[00:00:00] spk_2: Dragging Up 6.0 show is brought to you by SafetyFM

 

[00:00:06] JR Kitchens: Oh, what do you get when you bring together safety professionals from Alaska, Montana? In east Tennessee, you get a podcast whether twang hosted by Allen Woffard, J. R. Kitchens and Betty Stout dragging up 6.0, is on the air wherever you go on the Internet Dragging Up 6.0, is there with you www.draggingup60.com

 

[00:00:38] Allen Woffard: Thank you for joining this episode. Dragging Up 6.0. Thank you. We’ve got Jr and our very special guest, Gerald Austin. I've known Gerald for the past few years, and we're going to talk to him today about JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: some of the things that he sees in the coming future. Not only is a former welder as a Navy veteran and as a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: instructor, but how he sees the industry and some of the insight that he has into the field. You know, I knew there was something good about Jones. You in the Navy? Yeah. Unfortunately for us all, Betty is not able to join us today, so hopefully, uh, the luck that she gives us. We'll figure a way to get some twaing in here. Betty. Well s o Gerald, Welcome to the show. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to talk with your brother.

 

[00:01:29] Gerald Austin: I appreciate you having me. So,

 

[00:01:31] spk_0: Jared, what? What questions you have for Jill? Since he and I go back? 

JR Kitchens: I had It's always You always know these people. I think you just have your friends on e don't know. No, I'm kidding.

Allen Woffard: I didn't say they like to me. I just said that they were gracious enough. You just know him. They don't like it. You just know him. 

JR Kitchens: That's okay. Drill. Nobody likes him anyway. but Gerald Tell me, buddy, I know you're JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: teacher on and and I know that you are also a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: inspector, right? Yeah. Okay. So how did you get started in JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:? You just like passed by a construction building one time. Hey,

 

[00:02:20] Gerald Austin: give me that. Well, I mean, I'll be honest with you. When I was a kid, I was a bit of a firebug was a e. I like to melt stuff, you know, e get the plastic. My kids. You know, you get those plastic models back when you're, you know, back,

 

[00:02:34] JR Kitchens: are you Are you gonna tell me that you used to, like the little, uh, little sticks that held parts? Yeah. Uh, you could build things with those. I bet you did, too, didn't you?

 

[00:02:46] Gerald Austin: Yeah, there was. There was stuff you could do with that. You and let me tell you something when it sticks to your fingers. It's tough.

 

[00:02:54] spk_0: Nurse. Yeah, I'm not saying Ira did that. I'm just saying he's not saying don't do it. He's 

 

[00:03:05] JR Kitchens: So that's how you got into JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. Gerald was by.

 

[00:03:08] Gerald Austin: Yeah, I was. I always kind of liked it. So, uh, I went to High School in Springfield, Missouri, started in the eighth grade. We had, like, a general metal shop, and they had JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: there, and we didn't get to do much of it, but then in the ninth grade started doing again and I realized that was what I wanted to do. So we moved from where we lived in Missouri, to, Memphis and no ninth grade class that I was in there. Finished up half of the year. Didn't have a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: class, but the head of the shop classes, I took those. And then as soon as my 10th grade started, I was able to sign up for JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: class for three hours a day. You know, I did that for three years. So

 

[00:03:47] JR Kitchens: hardly anything in three hours.

 

[00:03:49] Gerald Austin: It takes us a lot of three hour sessions, but e, it was good for May I? I enjoyed it. The instructor, he he got me interested, you know, he knew I was interested.

 

[00:04:00] JR Kitchens: Sure he could tell. Yeah, you know, they just have that incitement. I worked for a lot of welders and as a welder supper. And ah, lot of times I didn't have anything to do because they're JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: was so fine, so perfect. Um, but JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: is a special appeal. My daughter is a welder. She was e I've gotta because if my daughter listens to this, she goes 

 

 

[00:04:44] Gerald Austin: actually actually stuck the models together. But that's

 

[00:04:47] KR Kitchens: what Would you build you build JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: trucks or what?

 

[00:04:49] Gerald Austin: No, no, it's mainly cars, ships and whatever. You could build all those little plastic trees.

 

[00:04:54] Allen Woffard: Gerald, have you thought about going into that HDP JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: and putting plastic pipe together? Aziz, part of your training

 

[00:05:03] Gerald Austin: we actually were not not as part of the training, but, you know, I've worked a couple peaking plants and a lot of the, you know, a lot of the underground water pipes and stuff like that. That's what it is. It's all, uh, HDP and different types of plastics.

 

[00:05:15] JR Kitchens: That's a lonely job. Underwater water pipes. That's a lonely job. So do you like what you do now? I mean, is it is it? What would you rather do? Would you rather teach? Ah, grown adult? I'm not saying that college kids are grown adults. But would you rather teach a grown adult, or would you rather teach a fresh mind? That's a question just just arrived in college.

 

[00:05:36] Gerald Austin: Well, I'll be honest with you. I've reached my dream job right now. I've wanted to teach school for a long time. Yeah, I've I've reached the pinnacle of my career. I've I've wanted to teach high school since probably

 

[00:05:52] Gerald Austin: I got college before, Uh, mhm, you know, And it was just part time.

 

[00:05:57] JR Kitchens: So you you really do high schoolers.

 

[00:05:59] Gerald Austin: Oh, yeah, Yeah. There. Uh, well, I guess it's not really that they're any better, but the fact that I got my start in high school, I think is part of the driving force behind me. One

 

[00:06:10] spk_0: A little closer. Yeah,

 

[00:06:11] Gerald Austin: I was making twice. The minimum wage is a 15 year old. Are

 

[00:06:14] spk_0: you kidding me?

