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That one time an old timer taught me something I still use today
Back in 2014 I was working on a freight elevator in an old building downtown, and this veteran mechanic named Frank was showing me the ropes. We were swapping out a controller that had been running since the 80s, and he stopped me from just yanking the old wires out. He said, "Slow down, kid. Take a picture of the whole thing before you touch a single screw, then label every wire with masking tape." I thought he was being dramatic until I saw the birds nest of wires under that panel, it would have taken me days to figure out what went where. I still do that on every job, even simple ones, and it has saved my butt more times than I can count. Anyone else have a mentor who drilled something simple into their head that they still do?
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henderson.wesley10d ago
Yeah @diana20, you're spot on about the memory thing... I can't tell you how many times I've snapped a photo and then a week later I'm staring at it like "what was I thinking?" but the picture always brings it back. Frank's trick stuck with me because it's not just about labeling the wires, it's about slowing yourself down before you dive in and make a mess. I've got guys on my crew now who roll their eyes when I pull out the roll of masking tape, but they all do it too after they've had to trace one wire for an hour...
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diana2010d ago
Oh man, that Frank sounds like a legend! I bet that habit has saved you from so many headaches, especially with those old rats nests where everything looks the same after a while. Taking a photo is just good insurance against your own memory too, I always do it even for stuff I think I know.
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