Tutorial Session - Money Management - Thursday 4th December 2014

Managing Money is a big responsibility and an important life skill to be mastered from an early an age as possible.  I started managing my own money at the age of 16 and learnt the basics from my Mum, who is a "Black Belt" 5th Dan on the subject!  The key points to understand are "Income" and "Outgoings" and that the Income should always exceed the latter, if you are to ever have any "Disposable Income" to provide for lifes' pleasures, hobbies, past times or other habits that may be acquired along the path.  I would also personally recommend that you avoid having  a Joint Bank Account if at all possible.  Life is hard enough accounting for your own spending, let alone someone elses (especially if they are not contributing either)! 

The maintenance of a budgeting tool, such as a Ledger (which can be either manually written, or nowadays via a spreadsheet) is probably the best tool for anyone to have in their box, in order to maintain a close eye on income and expenditure.  I prepare mine for the following month during the last week of the preceding month, in order to calculate ahead and spot any shortfalls (or surpluses) well in advance.  Depending on the employment anyone has, the employer's salary payment schedule will also affect how you should budget and plan ahead.

I spent my entire working life, up until 2005 being paid on a monthly basis, so I always arranged with my bank to ensure that all of my Direct Debits were deducted on the first working day of the following month.  What was left I then divided up into even weekly amounts with which to provide for daily motoring and sustainment costs etc, and what was left after that was down to me to decide how to spend or invest accordingly.  After 2005 I moved to a weekly salary payment schedule which required me to re-arrange my Direct Debits with the Bank in order to spread the costs throughout the month according to the weekly pay day. Council Tax can now be arranged to be collected weekly for instance, which is something else that should be considered when planning a budget.  It is vitally important to keep in touch with your bank and all of your creditors, who are usually more than happy to accommodate for such changes of individual circumstances.

Another useful practice is the maintenance of a folder in which to keep all bills and statements in a logically indexed format.  This will aid in the retrieval of useful information when required to query a bill payment, or perhaps quote a unique account number when required to contact a creditor and confirm individual identity.  The keeping of receipts is also another useful practice, not only in terms of double checking the ledger for expenditure, but also as evidence of purchase in the event of discovering a faulty or defective product.

It is important to also realise that there are numerous organisations available to consult in the event of things going "Pear Shaped" regarding out of control debt.  I recently required the services of one such Debt Management company, after the collapse of my last relationship, which could have cost me my house had I chosen to ignore the warning signs. The most important advice I could give anyone who may encounter such problems in the future is: "Don't Panic but Don't Ignore it".  The sooner you speak to the bank and your creditors, the sooner the situation can be handled and managed accordingly.  In the event of the Creditors or Bank not appearing to be very interested, then you also have the option of speaking to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), who do a fantastic job of finding you the right help - and free of charge.  They were able to refer me to a Licensed Debt Management Company who stepped in and contacted all parties concerned, negotiated realistic and affordable future re-payments, and became a sole point of payment contact regarding the outstanding debts.  Take heart - Not flight!

https://stepchange.org/
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
  

David Catling Does Blue Peter - Thursday 4th December 2014

Destruction Sheet

Today was a gem of a day!  It is always refreshing to do something "off of the cuff", and David Catling provided us all with a proper treat! After parking our manifested backsides in Room E211 and duly unpacking and preparing for a scheduled Theory Session, David then went on to produce a box of tricks containing numerous bits of wiring, magnets, an electric drill and various other assorted components that would have easily attracted the interests of any MI6 operative, had they been present!

Rather than undertake our normal theory session, we were instead all informed that we would be going into the Workshop downstairs in order to construct some improvised motors.  This proved an excellent exercise, which resulted in all of us later leaving with a much clearer understanding of the basic operating principals of electro-magnetism.  I also, for the first time in a long time, felt happily like a bit of a child again - experimenting and having fun, whilst not taking life too seriously?!

We were grouped into teams of 3's and a 2 (myself and Peter Bland being the duo).  Each team was given a destruction sheet, 3 corks, 2 magnets, 2 large split pins, a small "matchbox" sized block of wood and another larger plate of wood with which to form a base plate.  We each also had to cut to size a section of steel rod to use as a spindle, and 3 lengths of electrical wire (2m for a rotor winding and 2 shorter pieces for the rotor brushes).  We also had the obligatory "tin foil" and some "sticky" insulation tape (but we didn't have any toilet roll tubes, as if we had, I would have also known how to make a powerful set of binoculars)!

Not "quite" 

Windings attached

We had 2 hours in which to construct our motors, at the end of which each model would be hooked up to David's "life giving" device to see if any did in fact rotate, as was eagerly anticipated by all!  We were required to drill a horizontal 5 mm hole through the length of the matchbox block, through which our spindle could then be inserted.  Having utilised a workshop pillar drill for this purpose, I still found that my horizontal was bordering on the diagonal (but hey-ho: it was within operational tolerances)!  We then had to counter-sink two 5mm holes into either end of the base plate, into which would then sit the split pins in order to provide the support and bearings for either end of the spindle, and its' centralised rotor.

