Well ya learn something new every day. I had no idea you worked in a Iron Orr mine. You've had quite the life playing with all these big toys!
Paul, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't curious buddy. That's kind of the same back ground I have except I worked at limestone and granite quarries. I started at 19 as a jaw crusher operator and went to the main plant operator. Those 2 jobs also included general plant maintainence, welding and clean up. The first wheel loader I ever got on was a 125 Michigan that we used to feed the plant when our crusher went down. My first official loader job was on a WA 600 Komatsu with a 988 B for a spare. After about 1 1/2 in the pit I moved to the yard loader (970 Cat) and my first new loader was a 980 G. I had the pleasure of being sent to Tucson AZ. to the Cat proving grounds and was certified on large wheel loader (up to 994) and large off-hyw trucks which at that time the biggest was 240 ton. That was a cool experience and I got Cat certification papers plus a custon Cat belt buckel with my certified operator info engraved on it.Hey you did ask
Very cool sir. Some nice equipment there in the mix and obviously you are a very good operator. I'm impressed.Paul, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't curious buddy. That's kind of the same back ground I have except I worked at limestone and granite quarries. I started at 19 as a jaw crusher operator and went to the main plant operator. Those 2 jobs also included general plant maintainence, welding and clean up. The first wheel loader I ever got on was a 125 Michigan that we used to feed the plant when our crusher went down. My first official loader job was on a WA 600 Komatsu with a 988 B for a spare. After about 1 1/2 in the pit I moved to the yard loader (970 Cat) and my first new loader was a 980 G. I had the pleasure of being sent to Tucson AZ. to the Cat proving grounds and was certified on large wheel loader (up to 994) and large off-hyw trucks which at that time the biggest was 240 ton. That was a cool experience and I got Cat certification papers plus a custon Cat belt buckel with my certified operator info engraved on it.
I have 2 things I would love to do at some point but may never get the opertunity. The biggest dozer I have ever been on was a D10 and I would love to try out a D11. The other thing would be to operate a monster trackhoe. The biggest we ever had was a 550 Hitachi which is no slouch but the bigger it is to me the higher the thrill level. To me a equipment operator is more fun than a amusment park ever thought about. I guess the biggest thrill I ever had was using a 480 Kobelco cleaning off a bench on top of a 450' high wall. Nothing to do with a death wish or anything like that but just knowing I had the skills to be there and knowing my boss trusted me to get the job done safely was a feeling I had never experienced before. I can certainly understand your love for large equipment. At times I really miss being a full time operator but farming sure has alot less stress.
I operated a drag line for a few months. OMG that keeps an operator busy too.My dad was telling me when he was in the Marine Corps he was a heavy equipment operator and a marksman on the rifle range. In his equipment days he ran a clam shell dredging the waters over in Vietnam. He said while he waited for dumptrucks to return he'd take the clam shell and pluck broken limbs out of trees.
I bet that would be an interesting thing to seeYou fellows need to come up here and down here in September to the Field Day of the Past event. Its a huge 3 day event that draws a crowd of over 30,000 people a day. Alot of antique equipment on display and many of those are playing in the dirt. One piece is a steam shovel digging in the dirt. Also there's a large area of antique Cat equipment pushing and pulling the dirt.
I met up with Hodge last September and gave him the unofficial tour guide by me.