#Steamfitter Local 601

[selwyngrimm]

Milwaukee Laborfest 2024.

Gwen Moore, Tony Evers, Tammy Baldwin, Tim Walz, Saz's Sampler

[selwyngrimm]

This isn't all my job, or even a large part, but I did once spend a week on a roof alone straightening the fins on rooftop condensor coils after a hail storm and it was great. Just me, a tiny screw driver and a radio.

I need a job where I just untangle strings and cords for people for hours every day

[sarupexternship]

Externship at Potter Lawson Inc, Madison

On January 16th I started my week long externship at Potter Lawson, Inc. in Madison. Immediately upon arrival I was introduced to everyone in the office, tried my best to remember everyone’s names, and then was seated at my station where I would work for the next week. Despite being hesitant about what I could add to the firm, I was quickly included in the design process of Director of Design, Doug Hursh. He was working on a series of sketches developing a master plan for a large area of land in the Madison Area. My task was to transfer a particular scheme from paper into AutoCAD, and then to calculate parcel land area and the potential for different occupancy types on those lots. The job also included calculating rough estimates of occupancy and potential available shared parking on the parcels.

Thursday was the most eventful day of the week when I was given the opportunity to join in on two different site visits. The first was for the future Steamfitters Local 601 training facility, which was framed out with steel structure, trusses, and freshly cured concrete floors. Project two was the nearly finished Health and Human Services buildings in Columbia County. This project was in its final stages, adding paint, tile, and floors. It was amazing to see two different projects in two vastly different stages of construction. Along the way we also sat in on meetings with contractors and consultants. This taught me a lot about the collaboration process, especially the need for thorough and organized documentation and communication.

Then, on Friday, I finished my work for Doug, printed off a plot for one of his design schemes, and said my goodbyes.

Despite being nervous about venturing into the professional world of Architecture, I had an amazing time at Potter Lawson, Inc. Working with Doug Hursh and other team members was an invaluable experience. They were so incredibly inviting and welcome to my presence in the office. This positive work environment is one that I would be delighted to return to in the future, and I am incredibly thankful for the experience that I gained after just one week with Potter Lawson Inc.

Madeline Ninmann - January 2017

[selwyngrimm]

Did some real steamfittering yesterday. Sometimes it's a four come-along problem...

[selwyngrimm]

It just occurred to me that I've now been a steamfitter longer than I was a printer. By three months actually. Wild.

[selwyngrimm]

Sometimes work is pretty kinky...

[selwyngrimm]

Is it imposter syndrome when your foreman keeps telling you that you do good work and you assume that he keeps saying that because he says that to everyone for morale purposes?

[selwyngrimm]

Out of town work on the Oneida Reservation.

[selwyngrimm]

Johnson Controls is moving out of their building downtown and leaving behind this delightful scale on their loading dock.

[selwyngrimm]

Piping boilers...

[selwyngrimm]

Progress in three pictures

[selwyngrimm]

Anatomy of a chariot...

(Or a brief run-down of how I've got my lift at work set up for running compressed air and N2 lines)

[selwyngrimm]

Finally done with these fucking cooling towers.

[selwyngrimm]

Didn't go out hunting today, and instead worked on a welding project for a friend, so I smell like work on my vacation now.

Side note: underpowered welders with a process you've never used before (flux core) suck ass. So does running out of oxygen for your oxy-acetylene torch. And your grandfather's. 😮‍💨 Progress was made, though.

[selwyngrimm]

Was looking up some stuff in my school books after looking at the boiler at my uncle's place...

[selwyngrimm]

Green lasers and weld fumes/concrete dust make the day more fun.