 

[00:06:15] Gerald Austin: Back and forth. I was making 7. 25 an hour in 1980

 

[00:06:18] JR Kitchens: e No. All the youngsters that work. Yeah, the word to the in the pipeline, it up in Alaska, and they, you know, I mean, JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: pipe like that. It will get you trained up pretty pretty fast. I mean, you could stand up and walk through that pipe and you still had probably run to put a kid on your shoulders, but a pretty, pretty rough job. You have a lot of safety issues, I, I presume, in the JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: field. Especially with with a young minds, that kind of their minds kind of float away sometimes and kinda hard to keep them grounded a little bit. Or is that not an issue?

 

[00:06:51] Gerald Austin: Well, that's still issue with me, to be honest with you. But but yeah, with with with the teenagers, definitely. You know, there's a they've got a lot of things going on in their lives, you know, they've got a lot of different interactions. They're trying to work out with each other and that kind of stuff. So it could be it could be difficult to get them to focus on the seriousness of safety. You know, the desire for horseplay among some of them, uh, or just just losing focus on what they're actually doing is the is the biggest thing I'm concerned with. I mean, you know, I'm you know, I don't I don't get to tor up over over some things And some things I'm pretty, you know, pretty adamant about, you know, the things that can get a kid hurt and killed a pretty serious, you know. So, like, horseplay is the biggest one as far as my shop goes that I really, really pay attention to because that could go awry pretty quick.

 

[00:07:36] JR Kitchens: What do you find the hardest to teach? Is it? Would it be structural or Piper or what? What aluminum? I know you don't do galvanize, but which probably a good thing.

 

[00:07:46] Gerald Austin: You know, my my students in high school. Actually, the first thing that they learned or the first thing that they actually weld with is Tyg. So it's one of the easiest process is because of the fact that it's using the same manual dexterity that you used to write with a pencil. You can rest your hand down on the table and, you know,

 

[00:08:01] spk_0: that's an interesting concept. Yeah, I would not have thought about that is a leading.

 

[00:08:06] Gerald Austin: Yeah, well, I just I let them use that because there's no sparks and fire. And so for the first week that they're coming to school. They I realized I gotta work clothes. Good man. They haven't realized they gotta wear long pants or none of that stuff. So we but we can't go out and dig well in the shop because we all gather around one you know, one table area

 

[00:08:23] JR Kitchens: that za way they used to teach. Uh, t challenge was a pencil with no lead. Yeah. 

Allen Woffard: No, it was actually a cram with the pen tip You? Yeah. So, Gerald, if you did have a young hand, somebody that's out of school and they were to come up to you and ask you what would be the best JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: training to take for the future. Now, the church educator, what would you suggest? I mean, I like how you brought that in first. You know, the manual dexterity used with writing, but looking at the future of JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: with robotics coming out, you know, all the new systems, and then I wanna pass it back to J. R. But with new hands or new students, what would you suggest? That they focus on, you know, for the future, as you see it as an educator, and as a welder.

 

[00:09:07] Gerald Austin: Well, you know, the the industry s so wide open a sfar is the different skills that are needed both as a welder, as an inspector's JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: technician, there's so many different processes and variations on individual processes. That's, you know, it's it's just a wide open career field is what I think. So what I try to get them to focus on is something that can get them immediately interested in employed if they need to goto work.

 

[00:09:30] Allen Woffard: But would that be structural JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:? Would you suggest they take pipe JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:, you know, make Tyg and I just want you to think back to us nitrogen or, you know, practice there, You know, with some of the exotic metals that they've got coming out. Is there anything that that you right now based off experience, that you'd say, OK, and I like the idea. Let's get you out in the field. And then you could develop like an initial start. Yeah. Yeah. What? What would you suggest? And as Jr said with his daughter, you know what I experience with CNC Mill? Right? A lot of females to get involved in this. So is there anything that you should say or that you feel they should focus on any specific industry and by industry. I'm talking about, you know, going into construction as Jr was talking about underwater JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. Do you see something coming up in the near future where they really need to look at their skills and what they're wanting to do?

 

[00:10:24] Gerald Austin: Well, I think those those people that have got a good combination of manual dexterity, skills and the ability to work with technology you're gonna have some opportunities in the construction industry as more and more well, they're going to machine type wells over the welder, stuff like that. That equipment is becoming a little bit more available now, a little bit easier to set up a little bit easier for small companies to get a hold of. But there's always gonna be that need for that manual welder in the construction industry. That's where the that's where the money is right now. And that's where I first see the money for quite a few years in the future as faras good money. Those students that have got that ability to weld pipe, that's really where the money is. So I've got a student that graduated this past spring, that is, you know he's working well, if he's working right now. But a few weeks ago he was knocking down 38 bucks an hour, 18 years old. And now this is not, of course, because of my fabulous teaching skills. Okay, His dad, his dad, is a superintendent for Pretty Major. That helps an engineering firm. So he's been JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: since his before his teen years. But

 

[00:11:23] spk_0: you know, but the hardest thing to do is have your have your kids work for you. I mean some some some opportunities. There are good and they work out parallel pretty good. But a lot of times minutes so hard, because when the boss comes to you and says, Hey, man, he's just not doing you know what we expected And when you go to our, that's good. But but and then the dad goes, Yeah,

 

[00:11:45] Gerald Austin: E. I think I think this this young man actually went toe work on a project different. So he was familiar with the industry and made a few calls, and I think he started out as a welder's help with a project in North Carolina and then went with another company, Thio one in a Tennessee middle Tennessee. Now he's working in Kentucky on a power plant. You know, I just talked to him yesterday. As a matter of fact, Wow, the industry is is out there. And the best money from my experience has always been in the construction field, So that

