# tricks played on apprentices



## williamalex1 (Nov 7, 2013)

I can remember being sent for- a long stand-a sky hook- a 13amp Rawlplug-a left handed screwdriver. And yes I did go wait for them all at the stores counter, especially the long stand. Ah!   to be so naÃ¯ve again.

Any more tricks .


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Nov 7, 2013)

A couple of greased nuts and tartan paint


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## Andy808 (Nov 7, 2013)

We had a lad start at the boat yard and it almost got silly. 
First we sent him to the foreman for a long weight. Foreman told him to wait by his office for two and a half HOURS!
Sent him to the local building suppliers for a bubble for the level.
The best one was when we sent him to the engineers next door for a bucket of sparks for the grinder. Graham sent him back asking did we want left hand red ones or right hand blue ones. 
He was sent back for red left hand sparks but Graham had him come back with a message they were out of red ones and would blue ones do until they had red ones back in stock!
The lad was a complete moron as he fell for them all and didn't get what was going on.


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## richart (Nov 7, 2013)

Andy808 said:



			The lad was a complete moron as he fell for them all and didn't get what was going on.
		
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 Are you sure ? Seems like he spent a day on full pay doing nothing.


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## williamalex1 (Nov 7, 2013)

Andy808 said:



			We had a lad start at the boat yard and it almost got silly. 
First we sent him to the foreman for a long weight. Foreman told him to wait by his office for two and a half HOURS!
Sent him to the local building suppliers for a bubble for the level.
The best one was when we sent him to the engineers next door for a bucket of sparks for the grinder. Graham sent him back asking did we want left hand red ones or right hand blue ones. 
He was sent back for red left hand sparks but Graham had him come back with a message they were out of red ones and would blue ones do until they had red ones back in stock!
The lad was a complete moron as he fell for them all and didn't get what was going on.
		
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And he might be your boss someday.


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## Doon frae Troon (Nov 7, 2013)

When my brother was a young surveyor an apprentice from an office at the opposite end of George Street in Edinburgh was sent to borrow an instrument with a bubble level.
They took great pains to tell him that it was a very expensive piece of equipment and that if the bubble slipped below the bottom level it would shatter the glass.

Poor lad walked the length of George street holding the instrument in front of him like a cross and never taking his eyes off the bubble.

Many's a young greenkeeper was sent to the mechanic for the big weight.


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## Sharktooth (Nov 8, 2013)

Told many a baby diver to fill up the moon pool on the ship. Btw it's at sea level, so can't be done


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## hovis (Nov 8, 2013)

I got sent to the butchers for a leg of salmon.


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## ArnoldArmChewer (Nov 8, 2013)

Slight change of tack but when I owned a Groundworks firm, one of my foremen asked if I fancied breakfast, I said yes but needed to use the portaloo first, once inside he 'parked' the bucket of a 20tonne 360 against the door and went to the cafe.

As a good boss I saw the funny side!!  A week or two later I saw him disappear to the loo so with a bit of help we ratchet strapped the door and craned him about 20 foot in the air, left him there for 2 hours.  He didn't seem to see the funny side when we let him down.

Ah happy days


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## chrisd (Nov 8, 2013)

ArnoldArmChewer said:



			Slight change of tack but when I owned a Groundworks firm, one of my foremen asked if I fancied breakfast, I said yes but needed to use the portaloo first, once inside he 'parked' the bucket of a 20tonne 360 against the door and went to the cafe.

As a good boss I saw the funny side!!  A week or two later I saw him disappear to the loo so with a bit of help we ratchet strapped the door and craned him about 20 foot in the air, left him there for 2 hours.  He didn't seem to see the funny side when we let him down.

Ah happy days
		
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Right ........ What's Elf and Safetees number..........!


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## D4RK1 (Nov 8, 2013)

When I was started out as a sparky I was only 17 But luckily for me I had a some smaller lads working with us. We used to pin them down and clip the megger tester to their ear lobes and give em a hit. I can still hear the screams haha. We would also pack them into the site safe if they got mouthy and let em have half hour in the sin bin.


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## Duckster (Nov 8, 2013)

Used to work in a kitchen and during an audit we got the bosses son (he was about 12-13 at the time so becoming a pain) to sit in the back counting frozen peas we'd decanted.  He did it for about 2 hours then the head chef walked in took some out and made him start all over again.


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## virtuocity (Nov 8, 2013)

D4RK1 said:



			When I was started out as a sparky I was only 17 But luckily for me I had a some smaller lads working with us. We used to pin them down and clip the megger tester to their ear lobes and give em a hit. I can still hear the screams haha. We would also pack them into the site safe if they got mouthy and let em have half hour in the sin bin.
		