Only time it rotated!

With approximately 30 minutes left of the session, all of the teams had cobbled together their respective interpretations of the provided destructions ready to be tested.  David's "life giving device" was duly connected to model #1 and ........ nothing!  However it was keenly observed that the power device wasn't registering output voltage!  The fuse was duly checked and joyfully proved as "officially blown"!  With hopes restored and no spare fuse, it was time to bring out a 12v car battery - to hell with it all!  After a further non-positive test of #1, our model was second up - and subsequently provided a few "pretty sparks" at the brushes - but not much else I have to say!!

"Genesis MkI"
Richard Branson Watch Out!

Disappointed we were not!  Deffinately a design flaw with the brushes - that is all - and we all formally request further modification time and a re-run accordingly!  One model did in fact run (with the assistance of Isaac providing a "human electrical contact" of the brushes) - what more can be said?!

All models presented had the ability to run, and with further modification time, will do so fantastically.  Maybe before Christmas?  Fantastic day and thoroughly enjoyed - Thank you David!  Deeside Power Station beware - Let the Tree Lights flicker throughout Flintshire and beyond!!

Working With Others L3 - Team ATV Task Monday 1st December 2014

Under the Bonnet Checking Fluid Levels

Part of our course is dedicated to completing work towards an element entitled Working With Others (WWO).  Since November we have been split into 3 teams on a Monday morning, ours being called Team ATV.  The purpose is to prepare students in the art of communication and organisation, by undertaking meetings and taking minutes etc, in order to prepare for organising a complex event requiring multiple tasks and group coordination/cooperation.  Today was the Grand Finale in terms of all our preparations, as it was the undertaking of the event itself - a Winter Service with Oil and Filter Change, and a 4 Wheel Alignment on a Mazda Bongo 2.5TD (very much identical to my own as it happens)!  The task was split across 2 workshops with the service taking part in Workshop A/B and the alignment in Workshop 3.  Jamie and Isaac worked together well, in fact I think we "all" worked together well, achieving all the objectives we set ourselves, although elements of coordinating communications required a bit more polishing.

Draining the Oil

The service went well and a couple of minor issues regarding track rod end boots and suspension arm boots were validly raised and recorded on the Service Sheet sourced by Jamie Jackson.  Having nearly a year before my next MOT it was duly noted for 2015 to budget into schedule. 

Having heard of a delay in Workshop 3 regarding access to the wheel aligner, the pace of events were duly relaxed in order to aim off accordingly.  After returning from lunch it was into Workshop 3 and onto the Wheel Aligner.  Our first issue was trying to locate the Make and Model within the Aligner's memory bank.  As the vehicle is a Japanese Import, its' details do not appear on Autodata either, so Carl Black was on hand to manually select a suitable vehicle and alter the Toe and Camber settings, according to

Alignment Confirmed

a Workshop Manual I had brought in with me. With all systems go - all readings returned "green figures", so no adjustments were actually required.  This was due mostly to the fact that I had replaced the Steering Rack earlier in the year, under the watchful guidance of Andy Kirby at AA Automotive, who also assisted with his budget alignment equipment (which appears to be just as accurate).  A very enjoyable and satisfying day indeed.  All that remains to complete this task is the completion of all of our WWO Level 3 Workbooks, which are currently underway also. Thank you very much Isaac and Jamie - Good Job completed to standard and on time!  Thanks also to the understanding and pre-emptive Staff in terms of ensuring all the facilities and tools were available in time also!

Interview Techniques - Tutorial Thursday 27th November 2014

The subject for today's Tutorial was Interview Techniques.  I personally have not covered this very important and relevant subject since November 2004, which was when I last underwent an interview and job application process, for the job I currently still have. 10 years is a long time to go without oil or polish, so "Now" is always a good time to break out the wire brush and dusters I would say!

In today's fast paced and highly competitive employment market, employers are looking for the best employees and can afford to be selective in their choices.  The process of selection is primarily based upon the needs of the employer, so evidence of a decent standard of education will be required, along with that of any relevant experience held, and of course any obligatory necessary qualifications.  All of the above is usually initially ascertained through the submission of an up-to-date and accurate Curriculum Vitae, accompanied by a legible and well structured covering letter, which are all then sorted into a shortlist for applicant interview.

There maybe just the one interview, but is not uncommon to have 2 or even 3, in order for the employers to be satisfied they are getting the right individual for the job being advertised.  The importance of making the right impression first time can not, therefore be underestimated.  If for example there is one vacancy being advertised and there are 100 applicants, the initial number may be reduced by half, simply by comparing the job requirements to the applicants declared details submitted in the CV.  Reduce that by half again, as a result of instant rejections based upon poor grammar or format in covering letters and CVs, and the employer now has 25 similarly qualified and experienced candidates left to select just "One" from.  The only way that this process can be achieved to the satisfaction of the employer is now through interviewing the applicants individually, and it is vital to prepare for it accordingly.  Once someone moves from "paper" to "face-to-face", human perceptions and body language become even more important to understand, so prior research and preparation are fundamental key elements in approaching for an interview.