 

[00:12:12] spk_0: you you teach JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. You teach welling. Do you also teach teach up and coming welders how to test? Oh, good point. Yeah, What about their coupons? And

 

[00:12:23] Gerald Austin: yeah. I mean, one of the one of the things that trying to stress is is getting them comfortable taking a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: test and understanding that a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: test is just something that you've got to do all the time. It's part of our job. It's not. I'm gonna go get certified and and then everybody's gonna beat my door down because I'm certified welder. It's not like that. Yeah,

 

[00:12:41] spk_0: I've seen guys go through metal, you know, they'll cut their little little strips and welcome together, and then there might be 50 or 60 them on the floor. And I go, man,

 

[00:12:50] spk_2: what is going

 

[00:12:51] spk_0: on here? Well, I'm going for a test. You know, they they actually get ready for some others. Now, maybe one out of by one out of 10 will say I don't need No, I'm good enough. I don't need and they'll go up and they'll take the test and they'll flunk it on. And then they got to go take it again. And that's, uh, yeah, that's something you gotta practice for. I I know that that's all I know. Even

 

[00:13:12] Gerald Austin: if it's not even if you've got the manual dexterity and the skill to do it. Sometimes that pressure of taking a test, you know, and I'll tell something. Get the silk. I said you don't drove halfway across Texas. You got $40 in your pocket. You're watching the car. She's got the baby with her, and you don't told her what a great welder you are. And you're gonna take this well test right now.

 

[00:13:31] spk_0: That would, uh, especially if you've got three kids in the car. E gotta pass this.

 

[00:13:38] Gerald Austin: I will horse trailers in Houston for two days because I e I drove. I drove all the way out there. We have no money. It's a good paying job. You know, when I was my wife and I first got together. Yeah, sure enough.

 

[00:13:49] spk_0: You actually stood in your horse trader and welded.

 

[00:13:51] Gerald Austin: But my horse trailer was stopped in a place. And that's what I well did as well on horse trailers for a couple days. Getting, uh yeah,

 

[00:13:57] spk_0: Yeah. Good for you. I know my daughter. My daughter was coming through, uh, Montana and she, uh, stalled out, her car broke down and the farmers were helping around. And then the farmer goes, man, I somehow she found out that this guy needs some JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: done. He says I'm a welder. I could do some JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: for you, man, that you talked about a whole town, and I'm heading up there. Uh, pretty soon and I'm gonna take her trail and talk to the people who helped her. And and I know well, so if they say they want the JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: done, they're pretty much out a lot. But I can sing him a song or something. You know, they're Ugo that that's not gonna help a lot. My gates still broke. Still need Yeah, I'm sorry. Jared Geral And this I just wanted to ask this because this, you know where Jr was talking about testing Aziz. Part of what you're going through right now, um, is part of the training that they're going through. Do you actually are t and P t their wealth so they could see what they're looking for? You guys checking for sugar? Are they checking the route? Is that something that's being taught at the level where you're at right now?

 

[00:15:06] Gerald Austin: It depends widely on the students. So there's, you know, we start out with very, very basic, you know, basic gas, metal arc, JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:, MiG JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. And they actually move on toe to stick. And then they'll do a little bit of a big well done. So it's very unlikely that a that a student with less than about four semesters is gonna ever get the JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: pipe. For instance, For stainless, we keep some around. We don't do much, but the inspections that I'll do on their worlds, you know they'll start off doing what we you know, just cutting. Ach. So one of the one of the things that I have to do is fill up a piece of two pieces of flat bar that set of a 60 degree angle apart from each other to simulate the V Group and a joint. Oh, yeah? And then we slice those open with a sauna. Couple place, polish them up and etched with acid. Good for you. And, uh, you know, look for any holes. And if they're good at doing that, then I'll let him start on play.

 

[00:15:48] spk_0: So you pull them into the commercial, feel pretty fast. I mean, what you have to do instead of on the drawing board going, okay? You gotta or do you put them through a paper test before you put them through an actual test on metal?

 

[00:16:01] Gerald Austin: I'm mixed it up. I mean, my you know, if I was to wake up tomorrow and not have any theory knowledge in my head, but I could still well, I could still get a job. So I do primarily focused on building their skills and abilities. So that's that's our primary goal. Then I you know, I tried toe to get them to where they have a good technical knowledge about the trade because, you know, that's got me jobs many times. Yeah, you know, it's not necessarily as a world. Or sometimes if I go into job is the world's best. I keep my mouth shut.

 

[00:16:29] spk_0: You have to write. You scare people with your knowledge, man. You scare people. Got where he don't even you don't even chew. And he's pretty dang good welder. That's funny. I got to remember that about the chewing because that was a big thing. Write that down your email. That Yeah, well, speaking of skills, Gerald, do you think you'll have any contenders for the skills use a match coming up next year?

 

[00:16:51] Gerald Austin: It's hard to say right now where there are classes. Go is the students choose semesters that they're gonna take the class so they may take two semesters back to back. And I could have a student this fall and then have another one this spring. Whereas they may not have taken a class until they may have skipped 22 semesters. Nearly.

 

[00:17:10] spk_0: Is this Kobe related? Is this what you're talking

 

[00:17:13] Gerald Austin: now? It's It's more school scheduling. Okay, so it's really kind of a mixed bag. I don't really know who I've got until I've got him.

 

[00:17:20] spk_0: I'm sorry, brother. I'm gonna pass back off to jar. But one thing I have to ask you know, with your background and your experience. So you know the name of our shows dragging up six point. Oh, back when you were on your tools before becoming in the educator and a trainer. How many times did you actually drag up?

