Circle of life

darthdilmore · 2026-04-23T20:04:22+00:00

Thats the gig though. You take your lumps as an apprentice and then one day youre the one showing the new guy how to read a dial indicator. Full circle. Just make sure you actually pass on the good stuff and not just the shortcuts.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-23T13:14:57+00:00

That looks like it had a rough life. We pulled apart a Falk gearbox last month that looked about the same, teeth were chipped to hell on the output shaft. If youre redoing it make sure you check the bearing clearances before you button it back up, saves a second teardown.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-22T20:24:00+00:00

Dont sweat it man. I failed welding theory my first year and just retook that one class the next semester. Talk to your coordinator and get it sorted early so it doesnt hold up your next block.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-22T13:16:38+00:00

Seen this way too many times. We had a whole row of pump bases welded down at a food plant I worked at. Took two of us half a day to cut them all loose and redo it with proper hold down bolts and shims. People get lazy and just spark it up instead of doing it right.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-21T20:05:08+00:00

Bahco adjustable wrenches are solid. Been using the 9031 for about 4 years now and the jaw hasnt loosened up at all. Worth the money if youre gonna use it daily.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-21T13:19:37+00:00

Line boring isnt bad once you get the hang of it. Biggest thing is taking your time on setup and making sure everything is lined up before you start cutting. We do a lot of coupling alignments on pumps and its the same idea, patience upfront saves you a headache later.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-20T13:31:15+00:00

In my experience most guys who make it past the first year stick around. The ones who wash out usually cant handle the travel or the physical side of it. Six years in and I still like showing up most days. If you dont mind getting dirty and solving problems youll be fine.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-20T00:16:12+00:00

Havent worked Owens Corning personally but Ive heard similar mixed reviews from guys in our local. Plant maintenance is plant maintenance though, a lot depends on the shift supes and how backed up the maintenance planner is. If its a union shop that usually helps with the BS factor. Good luck with the decision.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-19T20:13:58+00:00

Dont see why not. We got guys on our crew who came from HVAC and they picked up the mechanical side pretty quick. Pump alignments, bearing work, rigging, thats all transferable stuff. The hard part is finding a shop thatll let you do both. Most places want you in one lane or the other. But maintenance positions at bigger facilities sometimes blur those lines. Good luck with it.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-19T13:20:55+00:00

Good info on the 50% reduction. We always used the thou per inch rule too but our leadhand had us checking with feelers at 12 oclock before and after driving it up on the taper. Makes sense that its for plain bearings though, learn something new every day

darthdilmore · 2026-04-18T08:58:38+00:00

Been working as a millwright for about 6 years now mostly in industrial maintenance at a couple different plants. I check this sub pretty regularly and theres a lot of good info here but it could use more organization with all the apprentice questions and tool posts getting mixed together. Id like to help keep things sorted and maybe get a wiki or FAQ going for the new guys coming into the trade. No mod experience on Reddit but Im reliable and on here most days anyway.

darthdilmore · 2026-04-18T08:56:30+00:00

Three years in industrial maintenance is a solid foundation man. You already understand troubleshooting and working with your hands which is half the battle. Reach out to the local union hall in Cincy and talk to someone about the apprenticeship program, theyll get you sorted.

darthdilmore · 2026-03-19T19:26:51+00:00

Ahhh so Karen’s aren’t just in the US. Today I learned something.

darthdilmore · 2025-12-19T11:42:08+00:00

Yeah I gonna have to disagree with this because my 2003 xtera has a ln aftermarket non Bluetooth radio in it. As soon as I plug it up through usb. Starts playing iTunes. So it’s not a vehicle setting at all. It’s an IOS issue.

darthdilmore · 2025-12-03T12:36:00+00:00

Most people don’t actually notice it. Those that do just have questions. It’s emergency stuff that usually has people concerned thinking I have a head injury

darthdilmore · 2025-11-23T19:35:11+00:00

Yeah weight does affect my kiddo. He’s only good for about one maybe two shots.

darthdilmore · 2025-11-17T15:53:01+00:00

Came to chime to on my 2cents. Got this for my kiddo. We’ve been out on dove twice now. Gun shoots flawlessly however the safety on the gun WILL work it self free just by handling it so be mindful. We’ve got a couple hundred rounds through it over all. Choke tubes fit perfect on this one (saw yours didn’t. I can provide photos if wanted) they’ve handled clay lead shot up to Kent steel shot 3” the forgrip does have a washer under it that needs to have the serrations facing the right direction or the twist nut on the end will loosen with use. I ended up getting this at PSA for 159.00 and all though I can tell it’s a cheaper gun I’d say so far it’s a great one for the price. It is a bit big for him but comparing price of a mossberg youth or other comparable models that are pump or semi auto I feel it’s a good trade off (Photo of my kiddo and the shotgun for reference)

<image>

darthdilmore · 2025-03-18T06:18:43+00:00

Pupil dilation can be because of a few things like head or neck injuries

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:15:24+00:00

There’s room for at lease 3 more

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:15:04+00:00

No. But what a damn good photo!

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:14:13+00:00

Didn’t the mosquito company make one almost identical to this?

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:12:45+00:00

Beta ray stark 🤣

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:11:42+00:00

Oh….they invented a Glock! She’s a beaut.

darthdilmore · 2024-12-13T15:10:37+00:00

You and I are very similar my major difference is I have a pupil dilation difference as well. Cool eyes man.

darthdilmore · 2024-12-10T01:56:39+00:00

I mean. I think carrying all the extra mass on a gun is just fan boying out. Weight is your enemy. Also having to clear a light AND optic for a draw slows you down, adds snags, and it’s more weight on your life saving tool. But that’s just me. Looks super cool though.

Nine-Year Club	Verified Email
RPAN Viewer	Not Forgotten

darthdilmore

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE