The Industrial Maintenance Man

[arms1970]

I supply calibration equipment to a lot of industrial customers so I get to work with a lot of Industrial Maintenance and Intrumentation/Calibration Technicians.

I just love visiting all the work shops and seeing what they have in the drawers. Some shops use whatever **** they can get their hands on and some shops have setups that look like a GJ show off thread.

Everyone who walks in my shop, compliments. WOW is this clean, set up beautifully, organized, etc, etc. Plus you get a lot more business this way.

 

[Elvenhome21]

I work in a foundry, my location kinda gives it away which one. Shop supplied tools are a mix of Williams, SO, Armstrong and Proto. Employee supplied tools are generally craftsman at best. A lot of guys ***** craftsman is too expensive. I'm the odd guy there with the only SO tool box out of a 100 or so craftsman boxes between eight shops on site.

Got any manhole covers?

In our plant I don't think anyone has to bring in tools, it seems odd for a maintenance guy on hourly/salary.

To many people either dont return the tools or they walk out in lunch boxes. The only thing they supply by us are impacts, and a rollaround toolbox, everything else is ours. And our replacement policy is like pulling teeth because we lose so many tools inside of machines. So harbor freight is more then good enough.

 

[DenisG]

I like your "fab table" and I wish I had one for my home shop. I used to work in industrial maintenance (a while back) and we used Acorn tables, set about knee-high, and they had a good selection of "holdfast" clamps. Just hammer them down, and you're good to go.

 

[Elvenhome21]

I use a real wrench if if I can, I never use channel locks on a fastener unless that is the absolute last option, use the to bend tabs or grab stuff though. As capital maintenance my job is a lot more eclectic than production maintenance too. I have use for and use everything in my cart. I only use adjustable wrenches on pipe fittings and stuff like that. Most jobs is an allen key or socket with a wrench on the nut on the backside

By us everything is huge. if its under 9/16 ill use a combo wrench but anything above that an adjustable is the only thing logical being the places we have to climb/crawl into. Its hard enough to climb the ladders with the safety cages around them and not get the radio and wrench in your pocket stuck on every step. Plus time is money. They dont care what it cost as long as production is running, so get the machine running first then worry about what got fubar in the process.

instead of waiting for a welder to patch a hole, we use silicone to patch shot leaks. Or ratchet straps and rubber with silicone on it until another hole opens enough to justify a weld patch. Heck theres one hole on a shot shaker that has 3" thick of silicone on it because they dont want to put a new plate on the shaker pan.

 

[mrjaw14]

In a situation where you supply your own tools, it's mostly craftsman. It's reasonably priced, just good enough quality and readily available with a Sears store in every town.

The Wright, Proto, etc is not readily available except at maybe Grainger. And Grainger can be a real pita to deal with if your not dealing on behalf of your company.

Also remember, we are not flat rate. If we break a tool and have extended downtime, it's not money out of our pocket, at least not directly. We are on the clock whether we are working on anything or not.

Regretably, most guys are not tool hounds, snobs, collectors, polishers or have any more than a minimal appreciation for good tools. They all mostly would rather spend on boats, cars, motorcycles or whatever. Everybody has their one "thing" that they really like and appreciate and are not willing to settle for second best on and in this trade, tools and snap on tool boxes ain't it.

If my company had a grainger account I'd just go in there when I had to get parts and buy under the corporate acct but pay cash. That's how some of the maintenance guys at a hospital I used to work for got a lot of their personal fluke tools and such. That'd be an opportunity for me if if were available!

 

[MagnumForce]

If my company had a grainger account I'd just go in there when I had to get parts and buy under the corporate acct but pay cash. That's how some of the maintenance guys at a hospital I used to work for got a lot of their personal fluke tools and such. That'd be an opportunity for me if if were available!

We don't go anywhere for parts, they all get shipped. We don't deal with grainger anyway, Fastener, McMaster Carr or MSC almost exclusively.

