Does anyone have any customer horror stories they'd like to share? Everyone's had to deal with difficult customers at one time or another. I'm sure some of you have interesting stories to tell. If they're funny, even better! :-D
Quote from: InLikeFlynn on 07-21-2005 -- 18:37:29
The moral to this story kids is that if you are right, and you know it, screw politics and stand your frickin' ground. The truth shall set you free!!!!!!!
That's inspirational, man. :cry:
My story is not nearly as horrific, but it was headache inducing. I had this meter that needed limitation approval, and I sent an e-mail to both OWC POC's. I got an out-of-office reply from the first, but no reply from the second. Telephoned the second a few days later, left a message, and I got no response.(I know it sounds typical, but I'm building to the painful part.) Tried e-mailing again a few days later and got...no response. Two day's later, I get an e-mail from...someone else. He's the new POC and apparently eager to help. He asks the necessary people to approve the limitation. I'm thinking that he's talking to the user technicians and/or the shop chief. No. None of the above. This genius e-mailed the manufacturer asking if the limitation was acceptable!!!!! (Insert headbanging against bench) After e-mailing a polite if blunt response, he replied that I should just send it off for repair. Wheee!!!! Now that I could handle. I NRTSed that sucker and sent it on its way.
The moral of this story: Make sure(Pray) an item will work before calibrating it for your annual PR. (Because you don't want to go through that s*** for something that's supposed to be a bunny!)
Hey Hoopty,
Since you work at the school house, do you have any trainee horror stories to share? :-D
I guess everybody's terrified of replying. They're in fear of customers bearing large stacks of hand receipts. :-D
I've only had one class so far (next one starts on Mon.), so I really don't have any good stories. I'm upstairs in the supplemental courses, so most of the students we deal with have been in for a while. Now, downstairs is probably another story. I'm sure they have some dumb airmen stories!
Quote from: Hoopty on 07-29-2005 -- 20:18:39
I've only had one class so far (next one starts on Mon.), so I really don't have any good stories. I'm upstairs in the supplemental courses, so most of the students we deal with have been in for a while. Now, downstairs is probably another story. I'm sure they have some dumb airmen stories!
Last time I checked Phys-D was downstairs..........................WTF are trying to say there Mr. Electronics :-)
Quote from: InLikeFlynn on 07-21-2005 -- 18:37:29
Here's a doozy!!!!!!!! I was working in the Oxygen gage area of our lab.
Okay from here on out the story is a bunch of crap......................cause ain't nowhere in the Air Farce is there a Oxygen Gage Calibration area...................check with a black light....my hind part.
We usually just refer to the supplementals (including Phys-D) as upstairs and the basic course as downstairs.
And I do work upstairs...
Push up?
http://theimaginaryworld.com/blapig02.jpg
Can't find a better link offhand.
Quote from: flamy78 on 08-09-2005 -- 21:01:23
Push up?
http://theimaginaryworld.com/blapig02.jpg
Can't find a better link offhand.
Wrong kind of pushup. :oops:
Oxygen Gage Area.... In the AIR FORCE??? Never saw one.... and no one knew what an IR Spectrophotometer was either... hahahahahahahahaha
and no offense to my Air Force brethren.... It's Scary As Hell! :-o
Back in 72, when I was at the Lowry Lab, we got an AN/PSM-6 with a nicely filled out AFTO 350, which was signed by a MSgt at the Instrument Shop...
The tag stated: "Will not measure 500 Volts AC on any range or function"...
Well, the meter needle had a serious S curve to it, and the unit had a nice smell to it, even through the metal, sealed case...
Almost everything inside was black. The wiring harness was fused, the two rotary switches had contacts burned off, almost half the resistors were cooked. If you've ever seen one of these, you're an old-timer. The switches are three or four layer switches...
Anyway, I took it to the Lab Chief, who contact the bozo, and asked him if he had actually tried all the ranges and function, and the guy replied he had.
That was the first statement of charges I'd ever seen levied. Cost the guy a bunch more than a new unit, as you can't condemn the unit under these circumstances, and the guy had to pay time and materials... :-o
In the world of commercial calibration labs, it's sometimes better than that... :wink:
It never ceases to amaze me that customers don't know how to use their own equipment. :|
There is always the classic AFTO-350 stating the the item (in this case an o-scope) "Does not work in the O-F-F position...". True story! :wink:
Then there was the COMM Squadron at Laughlin AFB.
Real winners. They were frying the attenuators in TS-510s by transmitting back into them.
Well, we thought we'd same ourselves some work, so the lab installed an external in-line RF fuse.
The bozos would pop the fuse, disconnect the thing at the input, then transmit into them again...
This is with a box of five spare fuses taped to the top of the units...
I guess they decided it was easier to just burn the units up, rather than replace a fuse.
I never saw a spare fuse used...
We got tired of this and took it up the Chief of Maintenance. He sent the C.S. 1st Lt. CofM a letter stating he personally was going to pay for the next one.
I guess the Lt. thought it was a joke - until he got the bill. 1st Lieutenants aren't the smartest animals.
We didn't charge him for the next one, but the one after that we did. No problem after that!