 

[00:17:37] Gerald Austin: Definitely I can think of. I think just once

 

[00:17:41] spk_0: do you remember what it was for? Was it Management was a safety wasn't money.

 

[00:17:45] Gerald Austin: It saves safety. I was I was working a paper melon, Northwest Alabama. Oh, well, and they made a poor fit on a on a pulp line. That was, I don't know, it was probably 36 that stepped down to an 18 inch pipe and, you know, it was two l's two elbows away, and I had to crawl on their back welded, and, you know, I told us that we can't get good air and they had the knife gate valve, the big gate valve off the the vessel shot. But it was pretty much dead ended up there. And you know, you're in there, Tyg JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. So there's no ventilation nowhere. And I told them before we ever fit to join up. I said, Hey, we're gonna have to fix this pipe. It was way out of, you know, way out of square on the ends. It wasn't Maybe wasn't matching the other pipe. And I climbed in there and started back well, on this thing, I didn't I wasn't the one that put the route in. Somebody else did. Okay? And I started back JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:, and, you know, the auction meter kept going off e. You know, unless I get ventilation. I can't do this. We'll put another fan in here. I said fans not gonna I'm gonna have to have a c b a R E r. One more time and alarm went off. Let's go. What? I'm coming out. I come out drug up. Yeah, right. Then they

 

[00:18:56] spk_0: have S e b is available.

 

[00:18:58] Gerald Austin: I figure they did. They were pretty large. They were pretty large.

 

[00:19:01] spk_0: You think they would have won? You think there was? But then again, you think could have the sense toe get a bombed out of there before he suffocated. Yeah,

 

[00:19:10] Gerald Austin: I've been I've been run off for safety issues not necessary for me doing something that violated safety. But I've I've complained about some things before, and during the next day and was a one man Rof

 

[00:19:22] spk_0: Really one man Rof. Yeah, Well, brother, I appreciate you shared that because normally we ask the same question over and over about if you had unlimited funds, you know? Where would you take somebody? One of the things that somebody asks is asked me. And it was a family member. They said, Alan, you've never asked anybody. Did they ever drag up? So we thought we'd change that. But now that we didn't like that Yeah, Gerrard, I'm glad I'm surprised you Because let me tell you, Gerald J. Our has some great questions, But I'm surprised he did not say Hey, why have you never asked anybody at the drug up? But, you know, you're the You're the first true hand outside of Shane Oliver and somebody you know And I was thinking about you've seen some crazy stuff I know you have. And I thought you know what? Let me ask Gerald this because I know you. I know you've been around the globe and I thought this would be the person I have to ask. Have you ever dragged up for safety?

 

[00:20:20] Gerald Austin: I'm pretty much stuck to paper short term outages. Very seldom that I hang around long enough. Toe. Yes, I did drag up from a management job, though. I was JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: Engineering QC manager for company. And and also well,

 

[00:20:32] spk_0: gee, our taking away brother because that was that was one thing I had to ask because and and again, Gerald, you're our first one. We've asked this. So do you know who Caitlyn Jenner is? So anyway, we Oh, go ahead. Let me ask you this a little better question

 

[00:20:49] Gerald Austin: brings a picture to my mind that I can't

 

[00:20:51] spk_0: describe. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. He's done that to me. I'm not doing it again. I'll never bring question. Hey, is so next time He's telling a fib. So if Caitlyn Jenner signed up for JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: class, I'm e I'm not sorry. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah, I'm sorry, dude. So when you teach JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:, I know you start out with taking the wire fee and all that, uh, once you reach the stick, you know, because there's so money in multiple different sticks that used for different metals and different temperatures. And is it hard to zero, um, in to a certain temperature to use when they're when they are stick JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. And and I know there's a lot of variations with temperatures and below zero weather, a little bit hotter eyes there. Any issues, any issues with that when you reach that point in your in your lessons,

 

[00:21:48] Gerald Austin: well, the biggest. The biggest thing when I swap over, just stick well on your shoulder. My lark JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. For those terminology, police is the manual. Dexterity is a notch above everything else because you're compensating for the electrode burning off, trying to maintain the arc length and travel angle in work angle. So it's a lot more involved as far as your skills go. So the biggest thing that I try toe to make sure the students understand is is more related to them getting comfortable being able to see the settings for most electrodes work within a pretty easy, easy to calculate range. So with 70 18 for instance, you could take the decimal equivalent of of the diameter. And that's how many amps has said it on here in the

 

[00:22:29] spk_0: ballpark. Good to know

 

[00:22:30] Gerald Austin: that 03 16 70 18 if you put it at 187 amps it'll weld.

 

[00:22:37] spk_0: Oh, yeah, you know that. You know that? Yeah, that's easy for you. He's holding out on the rest of us. Yeah. Oh, yeah. He's like gonna get analogy, but pretty soon s. So if you have 137 totem poles, that's right. And Caitlyn Jenner is standing between them, uh, in four inch heels because you can run. He can run. But that's good to know, because I know that. Well, you teach the mechanics first, as you would any any job. Really? You teaching mechanics first and then? And then here's the technical side of it. Uh, yeah, kind of

 

[00:23:10] Gerald Austin: kind of working both together because they do work with each other. Well, so if I was to talk about theory for four days and then just let him, well, it wouldn't be the same as let them well, a little bit while they're well done talking to him about the theory.

