The harbor crane operator who showed me a better way to seat cables

Was on a job in San Pedro last month and an old-timer named Javi walked me through how he uses a rubber mallet to tap the cable into the drum groove instead of fighting it by hand. Has anyone else picked up a weird trick from a random operator on site?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee_reed1mo ago

Oh man, that Javi sounds like a real one. I had a guy on a site in Long Beach show me how to use a piece of scrap lumber to brace the cable while you work it instead of using your fingers or a tool that can slip. It sounds so simple but it kept me from crushing my hand on a tight fit. I mean, those little tricks are gold because they come from someone who's had to do it a thousand times and got tired of the hard way. It's crazy how a five minute chat can save you hours over a career.

casey_wood21mo ago

That's exactly the kind of small shortcut that ends up saving you time everywhere if you pay attention lol.

miles_young591mo ago

Hang on, a rubber mallet? @casey_wood2 that's wild, I always thought you had to wrestle that thing in by hand or use a proper tool.