  Now, move your finger down one row.  Move your finger to the right-most switch.  That switch engages the forward drive axle and it will give you a little more traction.  Flip that switch.  See how the little light on the switch comes on?  Now read the text below the switch.  "Engage at any speed except during wheel spin out".  Only flip that switch when you need extra traction.  It's not meant for normal driving down the highway.  Got it?  Good."  The driver flips that switch and is able to pull out from the loading dock.  I had to get out of bed, drive to the location and teach the driver something they should already have learned.  Repeat this situation as necessary.  It isn't so much the driver's fault as it is the company's.  The company needs "butts on seats" and the drivers need a job.  A match made in hell.  But what about the owner/operators?

Owner/operators (I call them "Independents")  are usually more experienced.  How did they get that experience?  Most of them were company drivers at some point.  They had to start somewhere, right?  I hate to put it this way but it's the only way I know that will be easy for you, my dear reader, to understand.  Owner/operators are trucking whores.  At least in the beginning of their careers as owner/operators.  A typical O/O started driving for a big company, realized they were just a number instead of a human and saved their pennies so they could buy their own truck and be their own boss.  Those first trucks they own are normally pretty close to being worn out, but they have to work within their budget.  The O/Os that make the wrong choice purchase, on a rent-to-own basis, a truck from their former "big company" employer.  Not a great idea.  Big companies buy trucks that are "economical", meaning they get a good deal from whomever will give them a good deal.  Think Freightliner.  Don't get me wrong, Freightliner makes some good trucks, but the majority of them end up being fleet units.  I like to say they're the Chevy Cavaliers of the trucking industry.  They do the job and are reliable, during the warranty period, and perform as expected.  But, there's a catch.  Freightliners (the Columbia model is an excellent example) are purchased by the big companies not so much because they're good trucks, but because they're fairly cheap.  A big company will purchase a shit-load of Columbias (now called Cascadia) because they can get a good deal on them.  Freightliner wants to sell trucks.  Period.  If a big company calls and says "I want 200 tractors with this, this, this and a red/white paint job"  Freightliner is going to get a hard-on and give the customer what it wants.  The company that buys these trucks will, most likely, run them for three to four years and then get rid of them.  The Freightliner Columbia/Cascadia meets that demand and does it well.  However, Freightliners don't age well in fleet service.  The big companies know this.  They have number crunchers to advise on things such as truck service life, maintenance costs etc.  So, when the company driver decides he or she's had enough of the corporate bullshit and wants to go out on their own, the company, being run by number crunchers (Profit is priority number one!) knows that the "rebellious" driver is already familiar with the company equipment, is fairly new to the industry and is gullible, will present the driver with a "rent to own" program.  The driver is made to think they're getting a good deal.  The driver thinks "Gee, the company maintains their equipment pretty good and is willing to sell me, someone who wants to strike out on their own, one of these well maintained trucks... What can go wrong?"  Plenty.  Plenty of things can go wrong.  These prospective O/Os are gullible as fuck and vulnerable to boot.  Their only experience in the industry is with a company that doesn't give a crap about them as people.  Freight.  Moving freight is their only priority.  Moving freight equals profit.  Remember that.  So, the company knows they have a "rebel" on their hands (they've seen it hundreds, if not thousands, of times before.  Don't kid yourself).  The company also knows they're going to be continuously turning over their inventory of trucks.  What could be better than to make their inexperienced/gullible drivers think they're trying to "help" them by selling them one of their "quality" used trucks?  It's a trap.  The company gets to unload equipment that would have been replace anyway, they get to keep the services of the driver (who doesn't know any better), they don't have to pay for the now independent driver's benefits or insurance, they can dock the new O/O's pay for "maintenance" funds, conveniently provide at the company's own shops and the company, basically, owns that driver until that worn out truck is paid for.  To put salt in the wound, by the time this naive O/O has paid for the truck, it's already worn out.  A big company is not going to sell a truck that is still capable of making money.  It's a trap a lot of noob drivers fall into time and again.  I've fixed these trucks many, many times.  Would you like to know how to spot these poor souls?  It's easy.  Look at the truck and find the "Leased to..." or "Operated By..." decals.  If the truck those decals are on is either a Freightliner or Volvo (the big "fleet" truck brands) you can bet the person driving it is a brand new O/O.  Are there exceptions?  Sure.  A lot of O/Os are hired guns that sell their services to whomever pays well.  However, when you see the "Leased to..." decals on a truck and there isn't a shadow of another companies decals on the door, chances are the person who owns the truck has already been through the mill and has already been taken advantage of by some big company. 