 

[00:23:23] spk_0: Exactly. So I try to work with my hands on whenever possible. Hands on. That's you know, I've been there. You know, when I was, I was in high school, but when I went back to school, they had a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: shop. And the guy was an old welder from way back When I think he will. The glasses they were using coat hangers and would Yeah, they used coat hangers with the torch. They were really talented back then, but he told me everything I had to do. And I got a man. I was so much in my head I had to think about and I went, Uh, forget it. I'll get into radio or something, you know, uh, but just hard. Todo welling It's hard to do, man, because, boy, I mean, especially if you're on the job and you well, pipe. And then they bring in the X ray machine. Ugo What? I'm dragging up. I'm dragging up. See? There you

 

[00:24:19] Gerald Austin: go. There's been very few fitters runoff because the bad fit, But there's been quite a few Wilders runoff from a bad

 

[00:24:25] spk_0: will. Hey, Gerald, I got a question when you when you were doing your time in the Navy and thank you for your service service. What was your mos What was your rape? What did you do? Did you weld in the navy? Were you?

 

[00:24:38] Gerald Austin: I did every day. I was the whole maintenance technician, and I had what's called a Navy list. Declassification of 49. 56 49 55. So it's a nuclear power plant components welder and a high pressure plate in pipe welder. Wow. So that Okay, so I fixed submarines for about five years, seven months and three days.

 

[00:24:56] spk_0: That that's something else s O that. That's another question. They don't want to turn it back to J. R. So, you know, there is a lot of stuff. I don't know if you've looked at the latest, uh, tradesmen magazine, Uh, they're looking for nuclear welders or for welders, go into the new facilities, you know, for outages. Yeah. So for the people that wanna go say and do the same thing, do you think for new hands coming up? Maybe they should do some time in the military because the advantages of the education, the advantages of taking that type of training or is it something that they could get in some of the schools, like up in Ohio or through your training process?

 

[00:25:37] Gerald Austin: You know, it varies widely in in schools and even in the military, you know, the steelworkers to CBS, you know, they learn different than we did focus primarily on pipe JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:. Uh, they, you know, they were essentially ironworkers. Yes, sir. And still great trade great skills. And there's so many different ways to do it. The good thing about Uncle Sam Centimeter JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: school was they paid me while they did it right. I didn't know nothing except for six years. So

 

[00:26:03] spk_0: what did you take that training? It was a great lakes. Was it down in Florida? Where'd you go?

 

[00:26:07] Gerald Austin: San Diego. E camp in San Diego than, uh, than a a school up in Treasure Island, San Francisco. Wow. And then see another school. 30 weeks of JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: school was down in San Diego. So

 

[00:26:19] spk_0: you went to Nimitz Limits boot camp in San Diego? Yeah. Yeah. Then it's man limits field. That is crazy. Well, you haven't said that, brother, you know, having served in the military, having served in the civilian side, what would you say? Or some of the health and safety issues that well, there's really need to pay attention, Thio. You know, because you've seen it both, you know, again in the military and civilian, you know, is it chrome six is the ergonomics because, like you said, being underground, you know, contorting over a 90 while you're trying to put schedule 80 together. Um, what are some of the things you've seen out in the field that somebody like jr myself a safety is that we should really look out for? For our welders?

 

[00:27:00] Gerald Austin: One of the things that I primarily try to focus on my students right at the beginning is awareness of what's around. You okay? Yes, it does. It doesn't make a difference what the hazard is, but I try to focus on letting them know you can't ask what if Too many times, You know what? If you know, I bump this are gone, bottle. Hopefully it's shade up. It won't follow. You know, there's so that that awareness of knowing that things could go wrong quickly is one of its key for everybody being a welder or not, but with well, in one of the disadvantages that we have, Of course, uh, in the short term, you know, instant death kill you stuff. It's of course you're in a JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: hood. You don't see what's going on around you. You don't see if somebody's flying something over you. You don't see if you're backing up on the edge of something you don't see.

 

[00:27:44] spk_0: A JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: helmet is not a hard hat. Yeah. Yeah. Good point you are. I'm glad you brought that up,

 

[00:27:50] Gerald Austin: so there's a lot of things that you've got.

 

[00:27:52] spk_0: Seriously, that's a huge thing right now.

 

[00:27:54] Gerald Austin: Yeah, it's not. You know, well, I welded in boilers for for a few years and clinkers falling out of the borders between the scaffold boards and, you know, hitting your hands. I mean, I worked in a mill in Georgia that had, you know, the regular steel scaffold boards Probably bend, I'd say 3 ft. Okay. Where I put a 3 ft upside, you know, inverted peak in it and pulled the poles. And on the side where clinker fell out of the roof of the boiler and hit the, you know, hit the scaffold. And it was on. It was on a scaffold level where we're actually working, you know, it was supposed to be all cleaned up, but it fell on that it shook the whole scaffold on the small pieces, fell down and, you know, hit people in their hands and stuff like that where it fell down along the water wall. So it's, you know, it's definitely a situation where, you know, you gotta just you just gotta know what's around you and be prepared for it. And the best way to be prepared is training. I think, uh,

 

[00:28:47] spk_0: yeah, I know your surroundings. And I like that. You know, your surroundings, e. I don't construction. You work a lot of confined space, but also, you work outside. Yeah. Where you under? Uh, are you around, Crane Operation Side booms, Things like that where you have to watch for swinging loads and things that's probably

 

[00:29:05] Gerald Austin: never take. Never take a back up alarm for granted. No, no. No matter. No matter what, you know what you've seen going on before you dropped your hood. None of that stuff. You know, you gotta firewatch when I hear that alarm bill off. It's, you know, just better watch and see what they're doing. Just in case they're closer to me than I want him to be. Of

 

[00:29:25] spk_0: course. Your helper helper should help you a little bit there to copy on your shoulder and go anybody You might You might not want to stand up right now,

 

[00:29:34] Gerald Austin: electric shock is a big one and

 

[00:29:36] spk_0: right. Oh, yeah. Those leads, they don't They don't check the installation on them. They get up water, all kinds of stuff. Dude, I have seen them. I have seen it was so worn and cracked. That's terrible. Yeah,

 

[00:29:49] Gerald Austin: well, I can I can tell you a story if you got a minute that

 

[00:29:51] spk_0: you got a minute? You bet. You know we're here for you. For you, your show, buddy.

