I once worked for a dude that tried to get me use an angle grinder that had a short on a small cord. The irony is he has an electrical engineering degree. I had to argue with him about the safety of this.

The moral of the story is people do dumb things when their objective isn't logical or effective. In his case, he thought he was smart and is cheap. I'll never forget this because his actions laid the foundation for me to be electrocuted.

If it was an actual shorted circuit on the cord that would trip whatever overload device was protecting the circuit. If it was simply a bare spot. that was a safety issue that could easly have been taped up and then used safely. I did one have an extension cord catch fire while powering two heaters. It was a borrowed cord that had a very poorly done splice that was heavily taped up, and eventually the splice over heated, and finally started the fire. From then on I always examined the splices in borrowed cords. My point being that if there is a weak point in a heavily loaded cord that is where the failure will happen. Of course, heaters are the least picky regarding the voltage you supply them with.

 

If it was an actual shorted circuit on the cord that would trip whatever overload device was protecting the circuit. If it was simply a bare spot. that was a safety issue that could easly have been taped up and then used safely. I did one have an extension cord catch fire while powering two heaters. It was a borrowed cord that had a very poorly done splice that was heavily taped up, and eventually the splice over heated, and finally started the fire. From then on I always examined the splices in borrowed cords. My point being that if there is a weak point in a heavily loaded cord that is where the failure will happen. Of course, heaters are the least picky regarding the voltage you supply them with.

I could feel small shocks in my arms as I used the tool. He claimed he could not feel anything. You can believe me when I say he was a specialist in cutting corners so there was no way I was going to use those items once he "repaired them". And by repair he would rig together all of his broken tools to fashion one that was at best, in poor condition.

He would collect a bucket full of hammer tackers that are ruined then give us one of the "rebuilt" ones that would jam instantly then get mad at the workers.

He was by far the smartest dumb guy I ever met and since he had an E.E. degree at the time, he was smarter than everyone else on all issues. In fact he almost killed me one a few occasions through his ignorance.

I recognize danger and now that I'm in charge, that BS doesn't fly on my jobs. It still boggles my mind that he goes around thinking he's the man telling people he's an engineer when in reality he is entirely unemployable in engineering and he does not know how to apply what he HAS learnt.

Lol..

 

Some folks are indeed numb, and some folks do have a very thick hide and do not get shocks, as a result.

And certainly there is a lot more to repairing tools beyond where they sort of function, and making them actually useful.
A degree by itself does not make a master. You have verified that .
Much of what I know came after I graduated, or from the experiences prior to starting in school. The EE degree means that you have the basics and know the why, not that you have the insight.

 

since he had an E.E. degree at the time, he was smarter than everyone else on all issues.

"
Unfortunately that sounds all too familiar.

Worked with a woman who was supposed to know the IPC-A-610 standard. She was always rejecting work saying "the customer will reject that". No, not if it met 610 and not if the PO required boards be built to 610 (rev G). When I, as an inspector, argued with her on that point she exclaimed "I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS!" "So." I said, "I've been doing it for 40." That meant nothing to her. She ran and got her QE (Quality Engineer). He sided with her. So I asked him how long he's been a QE. He said almost 3 years. I asked him where he got his engineering degree. He said he didn't go to school. Prior to him being an engineer he was an inspector. For TWO years. So for a total of 5 years experience he was called a QE and was supposed to know more about it than - um - me. Not blowing my own horn, just saying this guy must have been a poor inspector, lacking a thorough understanding of the standards and now holding a job because no one else applied for the QE position. Some people think they're the author of all knowledge when in reality they have no idea of what they don't know.

 

"
Unfortunately that sounds all too familiar.

Worked with a woman who was supposed to know the IPC-A-610 standard. She was always rejecting work saying "the customer will reject that". No, not if it met 610 and not if the PO required boards be built to 610 (rev G). When I, as an inspector, argued with her on that point she exclaimed "I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS!" "So." I said, "I've been doing it for 40." That meant nothing to her. She ran and got her QE (Quality Engineer). He sided with her. So I asked him how long he's been a QE. He said almost 3 years. I asked him where he got his engineering degree. He said he didn't go to school. Prior to him being an engineer he was an inspector. For TWO years. So for a total of 5 years experience he was called a QE and was supposed to know more about it than - um - me. Not blowing my own horn, just saying this guy must have been a poor inspector, lacking a thorough understanding of the standards and now holding a job because no one else applied for the QE position. Some people think they're the author of all knowledge when in reality they have no idea of what they don't know.

It's for these reasons and more I started my company. I consider all types of work to be inherently easy.. you learn how to do it then do it. The hard part of business is people and their attitudes.

I like to think everyone is fair, honest, hardworking and competent but by my own measure very few are. It's far more likely they are lazy, a thief and will keep you down to hold their position over you. I for one am often disappointed in "people" for their general lack of vigilance.

Yesterday some guy crossed three lanes of traffic with his signal blinker showing right instead of left. I'm not saying I'm the sharpest tool in the shed but come on people