Starting a New Job this Morning

[Chazz of Blades]

Well, I'm leaving the house in an hour, and driving for about 40 minutes, but I'm starting a new job as a mechanic at a cycle shop in Florence. I'm really excited, I'll be the third person working at this place, it's an ooooooooold shop, I've even spotted some old Hondaline boxes in one far back little nook, I need to check em out. It's a parts store, but primarily a shop instead of vice versa like most new places. This'll be the first time I've actually been paid anything to work on stuff, that'll be nice, and I get everything for parts cost, no overhead!

I'm pretty nervous, being my first real mechanic job, but I'm really looking forward to it as well, just thought I'd share.

[just ben]

good luck. its always good to get paid for something you enjoy.

[bigred44]

Congrats and good luck to you. Understandable to be nervous going to a new job. One thing to always remember is dont ever be afraid to ask questions. Better to ask then just assume and screw something up. Let us know how it goes and if there is anything good in those boxes, lol.

[Xpress]

Yep, don't be afraid to ask questions- within reason that is. And don't forget that everybody messes up, so just try to do everything as carefully as you can, and if you screw up, take what you get then move on

[Chazz of Blades]

Well, first day went good. Good people, good work, it's a 26 mile(one way) drive though, and I'm paid comission, 50% of all labor charges($55 and hour), when the labor costs are paid though. I'm paid any day that something I've worked on is paid for, working 9-5.

[motorhead]

Well good luck.

You can make good money on commission, if you are good and there is adequate work coming in. Make sure you check everything before it leaves the shop, you will probably be responsible for any repeat repairs (come-backs).

[Vealmonkey]

Congrats on the new job, best of luck. And I have 2 words:
Shop Manual
LOL Well, actually seriously...shop manual.

[Chazz of Blades]

Luckily what I'm working on is mostly air cooled Hondas, so thank goodness for these darn old, ratty trikes breaking down, gets me work!

Cleaned the carbs on three quads today, put a new ignition system, battery, and ring terminals on one 110 china bike, cleaned carb, changed oil, spark plug, and did a valve adjustment on another 110, was only getting 30 something PSI on compression. So I recheck the valves, they are fine. Hmm, check everything from base gaksets up,take the little engine out of frame, take the head off, redo the valve adjustment precisely(again), reassemble, head reads 60-70 psi. Hmm, so I do a fluid check on the valves, and the exhaust valve is pouring through like a spring, the intake it still sealed up nicely. So I lap the valve a good bit, still leaks, but not as bad. Lap it a bit more, still leaks, the valve has a bad spot on it that's pretty bad. So I grab a valve out of a spare parts head, lap and assemble it, and it leaks no more. Gonna reassemble everything tomorrow, and if it fires and runs, go ahead and call the customer for pick up.


They also have a '90 QuadRacer 250 sitting there needing a waterpump changed on it, I'm gonna have fun figuring that one out. There's old Honda Elsinore 250 parts there too I might see about sometimes.

[just ben]

the upside is to get paid for somthing you enjoy the downside is "the carpenters house never gets built" hopefully you will still be able to keep up on your machines. the lt needing a water pump is usually just the seal which the mfg. doesnt normally offer seperate. if the seal isnt torn up there should be a number on it and can be ordered from mcmaster or a well pump dealer. same with the bearing. I got a water pump seal from a pool place once and they had it in stock

[Chazz of Blades]

I'm not sure if I can keep it, I'm giving it a week to decide. It's 52 mile round trip, probably gonna end up being 6 days a week, at 40%. There's only two mechanics, one being me, and it's not a big shop either, work is steady, but not booming. If I can't even cover gas there's no hope for it. I'm probably getting about 22-25 MPG, so that's........ an average of $7.40 gas for a single days driving, if not more, so that's almost fifty bucks in gas alone in back and forth costs, not counting any other driving that week. And six days a week, which I won't be able to do anyway, at 8 hours a day 9-5, that's 48 hours a week, which at minumum wage, is $348 a week before taxes.

Oh yes, all these figures of pay, are before taxes have been taken out.


I love the job, the people are great, the job is fun, I've learned more today than I have in the last six months, but the overhead cloud looms once more.........

[just ben]

that sucks you lost 10% of pay in just over an hour. maybe instead of talking yourself out of having a job. promote the shop when possible to bring more money into the shop and your pocket. over head? 50 bucks a week for gas? its guys like you that dont wanna work that I cant find any good help. sorry to be brash but have you noticed the state of our country? you were lucky to get a job

[tri again]

I had the same kinda deal years ago.
50% of shop rate so I learned how to, not cut corners, but
work faster.

Like the manual for swing bearings on an sx says to take off the tires, disconnect all the cables etc.

NO no no..I left the tires on and didn't have 2 screw with cables and rusty bent adjusters .

Had plenty of room to get the swing bearings and races out and saved myself tons of time.

Shop book time was 'x' hours and I did it in half by saving the extra work but still got paid full book time.