 

[00:29:57] Gerald Austin: That same that same mill that I was at when the the clankers fell out of the roof of the border on another outage at that same location, we did a We did what they call a window weld. So the window well is where the two border tubes come together on their sides. They're parallel with each other and they're actually touching. So to cut one of those tubes out in a place that you've got to cut a window in it and then cut out the rest of it through the window and replace the tube and then go back in a while Anyway, the welders rejected and it was rejected. I was qc in on the job I was actually doing inspection and it was in a area called a civil or opening where Lance goes into blow some steam in there. But anyway, that said, Well, Gerald, you've got the experience reading film. Why don't you go in there and mark it up and you just go ahead and weld up the repair while you're in there? I said, All right, so there's a little bit of tiny scaffold ladder, you know, probably 12 inches wide, goes up between the generating tubes and and the screen tubes what they're called. So I climb up this little little ladder. It's in Augusta, Georgia. It's hot. I'm sweating by the time I get up there. So the city, this opening the simpler Opens where two tubes bend out and you can actually look through the wall. Look through the furnace to the outside of it. So the guys up there, they've got a droplet hung in there, kind of wedged in, and I'm standing to buy 12 and it's wedged down between the tubes and tied off with non wire. And it's about 4 ft long, I guess. You know, going sideways. It's hard to picture, but anyway,

 

[00:31:25] spk_0: us nitrogen back in the day.

 

[00:31:28] Gerald Austin: I tell him I said,

 

[00:31:29] spk_2: Hand me

 

[00:31:29] Gerald Austin: that. No, Hand me my check rig. I know I saw having mighty guar, so I took that tyg wire on. I put it in my mouth because I'm all wedged in my shoulders were closed up, and I'm conscious of the drop light because there's a drop right there and you know, it's got the little bare bulb and it's exposed. It doesn't have a K. It doesn't have a shield on bare wire something. No,

 

[00:31:50] spk_0: that's crazy. You don't need no okay for that 12

 

[00:31:56] Gerald Austin: volt stuff. It's just regular old hunt. So I'm aware of the fact that that little bear part of the socket on the bulb. If it touches that wire, it'll bite me. Eso I'm watching it. So I said, Tell him I said, handing mighty Grigg. So he hands the tinkering through and again I'm all wedged up, so I pulled the tinkering through the toxins out. I'm soaking wet with sweat, and I turned my head a little bit to kind of look up there to see where that drop lights at. And I touched the tungsten to that piece of wire this in my mouth. Oh, man, I was 30 ft in there. I was over hoppers.

 

[00:32:28] spk_0: I know She said was 30 ft over E se. Where you 30 ft after you got shocked or 30 ft before you got shot?

 

[00:32:36] Gerald Austin: I made the conscious decision in the matter of microseconds that I was willing to take my chances of gravity as opposed to the Thio brother Edison Medicine was killing me because I was soaking wet with sweat. I mean, it was hot. It was hard to climb up there because the tubes were so narrow,

 

[00:32:54] spk_0: didn't you, Paul?

 

[00:32:55] Gerald Austin: Well, I fell back. I wasn't tied off.

 

[00:32:58] spk_0: He didn't fall. He jumped in voluntarily. That's what I was checking to see if he was tying off.

 

[00:33:03] Gerald Austin: But because I laid back, you know, I jumped back and fell down, but I turned sideways before I fell all the way on my shoulders wedge between the tube. So I was laying on the scaffold board with about, you know, the upper half of my body hanging off of it the other half down. And, uh, I was just thankful that I wasn't getting shocked anymore. I really didn't think about the fact that I didn't fall all the way down to the bottom of the hoppers yet. I was just thankful that that thing had quit shocking me because it was tough. I chipped our teeth on both sides of my mouth. I bit holes in my tongue. My ears rang for two days. I couldn't eat a sandwich,

 

[00:33:36] spk_0: ran a ran a well beat between the two molars. And,

 

[00:33:39] Gerald Austin: uh, I had to smash my sandwiches down, prime my mouth open to get again. I

 

[00:33:45] spk_0: had that very same thing happened to me first summer. Listen to country music, so I hate you. I'm coming to Tennessee, buddy. I would tell you what, my ass when you got here. But I'm coming through national. I'm I'm bringing I'm bringing stage. You're talking to me, But I apologize for anything I say to defend your brother. I apologize Trouble, buddy. But, brother, you know you were talking about that and you know uh huh. One of the things you know, the jiao and I try to look at in a lot of different perspectives is you know, you talk about those conditions and one of the things that you know I've seen in the past is Wilders Air put into some some conditions in some environments that we know are not completely safe. You know, you talked about your experience in the paper mill and the porter ventilation and stuff like that, and I know it's difficult. I've seen their ergonomic things at us, nitrogen and and us. Nitrogen was a very safe facility, you know, We had a lot of great stuff, but just some of the angles that they had to get into or some of the heights that they had to get into the finish out of world. Do you think that a lot of welders just look at that as part of the job? And they understand, You know, that there's conditions, they cannot be maintained, you know? Is it a matter of pride? As a matter of get the job done? Why do you think welders air so badass that they will get in there and do things when it looks, you know, completely unsafe and physically impossible and and they make it happen? I mean, they function our I don't think it's the money e.

