Mechanic Wisdom

xjwmx

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What are some of the tips that get you through the day as a mechanic?

One thing I do is I always finish tightening some group of fasteners I'm working with before I allow myself to be distracted or take a break. That way everything is tight and I never have second thoughts about whether I tightened something that's now sealed up deep inside some assembly.

What are some of your tips, preferably mental tips, that you've learned or developed for yourself over the years?
 
I talk to myself, and listen to the paranoid voices in my head! Being an aircraft tech since 1988 and having not hurt or killed anyone with my efforts, I guess it works for me.
I work through a stage of the job, and then do my own quality assurance check before something gets closed up and I move to the next stage. At work, it was always someone else inspecting, and I'd walk them through the steps in the book as a review for myself as well, even though I'd already done it mentally myself. Since I'm mental, I HAVE caught myself a few times over the years having made a mistake, and caught it in my review. For the past few years, I'm the inspector, so I have the tech walk me through the steps in the manual, and a surprising number of times, something is missed. Guess that's why we do it the way we do.
BTW, good advise to ALWAYS finish an installation sequence before walking away, then remind yourself when you return of what you done last and re-check it.
As my old boss used to say, "It don't always seem like we have the time, but we have all day to get it right and ZERO time to do it over"
 
Ditto on the staging. I modularize the job into compartmentalized mini-jobs, no interruptions/distractions/breaks during, small reward on completing each stage...
 
Double powder is kick too,as a auto tech we are pushed for time but we have to make sure it's fixed the first time it hard some times as warranty work pay's about 1/2 the
time it takes to do and cp work just is not there any more,exp for oil changes and that pay's well,ha ha ha.as a auto tech for a GM DEALER we are pushed for fixed wright the first time,and are on flat rate pay (payied for work not the time we are there) and don't get payied for come backs and still have to have a high csi score,so we recheck and retest before we give it back to the customer.and as the auto market go's down the tubes we are getting less and less time to repair the high tec crap they build (sorry about that ) any way we just check and recheck!!!
 
When a buddy comes over I put down the wrenches, it never goes well with the distractions.
I try (often unsuccessfully) to avoid the hurry up, finish up, go ride.... until the loose part falls off drill.
 
plan, prepare & execute!

(mostly) i try to visualize the steps of the task. next i set out all parts, tools, lubricants, rags, gloves and anything else i might need so i'm not scrambling. depending on how complicated the task is i might dry fit everything together first.

pictures, video, notes, books, forums are all great tools to take advantage of.

disclaimer: i certainly don't classify myself as a 'mechanic', predominantly an enthusiast. however, the tips above have carried over into other professions i've worked.
 
Keep a clean site - years ago as a student, I did a few archaeological digs in the summertime, and when they called a break you weren't allowed to the long benches covdered in the gingham table cloth and all weighed down with fresh bread, cheese, various cold meats and sauces, a glass of wine, and fresh fruit - nope, not allowed even a sniff until you cleaned your workplace and all the tools put in order.

That has stayed with me - and it's a pleasure to return to your work. It helps t concentrate the mind and put everything into logical sequence.

Anlaf
 
I like to make sure everything I am working on has been tightened down and completed before stopping also. I also have a habit of putting my tool back in its place after I am done using it, even if I have to pick it up again a minute later. Just force of habit, but it does help keep me sane and keeps my stuff in order.
 
I also have a habit of putting my tool back in its place after I am done using it, even if I have to pick it up again a minute later.


I lay the tools I have out side by side a couple of inches apart on the floor or bench. I never thought about it until someone remarked once how organized I am... But as a kid I would spend half my time looking for a tool I'd left randomly somewhere.
 
Mechanic I apprenticed under always said never thread a drain plug back into the hole until you have the wrench in your hand to tighten it.He was also a stickler on clean up after each job and no customers or visitors where allowed in the work area.
 
Mechanic I apprenticed under always said never thread a drain plug back into the hole until you have the wrench in your hand to tighten it.He was also a stickler on clean up after each job and no customers or visitors where allowed in the work area.

Couldn't agree more. Had a friend who blew the motor in his car because he hand-threaded his oil drain plug in and forgot to tighten it with a wrench. Lost all oil at the dragstrip and cooked the motor.

Also agree about clean-up. In my shop, clean-up is part of what you are working on. If it isn't clean, your job isn't done.
 
I'm pretty disorganized with my tools, they are usually all over the place. That's on my own stuff. In the Air Force we had small modular tool bags or boxes designed for each task. When you finished with that tool, you put it back in its shadowed spot. Never left a work site with out 100% of tools present and aircraft forms signed off for you discrepancy worked and tool inventory complete. If a tool did go missing, that aircraft was grounded until found or retrieved.

I'm very methodical when working on my cars or motorcycles. I can honestly say I've never been left on the side of the road due to my repairs.
 
Better knock on some wood there plane_ben.:wink2:
I was taught to keep your tools clean and picked up, oh and righty tighty, lefty loosie.:D
 
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