Had to pick up the kids at cleanup time. They help half the time with sweeping and loading tools. Yesterday they wandered off, but documented their crimes with my camera.
Today, I’m looking at the pictures…thinking, you kids are idiots…I’m an idiot.
I freaked out on them and told them the truss package they were climbing on could have done a big teeter totter move & droped them on the parking lot. Any one hear of that happening? How much weight might it take to tip a truss pack like this over?
“Usually, they are good kids.”–like everybody’s kids. I will have to fire the cleaning crew if there is any more horseplay.
Replies
How much weight might it take to tip a truss pack like this over?
More than your cleaning crew can provide as long as the bands aren't broken and they are setting stable to start with.
BTW you have better looking clean up crew than most I have seen.
Take a bow.
Dave
That was a well banded package on flat & level asphalt. Still gave me the heabyjeabies seeing the 11 year-old up there. That little monkey likes high places as much as I like having my feet on the ground. She likes the balance beam in gymnastics--she would be a good wall-walker. I'd be trying to set trusses & she'd be doing a tumbling pass on the top-plate.
My daughter used to spend summers on the job with me. Not always a good idea. But she was a good kid and usually spent the day playing in the truck or sorting my various supplies (plumbing parts, screws and so on). I hope you didn't come down to hard on them, That's what kids do. When my daughter got old enough I paid her 10 cents a screw to help hang drywall, ever see a sheet of drywall with a screw every 2 inches in every stud? I almost went broke, but it was worth the belly laugh.
I like the idea of the kids helping. I only bring them at cleanup time, when everyone is through working for the day. They learn quite a bit. When they sweep, I watch them pause and look at the progress of the day--wheels turning--then they ask questions and comment on things they like, etc.More kids should probably help parents with the family business. In construction, there is a fine line there. What can and what should kids be able to do and when? I don't always know. It depends on the kids & job and other factors. My kids crossed the line, I think. I still want to involve them. Just need to remind them where the line is.
I helped my dad when I was a kid; I'd sweep, run and get him tools, sometimes the right one, sometimes not.
From watching my dad,and grandfather, I decided that I didn't want to be a carpenter; they worked WAY too hard.
But I changed my mind after a few years of college; this year will be 31 years working as a carp.
And we couldn't have kids, so I can't share my work with them.
Enjoy working with them while you can. Their interests will change soon (think boys) , and them climbing those trusses will seem MUCH safer<G>
"Their interests will change soon (think boys) , and them climbing those trusses will seem MUCH safer<G>Now you're skeerin' me.The 13 year-old is starting to get chased by boys already.
I got ten of the little darlins, suppose I could take a couple more. I look into their eyes and say "yes Virgina, there is a Santa Claus".
You shoul'd have posted those moments on a previous post!
Something to do with the most rewarding times of your life.
TRIGGER
I would be more worried about the trusses falling over sideways than teeter-tottering.
That's a REALLY bad way to store trusses on a jobsite.
"That's a REALLY bad way to store trusses on a jobsite."My post was misleading...it was "my jobsite" as I was working at a Menards, installing kitchen showroom cabinets. The trusses were stored on nice flat, level asphalt, in the yard--waiting to be delivered to their jobsite.I still wonder if it is good to store them "on edge" in the yard.Edit to add: They do take up less room on edge, I guess.
Edited 4/29/2006 8:18 pm ET by basswood
I was thinkin' the same thing....and... What happens when they break the bands open?If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
I would hope that when they get delivered to their ultimate destination, that they are set "on their side". I personally wouldn't wanna be within 20 feet of that particular stack if someone was breaking open the bands." If I were a carpenter"
> What happens when they break the bands open?
Perhaps they pick them up on the forks of a telehandler, tilted back, and break the bands with them supported that way. Then lift them up where they go.
-- J.S.
just yesterday I had by boy on a site with me.
all I had to do was move a fridge out of the kitchen .. so the floor guys can do their magic next week ... into the garage. It became my responsibility after I told the HO we could work out some deal and have their "old" fridge end up in my kitchen ...
and .. I had to do a blue tape lay out of the cab's so the floor guys know where to patch in.
so ... the drive time took longer than the work day. Had to pick up an appliance dolly first ... figured I'd run the boy with me instead of dropping him at grandma's.
he's 4.5 yrs old ... listens real well ... is a bit shy around new people ... so that helps keep him in line too. The electrician was there ... he's got 8 kids ... and the HO lady was home ... and I knew she wouldn't mind. Jobsites like a happy kid.
Corey helped by staying out of the way and sitting "on that chair" as we wheeled the fridge out. He helped by sweeping where I had to lay out ... then smoothed the tape down after I laid it out.
Even ran the "dumb end" of the tape from wall to wall as we "read the map" of where the cab's were to go. He liked the part where he could "draw" on the floor with a pencil. I had him mark the toe kicks at 20" to give some slop ... he's pretty good at setting the tape down ... and making a big fat pencil mark at or around the number 20.
I'm pretty amazed at what I got him doing with a hint of precision already.