 

[00:35:25] Gerald Austin: Nobody's nobody. If they can help it. That's a welder is gonna ask someone else to come do their job for them. That's just that's just all there is to it. E. I mean, it's just, you know, whether it be the well being too hard, it just doesn't happen very much. Oh, and and that's you know, the well, well done, in my opinion, is different than almost all the other trades. Way going job. I gotta take a test. I got to show somebody that I got skill just to get the job. I messed it up just a little bit. Or just make the QC mad. Guess what? I busted my test, whereas the figure shows up with a bucket full of tools. A square level of plum bomb boom. He's got a job, okay? And it's not like that everywhere. You know, there's a lot of them that are doing the NCC are. So they're expecting some knowledge, the number given test. But for the most part, welder show up. We've got a, uh, a different type of skill. If my fitter has a bad day and he doesn't measure something right, guess what? I can fix it if I have a bad day and I don't weld it right. He can't fix it for me. If the engineer if the engineer doesn't design it right, I can weld it up. Solar's So when you couple that with that kind of mentality and stuff that you got to go through just to do this job, it's a very competitive job. Safety wise, it's very easy to jump off in there. And and I've, you know, I've tried toe put that into my training that I give now that you gotta watch that because I could I could think of how close I waas should doing something that could have been very, very, very, very bad just because I want to get in and get it done. I've

 

[00:37:07] spk_0: had training. That type of training helps you now with your with your teachings. Yeah. Good point. Well, brother, before I handed over Jr for closing questions because I know you gotta get ready for your family church tomorrow. And again. I'm so thankful that you're here, you know, and I've been very fortunate to know you for years. And I've been very fortunate to know people that you've trained or you know, you qualified out there. Um, you know, before I turned it over job, because, I mean, he's always got stuff that I've never even thought of. Um, for welders that are coming off their tools. Um, you know, there's there's been questions, and I'm just following this. This is just on Facebook. LinkedIn, nothing anybody's asked me. They're saying, Well, my vision's getting bad. My back is getting where I can't do this. What would you suggest to them as a follow up? Would you suggest that they go into C W I Would you suggest that they may be? Look at being a foreman or, you know, try to tell them not to become a, uh, you know, a fitter, because fitters air extreme prima donnas. You know, just because they wanna be around welders. What would you suggest for a great welder? Somebody coming off their tools? Uh, that wants to stay within the trades. What would you suggest they do as a follow up to being, you know, a metal burner?

 

[00:38:27] Gerald Austin: I think if they still want to actually be involved with it, Well, that teaching is the way to go, for sure. But now it's not necessarily moneymaker. You know, Like I said, before we started, I was born broken naked.

 

[00:38:39] spk_0: Yes, sir.

 

[00:38:39] Gerald Austin: Some way ahead of the game right now.

 

[00:38:41] spk_0: You're not naked right now. Alan. Alan, still there.

 

[00:38:43] Gerald Austin: This is This is just This is just audio. So we don't have to confirm or deny anything.

 

[00:38:47] spk_0: E mean, we're a show. We just got to make sure it does dressed or semi dressed appropriately.

 

[00:38:55] Gerald Austin: But eso teaching fulfills that from me. I still love the world, but, you know, I can't imagine myself going on the border out. It's like I did 10 years ago. Bond, you know, climbing up, you know, wedging myself in between a set of super heaters. And

 

[00:39:10] spk_0: God forbid, Yes, sir.

 

[00:39:11] Gerald Austin: You know, fixing a leaking tube. You know, I just I can't even see myself walking up to the seventh floor anymore, to be honest with you.

 

[00:39:19] spk_0: Oh, man, I'm e Roughnecks, Gerald Rough. Next three years. I roughneck for years, and after a while I could just run up that ladder going up to the crown or the monkey board, but roughneck and all day long and all night long. I couldn't handle it in 30 seconds nowadays. But I have a closing question for you. I know that. Well, there's have to know how to read blueprints. I mean, it's not a prerequisite, probably. But either that or you need to know. One have to Could communicate with engineers. So, you know, you know where the pipe needs Delay, etcetera, etcetera. How to build the structure. So you need toe know a little bit about blueprints? Do you teach that in your training, or do you just let him go to a different class engineers classes

 

[00:40:07] Gerald Austin: E started off with with basic line types and JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: symbols? Uh,

 

[00:40:13] spk_0: colors, color codes and stuff. Yeah,

 

[00:40:16] Gerald Austin: but we don't. We don't get into it as a za primary job. And I'll be honest with you. The most money that I've made all my tools by the hour. Nobody cared if I could even read. You're kidding, e. I mean, really, when it when it gets down to it highly. And I'm not even a highly skilled welder, whatever but highly skilled welder, you know, they've they've got that figure there with him toe to do all that stuff. And I'm not saying there's not welders out there that could do it. The paper mill that I worked out before I moved up here. I was in maintenance for four years. You know, when it came toe JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: scheduled 10 pipe. My favorite could. Well, as good as I could. You're kidding. No, he was He was pretty slick, you know, he will. He wasn't much on stick. Well, you know, he didn't have some experience here and there. But you know, him and I working together, we could get some stuff done because I can fit also, uh, so haven't having that ability to read drawings is a big plus. Yes, sir. If you depend on what industry you get into, it may not be necessary.

