[TheForge] Werk smart, not hard

[Best, Dianne]

Hope ya'll fergive me if'n I ramble off on a little story...

Phlip wrote "I work with and encourage women in the craft, and the first
thing I have to teach most of them is that women don't have the extra upper
body strength guys do, generally- we can't afford to be sloppy or casual.
Instead, we need to plan our moves more carefully, and use leverage and
careful forethought, where most guys will sling their piece wherever..."

Many, many years back, I hired on at a BIG factory as a millwright. They
wanted somebody with electrical/'lektronic background (which waz me) 'n' I
waz to take over as afternoon-shift foreman after 2 weeks on days (to learn
the lay of the land). The intent waz that they would add 4 to 6 more
millwrights on my sift as time went on.

Whal, I'll tell ya fellers! A lady millwright in heavy industry in them dayz
waz 'bout as welcome as a fa#t in a elevator! Them big burly fellers
figgered I otta be home cookin fer a hubby 'n' a bunch o' kids instead of
wranglin mechanicical stuff, hydraulics, 'n' so forth. T'weren't NONE of 'em
willing to come on my shift with me 'n' "work for a woman"!

One of the jobs that came up periodically was to replace a 25 HP electric
motor on a molding machine (of which there were 60). The motor sits on a
ledge about 4 feet off the ground 'n' weighs many hunnerts of pounds. The
normal method of swapping motors waz ta get 4 or 6 guys tagether 'n' lift
the old one down 'n' lift the new one up 'n' pry it inta place with
crowbars.

When I went on to afternoon shift by myself, the first job on the list was
to replace a dead motor. Now I could see the fellers hangin 'round the
maintenance office at the end of their shift, waitin fer me ta come beggin
fer help. After disconnecting the shafts, mounting bolts, 'n' 'lektrical, I
went walkin toward the back of the plant knowin that at least six of them
waz hangin out of the door of the maintenance office wonderin where in he!!
I waz goin.

I come back with a lift truck 'n' a chain 'n' slung that motor off as easy
as ya please; swung the new one up, positioned it, 'n' set 'er down without
breakin a sweat.

Next day, when I come on shift, 3 of the fellers from day shift come to talk
to me - they wanted to join my crew. I asked 'em why. They said, "We figger
we been doin things the hard way for too long...." Gave me a smile, that
did. Had meself one he!! of a crew.....

Gonna sign off fer awhile - switchin over from me work E-mule to me home
E-mule - but we'll look fer ya'll again in a couppla days.....

Calamity Jane





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