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Ah- the old electrocution-induced screams and imprisonment gag!  Happy days.


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## Doon frae Troon (Nov 8, 2013)

A work experience lad was once sent for a bucket of blue steam.
He came back to say that the mechanic only had white steam today.


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## dannyboi91 (Nov 8, 2013)

This was not at work but me and some mates were renovating my house and my little cousin came in and asked to help so I asked him to find me the left handed measuring tape, for about 15 minutes he went around picking measuring tapes up saying ''nope that's right hand''


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## Spear-Chucker (Nov 8, 2013)

We played the box of blue sparks trick many years ago; did phone ahead to stores though who kindly filled a box with bearings and told the apprentice not to let them bang into each other as he walked back otherwise they could heat up and explode. The journey took on Ben Crane proportions of time wasting...

The best one we undertook was to send the same apprentice for a tour of the factory. The chap doing it was well in on the joke and told the lad that for safety's sake they would need to hold hands for the duration. He affected a camp, but serious tone and walked him round most of the site. Priceless.


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## cookelad (Nov 8, 2013)

We set 2 glass collectors the task of filling 2 bin liners each (1 from either floor) with air from the nightclub which was being sent off for testing - which looking back now probably wasn't so far fetched being in the days when you could smoke in such places!


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## williamalex1 (Nov 8, 2013)

hovis said:



			I got sent to the butchers for a leg of salmon.
		
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Did you get it ? along with the fish fingers.


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## Region3 (Nov 8, 2013)

D4RK1 said:



			When I was started out as a sparky I was only 17 But luckily for me I had a some smaller lads working with us. We used to pin them down and clip the megger tester to their ear lobes and give em a hit. I can still hear the screams haha. We would also pack them into the site safe if they got mouthy and let em have half hour in the sin bin.
		
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Your parents must be so proud.


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## CMAC (Nov 8, 2013)

Some of these are hilarious.........not!

There are Jokes and there is humour, some of these are just blatant bullying and intimidation!


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## philly169 (Nov 8, 2013)

We've done many with work experience lads in our office...

The best one we did was edit an online shop webpage and change the title of items so there was a reach around (a long RJ45 cable) and a happy ending (rj45 coupler)

Sent him to the IT Co ordinator lady who orders the stock and she couldn't stop laughing.


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## hovis (Nov 8, 2013)

CMAC said:



			Some of these are hilarious.........not!

There are Jokes and there is humour, some of these are just blatant bullying and intimidation!
		
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There's always a do gooder about.


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## Lincoln Quaker (Nov 8, 2013)

CMAC said:



			Some of these are hilarious.........not!

There are Jokes and there is humour, some of these are just blatant bullying and intimidation!
		
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I bet you are a right laugh on a night out. Times have changed but you have to have some humour at work


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## la_lucha (Nov 8, 2013)

CMAC said:



			Some of these are hilarious.........not!

There are Jokes and there is humour, some of these are just blatant bullying and intimidation!
		
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Are you the numpty that fell for all of these tricks?


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## Region3 (Nov 8, 2013)

Lincoln Quaker said:



			I bet you are a right laugh on a night out. Times have changed but you have to have some humour at work 

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Sorry Glyn, but pinning someone down and giving them bad enough electric shocks to make them yelp is not humour.

P.S. I am not fun whatsoever on a night out.


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## Lincoln Quaker (Nov 8, 2013)

Region3 said:



			Sorry Glyn, but pinning someone down and giving them bad enough electric shocks to make them yelp is not humour.

P.S. I am not fun whatsoever on a night out.
		
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Yes agree that is a step too far! Sending someone to the stores for a long weight is a touch different as no one gets hurt.


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## Region3 (Nov 8, 2013)

:thup:


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## hovis (Nov 8, 2013)

Region3 said:



			Sorry Glyn, but pinning someone down and giving them bad enough electric shocks to make them yelp is not humour.
		
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I'm sorry but it is.


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## williamalex1 (Nov 8, 2013)

Another one,  was to get the apprentice to ask if there was  a Dick Puller was about.


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## D4RK1 (Nov 8, 2013)

Region3 said:



			Sorry Glyn, but pinning someone down and giving them bad enough electric shocks to make them yelp is not humour.

P.S. I am not fun whatsoever on a night out.
		
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You've lived a sheltered life my friend. The things we've done to lads at football would probably put you into an early grave. I guess that makes me a bad person.


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## williamalex1 (Nov 8, 2013)

hovis said:



			I'm sorry but it is.
		
