horhey from CT

[horhey1220]

Hey guys new here one the forum and have been a plumbing apprentice for going on my 4th year countdown to my journey man test is on its way.. But were i slacked off was on my code knowledge.. I bought my ipc 2006 and handbook and Im really having a hard time studying.. Definitions..minimum and maximum this and that just having a hard time.. I know i shouldn't have waiting till the last minute but looking to take my test by the end of the year.. Test prep.. Study guides any and all help will be very much a appreciate again my name is jorge Im a 21 year old bullad havens technical vonational highschool grad class of 08'.. I am one of 5 students that actually went into the trade out of 120 kids that have graduated over the last 6 years.. Love the trade and everything about it.. I rather spin wrenches than sit on a chair anyday ..

 

[johnjh2o]

horhey, I went to the same school. That was over 54 years ago. Have been in the plumbing & heating business ever since. Well not quite I am now retired and hanging out on plumbing forums.

John

 

[LiQuId]

are you a service plumber or a construction plumber ??

I ask this because I learned most of my code knowledge and How to find what I was looking for in code During 8 years as a Commercial plumber Dealing with large sites where you could see most of the Dwv installations ( mostly working installing Dwv and such ) I would often stay after hours on my own time and Use my code book to referance configurations and Why we had to use this size verses that size vent and branches Etc. I also had the benafit of Some Very knowledgablle Foremen in my early years who were easy to buy a barly pop for in exchange for some Code Chats.
It does get easier over time, and I told apprentices often who were new to sites to "ask Questions that you KNOW the answers to" as I found, and still do on occasion ( now a service plumber though ) that many tradesmen Will offer advice to you even when they have no real idea... must be a pride thing.

...basically Identify what people Are good sources of information and those that are not, and recognize that different people have different ways of doing things, some better than others.

As I propped John earlier on a thread I will hope he doesnt take me for an ass kisser To say that he is a prime example ( i believe ) of a tradesman That Would honestlly tell you if he didnt know Something, and a great source of knowledge.

Remember the best of the best dont walk around talking about how awesome they are, they just Do what they do.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[horhey1220]

Awesome guys im actually a service plumber out of stratford CT we do a handful of additions annually and bathroom renovations constantly.. But mostly small service.. I love the trade and i appreciate both u guys.. My boss worked for 2 big companies in CT charlie waterman and nichols ..its hard to compare us because he worked 60 hours a week and throughout my apprentice i have dealt with 20-30 hour work weeks due to the economy ..his name is keith cavoto from cavoto plumbing and heating .. He is great at what he does and has taught me a ****load.. Just curious what year u graduate from bullard havens.. Because when i was in school a guy from the first graduating class donated his shop shirt.. Was pretty cool

 

[johnjh2o]

It was 1958. When I was going to Bullard Havens I was living in Westport CT. To get to school I had to take a train to Bridgeport then a bus to school. It made for a long day. In your freshman year did they put you through the other shops in the building trades? Then have you make your choice as to which one you would return to in your 2nd year. When I first started there I had all intentions of being a carpenter. Hated it. But loved plumbing and returned to that shop and never looked back.

John

 

[horhey1220]

Yup went there for auto mechanic and once they gave me a torch i never looked back ..it was great

 

[johnjh2o]

I can still see that shop in my head. When you were heading out the back door to your left were some benches. They were called the lead benches. Your entire senior year was spent on those benches learning how to wipe lead joints. I spent many hours on those benches. Then after I got out I never had to wipe a joint again except to pass a plumbing test for a license. Today it's a lost art.

John

 

[horhey1220]

I hear alot about the lead days and nowadays we barely solder pex has found a new home in our business i cant imagine lugging lengths of cast iron around my hat comes off to the old timers including yourself..

 

[LiQuId]

in new construction ( commercial ) we still haul lengths of cast, but join them with mj now. Lead is a lost art sadly, but solder will be around for a long time I figure as I cant see Sharkbite ever becoming a normal or largely accepted alternative neither with pro press. service plumbing IMO makes you a better plumber overall though I can see where DFU's and some code clauses Would be easier learned doing new instalations.

 

[dhayden]

Well hello there! I am new to the forum as well though have been lurking around for quite a bit. I am into this plumbing industry for well over 3 years now and things have been going for the better, really.

The forum really helps a lot and to those who are just starting out with it, this would really be a great step to keep things at bay and forward. And more importantly, something that would let things go at their own pace.