New Guests going Pro?

[Poodle Head Mikey]

We moved out of the house in this memory when I was about four years old - so it was before that age - call it two or three years old maybe.

Inside the kitchen refrigerator was cold and even had ice. But the parts outside and underneath and behind it were hot - I could feel them. My question to my mother was: how can that be? How do hot things make cold? Of course she had no idea, I was given some mumble-BS answer, and dismissed as asking too many annoying questions.

But the truth of the matter is that, in one way or another, even since then, I have basically never stopped asking that question.

And from the time of being a small boy I grew up with engines and machines. I always liked them. And they always seemed to like me. They always made sense to me. I spent quite a lot of time in those long ago and halcyon days with an old Italian aircraft engine machinist who owned and repaired exotic cars. Drilling holes and tapping the threads was almost a religious ritual: How well I remember the old well-oiled wooden cases with each tool laying in it's perfectly proportioned niche. The 'cutting oils' blended like fine perfumes; this one more kerosene, that one more drain oil, this one with some gear oil added. He insisted that you could feel the metal; that you could communicate through the touch of your tools and the direct touch of your hands. That you could find it's 'way' - the strengths and weaknesses; what would work and what would not work. At the time he did not seem like a madman. I guess he still doesn't, although except for my cherished memories, he has been dead for more than thirty years.

My own father was a mechanical bumbler. Of course; he could read the words in the manual and turn the bolts in the proper directions - but he never loved the machines. It was necessity rather than passion which had him doing it. It took me a long time to realize that.

Quite naturally I believed that something so obvious and intuitive was common to everyone. How was I supposed to know that everyone was not a mechanic? That everyone was not in love with machines and things to do with machines; the tools, the sensuous feel of finely machined surfaces, the power and strength obvious in the touch of a heavy casting. That is was not every soul in love with the smell of lubricants, and of fuels, and hot metal. Who could not be in love with them I thought? It seemed that only the dead and near dead; the soul-less, could possibly not be intoxicated.

And I suppose that is why the idea of massaging a part or machine back into shape, giving it new life and meaning, making it happy again, still seems so much better to me than pulling a new one from a box. Something that any fool could do. If it's beyond repair; fine; maybe we'll make something else from it later. But so long as it can be made whole again - there's the Magic.

[Wesyield81]

Hey I'm Wes I have been in the HVAC field for about 5 years now. It all started with my father who was more of a maintenance tech but lead me to go into the field. I went to community college an obtained my associate's degree in 2007. I lucked out in landed a job doing commercial refrigeration and kitchen equipment repair before I even graduated. I learned very quick that wasn't what I wanted to do. I am now the only service tech for a company that does mainly residential.

[barbar]

After 30 odd years in the business, from fitting my first thermostat on a domestic fridge, to being involved with complex systems, i can honestly say!
"The more I know, the more I know, I know nothing"
And that is why this industry is still the one to be in.

[jonathan8940]

Hi...I am jon athan from USA. I am new here and want to make some new friends.

[jmack1]

I took HVAC in high school and college then was surprised when i got out of college that it didnt really mean that much to some of the places i applied.I ended up finding a commercial service company who was looking for young employees to train.I wouldnt take anything for my schooling but I learned a whole lot more on the job.I think school helped me alot as far as teaching me theory etc,but real world experience will be you best friend.

[HVACRoy]

I've been gone for several months...during that time I changed jobs, worked to get my CDL with school bus endorsement, taken the classes that allow you to transport pupils, and more on topic for here, completed the "core" part of my classes for the 734hr HVAC school I am attending.

I am looking forward to my labs while working on the online part of the class, learning gas laws, how to figure cfm, all the basics.

The last quarter of 2011 was a blur. I hope to start hanging around more now that I am actually doing something related to HVAC.

Roy

[bradley63]

Greetings.
I am not only relatively new to hvacr, I am new to posting. Three years ago I took a year long hvacr course. Before I left my job to go back to school, I was the School Chaplain who helped with maintenance. I went back as the maintenance supervisor and still do many of my duties as a chaplain as well. I had intended to go straight into hvacr employment, but my old place of employment was the best financial option (I also get a substantial discount on my kids' tuition!) I also started my own business two years ago. The only drawback is that I have had to figure most everything out on my own without working under someone's supervision. I have one apartment complex and a few homes I work on also. I've been able to solve all those problems so far. I am here because I have not been able to get one of my work furnaces going. We have 16 Trane Voyager RTUs. I have been able to keep them going until now. (I also work on two for my wife--she manages a KFC) So now I begin my journey for 15 posts, so that I may ask some hard questions..... I am stumped! ;-)

[Kon99lbi]

I've been in this trade for about 5 years. Mostly doing commercial contruction, namely unit installs and pipefitting. Currently I am doing service work out of Walt Disney World FL.

I kinda stumbled on to this profession. Starting off as a residential installer, just trying to pay the bills. Got the opportunity to work for a large mechanical contractor where I was fortunate enough to become a member of the UA local 803 and earn my EPA Universal cert. I then realized that I had the smarts, the work habits, and the drive to succeed in this trade. I am still an apprentice. Spent most of my apprenticeship doing construction, but am now in my first service gig at WDW. I finally get to apply all that textbook knowledge. Very exciting stuff!!!

I've never participated in a forum before, but realizing the educational and social benefits of this community makes me eager to share my experiences.

[Dana259]

congrates to u. Im also in the Local 803 HVAC trade,2004 grad,and Im still learning new things everyday.Keep up the good work because in this trade your reputation follows you everywhere.

[hvacmike85]

Hey Im mike w from Indianapolis, super bowl town this week, kinda new in this site think its kinda cool and useful. I have been doing service for 2 yrs and install for 8. commercial and residential, no industrial exp as of this date. Hope if I have a question everyone will like to help because I wouldnt blink to help another tech in need of advice, two heads are always better than one

[Thomasg]

Welcome, not only do some of the senior guys help you out , but just reading other posts will give you a lot of information. My wife likes Facebook ,and I have this lol.

[mlc1955]

Good to have you guys here. We all need advise from time to time so ask away and hope you can help us to.

[hvacmike85]

exactly!!! this is a heat man facebook one thing I cant figure out is how to check if anyone commented on your post without going through them all surely im just not seeing it?????