This is an area which I need to personally start paying more attention to and the introduction of the subject as a Tutorial session was most appreciated - Wax on - Wax off - Wax on - Wax off.  Thank you Mr Miaggi!

EOBD Practice Task - Tuesday 25th November 2014

In the Driving Seat with the Goodies!

Today we were given the perfect opportunity to try out the latest diagnostic tool acquired by the College Motor Vehicle Department.  It was a touch screen Autel Scanner and has a very user friendly interface (at least it looked like it was, as I didn't want to cause any damage by wrestling it out of the hands of Isaac)!  We were assigned to 3 different types of vehicles from which to obtain DTCs.  One was the Toyota Auris EEV (Hybrid), another was the Citroen C4 (CI) and the final one was a Toyota Avensis (SI).  Having gathered all of the respective vehicle's information, and researching a little regarding engine Euro Ratings, we then began our task, commencing with the Hybrid.  Immediately noticeable was the speed at which the scanner operated and, with the latest information stored, compatible with the EEV DLC interface.  With all DTCs recorded we then cleared the codes and re-ran the search, which returned no results, so successful.  I sat in the rear of the car in order to: a) Obtain clear view of Isaac operating the scanner, b) Obtain clear view of the scanner operation methods, and c) Sporadically and repeatedly ask Isaac "are we nearly there yet" and "can I have an Ice Cream", "I need a wee"!

Listing of Capabilities

We then proceeded to the Citroen C4 and undertook the same operation, only this time a fault was returned which we could not clear.  It concerned the EGR valve and, due to its' location, was not able to be further tested.  Further investigation required.  At the point of cease works, we were incomplete on the task, requiring to test the Avensis, and in conjunction with the use of a break-out box and Picoscope. A very interesting task which I look forward to resuming on Monday.

Steering and Wheel Alignment - Monday 24th November 2014

Head Up Display Hawkeye Aligner

Laser Targets fitted to vehicle

Having gathered all of the relevant vehicle data and produced a prior plan of action, our first task was to remove and refit the track rod ends and provide a report of serviceability. With all of our individual turns counted and recorded we then noticed an imbalance in the number of respective removal turns.  In this scenario both sets of figures are added together and divided by 2, and then the Track Rod Ends re-fitted equally accordingly.

With all components re-fitted to manufacturer's specification it was then time to undertake the wheel alignment itself.  For this task we used a Hawk-Eye 4 wheel laser aligner, which is an extremely accurate and sensitive piece of equipment.  The process is achieved by entering the vehicle specific data into the computer and following a series of screen prompts as to what action is  required to be undertaken by the operators.  Adjustments are made on the vehicle whilst also observing the live data readings being displayed to indicate correct directional adjustment.  The data display is further aided by use of colour to indicate achievement of the relevant satisfactory parameters.

The Garage - Friday 21st November 2014

Having seen Dan at College the previous day and knowing he was back to work also, I half expected to arrive at the Garage today and find myself not extremely busy - I could not have been more wrong!  Business is deffinately good!  Having undertaken an initial round of brews I was almost immediately assigned to a solo wheel and tyre R&R on a Works Transit, NSF.  With the tyre in stock it was straight to work.  Due to the fact all 3 ramps were currently loaded with ongoing tasks, it fell to me to undertake the operation using a floor jack.  Time was of the essence as my location with the van obstructed all 3 other ramps (no pressure whatsoever)!

R&R Wheel and Tyre

R&R Tyre

With the tyre removed from the rim I encountered my first problem, that being of removal of the old valve.  Having attached the removal tool and applying the usual appropriate leverage, the thread snapped inside the tool leaving me scratching my head.  The base could not be cut either, due to a flanged brass base, so it was time to say "Help"!  Andy rectified the scenario immediately with a copper & hide persuasion device and punch.  With new valve and tyre fitted to rim and inflated to Autodata specification, it was on to the balancer, which went without a hitch.  With wheel and tyre satisfactorily fitted it was then a case of re-fitting to the vehicle and then re-torquing the wheel studs to Manufacturer's specification.  Job done and space cleared!

I then assisted Dave Hayward on a routine service to an Alfa Romeo, whose oil filter was located in one of the most inaccessible positions I have yet seen on a vehicle, requiring the removal of large sections of air intake and turbo ducting in order to complete.  I attended to the washer fluid top up, and replaced the Air Filter while Dave persevered with the Oil Filter.  With the filter finally installed I then assisted by topping up the new engine oil.

Replacement Air Filter

With ramp cleared it was all hands outside to man handle a VW Bora into the Workshop and onto Ramp 2 for a clutch replacement.  My role was mainly assisting and observing, as Dave set about removing the various components in order to prepare for the removal of the old unit.  Unfortunately, just as the jacking posts went into place for removal, it was time up for myself and I had to leave for my evening job.  A great day which went in a flash - however I did get to try out some new technology recently purchased (my phone) and captured a couple of video clips of the clutch job in progress (current issues regarding play-back on Blogger).  Many thanks to all for a very rewarding and interesting day.