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Yes it is , the electric shock that's applied for milliseconds and is the same as the static shock you get if your wearing nylon clothing and touch something metal , will cause you no harm unless you've a heart condition. Then we use it again to restart your heart, don't be a woos.


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## NorfolkShaun (Nov 8, 2013)

I used to work on the ship yards and we would send the lads after a spur-lash

They usually got sent for a long walk round the boat asking various people for a splash


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## Khamelion (Nov 8, 2013)

A auld fella I used to work with, told a story of how they used to hook up a van de graff generator to the metal grate round the back of the warehouse where a few blokes would go to pee, sharp stopped them from peeing there.

Same fella told another of how one of the skilled techs when demostrating a robotic arm to various execs would stand at the controls making the arm do all kinds of things, while he had his wedding tackle hanging out the front of his overalls. The execs were so enthrawled with the demo, they never noticed him.


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## richart (Nov 8, 2013)

williamalex1 said:



			Yes it is , the electric shock that's applied for milliseconds and is the same as the static shock you get if your wearing nylon clothing and touch something metal , will cause you no harm unless you've a heart condition. Then we use it again to restart your heart, don't be a woos.
		
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 I suppose you explained under health and safety rules that the shock would only be like a static shock, so the poor chap didn't think he was going to be fried.

If someone did that to me I would punch their lights out, but just as a trick of course.


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## Andy808 (Nov 8, 2013)

richart said:



			Are you sure ? Seems like he spent a day on full pay doing nothing.

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He probably did more on the days we did that to him than any other day.



williamalex1 said:



			And he might be your boss someday.

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I doubt it as he's a drop out druggie now!


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## williamalex1 (Nov 8, 2013)

richart said:



			I suppose you explained under health and safety rules that the shock would only be like a static shock, so the poor chap didn't think he was going to be fried.

If someone did that to me I would punch their lights out, but just as a trick of course.[/QUOTE.I didn't do anything I was explaining what would happen. I could put their lights back in for a small CHARGE :rofl:
		
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## richart (Nov 8, 2013)

williamalex1 said:





richart said:



			I suppose you explained under health and safety rules that the shock would only be like a static shock, so the poor chap didn't think he was going to be fried.

If someone did that to me I would punch their lights out, but just as a trick of course.[/QUOTE.I didn't do anything I was explaining what would happen. I could put their lights back in for a small CHARGE :rofl:
		
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 You old boys are always on the make.

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## williamalex1 (Nov 8, 2013)

richart said:





williamalex1 said:



			You old boys are always on the make.

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We have to boost our pensions.:thup:
		
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## Pin-seeker (Nov 8, 2013)

Not a trick on apprentice but we once had a work experience lad that didn't want to sit on an upside down bucket like the rest of us  whilst eating our snap,he decided the big pile of rock wool looked comfier. Any one that's insulated their lofts will know how irritating that stuff is.


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## Hobbit (Nov 8, 2013)

Whilst at college learning morse code - yes I am that old - one of the guys was struggling to cope with the speed, 20 words a minute. We told him that if he put a knot in the lead to his head phones it slowed the elektrickery down so that he could have time to decipher it. Anyway, by the time he'd knotted most of the lead, and his chin was on the desk, he twigged that it was a total waste of time.

No children or animals were injured during this jolly jape...


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## CMAC (Nov 8, 2013)

there are fun jokes..... long weights, spirit bubbles etc are fun and we had a good laugh at many a persons expense, however, I also witnessed bullying and intimidation that crossed the line in the name of a 'good laugh at work'.

If anyone doesnt know the difference and condones it then you are a very sad individual indeed.


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## Liverbirdie (Nov 8, 2013)

In the spares office, we used ask the new lads to return a call back to a Mr. C lion from Chester Zoo.


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## sawtooth (Nov 8, 2013)

This brings me back all those years ago. I also remember glass hammer and based in electronics I got told to run down to stores for resistor paint.

And people did leave charged capacitors lying around for a laugh.


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## JustOne (Nov 8, 2013)

I remember microwave refill bottles... donut holes... lots of left/right handed tools... 

We sent one guy to the bank once for Â£200 worth of pennies which was brilliant as he came back with a wheelbarrow from somewhere!!


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## Region3 (Nov 8, 2013)

D4RK1 said:



			You've lived a sheltered life my friend. The things we've done to lads at football would probably put you into an early grave. I guess that makes me a bad person.
		
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If by sheltered, you mean sheltered underneath 3 or 4 lads all bigger than me at school while they had 'a laugh' then yes I guess I have.

I'd challenge you to a battle of wits but unlike some I won't fight an unarmed opponent.

I'm out of here before I get myself banned.