I know what you mean about crawling in places with a radio on and a tool pouch. When I am on a man lift, scissors lift or ladder it's purely Adjustables. And good enough is good enough, downtime is money.

 

[Ohmthis]

I use the company account through grainger to get some tools. I worked automotive until 2007 and then went to a major shipping company (think brown). I cover about 400,000 sq ft in my area, tons of conveyors, motors, VFD, PLC, and such. I started with craftsman hard line tools, but have since changed to proto (except rachets (blackhawk, I don't really like the feel of proto ratchets)). The rest are Klein, channel lock, and fluke. My tools can't let me down and I work them hard, it's an investment that also takes care of my family, why not spend on quality. I provide my hand tools (has been that way everywhere I've worked) and company provides everything else. I agree it's never a dull day, I'm an electrician by trade, but do mechanicals, rigging, welding, fab work, electrical, and some small machining. Since I cover such a large area I have a drivable cart with a vice and a tool box on the back. I have 15 min to get the call, get to the area, find problem, and fix it before the S$&t hits the fan. Sometimes it can be a little nerve racking, but we always get the job done. I'll try and get some pics, not really supposed to be taking pictures at work.

 

[atwageman]

I use the company account through grainger to get some tools. I worked automotive until 2007 and then went to a major shipping company (think brown). I cover about 400,000 sq ft in my area, tons of conveyors, motors, VFD, PLC, and such. I started with craftsman hard line tools, but have since changed to proto (except rachets (blackhawk, I don't really like the feel of proto ratchets)). The rest are Klein, channel lock, and fluke. My tools can't let me down and I work them hard, it's an investment that also takes care of my family, why not spend on quality. I provide my hand tools (has been that way everywhere I've worked) and company provides everything else. I agree it's never a dull day, I'm an electrician by trade, but do mechanicals, rigging, welding, fab work, electrical, and some small machining. Since I cover such a large area I have a drivable cart with a vice and a tool box on the back. I have 15 min to get the call, get to the area, find problem, and fix it before the S$&t hits the fan. Sometimes it can be a little nerve racking, but we always get the job done. I'll try and get some pics, not really supposed to be taking pictures at work.

I'm curious.....who designed those conveyor systems for brown? SAE or metric? Or a little of both.

 

[Premium08]

Another maintenance man here at an aluminum extrusion/cast house plant. Im 26, going on three and half years in maintenance. We supply our own basic tools, but our boss is pretty good about buying us anything we need. In our new cast house plant a designated maintenance/fab shop wasnt designed into the plant and there really isn't much room, so we are having to make do with our boxes, welding machine, table, etc, which *****. To be honest im kinda fed up with the job, decent money, but its either stand around looking for something to do , or go go go to prevent downtime, with the occasional project work thrown in there. Not to mention its hot as balls working around molten aluminum.

 

[Ohmthis]

Atwageman, our newer stuff is designed by a German company and it's all metric. I'm not sure who did our older stuff, but it is all standard and built extremely heavy duty.

Premium, that's the maintenance way, feast or famine. But all in all it beats working outside all of the time and you know where and when you will be working. Construction and service weren't always consistent.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Companies who pull **** like that also sometimes wonder why they have labor or union problems over the simplest of ****. With that said the contracts I deal with have **** in them that deal with assanine things. It's sad when you have to write into a contract stupid **** like this, but sometimes you have to.

I'm a non union guy, but I have taken a few ques over the years from union guys on how to deal with out right stupidity from management in some plants. Everything needs to be on paper right down to the most assanine stuff.

Everything from roll cabs to **** breaks, to lunch breaks. Even $$$$ penalties to plant if they hold me up from doing what I have to do.

I am union industrial maintenance (millwright) . It is very important that things are documented and workers stick together.

