Good old days

[ericmark]

This was typical in many homes and I ask myself was it really that bad?

I think in the main it's attitude which has caused the problem. When I was a lad we knew electric was dangerous and we treated it with respect.

If you got a shock next time you wore a glove.

Today we expect it to be safe and we as a result don't take the precautions we should.

 

[17thman]

I bet westie wears gloves

 

[wotan]

I think the idea was to, just use the electricity till the iron had warmed up, then disconnect to plug, and use the iron.

 

[ebee]

I remember them, pretty common a "while" back.

Back in the "Good Old days" where "Electrocute the apprentice" was a game oft played or a least give `em a shock with the"Catch a Capacitor" ruse.

We always worked live, only whimps did not.

If we fell and broke a leg it was our own daft fault - we never blamed anyone else for our own stupidity!

We used to have bonfires (not just Nov 5th) and explode big asbestos sheets, oil/petrol mix too in a big pop bottle.

Make our own gunpowder too.

Our "mobile phones" consisted of two marvel tins and some tight string - you could speak to your pal the other side of the street with that.

I wont mention a crystal radio

 

[ericmark]

I stopped fooling around the day I noted a wire going from an impulse mag to the vice. I could not resist it and as the guy came up and engaged me in conversation while his hand went down to the mag he did not notice my hand going up to back of his neck. I timed it spot on as he turned the mag my fingers touched his neck.

But that's when the fun stopped. He folded up in front of me and I really thought I had killed him. Not sure what a court would have said but I knew I had stood there with the whole aim of getting back to whoever had set it all up and teach him a lesson. But this was not the result I had expected. A couple on minutes latter he recovered and the rest of the workshop gave me a huge round of applause as it seemed he had caught everyone with it at some time. But it stopped me. I considered it as a near miss.

I was still an apprentice then so I have passed very few of the tricks on. Even then still went wrong. Sent a guy for a Sky Hook and to my surprise he returned with one. I was for lifting sheet steel and had cast in the side of the grip cam device the words "Sky Hook".

 

[efiste2]

Years ago when I was at the then Electricity Board training school as an apprentice the older lads use to create "tazers" using a 1000v meggar and a peice of T&E separated at the end and . and to continue the trend of course when I was an older lad, I did it too. I shudder to think what would be said in todays strict H&S regime.
The best one that I recall we used to do was as an Engineer was operating a HV switch or Circuit Breaker we used to discretely turn off the lights in the substation as though he had caused a fault in the area etc etc......There is no way it could be done today.

 

[Space cat]

This was typical in many homes --

Where did you find my mother's old iron - and complete with the two-way switched adapter as well! She taught me how to use that when I was about ten.

Edit:

Does anybody remember an old Public Service Announcement that was broadcast about forty year ago. It had cartoon characters messing about in a factory, accompanied by a poem. These are some of the lines I think I remember:

--- but sparks like that can blind a guy.

To throw a rag --- can cause a mate to crush a thumb.

--- don't be a jerk; save your jokes for after work.

 

[westie101]

I bet westie wears gloves

When I started we didn't use to, or nomex or face masks or insulated wellies!

The best one that I recall we used to do was as an Engineer was operating a HV switch or Circuit Breaker we used to discretely turn off the lights in the substation as though he had caused a fault in the area etc etc......There is no way it could be done today.

Oh I don't know

But if anyone did they would be injured ...... by my boot!

The other good one was to wait until someone was in the back of a control panel and drop something to make a loud bang!

 

[Alarm]

Got "done" by the megga myself once.

Another time I was sent for a reel of cable and a long weight.

Was not as green as they thought and went home for the day. Never got asked for/to do any more of those tricks after that

PS look at the fraying in the top pic

 

[kai]

Those two way lampholder adaptors were sold for sixpence each at Woolies all those years ago!

 

[ericmark]

Out of interest the picture was taken Here Porters Row Cottages at National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port so not in use and does not need PAT testing.

However that does raise a question. Since it's clearly not in a quarantine area and general public can touch it and play although there is video link although clearly no risk but would it comply with regulations as to being out of service? Do museums have a dispensation?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sent a guy for a Sky Hook and to my surprise he returned with one. I was for lifting sheet steel and had cast in the side of the grip cam device the words "Sky Hook".

I read once of an apprentice who was sent off to get a long weight and a skirting board ladder.

He came back (after some hours doing some work on his Nan's house) with a counterbalance weight for a sash window and a small ladder for a budgie's cage.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The other good one was to wait until someone was in the back of a control panel and drop something to make a loud bang!

I did that to BAS junior once, after he'd replaced a plug.

A 2' steel rule held at one end against a hollow internal door, with the other end bent away as far as it will go makes an almighty bang when let go.


Another time when I was working in an electronics lab, there was a guy working on a new (and very expensive) prototype VDU, and someone (not I) wandered over and gently blew some cigarette smoke into it (yes, it was a long time ago), then wandered around the other side where the engineer was fiddling and said "Is there supposed to be smoke coming out of it?"

 

[JohnD]

My favourite safety poster was (all in black except for the words)

Afraid of the dark?






Always wear your safety glasses.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Another H&S violation story - but not a trick played on the innocent.

My dad was a printer all of his life, and at one time they used to use soldering irons to joint etched zinc printing plates. I've tried to find an image on Google, but failed.

Imagine something 30-40cm long, with a wooden handle, and a metal shaft with an end like a small, thick, blunt axe head or tomahawk. That would be placed on a gas burner until it was hot enough to be used to butt join considerable lengths of plate together before needing to be reheated.

The mad ones used to hold a hot iron by the handle, and toss it up into the air, and as it came down, spinning, would catch it.

Hopefully by the handle.