Pictures for my good buddy Hal - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

MDShunk · 08-13-2009, 05:24 PM

Thought I'd post a picture of a small job where the requirement was to change out a 4-port tap for an 8-port tap. I post these so that Hal can tell me that I had no business doing it. Oh, I also ran out of Gilbert terminators. Shoot me.

Before:

After:

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 05:31 PM

You had no business doing this. You're a thief and a liar.

Black4Truck · 08-13-2009, 05:41 PM

Well, first off lets get the terminology right if you want to sound like you know what you are talking about. These are not "ends" or terminations. They are called fittings or connectors.

I have no clue what I am talking about and frankly I don't give a dam

Bob Badger · 08-13-2009, 05:46 PM

There will be special place in hell for you Mr Shunk.

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 05:52 PM

At least I know I'm not the only hack around here anymore.

Chevyman30571 · 08-13-2009, 06:45 PM

I would Fire my workers for doing a crappy job like that. That is absolutely horrible.

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevyman30571

I would Fire my workers for doing a crappy job like that. That is absolutely horrible.

Marc owns his own company so he would have to fire himself.

Kletis · 08-13-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Badger

There will be special place in hell for you Mr Shunk.

I will see you there!!

MDShunk · 08-13-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevyman30571

I would Fire my workers for doing a crappy job like that. That is absolutely horrible.

What, exactly, is so bad? It's certainly no worse than when I got there. I unbolted a 4-port tap and bolted in an 8-port tap. The cables were already messy. The work that was ordered didn't really include doing anything with the cables.

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 07:14 PM

That level of workmanship is just about right for cable companies. I have never seen them do much better.

MDShunk · 08-13-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter D

That level of workmanship is just about right for cable companies. I have never seen them do much better.

Yeah, really. It's not like someone's going to fool me into thinking that if they change out a breaker, they re-dress all the conductors in the panel to make the whole thing neat.

If I'd have had anything to do with this from scratch, it would have been quite different. In the mean time, just go with the flow.

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

If I'd have had anything to do with this from scratch, it would have been quite different. In the mean time, just go with the flow.

No, you must save the world and make it all perfect.

But seriously, that's the kind of mentality that I can't stand. Sometimes you don't have the time and/or budget to fix everything. Just go with the flow, as you say.

Chevyman30571 · 08-13-2009, 08:09 PM

Doesnt matter. If I was called out to a job to just replace to a larger splitter I would have taken the time to neaten up all of that crap. I always think of it as if the customer has to do something with the cable than they will see the kind of work that I did. If I did a crap job than I would not expect to be called back for anything else. I have l;earned over the years that when you do things nice neat and clean you always get more business down the road. I wouldnt even know where to start with that. Nothing is marked it is just done poor in my opinion. Although I have seen much worse.

MDShunk · 08-13-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevyman30571

Doesnt matter. If I was called out to a job to just replace to a larger splitter I would have taken the time to neaten up all of that crap.

Glad it's working out for you. I've been doing work in this particular building off and on for 15 years. This is the first I've had anything to do with the coax in this particular wiring closet. I did this service call in 5 or 10 minutes, which also had most of the building out of TV, some internet, and some phone during that time. People didn't tolerate that quick interruption very well, so I'd have had a mob scene if I took the time to re-terminate those cables to the appropriate length and dress them up nicely. I sleep perfectly well at night.

I'm not sure most customers know the difference between a neat job and a messy job. I've come to the conclusion that as long as the work looks sufficiently complicated and technical, the customer perceives it as being worth what is charged on the invoice.

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I've been doing work in this particular building off and on for 15 years.

I don't understand...you started in the trade when you were 15?

InPhase277 · 08-13-2009, 08:36 PM

That MC cable is also strapped to the EMT. Should have added some one-holes while you were there. The quad RS cover on the box is also an older style that only held the receptacles with one screw. Should have changed that out to a newer version with three screws per receptacle.

Chevyman30571 · 08-13-2009, 08:58 PM

I have to agree with you on that. When you are working on a building and u take off cables and internet and phones People always get pissed at you. You do have to do things fast. I would have just told them that it needed to be cleaned up to clean up signals.

MDShunk · 08-13-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevyman30571

I have to agree with you on that. When you are working on a building and u take off cables and internet and phones People always get pissed at you. You do have to do things fast. I would have just told them that it needed to be cleaned up to clean up signals.

Lied to them? Only to probably charge the same amount as swapping out the tap? Yeah, no thanks. I was already on to the next service call. Time is money. This one was a fixed fee, agreed upon ahead of time, so it was just a quick in-and-out.

wildleg · 08-13-2009, 09:54 PM

oops wrong hal

Peter D · 08-13-2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

Lied to them?

Because you've never been deceptive before, right?