Thread: Thank You Grahame Collins.

Originally Posted by Batpig

Dear Chaps, ..................

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

As a earlier contibutor to this thread please refrain from including me in the above title. In line with this desription i prefer to be known as a bloke.

Cheers

I agree with the above, I have been welding for 30 years and completed a 12 month tafe cause, and still have learnt from Graham. The way to treat such persons is to ignore them and they will simply crawl back under the rock they emerged from

Darren Knobbs, apprentice, no threads, 4 posts, all negative.

No offence mate, but attacking a forum member on a personal level, is not on.

Grahame Collins has the practical experience of teaching welding technology to young whipper snappers, still wet behind the ears. Transforming young kids into welders, is exasibating, at any level, and requires knowledge, patience, and handing over a large part of your family life.

You have every right to disagree, but leave out the acid.

I was always brought up respect my elders, and by saying that, I'm not suggesting Grahame is an old bugger like me.

Ken

Hi guys,
I m truly flabbergasted,
Thank you one and all for your support. It great to think I have so many mates who are willing to defend me.
I am not sure whats going on as I had not spent much time here in the last week and half. Obviously I managed to fall afoul of someone.

The truth is that I have not retired, I wish! I have left teaching, the attitudes and behaviors of some students finally have finally got the better of me. It was better to leave than hang around and have a heart attack,stroke etc borne out of stress.
I also it better to leave than be involved in a potential legal tangle where some kids parents might think to sue the teacher because he did want to listen to safety procedures and then not follow them. Yes I will miss the 10 weeks a year recesses but believe me teachers do EARN them.

I have a new career in industry as an estimator with a large firm here in Mackay.Its a staff job and I have been putting 10 hour days to learn the new job.

At home the builders are here to fix up the flood damage. While they have the walls open it has been an ideal time to retrofit some cyclone rods and a long needed cavity slider door in the bathroom.

I don't think the neighbors agree with the plan,but some nights I am still going at 8,30 or 9.00 PM. Consequently my time at the computer has been reduced greatly.

Thats the great thing about these forums we have here.I have got so much from them over the years,its only fair to give something back.
Its gratifying and humbling to have so many people stick up for me and I thank each and every one of you.

Now its time to stop and get ready for work
Again everyone thanks.

Grahame

+1 vote of thanks and support. If it wasn't for G.C.'s posts I wouldn't have a welder now or any hope of getting good with it.

Greg

From one of this guy's other posts
Find out if the TAFE actually does run the courses, and if they don't ask them for the next best place.

A basic welding certificate is and the info obtained in the course - if the teachers you employ are any good that is, is worth far more than trying to learn welding by wishful thinking and lots of "luck"...

My last idiot welding teacher - I fired the guy.

Turns out he was out the back during all of the classes, making himself a trailer, during the course I (and the others) were paying him to run for me.... for the last 6 to 8 weeks before his retirement.

I gave him and his sleazy head of department the sack.

So not everyone who "teaches welding" is either intelligent or of a creditable source of information.

These sorts of characters just like to think they are.




Cheers

Daggles

as he is also from Mackay , and you put it together , you have to wonder if he is just a disgruntled student , I like the line " I Fired the Guy" , having been a lecturer at tafe for a fair time i can tell you students don't fire anyone .
Makes you wonder if this bloke might have been one of those terribly clever people who know far more than any teacher ,
It appears to me, that if he was a past student of Grahame's then he has tried to use this forum to try and get some sort of childish get even , if so what a poor sad attempt it was by an immature childish person who needs in my view to grow up and get a life

Like to add my support for Grahame as well. His solutions are both creative and clever. We are lucky to have him on this forum, hate to think how many hours he has saved me with his help over the years. I must confess I read his posts even when they don't directly affect me but still get something from them.

Sad to hear you've left teaching, it is a hard gig and unfortunately one which just keeps getting more difficult as the years go on, anyway best of luck and as you can see, you have plenty of support here.

Tiger

Grahame,
I've been a lurker on this forum for quite some time and consider your posts to be quite informative and well directed. I am no Master Welder - merely a 'still learning & self taught' jack of all trades - along with others, your posts have demonstrated aspects I never new and I especially thankyou for the time and effort you take in describing them.....you have increased my knowledge base at least.

I would like to think that other posters who have been critical of your views, would still respect those views and also contribute theirs in a candid and proper way that all on this forum may benefit from. Lets face it, the more we know, the better equipped we are to do the job we want and this forum is one path to learning.....so debate and discussion without malice is part of that process......thanks Graham and others for sharing your knowledge with us.........please stay with us Graham.........

As a fellow lurker on this forum I can only add that Graham's advice, insight and experience has helped me to better understand the whole welding experience. He has certainly saved me a heap of dosh on useless purchases, and the results I am getting by following and practicing his advice are a vast improvement of the abominations I used to create.

Keep up the great work Graham and all the best with the new career.

I have been known to start a post with "I disagree", and usually Grahame comes back with an answer that either allows that we differ or more often shows why so many of us defer to his superior knowledge.

He gives his advice from his years of experience - and accepts that others have differing experiences that are good grounds for a different views.

Grahame - I hope you are able to keep up the support you have been giving to those with open minds and a wish to learn from masters in their fields.

Something that I found as a teacher that the teacher often becomes the pupil.Over the years there have been many instances where people who I have taught, have mentioned experiences or shown me techniques that I have been able to learn and benefit from from.
I think the key to it all, was as Bloss said and that is to keep an open mind.

I doubt our short lived contributor had the negative experience he alluded to at Mackay Tafe because there is - nowhere out back to build a trailer - the welding shop is on the second floor. That would make it difficult in the extreme to get the bloody thing back to ground level.

Also there is no Head of Department-There is a senior teacher whom last time I heard of him was in China-(yes teaching). The metalfab section answers to a Deputy Director who is one of natures gentlemen-definitely not sleazy.
Thirdly I can't see any staff building a trailer as Tafe would not have that sort of material available -the weld coupons are all pre cut.

Lastly it something that I would not have dared to do as it would only take one student complaint and the teachers impending retirement would be advanced - by some 8 weeks I think.

If the guy had any Tafe connection with me it would have been at least 8 years ago.Its a long time to hold a grudge.

Any way folks ,I am not browned off or giving up on the forum.
I still enjoy the science and art of welding and still keen to help others enjoy whether I get paid or not.It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to have people report back and tell me that the new techique is working.
Thats welding, technique and developing the skill of he technique.

Just at the moment I am very busy trying to take advantage of the builders absence and do stuff while the wall cavities are open.( taking advantage of the stuff I learnt from most of you guys at the woody end of the forum)I will try and check in from time to time,but I haven't shot through on you blokes.
Catcha later

Grahame

Thanks Grahame. I trust and respect your advice.