Ran into an old timer at a job site in Cleveland last spring

This guy must have been 70 years old, watched me struggle with a sticky leveling valve on an Otis for like 20 minutes before he walked over. He didn't say a word, just handed me a can of WD-40 and pointed at a specific pivot point I'd been ignoring. Anyone else ever get schooled by a retired mechanic who barely talked?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugoj1223h ago

Used to roll my eyes at that stuff until one saved me two hours on a freight car.

ninaowens20h ago

Nah hard disagree. Those old timers are usually just gatekeeping knowledge that should be in a manual somewhere. If he really wanted to help he could have said something instead of playing games with the WD-40.

victorh8117h ago

Whoa wait, TWO HOURS? That's nuts. I gotta ask @hugoj12 what the hell was wrong with that freight car that took two hours off the job. I've seen guys spend all day fighting a seized axle on a trailer, can't imagine cutting that down to nothing with just a spray can.