Same bozos couldn't figure out how to get their counter working, as it was in external timebase after calibration. Maybe they didn't want to work weekends, as it always happened on a Friday. We wouldn't even receive them, and would make them take them back with them.
Quote from: howiesatwork on 10-04-2005 -- 01:56:57
We got tired of this and took it up the Chief of Maintenance. He sent the C.S. 1st Lt. CofM a letter stating he personally was going to pay for the next one.
I guess the Lt. thought it was a joke - until he got the bill. 1st Lieutenants aren't the smartest animals.
We didn't charge him for the next one, but the one after that we did. No problem after that!
Sounds like your Chief really looked after his people. It's nice know that customers don't always get away with the moronic crap.
We had the Comm Sq fried Spectrum Analyzer story too at Grissom. On the THIRD time they sent the unit in with "Not reading right amplitude", I called them to remind them of what we talked about just one month earlier, "you are keying your mics into the spec an and blowing a $1000 attenuator." When I told them it was going to be another two weeks to wait for the parts, they decieded we were not properly supporting them and their mission. THey called their commander, who called the Air Force Comm commander who called the SAC commander who called our base commander who called the wing commander then the DCM then our commander then our branch chief. Needless to say, we easily pushed this big pile of shiitte back in their direction. The guilty TSgt was then stuck with a $6ooo bill for the three repairs.
Quote from: InLikeFlynn on 12-31-2005 -- 19:15:14
PMEL OLd School. WHen we ran the frickin base!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It must have been nice...
No more stories? :-(
Customer horror story: Watching a submariner bounce a newly cal'd wallace and tiernen down 3 ladders to the pier. Oh wait... that was a comedy.
Quote from: cs137 on 02-09-2006 -- 11:07:56
Customer horror story: Watching a submariner bounce a newly cal'd wallace and tiernen down 3 ladders to the pier. Oh wait... that was a comedy.
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? :-D
Quote from: cs137 on 02-09-2006 -- 11:07:56
Customer horror story: Watching a submariner bounce a newly cal'd wallace and tiernen down 3 ladders to the pier. Oh wait... that was a comedy.
How bout walking into the sheet metal shop and seeing all those mics you kept getting out of cycle for not properly working being used as C-Clamps..........................All the calipers from 31A having to be disassembled and cleaned due to all the chips that got into em from being laid in the chip pan until needed.
My all time favorites involve the 3666-10K-1.....too many to list...but here are a few.
Pulled a unit out of the case after it wouldn't operate to find 3" of Lube Oil (good ole yellow)..they had liquid traps, liquid seperators......but no...................................we had to regularly fix these things. With about 11 subs each having these.......well we were busy for quite abit on these items.
My all time favorite was the USS Chicago (SSN-721).......they had turned theirs in and got a new one............well the nukes came by to do the wannual radioactive survey on the shop and..........................BAMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A box full of contaminated fittings. We were shut down for a few days as we removed and had checked by Radcon every pressure fitting in the shop.......................then it began...............the USS McKee Nuclear Inquisition. Man the finger pointing going on in there. We escaped all blame..................never found out what happened to the Chicago people.
What sub-base did you work at and when?
Bangor TRF and San Diego 92-98
Oh yeah I forgot one about thos black sewage pipes of despair..............
The depth gages.......be in the control room and see a post it stuck to the depth gage saying refrence only use the digital.............. :?
I was at NAVSUBSUPPFAC New London
Ahhhhhh.. the 3666-10K. When I was on the Hunley we had one come in with the intensifier all broke dick. I emptied out the intensifier and went to wash my hands. Funny, the "pink hydraulic fluid" started to get "sudsy".
Some enterprising young bubblehead thought a good substitute would be HAND CLEANER! I miss those days
USS Fulton 78 -80
USS Hunley 80 - 84
SubBase Pearl 84 - 87
91 - 94
1983, USS U.S. Grant SSBN-631. Spent two days aligning and cal'ing a King Nut 3605. Boys picked it up, brought it to the boat, and Seaman Schmuckatelli drops the damn thing from the deck down into the Control Room. Only time I ever got to RedTag a 3605. It was actually a beautiful thing they brought back into the Lab 10 minutes later. My Chief blew a gasket.
Question from an old Air Force guy- what the heck do you use a King Nut for?
Well, that depends! Our "sister" rate, the Opticalmen, thought the King Nut 3605 was an Outstanding Hot Dog Cooker!!
Quote from: docbyers on 08-08-2006 -- 11:00:54
Question from an old Air Force guy- what the heck do you use a King Nut for?
Well.................there were many uses and they do make more than just the 3682.
Oh the pink elephant.............the joys of that beast and scaring the living bejezzus out of people.
Having a 3605 and being able to do -40 to 250 oin about 30 minuts.....oh yeah and to cook hot dogs.
A 3666 coupled with a 3689A.........the world was yours for the taking.
Oh yeah there was this time that a second class was carrying a box of about 30 Rosemount Pressure transducers ($$$$$) up the brow on November pier in San Dog...............when an idiot would not give him any room and then bumped the box only to watch 3 transducers go over the side............................................Informed the divers and 30 minutes later had all transducers back............man was that second class happy as he was using air and the Incubator to dry those bad boys out. I cal'd em the next day and they worked like a champ. (Never again would I carry that many items across the brow)................and the jackleg that made me drop em was huffing and puffing back to the sub cause we hadn't yet fixed his depth gage they dropped.