Boss would also 'hold' pay if I had a fat pay period, like an engine or trans rebuild mixed in.

That 'extra' 200 bucks would pop me into the bottom of the next tax bracket
and I'd see like 23$ of that 200...so he'd save a few work orders for the next lean period.

He'd also let me take on jobs independently (at home) that he didn't care to deal with
like say, someone called from your home town, he'd let you just fix it at their house
or your home shop.

ahhh, tricycle house calls, with tools in the little red wagon.

They always said I could have another childhood.

Congrats my friend and good luck with having a fun income stream go your way.

[NINJA]

Being a fulltime MC/ATV mechanic is a thankless job. You've got to really love it to stick with it. The longer you do it professionally the more you'll make. The trade is saturated by "parts changers" and starved of problem solvers. That is why it's hard to make money at most shops. They've seen plenty of "mechanics" come and go. Your best bet is to get some professional training or work alongside a Master that is willing to teach you. Find a reputable shop that has had the same Master for years and start working there. Most of the time you'll end up starting from the bottom, ie "Lot Tech". That's fine, swallow your pride, you've got your foot in the door. Listen and do. If you mouth off and act like you know more than you actually do, be prepared for another mechanic to find some creative ways to humble you. If you screw up a lot of stuff, you will get fired. That's alright, not everybody is cut out for it. There is a BIG difference between a good hobby mechanic and a professional mechanic.

[tri again]

I'd present my findings to the owner,
wrong oil, compression readings, quick safety check, cables brake pads etc
he'd call the customer and give them am estimate to fix the main complaint, or
get authorization to get it going AND stop.
..or fix the starter and the customer will do the brakes.
Just watch out for the dreaded 6 hr oil changes.
THEY screw up the drain threads and bring 'em to you for the oil change special
that takes 3 days.


anyway, OPEN communication.
I'd also simply do what he told me, even if I had a different opinion.
NO ego, just work together to get stuff done right.

I secured that first job by saying I'd give my pay back if I screwed up a job.
Luckily never had to.
Or do EXACTLY what the boss says, and it still doesn't fix the prob?
hmmm...offer suggestions in a humble way?

also went to a few construction sites and said I'd work the first day for free...just showed up all ready to go.

One boss handed me a cutting torch and had me cut a 10 foot diameter culvert pipe in half.
He hired me at the end of that day and even paid me for it.
Busy guy, big project...'what can I do now boss?"
He was shocked and delighted to have extra help outta the blue.

That was the old days when lawsuits weren't so common, I guess.
They may thnk yer nuts if you tried that in this day and age...idk

Now, being kinda limited physically,
I filed an LLC with the state for 50 bucks.
Within weeks, I got all kinds of legitimate creditcard offers for businesses.
and prob have 30 grand worth of credit in my company name.
Scared to death to use any of it unless I can DOUBLE my $ in weeks.
like buy a boat motor or trike or truck, rototiller, guitar amp etcetc cheap, fix it and double $$.

Funny thing about biz credit.
If I screw it up, it does NOT affect my personal credit rating and my primary addictions are tax deductible .
tools, tractors, shop repairs, roof heat hot water etc etc.

Yeah, I was working on small airplanes for 10$ an hr and then got that 50% offer from that car
repair shop I described above.

Not sure where I'm going with this but, you get the idea.
Be creative, stay as ethical as possible in the money arena
and make sure it's something that makes you want to jump out of bed on a rainy morning
to go and do.
Invent something!
Someone mentioned a dipstick with a temp gauge in it.

look into alibabba.com.
It's manufacturers reps that list virtually everything ever made..just for ideas.

A pillow that vibrates or dings when you snore?
Pet rock?
Doesn;t have to be rocket science.
Just something people will gladly give you $$ for.

Now it's off to my other support group for people who can't stop talking.

It's called on and on anon.

[Chazz of Blades]

Well, today went great, changed the front tire, rebuilt the carbs, and changed fluids in a big, honking Suzuki Harley-Replica.

That Quadracer will definantly need a few things, no oil came out the drain, only antifreeze, the plug looked good though, no signs of it burning fluid, so no signs of a cracked head yet, there was no gasket for the clutch side, side cover, no dowel pins, craptons of Silly-Cone, the water pump is bad, and the mechanical seal is probably shot too. It's gonna be $300 something in parts alone.......

Did a couple china quads yesterday, but I have to remount the engine and go over one today to finish it off, and I have more stuff to do.








Oh, and

its guys like you that dont wanna work that I cant find any good help. sorry to be brash but have you noticed the state of our country? you were lucky to get a job

I'd recommend a good, tall glass of shut the Hell up. This is the first job I've had in my almost 8 months of searching, I'm working 6 days a week, 8-10 hours a day, and I'm DAMNED glad I have work, so instead of blaming your problems on someone else that just happens to have a good stroke of luck, why not sit back, and stay quiet, hmm?