These wise O/Os sometimes start their own small companies.  If you care to notice, these drivers are usually in their 40s.  They usually had to get their start with some big company in order to gain experience and, in a lot of cases, their CDL.  Once they have some experience these drivers find out they can get a better job with a smaller company that, sort of, gives a damn about their drivers.  This is the point where drivers learn a lot about the business.  The next step leads down two different paths.  The semi-experienced drivers either get a better job or go out on their own.  Only the smart drivers can make it on their own.  If you meet one, ask them about their operating costs.  The smart ones will be able to tell you, almost to the dollar, what they're spending on fuel, insurance and maintenance.  These are the people you will, most likely, think of as the stereotypical over-the-road truck drivers.  You probably won't meet the others because they weren't smart enough to run their own business.  Now, what about the differences in safety?

As I've previously mentioned, big companies are mostly concerned with moving freight.  Butts on seats.  The slick recruiting campaigns and reduced (and mostly unregulated) training standards practically guarantee a steady stream of wheel holders.  Bottom line.  That's all the companies care about.  If the company you're thinking about driving for has a recruitment video, you'll be a piece of meat.  Nothing more.  Recruitment videos indicate the company has a large demand for drivers.  Why do they have a large demand for drivers?  They have a large demand due to high turn-over rates.  The question you would have to ask is "Why is their turn-over rate so high?"  They treat their drivers like cattle.  That's why the turn-over rate is so high.  Therefore, the drivers are almost always new and inexperienced.  Much more so if the company has their own "training" program.  As mentioned in the video I posted at the beginning of this article, there isn't a whole lot of regulation when it comes to issuing people with a CDL.  Taking into account the perpetual turn-over of drivers at these big companies (Swift, CRST, JB Hunt, Schneider, Covenant, US Express etc.) one can assume the driver behind the wheel of one of these companies' trucks is almost guaranteed to be inexperienced.  The drivers that have been through the company CDL mill are going to be quite dangerous out on the road.  They haven't been given enough training and are learning on the job.  Learning on the job is just fine when a person is working in, say, a bakery.  It's not OK when a person is learning while in control of a 40,000 ton machine that is sharing the road with everyone else.  The system is broken and in a big way.  Think about how often you see stories about gun violence on the news.  If you own a firearm, you know how many hoops you have to jump through in order to own one.  It's easier to get a CDL, and there are, probably, less guns in schools than there are inexperienced truck drivers sharing the roads with school buses.  Here is where the owner/operator comes into play.