We dont pay for our tools, we are not even suppose to bring our own tools in. Most of our tools are Snap on and Proto. We have a lot of older tools Bonney, mac, wright and SK. Most tools are industrial finish and we beat the **** out of them. My tool boxes are snap on and they are pretty old and well used but they are no where near ready to retire. I have them in an angle iron frame with fork boots on the bottom. so I can roll it around but it has gotten so heavy that It is beyond the point of rolling it around. If i need it moved I have to get a fork lift operator to move it and put it where I need it.

 

[Premium08]

Atwageman, our newer stuff is designed by a German company and it's all metric. I'm not sure who did our older stuff, but it is all standard and built extremely heavy duty.

Premium, that's the maintenance way, feast or famine. But all in all it beats working outside all of the time and you know where and when you will be working. Construction and service weren't always consistent.

Yeah its nice knowing where im going every day. Did 4 years with an electrical contractor, the concrete plant and the steel mill were the two places I dreaded working in the most.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Another maintenance man here at an aluminum extrusion/cast house plant. Im 26, going on three and half years in maintenance. We supply our own basic tools, but our boss is pretty good about buying us anything we need. In our new cast house plant a designated maintenance/fab shop wasnt designed into the plant and there really isn't much room, so we are having to make do with our boxes, welding machine, table, etc, which *****. To be honest im kinda fed up with the job, decent money, but its either stand around looking for something to do , or go go go to prevent downtime, with the occasional project work thrown in there. Not to mention its hot as balls working around molten aluminum.

I'll take aluminum over iron. Only thing I hate about alum is it sticks to you. Iron just sizzles and melts everything it touches. I've lost count how many pants I've had burn off me or how many burns I got when I was on the pouring line. And with aluminum most of the time its injection molded so its contained better unless you have flash stuck in the mold.

 

[atwageman]

Atwageman, our newer stuff is designed by a German company and it's all metric. I'm not sure who did our older stuff, but it is all standard and built extremely heavy duty.

Premium, that's the maintenance way, feast or famine. But all in all it beats working outside all of the time and you know where and when you will be working. Construction and service weren't always consistent.

In my world it's part metric and part SAE too. The thing I love about industrial maintenance is the broad scope of machinery I deal with. Some of what I work on is pre-WWII and other stuff is only a couple of of years old. Really enjoy keeping the older stuff up to snuff. Just the appearance of the older machines is cooler to look at. Kind of like looking at Chevy Bel Air vs a Honda Prelude. Lol

 

[Elvenhome21]

In my world it's part metric and part SAE too. The thing I love about industrial maintenance is the broad scope of machinery I deal with. Some of what I work on is pre-WWII and other stuff is only a couple of of years old. Really enjoy keeping the older stuff up to snuff. Just the appearance of the older machines is cooler to look at. Kind of like looking at Chevy Bel Air vs a Honda Prelude. Lol

The funny part about the ancient machines is most of them were so over build back then that even today they have original motors on them. Vs almost anything build in the last 20 years has gone thru 2-3 motor changes/complete overhauls.

 

[atwageman]

The funny part about the ancient machines is most of them were so over build back then that even today they have original motors on them. Vs almost anything build in the last 20 years has gone thru 2-3 motor changes/complete overhauls.

I hear you man. When I do encounter an old motor that does fail, I almost feel obligated to give it a proper funeral and burial. Lol. It's a testament to how well things were built back then, including some bearings I've come across.

 

[MagnumForce]

Presses are pretty much all we work with that can be old. Everything else is robotics, automation or stuff that changes every seven years or so at the end of program.

 

[MagnumForce]

Since someone asked about why my stuff looked so new here is the rest of my stuff in my other box. Most of it is **** but a few nice things in there.



My kick *** old Wilton. The daily punishment this thing gets is pretty awesome, use it to hold little stuff when I weld it a lot as well. Had to make up some t handle reamers out of some straight and cut wire and milling machine reamers today for some parts that was out of spec and they needed to do a quick massive rework on. Worked prefect for that.