 

[00:41:15] spk_0: I'm glad. Yes, just because I'm sure somebody else is going to be Oh, yeah, there's

 

[00:41:20] Gerald Austin: a lot of I'll be honest with you. In my opinion, there's a lot of fluff and JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: education stuff that they'll go over. That's in a textbook that you may not ever hear about. But then there's stuff that's good to know. You know, I could I could tell you different. You teach that you

 

[00:41:35] spk_0: teach that. See that? That's what's so And excuse me for interrupting But when? When you go into a classroom and and you ask the teacher, How do you know that while learning to college? Well, that's great. What about the practical? Yeah, adaptation for that? Well, they don't know because they went to school. You get an engineer right out of school, and they go, uh, you know what schedule? Probably wall. It's right here in the prints. They don't know. But you teach that you teach the common knowledge that, you know, you teach the the common sense that you know, you instill that into your students And man, let me tell you, buddy, you may not know it. Maybe you do. You probably dio a pretty smart guy, but that goes a long way. When they get outside in that lonely field of JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: spectaculars as yourself on, that's gonna help him so, so much. And with that, I will say Thank you, my friend. You are real guy, and I appreciate it. And do you own a horse?

 

[00:42:43] Gerald Austin: Uh, I wish I did. I'm horse.

 

[00:42:45] spk_0: You don't You know, your horse trainer, You train a horse to weld.

 

[00:42:51] Gerald Austin: Uh, my dream job when I was in the Navy there was a weapon station out in Arizona somewhere.

 

[00:42:57] spk_0: Oh, I have an idea where you're talking. There's a

 

[00:43:00] Gerald Austin: coming out there, went out road fences and look for repairs, and then you drive out and fix them later. I could have got me a job pulling well machine behind the horse. I'd have

 

[00:43:10] spk_0: you do it. You do it right. That's a good idea. But I gotta I gotta get a picture of that. That's that's funny, Gerald, Thank you so much. And I wish you nothing but the best. One more thing. There was this little boy that followed his mom around wherever she went. I know you're a Christian and following his mom around wherever she went, No matter where she turned, she turned. There he was. She tripped over him. And he said, Well, son, once you once you go outside and play, you know, and you get something extra. Now, Mom, I just want to stay here with you. And she said, Well, how come you follow me around every place, so well, it's supposed to follow in Jesus footsteps, But I can't see him. So I just followed a year round.

 

[00:43:50] Gerald Austin: There you go.

 

[00:43:51] spk_0: thank you. And God bless you, brother. And appreciate what you dio

 

[00:43:55] Gerald Austin: appreciate you hanging out with no

 

[00:43:58] spk_0: problem in our pleasure, Gerald. I love you. Thank you for this opportunity, brother. You know that. And this is what J. R. And I started this for which Betty could have been on here because she would have had some amazing questions or she was said. Okay, Alan, thank you for putting me on the spot like that, but But we wish you could have got the full trifecta, brother, before we cut you loose again. I cannot thank you enough. There's been so many people that wanted to hear stuff on the JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: side, you know, through the grace of God, we were able to get you on here. Well,

 

[00:44:30] Gerald Austin: I'm only I'm only a small part of that JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: world, so but

 

[00:44:33] spk_0: to quote well, a small part. Whatever. But two questions I have from the heart please tell me you still have that Subaru.

 

[00:44:41] Gerald Austin: Oh, yeah. 3.5 Speed e. Drove it up to Kingsport yesterday and back. Did you have a drop of transmission fluid in it? A girl? That's what has got,

 

[00:44:53] spk_0: uh and my second question, brother, in all sincerity for the people that were we've got listening to the show. You know that whether it's about safety or they're gonna, uh, you know, come in because of your background. What would be the last thing you'd want to put? What would be a word of wisdom You want Thio provide to anybody that's looking to go into JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: or cwt or, you know, follow the path that you've chosen. Is there any insight you given that you wish that you knew ahead of time or before you got into this trade?

 

[00:45:26] Gerald Austin: I think one of the one of the things that I struggled when with when I was younger was pride and ego. And one of the things that I'll tell people is know what you know. You know what? You don't know that that same thing goes for for JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard:, skill, knowledge, safety, all that stuff. Be prepared to learn some or whenever you can. Yes, sir. And search for it. Looked for it. Be hungry. You know, when I was when I was a teenager, my goal waas to be the person in my peer group the new more and could well, more than anybody else. So I've got to maintain my peer group now to be that person. I gotta be careful who I hang out with, but that's that's it. There's no what You don't know. What? You

 

[00:46:07] spk_0: don't think you'll have that problem but

 

[00:46:09] Gerald Austin: have a little passion for it.

 

[00:46:11] spk_0: Well, Gerald, Thank you again, Jerry. Uh, both you guys are looking. You have brothers. Good day and be safe, man. Yeah, And for those listening, if you want to get more information or Gerald. Hey, Jerald. Yeah? If you have any questions you can reach Gerald. Gerald, that's g r a l d. At JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: data dot com. Uh, you can ask him questions, please don't flood him with just, you know, inappropriate fan mail or love letters. Uh, general questions or Caitlyn Jenner questions,

 

[00:46:46] Gerald Austin: but CW stuff. I can help you with anything well related. I know people that know stuff.

 

[00:46:51] spk_0: Yeah, throw it out there. But again. Look for Gerald at JR Kitchens and Allen Woffard: data. That's w e l d i n g d a ta dot com and Gerald. Thank you, brother. God bless you. We love you. Thank you for being a part of the show. And, uh, Betty, if when you listen to this, we wish you were here, we hope the best success for everything that you're dealing with right now and thank you for listening.

 

[00:47:18] spk_2: The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and its guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the company. Examples of analysis discussed within this podcast are only examples. It should not be utilized in the real world as the only solution available as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within this analysis are not reflective of the position of the company. No part of this podcast, maybe reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical, electronic recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the creator of the podcast e