The typical O/O has been through a company mill.  They've been taken advantage of, they've learned the hard lessons of trucking and they're hungry for change.  A successful O/O will have started with a new (or, at least, a slightly used) truck.  Overwhelmingly the trucks in question are going to be Peterbilt's or Kenworth's .  You'll find a smattering of Volvos (think BMW motorcycle owners) and Western Stars, but PACCAR (the parent company to Peterbilt and Kenworth) is the popular choice.  And for good reason.  The common Peterworth (a slang term meaning either a Peterbilt or Kenworth truck) is built to outlast the warranty period.  For those of you unfamiliar with big trucks, think of the Peterworth trucks (does NOT include the Peterbilt 387 or Kenworth T2000 series. These are worse than Freightliner Columbia models.)  in more familiar pick-up truck terms.  Peterworth trucks are like Ford trucks with the Lariat package or, similarly, the Chevy trucks with the Z71 package.  Loaded, but not overly so.  The Peterworth trucks, as previously mentioned, are built better, are easier to maintain and last longer than anything Freightliner currently offers.  Mack trucks?  They're total crap these days.  The saying "Built like a Mack truck" has gone from being a compliment to being an insult.  I hate Mack trucks with a passion.  Mack hasn't made a good truck in the last twenty years.  International trucks (since the introduction of the ProStar line) are also worse than Freightliners.  International hasn't had a good truck since the S series and the old, square cab 4300 straight trucks disappeared.  The main point I'm trying to make is that the experienced drivers and O/Os are mostly driving trucks that they know perform well.  But, how does the safety aspect come into play?

A small time O/O knows that if his truck isn't rolling down the road, she/he isn't making money.  Therefore, the typical O/O will spend more time and money maintaining their equipment.  After all, a regular inspection is cheaper than a service call.  The typical O/O will spend more time looking at their truck than a company driver.  They'll notice fluid leaks and strange noises long before a company driver would.  A company driver usually has the attitude of "It ain't my truck."  If the engine starts, the brakes release and most of the lights work, the company driver is OK with that.  Of course, each company has a handful of drivers who actually give a damn and will "write up" any problem, however minor, they come across.  It's then up to the company to take care of the issue.  But, some companies know they have their drivers by the balls (or ovaries) and will use their power or "drive or be unemployed" against the drivers.  The sad reality is the driver assumes ultimate responsibility.  The driver is "Pilot In Command" and therefore holds ultimate responsibility for whatever happens.  The "I was told to falsify my log book" or "The company told me they would have the brakes fixed after this run" will NOT hold up in court.  Or your conscience.  If your dispatcher asks you to do something and the little voice in your head advises to the contrary, don't do it.  You may lose your job, I won't lie, but you'll be able to sleep at night knowing you did the right thing and didn't willingly (PIC, remember) put others in danger.  An O/O has already been through that situation and knows better.  They are their own boss.  If their truck is unsafe to drive, they are responsible for taking care of it.  They are responsible for calling the customer and saying "Hey, my truck's brakes don't work and I'm getting it fixed right now.  The load's going to be a few hours late."  The customer may be pissed and not call you again.  That's the risk and O/O takes.

As a mechanic I've dealt with experienced drivers and total noobs that were, obviously, put behind the wheel long before they were ready.  As a mechanic (and you as a driver), there is a responsibility to make sure things are done in a safe manner.  As a driver, you are responsible for knowing when something is wrong and I, as the mechanic, am responsible for returning that truck to you in a safe operating state.  If either of us hear "we'll take care of it after this run..." we need to put our collective foot down and say "No!"  Drivers also need to know they have the support of the government behind them.  If a driver is getting the run around from his company where safety is concerned, that driver should be able to refuse operation of the vehicle in question without fear of getting fired.  The trucking industry isn't quite to that point, but it's getting there.  Slowly.  How many more people will have to be killed before things change for the better? 

Remember, YOU are the Pilot In Command.  Thanks for reading.