My squares, all these are at least 5 years old. I really like empires, made in the USA and a lifetime warranty but they do take a real punishment in a welding environment so they are due for replacement. The blades are getting pretty marred up with spatter and the aluminum bases have taken some heat damage as well. I did break one of the tabs on one and as per the warranty returned it to Menards where I was told to just get a new one off the shelf. The magnetic angle protractor comes in very handy when making slides for flow racks into weld cells. That is one of my many old Tapes up there, my daily driver is a Fat Max Extreme. Always nice to have several around the work area but the Fat Max stays on me.



My crappy screwdrivers well the masterforce ones and the Wiha are alright. We can get side cuts and wihas from the tool crib.




A few round files, chisel and alignment punches which I have found are more or less useless as they are not for impact use. I have a really nice Tekton punch and chisel roll that I love in my other box. Files are also something we can get from the tool crib, drill bits and taps are also up there.



Hook and pick set which is quite nice for the money and since I rarely use them fine by me. Spring loaded center punch, t handle reamer and tekton scissors. A lot of HF **** in this box as you can see, I would not recommend any of it quite honestly but that is why I have much better stuff now. Oh also a tubing cutter I have had for years believe it or not, I just never use it! LOL Maybe a couple times is all.



Vice Grips, tin snips, pliers, some precision pliers I rarely use but can be handy and a set of Max Axess Combos which I got because they were cheap and I wanted something to remove stuff that a 6 or 12 point will not like square bolts.



Metric stuff in here as I do run into that stuff but usually when tearing stuff apart at my bench and not out on the floor. Metric and standard hex keys, a Shop Force (Tekton) Adjustable and Metric and standard Craftsman RP combos in a nice tray.



The rest of my sockets, crowsfeet, Metric and standard quarter inch stuff which generally only ever gets used at my bench, metric and standard deep wells in there craftsman RP ratchets in 1/4, 3/8 and 3/8 Flex Head Varieties. They aren't the best but they are reliable and also why they aren't in my go to box. Kobalt 3/8 standard and flex head are my daily drivers but I like my Craftsman Thin Profile so much I may spring for 3/8 low profile. Little stubby Tekton there too with 3/8 on one side and 1/4 on the other too.



Couple more hammers, Menards pry bars, easy outs and an extra 18 inch Pipe wrench to leave at the bench.



More HF junk, transfer punches and T handles, I am honest when I say I leave these out here all the time in the hope someone will "steal" them and I can tell my wife I need new ones. The Transfer punches are honestly "ok" but those T Handles are utter ****. I got them because I liked the included holder. I want to get a nice Bondhaus set I think.



Keep all this stuff locked up, IR 90 grinder and cut off wheel and a 4 1/2 inch Metabo. Welding helmet, torch, assorted other junk in boxes. Charger for my radio. I just need to weed stuff out but I have plenty of room to get rid of **** and replace with good!

As I said before, lot of **** in here but none of these are my daily drivers and most of it doesn't get used unless my other cart is at the other end of the plant and I need to quickly do something.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[91bronc300]

Where my son works, the presses don't bottom out. They explode.

US Synthetics I'm guessing.

 

[MagnumForce]

Die protection is your friend

 

[jagwinn]

Are there any Industrial Mechanics left?

 

[Dingleburry]

I work in industrial protective coatings manufacturing.

 

[trents99]

Are there any Industrial Mechanics left?

Have been for the past 11 years. Automotive stamping 200 up to 1000 ton presses, resistance welders, robotic mig weld cells, hydraulic rod/tube/wire benders. Technically we aren't asked to do it all but they don't hold back those of us that can and are willing to learn.

It's different day in and day out. Run overhead air/gas/water, run service feeds to new equipment, tear down and ship out obsolete equipment, machine repair/adjustments/setup, fab work, machine shop work, PLC and HMI changes.

Use a 28 inch deep Proto top box in the machine shop, Vidmar 8 drawer in the back for overflow, Blackhawk roll cab for mobile duty.

