I had an opportunity to talk with a man yesterday that had a story to tell.

Once upon a time there was this young man that was sort of a helper/laborer/trainee would be operator.  On this particular day he was

 Doing his job and about quitting time the ‘boss’ comes over and tells him to clean up the pump before he goes home (he had not been operating – he had been doing his laborer job all day.

“Hey Mr. Boss, I have never operated one of that kind.”

“Well figure it out and get her done; see ya.”

So he is doing the ‘learn as you earn’ deal and someone on the job site turns off the water. So now he must go figure out where the water is and get it turned back on so he can finish his job.

After he gets back from that mission he does what he can to get it clean.

I know you must follow orders from your boss

I know you have a family to feed

I know that you never say you won’t or can’t

I know that you are “a man”

I know you want to do a good job

I know you like the company you work for

And I say, for all of those reasons, “it is all right-and human to say NO.”

If you do not know – do not do.

You need not be belligerent, just firm

Your boss did not know until someone showed him or told him

THAT IS WHY HE HAS TWO HANDS, AND YOU ONLY HAVE ONE

ps

The reason the valve shifted when the grate was raised is because some one wired around it.......................................... nuff said

YOU HI-JACKED MY THREAD! ;~) (JUST KIDDING)

            I guess that there are two ways to look at that product. #1 is…. Well, it is just another stick on the remote and if the operator WANTED to he could do what is necessary with the sticks he has now. #2 is that it is a slick idea, and if the device makes it more easy for an operator to do a good job that would be a big plus. We all know that if it is easy it will be done more often, or better than if it is difficult.

Bottom line is I am probably just like you in that I would need to see one work to really formulate an intelligent opinion. That being said, if it would completely eliminate the hose man then it would be a good deal for the pump owners and their insurance companies.

Any time that you can remove an individual from the process; especially one in a position to be easily injured, it is a step in the right direction. No hose man = no hose whipping accidents = lower insurance rates and more profit. A win-win deal.

Why don’t you put one on a machine? That would give me a good excuse to come see you. ;~)  

Bob, can a S tube shift on a boom even tho the PTO is disengaged?  I swear I heard my S tube shift over after I shut off the PTO and turned off the truck.  I was walking back towards the hopper and heard it shift....was It my imagination or can this really happen???

The accumulator circut SHOULD not have any pressure (aside from bag pressure) with the pump out of pump gear. Since this circut is built by man it is not perfect. My wife says then women should build it.

I am not familiar with the Reed machine, but there probably is a gauge for that circut. When un-energized the pressure should fall steadily until it is showing the bag preset pressure and then drop to zero. You should check to insure that that is taking place. So yes, it could possibly happen and that is why you do not want to mess with anything inside the hopper unless anuntil you are SURE that the system (accumulator) has ZERO pressure.

Call the folks at Reed, they will give you model specific information you can count on.

Be careful, that boy needs a dad with two hands. ;~)

 The automated hose might work,could be safer,but should not be operated by the pump operator. A separate person should operate this thing.I do not think it is the operators responsibility to place the concrete to grade and to position.First thing this auto hose will  do is distract the pump operator from his or her primary duties,which consist of monitoring boom position,locating mixer trucks around the pump,and maintaining an accurate fix of what is going in to the hopper.Now,to a certain extent,and I mean certain extent,the hose man can put the concrete wherever he or she sees fit.Since the radio remote has come to being I find alot of operators who spend most of the pour "inside of the pour",and not in the proximity of the pump truck where he or she belongs.I always try to aid the hose man by watching signals,some very evident,others very subtle.I will help the hose man not by telling them where to place the concrete,but by doing everything in my power to #1,not harming anyone or anything involved in the pour,#2,keep the mud flowing at the rate,speed,and consistency that is desired by the placing crew,SAFELY.The exact placement of the concrete should be done by someone other than the pump operator.I am sure an experienced hose man would gladly swivel a stick to move the hose,rather than push it with his own might.

Bob that is truley a sad story and I feel sorry for the guy, he may have thought hey this my chance to prove myself having no idea what a hopper grate switch was never the less WHY or HOW it was bypassed. I think the man who told him to git-r-done should have his manhood cut off by an stube.

thanks Bob....as always, you are on top of it!