Somehow I think I haven't had my question answered yet... :-)
Doc, sounds like a trick question.
What's the trick answer??
OK, unlike most of my previous postings, this really was a serious question. I've never heard of a 'King Nut' before, so I wondered what they're used for. I learned a lot about submarines from my brother-in-law (a retired master chief) who spent over 20 years in subs, but I never heard of one of those...
King Nut is the lovable term given for King Nutronics.
So yes many of their instruments are very handy. You can measure from temp, pressure, rpm, torque, depth....and my favorite the 3510 (Pink Elephant) Pressure test chamber. Used for testing fittings and such (actually used to see how much is needed for brass, aluminum...etc to burst and how loud it will be)
So Doc I guess you understand all about us thinking their was a trick answer........I mean heck it's you.
and let's not forget the P.O.S. that started it all! The 3112 Live Pressure Tester.
King Nut was started by Barry King. Rumoured for a while to be a former Navy IM. He found his niche and started out just dealing with the Military and made his fortune. Never went public with stock I don't think.
Thanks, guys! Now it's all clear to me... Mr. King must have been a pretty smart guy, or he hired some good ones to build his widgets. I don't think John Fluke retired poor, either...
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-08-2006 -- 14:36:21
and let's not forget the P.O.S. that started it all! The 3112 Live Pressure Tester.
King Nut was started by Barry King. Rumoured for a while to be a former Navy IM. He found his niche and started out just dealing with the Military and made his fortune. Never went public with stock I don't think.
Thanks alot :x
Now I have to return to my therapist because I had blocked out all memories of tht damn 3112.......oh that little check valve from hell it had :-o
Mr. King was a torpedo guy. He worked at NUWC Keyport.
Wasn't that check valve the BEST!!!???
I wish I could deal with those again... hahahahahahahahaha
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-08-2006 -- 16:29:46
Wasn't that check valve the BEST!!!???
I wish I could deal with those again... hahahahahahahahaha
You are a masochist aren't you
The AirForce uses "King Nuts" in the K6 area as well. It's the 3682 AirData Calibrator. They also use the KingNut gauge cleaner ( I can't remember the model# ). I believe they use a few other models as well. :|
3646-1-1 or 3646-1-104. One was yellow and one was green.............but they both used freon.
Yes. That would be Freon 113 .
Trichlorotrifloroethane... lovely stuff. Right before I retired they came down heavy on the stuff. Had to keep all sorts of logs on it. Worse than dealing with sub mariners.
At Bangor we had a 55 gallon drum for the main lab and then another 55 gallon drum in the..........get ready for it AF types....................The Oxygen Clean Room
Only logs we kept were the supply logs for when to order more..........and that was 96-98
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-09-2006 -- 09:02:56
Trichlorotrifloroethane... lovely stuff. Right before I retired they came down heavy on the stuff. Had to keep all sorts of logs on it. Worse than dealing with sub mariners.
"Trike" was the cleaner of choice in USAF PMEL, came in a nifty spray can similar to WD-40, with the obligatory straw attachment. Had a pleasant aroma, worked well, and no health concerns that we were aware of at the time... Of course, you didn't snort the stuff, and you thoroughly rinsed your coffee cup after cleaning those nasty stains...
"Nasty stains" that must an AF thang
The USAF PMEL break rooms did not enjoy the quality coffee of USN yore, therefore our coffee cups would get "nasty" fairly quickly...
The nice thing about it was that you could fill your empty cup with hot water, swirl it around a little, and you had another cup of coffee!
You wash your coffee cups? Why? What a bizarre behaviour...... :|
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-09-2006 -- 14:00:29
You wash your coffee cups? Why? What a bizarre behaviour...... :|
Yeah now that I think about..........when I was at Moody I remember them always saying somthing about washing my coffee cup............
Now that I'm back at a Navy lab.........well no cup needed for the coffee........It comes thick or thin sliced..just the way ole Chief Jones used to make it.
I remember my first coffee in a Navy Lab. That was 17 years ago. I have not slept since. :-o
I worked night check on the USS Enterprise. Came in one night and the day check had made us coffee. One of the 32 cup sized pots. They filled the basket to the top with coffee grounds and no filter. Well we unplugged and about an hour before day check was to come in. We plugged back in and rebrewed it. Now that was some serious coffee.
[/quote]
It comes thick or thin sliced..just the way ole Chief Jones used to make it.
[/quote]
Allan Jones??
Damn.. I can't even get the "quote" thingy to work right. I think I need some coffee...
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-11-2006 -- 09:28:26
Allan Jones??
Well....it was IMC Al Jones on the Prairie. He lived in Riverside I believe. So a safe bet of yeah....the same person.
Quote from: Old-Navy on 08-11-2006 -- 09:29:51
Damn.. I can't even get the "quote" thingy to work right. I think I need some coffee...
hint: no slash in first set of brackets