Mix of Proto, Craftsman, Blackhawk, Ridgid, Wera, Wright, Apex, SK and so on.

 

[zmotorsports]

I see that this is an old revised thread but it is good to see so many industrial maintenance mechanics on garagejournal. I've been at it for 30 years this week. I started just out of high school at age 19 as a PM mechanic pumping grease and cleaning machinery then worked up to journeyman, then lead mechanic, then shop foreman and for the past three years maintenance manager.

It has been a great career and the pay and benefits have been fair. I really wanted to go the automotive mechanic path but my brother was an industrial maintenance mechanic and always seemed to be doing well plus he made a lot of comments about not having to work flat rate and had better pay and benefits so I followed suit, just different company/industry.

I've been fortunate to have learned from a couple of great industrial mechanics who took me under their wing when I was younger and everything else has been self taught or school of hard knocks.

 

[Mr. T]

Are there any Industrial Mechanics left?

My paycheck didn’t bounce last week so that makes at least one!

 

[OccupantRJ]

I was a millwright and then industrial maintenance, then went on to be maintenance, electrician, machining, prototype development and warehousing manager, all at one time on the job I retired from last year. 45 years in factories all told.

 

[zmotorsports]

I was a millwright and then industrial maintenance, then went on to be maintenance, electrician, machining, prototype development and warehousing manager, all at one time on the job I retired from last year. 45 years in factories all told.

Awesome.

Congratulations on your retirement. That is what I am diligently working towards now. If all goes as planned only 10 years away. My wife seems to think that is an eternity but I try to tell her that the ten years will fly by and we had better be ready.

 

[toddmorr]

i have to say, reading this thread is really interesting. I have tremendous respect for you guys working hard, using your creativity to solve problems, and doing quality work.

Your careers could not be further from mine but I appreciate it nevertheless.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Awesome.

Congratulations on your retirement. That is what I am diligently working towards now. If all goes as planned only 10 years away. My wife seems to think that is an eternity but I try to tell her that the ten years will fly by and we had better be ready.

Thank you. So true on being ready. I made sure to save up enough separately in my workshop account over the years so that hopefully I will never run out of funds for expendables and projects. I told all the younger people I worked with that they better take advantage of the company matching plan if they wanted to be able to do more than sit on the front porch and rock during retirement! If a person lives paycheck to paycheck, there are going to hurt during retirement.

 

[matt_i]

I've got 20 years of working in automotive factories, first as a supervisor and the last 7 as a hands-on tech support person, where I work now, its heavy into fixing automation. Its a collection of odd jobs, construction jobs running electrical, air, setting up hoisting, going to runoffs at machine builders, aligning (shimming) pick and place, servo drive position-tweaking, adding various edits to PLCs and touching up robot points, other days its running the lathe, mill and or welders in the shop. I have about 5 more years than that if you counted all of the overtime hours as additional straight time but these days its scaled back to almost zero and I like it. No way could I have envisioned this career when I was young but I like it very much.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thank you. So true on being ready. I made sure to save up enough separately in my workshop account over the years so that hopefully I will never run out of funds for expendables and projects. I told all the younger people I worked with that they better take advantage of the company matching plan if they wanted to be able to do more than sit on the front porch and rock during retirement! If a person lives paycheck to paycheck, there are going to hurt during retirement.

So true. Our company just upped the 401k match so I am encouraging our younger mechanics to take full advantage of that of just one retirement avenue and get used to living below your means now and you will thank me later. Unfortunately that is another thing that seems to fall on deaf ears. You can lead a horse to water but you sure as hell can't make them drink.

 

[OccupantRJ]

They will remember you later.....

 

[Fierljeppen]

Can't speak for your neck of the woods, but in Chicagoland, we're dying for young talent. The American kids just don't have the interest or skills to fill the necessary technical positions in the factories. Even the young "Big Ten" engineering graduates are useless, not kidding.