Not that he can "read a tape" ... but he can read the number's and put a pencil line somewhere near them. I've worked around helpers that can't mark to the nearest inch!
Just tonight ... he helped put my new chopsaw stand together ... I held one end ... he lined the holes up and put the bolt thru ... I held the bolt ... he stacked the washers as I handed them to him ... then ... he actually got the nuts started! First time for that ... I set the crescent wrench(loose) ... told him to "pull it towards Dad's knee" ... and he made a few turns ... I said "till it gets too hard" ... so he'd just say ... "hard" ... and hand me the wrench.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
dumb end of the tape? I'll have to remember that one.LOL
Learn sumpin' new every dayIf Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
Jeff
I have a 5 year old and its kinda fun taking them to the job site now and then.
But, I'm having a bit of a problem with one of your comments;
he's 4.5 yrs old ... listens real well ... is a bit shy around new people ...
How is it possible that you have a shy kid!
I'm thinking you'll cure him of that.
Doug
yeah ... maybe the mailman is a quiet guy?
kid's always been a bit shy ... takes a while to warm up ... then ... look out!
we've always said we prefer it that way ... not much chance of him running off with a stranger ... his first instinct is the stand back and give the ol' skunk eye ...
to prove he's mine ... once he does start talking ... he never shuts up!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
I remember starting TJ out like that and he loved it . When I worked in the shop on my own time keeping him he got to do a lot of stuff I should have been doing but he was learning .
Then came three years of cub scouts with me as a scout leader.
Hes 11 now and Ill have to say hes a good hand solo at many things. He works hard and tries to be fast. I always have him watch me if there is nothing to do, as I watched dad. Right now he knows every tool in the shop and the truck and where its at which helps me greatly. Ive spent a lot of time explaining and its paying off . Man oh man the questions hes had. He should be a top hand at 18 yrs of age which is what Im shooting for. All in all I think Im the one thats been blessed gaining the relationship. We are very close and it would not have happened if I did not have the time to mess with him. I cant wait for him to get off the buss every day. Im the first thing he looks for getting home . Thats awsome right there I dont care who ya are . What a gift.
Of all the things I appreciatate about my dad , the one thing that I cherish is my knowledge I got from him and all those times spent working for him. If we had not had all that , he would just have been a normal dad that didnt have time for me . There are so many of those . I know because my friends had them.
Tim
Good to know others involve their kids with work. It can be a great thing, at the appropriate time and place...with cool homeowners and a cool kid. Sounds like you have a prodigy on your hands.
Where's their hard hats------ then again where's mine, oops.
Pic is too dark, but that wood to the right of me is on a ledge of the roof 498' to the sidewalk. DW was in total panic while she was takin the pic.
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Do you look to the government for an entitlement, or to GOD for empowerment. BDW
"we are the people our parents warned us about"
awww...cheap labor...
I love taking my kids to work with me any chance I get...and they love to tag along. What they really like is when we have to make a dump run...they call it "shopping for treasure!"
Here's a couple of pics of a few of my crew with me...the first in my 4 & 5 year old helping out the best they can...(sorry for the double post..hit the button 2x)...the second is my 5 year old...he did this all on his own...the last one is the whole crew with me on a Saturday picking up junk from a site...how do they always find the "good spots"??
btw...nice looking crew..must take after their mom...:P.
if i were you..i'ld keep a tight leash on that crew...I'm soooo glad I only have one girl to worry about!
knowledge without experience is just information.... Mark Twain
Politicians, like diapers, need to be changed often...and for the same reason. (bumber sticker)
http://www.cobrajem.com
when my son was 3-4 years old he "helped" me renovate a piece of rental property i bought to live in while we renovated home. he loved to throw pieces of wood out the window opening into the truck. at the dump, i would put him on top of the cab to supervise the dumping.the last job before moving in was refinishing the oak flooring. he wanted to help stain the floors, so i gave him a little bucket with a tiny bit of stain and a small trim brush. what could go wrong with that? apparently, he watched when i painted because the first thing he did was dip the brush and give it a fling to clean it out. white walls and ceiling, dark stain. after i quit laughing, i reprimed and painted 2 walls and the ceiling.
Good looking crew. Glad to see you are teaching hearing protection as part of the safety course.
BTW that mud puddle isn't deep enough. My 9 year old grandson likes them at least to the frost line (makes papaws' face turn red pulling him out).
Dave
Thanks for the kid pics. I turned one of my Sons loose with a paint brush one day. Stuck an old T-shirt on him and let him paint an old cabinet in the basement. The cabinet looked like heck, but he had a ball. BTW - I've never re-painted the cabinet. And my Son still laughs when he sees it.
We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees [Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks]
Yesterday they wandered off, but documented their crimes with my camera.
Kids just love the digital cameras. My 17 year old daughter went to a party with her camera and took lots of shots of her under age friends drinking. She then posted them on MySpace.
Talk about incriminating!
Fifty years ago, my Grandfather bought four water pistols for his grandchildren and turned them loose in a rental property that needed multiple layers of wallpaper removed. After several hours of all out war, the kids and the paper both fell on the floor at about the same time. Brilliant man.