The New Guy Part 2

We have yet another "new guy" at the shop.  I've had to deal with a lot of piss-poor mechanics to get this one and I'm elated that he's with us.  I'll refer to him as "Igor".  Igor has the necessary skill set to make it in the crazy business of a truck shop (or any shop for that matter).  He's young and just finishing up his education at the local tech school but he's smart.  Really smart.  He's had one job in a truck shop prior to arriving at our door so he has some experience.  He can weld steel and aluminum, he can make stuff, his brain is hard-wired for troubleshooting problems, he has the right amount of paranoia ("Did I tighten that drain plug?)...  Sure, he's still pretty green, but he remembers the lessons the rest of us are teaching him.  Igor's very receptive to the "lessons" I have for him.  For example, we had a customer come in with a KW T-600.  One of the complaints was regarding the A/C belt not being there.  I had already peeked under the hood before I put Igor on the job so I already knew what was needed to remedy the problem.  After Igor was done poking around under the hood he came to me and said "It's needs an A/C belt."  I replied "OK, is the tensioner OK?  What about the idler pulley?  Is the compressor seized?"  He responded with "Uh, I didn't look at that stuff."  I turned that into a lesson.  Serpentine belts usually don't just break, something else causes them to fail.  Sloppy pulleys, tensioners that don't tension the belt anymore, seized A/C compressors etc.  I told him that I had already looked at it and knew where the problems lay.  We both went over to the truck and I explained that whenever he was confronted with a missing/broken belt he should check everything that is driven by that belt.  "Here, spin the tensioner pulley.  Hear how it growls when you spin it?  It's junk.  Same with the idler pulley."  Repeat this situation at least once a day.  Each thing that us old farts can turn into a lesson makes Igor a better mechanic.  What's even better is that Igor knows we're not being assholes by pointing out things he missed, he understands that we're teaching him.  After all a diploma from a tech school is, really, only a license to learn.  Igor also has some sense of financial responsibility.  He's not constantly broke, he doesn't have a huge balance with the tool guys.  He also isn't a habitual tool borrower.  Being new, he knows he's going to need a lot of tools but doesn't really know what tools to get.  If he borrows something from me more than a few times, he'll get his own, within reason.  I wouldn't expect him to go out and buy a $300 puller set at this point in his career.  That stuff can wait.  But he has acquired the more rudimentary tools that he's had to borrow from me.  This kid is definitely worth the time we'll spend on him.  He's been such a breath of fresh air that I couldn't help but take him under my wing.  I even let him put his tool box next to my tool box.  The conversation at the end of the shift is just as important as the conversation during the shift.  'Ol Rob did the same thing for me when I was at the courier company.  I have a responsibility to Igor.  He has what it takes to be a good mechanic and my job is to help him develop his skills.  I don't take that lightly.  One of the previous "new guys" that I've written about wasn't worth the time.  I knew it right from the start.  The old guys like me can tell within the first week if a new guy is going to make it or not.  Igor is going to make it. 

Some Day I'll Have to Give Her Up

The day is fast approaching when I'm going to have to say "good bye" to my girl.  I ordered this truck from the Chevy dealer in 1993 and some nice people in Pontiac, Michigan made it for me.  At that time I was driving around in the first car I owned, a 1978 Malibu Classic, but my Dad wanted me to have a reliable vehicle.  Dad had already been battling cancer for some time and he wanted, as Fathers do, to make sure I would be OK.  He knew he wasn't going to be around much longer so he put some pressure on me to get a new vehicle.  I was working at the grocery store at the time and didn't exactly have a great income.  The only reason I was able to swing it was because I was still living with my parents.  I was still living with Mom when made the last payment.  I, reluctantly, sold my beloved Malibu to my best friend so I would have a down payment.  Dad and I went to the dealer and he helped me through my first (and only so far) new vehicle purchase.  I remember having to pass on some options because I couldn't afford them.  No air conditioning, no automatic transmission (I don't like automatics as it is), base engine (2.8L V-6), two wheel drive, short box... The "black out package" gave me a black grill, body color bumpers and black plastic wheel well trim.  I picked the color because it was similar to my Malibu.  I know there's other S-10s out there like mine but I've never seen one around here.  The first things I changed about this truck were the shifter (Hurst) and the push bar (Hooker Pro-Steel).  The push bar isn't one of those bolt together, bumper mounted pieces of shit you see on most trucks.  The thing came to me as one piece, welded together and mounted to the frame.  Some of the best money I've ever spent.  The Hurst shifter eliminated the shitty factory stick.  Both products have served me well for over twenty years.  There's been various lights, headlight covers, wheels, roll bar over the years but what you see is what has been around the most.  The factory wheels eventually went away and I had some simple chrome wheels on it for a long time.  I eventually sold those wheels and replaced them with the wheels from an '82 Cutlass that I had for a short time (should have kept that car).  Those wheels remain to this day.  The box, left door skin and left fender are replacements due to accidents, but the rest of the body is original.  It's also very rusty.  The power train is original and, believe it or not, the u-joints are still the original equipment.  The starter last until 235,000, the alternator, fuel pump and clutch all got replaced between 118,00 and 130,000 as precautions.  I was commuting at the time and couldn't afford break-downs.  The replacement clutch I put in at 130,000 is still in it.  I had to replace the fuel tank a couple of years ago due to rust.  I threw in a new pump and sending unit because it was a good time to do it.  The coolant pump also lasted until 238,000-ish miles.  The truck hasn't liked radiators though.  It's currently on number three.  The factory rear brakes and ball joints didn't get replaced until 2013.  Twenty years after I picked up the truck from the dealer.  I can't complain at all.