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## beau d. (Nov 8, 2013)

I worked in the pits, we often had areas of nuisance water lying in roadways, so a deep hole was dug and a pump installed to clear this constant nuisance water. The hole was called a "pound hole" (no idea why). A young lad was on the main gate belt button at the road end, playing about we told him to watch out for the pound hole we were putting on the belt. He kept calling on the intercome it hasn't got to me yet. He was told it must have fell off the belt somewhere, he spent the rest of the shift crawling back side of the belt looking for the pound hole.....Happy Days


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## Slime (Nov 8, 2013)

I used to own a workshop & witnessed many of the aforementioned jokes.
I once phoned the manager of a well known motor factors, whom I knew very well, and asked him to find a water pump for a '72 VW Beetle. He called me a while later when he suddenly twigged.
We also sent an apprentice to Halfords for a can of synchromesh for an old Mini. He returned empty handed as Halfords were, apparently, out of stock.

*Slime*.


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## SocketRocket (Nov 8, 2013)

I remember when I worked in the Aerospace industry the Coppersmiths made a kind of instrument that had a pipe at one end, a bowl at the other that had a kind of small waterwheel in it.    They used to ask people to blow down the pipe that rotated the wheel, they then timed you to see how long you could keep the wheel turning then noted the time with the promise of a prize for the one who kept it turning the longest.   What they didn't explain was there was a small hole in the bowl and the bowl was full of soot, as you blew a fine mist of soot slowly covered your face so you became blacker the longer you lasted.   It was funny to see people walking around the factory unaware they had black faces.


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## JustOne (Nov 8, 2013)

Region3 said:



			I'd challenge you to a battle of wits but unlike some I won't fight an unarmed opponent.
		
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 :thup:


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## Sharktooth (Nov 9, 2013)

SocketRocket said:



			I remember when I worked in the Aerospace industry the Coppersmiths made a kind of instrument that had a pipe at one end, a bowl at the other that had a kind of small waterwheel in it.    They used to ask people to blow down the pipe that rotated the wheel, they then timed you to see how long you could keep the wheel turning then noted the time with the promise of a prize for the one who kept it turning the longest.   What they didn't explain was there was a small hole in the bowl and the bowl was full of soot, as you blew a fine mist of soot slowly covered your face so you became blacker the longer you lasted.   It was funny to see people walking around the factory unaware they had black faces.
		
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We used to use that one on the young divers and tell them it was a 'lung tester.' Would get run-off for that now


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## D4RK1 (Nov 10, 2013)

Region3 said:



			If by sheltered, you mean sheltered underneath 3 or 4 lads all bigger than me at school while they had 'a laugh' then yes I guess I have.

I'd challenge you to a battle of wits but unlike some I won't fight an unarmed opponent.

I'm out of here before I get myself banned.
		
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Good form skipper :cheers:


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## DappaDonDave (Nov 10, 2013)

This was not a tricked played on one of our apprentices, but an example of how dumb some are (he was an habitual weed smoker so may explain it)

Basically he needs to travel from Fleetwood to Mereside (Blackpool), the first week he got a car he didn't think to drive to work to get his bearings whilst he was driving around with his mates. He decides to use a free sat nav app on his iPhone to get him to work. He usually turned up about 8:45 when he was on the bus, but this Monday he wasn't in at that time. So we thought he may have been having a nap and coming in a little bit later (which is fine - Flexitime), it starts getting to 9:30, 9:40...9:45 and we are getting nervous, we check his facebook, no posts. We start deciding when is best to ring him/his house when he turns up at 9:55.

The standard journey to work is on the left side of the attached, you could aternatively go down Blackpool prom. But this sat nav, and probably his lack of common sense had taken him on a detour to Stalmine, which, bearing in mind this kid was born and bred local is in the complete opposite direction to work. It is also across a river! But it didn't twig with him until he'd driven for 20 mins in the wrong direction that he was probably not heading towards work.


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## Doon frae Troon (Nov 10, 2013)

My wife's elderly aunt switched on the sat nav of her new car as she was entering Yarmouth.
She could not understand why it kept sending her out of the town.
She stopped at a garage to seek help and the friendly mechanic told her she should have put in Great Yarmouth as the sat nav was directing her to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.


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## blackpuddinmonster (Nov 10, 2013)

Doon frae Troon said:



			My wife's elderly aunt switched on the sat nav of her new car as she was entering Yarmouth.
She could not understand why it kept sending her out of the town.
She stopped at a garage to seek help and the friendly mechanic told her she should have put in Great Yarmouth as the sat nav was directing her to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.
		
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And if your a Turkish lorry driver, you certainly don't want to be getting Gibraltar and Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire) mixed up.


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