How long you been in the trade?

[Karl H]

That reminds me as a kid having a rich kid as a friend and he had
walkie-talkies with the Morse Code button.

Does anyone have a picture of a "Star-Bit?" I don't remember those,
or I know them by a different name.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Bob used a bigger font so the blind guys could read it.

 

[iwire]

Does anyone have a picture of a "Star-Bit?"

 

[iwire]

Bob used a bigger font so the blind guys could read it.

I was yelling. :grin:

 

[roger]

1. No lectrickery.

Well, I happen to have an electric star drill but you will have to wait until tomorrow for me to post a picture, it's in my office 70 miles away and I'm not driving that far for a picture. :smile:

Roger

 

[Karl H]

Oh OK, I remember those, I never had a name for it,and remember a
guy telling me,"You better hope to GOD you don't have to use it!"

 

[crazyboy]

less than 1 here.

 

[sethas]

It's been thirteen years for me now. I think my three and a half year old will have some of you beat though. He took a switch plate off, unscrewed the switch, and disconected the switch leg from the switch....Imagine my surprise when I had to troubleshoot why his light was not working. By the way this was when he was two.

I don't know whether it was a good idea or bad idea to let him watch me work, and then buy him that kids tool set from lowes!

He now helps me on wire pulls and device installations. This time with no power though!

 

[cdslotz]

I started in the trade right out of high school in '71. Wiring houses with as a 4 man shop. They kept me on rough in for months before they let me trim out anything.
I remember Yankee screwdrivers, star bits, brace and bits, offset screwdrivers, wood step ladders, type TW building wire in a box, the aluminum wire years, wrap-loc straps, hicky benders, type TW straps (haha).
I got my masters in '78 and tried to be a "contractor", and realized I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so I took a job as a jr estimator/PM.
I've been estimating ever since. I remember paper takeoffs and "nut and bolt" price sheets and hand pricing and laboring each item with the huge Trade Service manual and Koontz labor book, THEN stay up ALL NIGHT pounding a calculator. I remember Estimatic assembly books, the first computer estimating, having to drive to a GC and pick up plans, count fixtures and gear, make copies and leave copies up front for suppliers could pick them up. Then came the Fax machine. All of a sudden, I can send schedules and counts to many different suppliers, and GC's could invite tons more electricals to the party.
Now everything is electronic. Plans, bid invites, quotes, proposals.
The good news is, I can do it all from anywhere. I work at home on a laptop a lot. No more all night calculator pounding.
It's amazing to look back at all of the changes.

 

[LarryFine]

I think my three and a half year old will have some of you beat though. He took a switch plate off, unscrewed the switch, and disconected the switch leg from the switch....Imagine my surprise when I had to troubleshoot why his light was not working. By the way this was when he was two.

Did he have a dimmer ready to go in?

 

[roger]

Electric Star Drill

Roger

 

[charlietuna]

Good find Roger!! That goes way back for sure!! Thanks for posting.

 

[480sparky]

Electric Star Drill

Roger

That still looks like a lot of work!

 

[electricalperson]

thats awesome roger. is that yours?

 

[roger]

Good find Roger!! That goes way back for sure!! Thanks for posting.

You're welcome Charlie

That still looks like a lot of work!

Yeah, but it does safe the knuckles. :smile:

thats awesome roger. is that yours?

No, it belongs to the company I work for, we've been in business for 80+ years. I removed it from the tool cage and stored it away so it wouldn't grow legs. :wink:

Roger

 

[electricalperson]

i just ordered a 1/2 inch star drill on amazon.com i dont know if they sell them at home depot. i got plenty of concrete around here so im going to try it just to see how it works

 

[sosour]

10 dollars an hour in 1979 starting out WOW!

 

[sosour]

great post been in the field since early 1997 and relate with most of what was said

 

[LarryFine]

I removed it from the tool cage and stored it away so it wouldn't grow legs. :wink:

Isn't that the same thing?

i just ordered a 1/2 inch star drill on amazon.com i dont know if they sell them at home depot. i got plenty of concrete around here so im going to try it just to see how it works

S - l - o - w - l - y.

 

[roger]

Isn't that the same thing?

No, given that it is in my office it is still in the Company's possesion (see post 145) maybe that is beyond your comprehension or were you just posting for post count?:wink:

Roger