Update for Ian....

[JD450A]

Thought before I pack lunch and go off to my posh office I best update you on happenings that have happened in the breif period you have been away.....

Firstly and perhaps the bit you'll find most entertaining is that after stupidly thinking the JCB would'nt harrass me after a service I wore a white shirt to work. Typically it sprang a leak, I got coated and came out covered in oil and the the black dust that occours at the recycling plant... As you woulda though my collegues thought this hillarious and started thinking up names. After a good day they had it refined to "Collie" Being that Being coloured more or less black and white and with long stupid scruffy hair I look like a Border Collie...

Anyway. on to more important things...
The John deere is back and I'll post some better pictures sometime. But it's all washed off and running. I need to ajust the clutches/brakes as one levers stiffer than the other.


I have also become freelance as of yesterday and thus have a new office...


Oh and as you would expect of me, I have continued to avoid those horrible inner city sites/town sites for something with a view... probably here for at least a year apparently.

[Stock]

Welcome back Rory, so have you finally broken the link with the recycling centre ........and made your way into the turmoil of construction..............with reference to the yellow item you do know that it now pays to recycle........................

[ianoz]

Good on you Rory I have a lot of respect for your drive and ambition . The new office looks very smart .Does the new position open doors for getting seat time on other plant on the site ?Keep us all here posted on how you go .

[245dlc]

Good work Rory I'd imagine the smell is much better at the new place too!

[JD450A]

Good on you Rory I have a lot of respect for your drive and ambition . The new office looks very smart .Does the new position open doors for getting seat time on other plant on the site ?Keep us all here posted on how you go .

Had a breif discussion today. Basically there was'nt enough work to keep me busy (perhaps spend 30% of the day in the office), However We now have 4 brickies 6 chippies, and 6 Plasterers. And It's gone to 70% seat time.

I was going to be driving and doing abit of labouring, But As soon as I step on the ladder rung someone wants me, So will be discussing tommorow about just driving and tidying around site/ground (30workers). Have offered to take £1 hr off my hourly rate (hopefully he'll look at fork Op prices, there normally £9hr round here.) and hopefully it should sort out so I can keep up with lorries and tidying.

But seat time. Been moving the dumper around and the likes. We'll see. theres 4 groundworkers/swinger drivers so theres very little chance of that.

Head Briky today asked for a card as he's got a big job coming up localish and wants a Fork Driver who knows his stuff. :) Likeise I'm also waiting on bloody exeter....

But yea. Big leap, but I love being freelance tbh. I can have a laugh and a joke with the boss for a change and I know most of my bills are now reclaimable from tax, Happy days!

Won't be back at the recycling plant.... Aside from for my Digging bar anyway :P

[Muz]

Jobs a good un mate well done ... offices sure have come a long way over the years .. one of mine (made by Scania ) has more buttons on the side of its seat than some car drivers have on their dash

[Stock]

Had a brief discussion today. With who Basically there was'nt enough work to keep me busy (perhaps spend 30% of the day in the office), However We now have 4 brickies 6 chippies, and 6 Plasterers. And It's gone to 70% seat time.

I was going to be driving and doing abit of labouring, but as soon as I stepped on the ladder rung someone wants me, So will be discussing tommorow about just driving and tidying around site/ground (30 workers). Have offered to take £1 hr off my hourly rate Why? (hopefully he'll look at fork Op prices, there normally £9hr round here.) and hopefully it should sort out so I can keep up with lorries and tidying.

But seat time. Been moving the dumper around and the likes. We'll see. theres 4 groundworkers/swinger drivers so theres very little chance of that.

Head Briky today asked for a card as he's got a big job coming up localish and wants a Fork Driver who knows his stuff. :) Likeise I'm also waiting on bloody exeter....

But yea. Big leap, but I love being freelance tbh. I can have a laugh and a joke with the boss for a change and I know most of my bills are now reclaimable from tax, Happy days!

Won't be back at the recycling plant.... Aside from for my Digging bar anyway :P

Rory have you become a sole trader/ self employed driver??

[JD450A]

Rory have you become a sole trader/ self employed driver??

Aye.

Basically with the boss. reason being that he was hoping that one person would be able to handle the forks + assist with the general builder (cellotexing, windows, etc) but theres pretty much no chance of that happening unless it rains. Would only be reduced until we start doing the serious full time stuff (unloading kitchen/interiea materials aswell as the genral site materials).

If he's happy to just let me keep going on the forks and getting things done then i'll be there until i'm no longer needed but I'm not a big fan of labouring and trying to jump on the forks, and also getting to the scaffold and being asked "Can you shift those blocks".

Better off going in low and gaining serious experince on the machines whilst I can afford to. If I piss about labouring/forking then it risks ending up as a labrador, I mean labourer.


This office is smaller than JCB's. But workable. No cupholders (as bloody always). Better than a Hymac office though I expect.

[Stock]

[JD450A]

Heh.

Pay is staying the same, couple quid lower than the going rate but in time and fuel costs I make it back...

Been offered 2 jobs aswell today, not long enough term ones though...

[ianoz]

Hey Rory , Updates need to be updated you know . Forgot this thread was here and started another asking how things were going . .The 450 loks reasonablystraight . Bit of elbow grease and a lick of paint, and she will look a million Quid .

[JD450A]

Aye, updates need to be updated, but if I did it daily there'd just be another 5 pictures of blocks and muck skips. :P

Bit of lunicy occouring as always, as where ahead of schedule we where hoping to be breaking ground on the next phase but it's looking like it won't happen till next year. Which means in 2-4 weeks my job will be mostly over for the time being. So I've told the agency that actually bothers to ring you and check on what your doing (I do believe that means there busy) and told them I may be ready then. There planning on sticking me on a swingshovel.... :D

Likewise theres a few jobs closer to home again I'm hoping for, one which will see me in a 3cx again.....

[ianoz]

Thats a bit of a bugger .Worked yourself out of a job .

[JD450A]

Thought I'd post another update for ian before he get's grumpy....

So the past couple days have been spend Er, trying to doss near the groundworkers in the hope I can do some work alongside them and learn afew ropes, Well aside from not being too successful I've wrangled a seat on the roller next week solong as it's driver is busy. Aside from that not alot's changed. Was asked if I'd like to move to the next site. which was a "Yes, but I want to be doing groundworks and if someone offers me a position learning the sticks I shall be taking it".... talked to the head Groundworker today whilst helping him lay service cable, HV and LV cable in ducts about my driving. his opinion is that I could probably jump into a slew as is as I have "the Feel" and he thinks the forks are harder to drive than slews (As if...) Got a 2 week wait to see if the new job i "Want" is going to be there....

Anyway, some pictures....



Not the best attachment point, but realistically the right one....

[ianoz]

Rory , If you got that big lump in there in the first photo without knocking scaffolding or building down ,There s nothing wrong with your operating abilitys .
Good luck with the next site .