I've been in industrial maintenance for 30 yrs., injection molding and facilities. I've really enjoyed the variety and challenging environment it's provided me. I doubt there's anyone out there who enjoys the factories as much as myself.

 

[Ohmthis]

Can't speak for your neck of the woods, but in Chicagoland, we're dying for young talent. The American kids just don't have the interest or skills to fill the necessary technical positions in the factories. Even the young "Big Ten" engineering graduates are useless, not kidding.

I've been in industrial maintenance for 30 yrs., injection molding and facilities. I've really enjoyed the variety and challenging environment it's provided me. I doubt there's anyone out there who enjoys the factories as much as myself.

I’m also a maintenance mechanic/electrician/HVAC tech. I started in automotive, then went to the food side, and I’m now with package sorting equipment (UPS). I love the different types of jobs I’ve done/do. I went through a 5year electrical apprenticeship and that is my main trade, but I do so many more. I had the opportunity to go back to school and get it paid for. So I went and studied welding, machine tool, plumbing (water/hydraulics/ pneumatics), and others. My mind always has something to think on and I learn something new all of the time. The industry is always changing and evolving, if you want to evolve with it, it is very satisfying.
Louisville is also having a hard time filling trades positions. I taught electrical theory several years ago to first year apprentices. When I go back for updates/continuing education, I see rooms empty. The director of the school says they are having a very hard time filling classes.
To keep in the spirit of the thread and to show some of my tools that I use. I’ll post some pictures. The first is my basic box, we only have to bring certain hardline tools and the rest we supplied. My cart is my most used tool. The area I cover is as long as two football fields and about 75-85 yards wide. It is three stories tall, a **** load of space to cover. It has a toolbox built into the back as well. Craftsman are most of my wrenches and sockets, although I’m replacing these as they wear out with Proto.

 

[Ohmthis]

Here’s my drawers

 

[Ohmthis]

And what I carry on my cart every night. My pouch has the basics of what I need. It has pliers, insulated screwdrivers, allen sets ratchet, wrenches and a small prybar. In the organizer is nuts, bolts, washers, electrical connectors, drills, and other small needed things. The two little pouches have various sockets and wrenches. And of course my impact.

 

[Lisamelting]

I've been at it for about 25 years also. And the northeast is also in need of younger talent to replace the older generation as they retire.

 

[customh]

The more I talk to people and read stuff like this I'm in a pretty good position to be in high demand for my entire career. I can't even find good help to work with me and I need it. Could easily keep another guy busy. I end up hiring guys from millwright companies and the like when I have a big job to get done and need more labor than just me.

I oversee maintenance of an 80k+ sq ft facility and everything in it. The company has been around many years but the maintenance program was non existent. I have built a shop, organization, and a tool "collection" that they never had. We have quite a dirty environment for now so I have been pretty adamant about not bringing my tools and box in.

"My" cart at work and welding cart are attached. I also attached a picture of the rolling cart that I'd like to replace the current poly cart with. The poly cart is unstable and overloaded and a vise and mobile bench area would be handy to have with me rather than having to go back across the building to my shop area. I wish the background of some of the pictures wasn't such a mess but I just don't have time to do more organizing with all of the other tasks I have to do.

 

[Ike4160]

There are over 400 working where I work at a pharmaceutical plant. Refrigeration / HVAC, electricians, millwrights, pipe-fitters, and instrument techs.

Most are using Proto, Snapon, and Craftsman tools.

 

[southernsontn]

ive worked in maintenance for almost 2 years at a steel mill. worked as a department mechanic at another place about 12 years ago, but left that for construction work. i got hired on at this mill and saw an opening for maintenance. Passed the tests and here I am. moved up to electrician and then to a shift lead, but i still do as much wrenching and wiring as I ever had.

mechanically, most of the equipment I work on was sourced from Noahs ark, and eleectrically, i work on everything from 24v control circuits, to 480 3 phase, al the way up to 600v dc. rarely, there is even the task of changing 4160 fusible links on incoming power.