I cared for her over the years.  There's only been a few times that someone else worked on her.  I didn't baby her though.  She's spent most of her life outdoors, not in a garage.  On occasion I asked her to tow more than she was rated for, haul more than she was rated for and go longer between services than normal.  She's never let me down.  The only times I've been stranded with this truck were due to my own stupidity.  Running out of fuel (once), flat tires (twice), dead battery because I left the lights on... But I can't stop the onslaught of time.  Not long after I bought my house, the 'ol girl started rusting away like there was no tomorrow.  I realized it was  pretty bad as the rust blisters started popping up all over the place and the box floor started to bow quite a bit.  My first instinct was to start looking for body parts but I thought "Ya know, she's had a long, hard life.  I'm just going to take care of her and let her age gracefully."  I've heard people tell me I'm nuts for continuing to put money into her.  They haven't owned the same vehicle for over twenty years.  This truck has gone beyond being identified with me.  It has become part of me.  I have friends whose children were born, grew up and graduated high school since I've owned this truck.  I've lost a Father, Brother, two Grandmothers, two cousins, an Uncle and a best friend since I've owned this truck.  I've shown up at a whole lot of weddings, funerals, birthday parties, baptisms, reunions... with this truck.  Hell, I wasn't even of legal drinking age when I picked  her up from the dealer.  There is so much of me and my past linked to this truck that I can't help but be sad that I'm going to have to let her go.  The thought of it had me crying on the way home from work today.

'Round about the time I made the last payment of the loan (she was in the body shop the day I made the last payment) I decided that I was going to be the only person to own her.  Ever.  Well, technically speaking I co-owned it with the bank for the first five years.  But you get what I'm saying, right?  Right.  She's too old and too run down to even think of trading her in for something else.  I also can't stand the thought of someone else driving her and running her into the ground.  No, I won't let that happen.  I decided that when she becomes too weak to continue in service that I would decommission her and let her have an honorable end.  Her cab is becoming so rusty that she's having a hard time staying in shape.  I thought, briefly, about finding a new cab but realized it wouldn't be the same.  It wouldn't be "her".  No, when the day comes (she'll let me know when that day is) I'm going to have a decommissioning party for her.  I want all my friends and family at the party.  I want to hear their stories about her, I want to take them for the last rides, I want them to take a turn at the wheel....  Then I'm going to disassemble her.  I haven't decided how far I'll go, I just know it will be far enough that she can't be used in any other vehicles.  I plan on keeping a few pieces as mementos, but the majority of her will be recycled into new steel.  I know the day is coming, and soon, but I want to put it off for as long as possible.  I can't.  I can't ask her to continue on only because I'm afraid of not having her around anymore.  She's earned an honorable end to be sure, and I intend to give it to her.  At over 242,000 miles and starting her 23rd year of service... I can't complain one bit.  Maybe we can have one more summer together.