wood stove log grate

[Frank S]

Having spent 17 years in the oil fields of West Texas, I am probably one of only a few in the audience who knows what a sucker rod is.

OH I imagine there are quite a few on these forums who have a pretty good idea what sucker rod is, I talk about using them enough.
My first real encounter with sucker rod was on a Wilson single gin pole pulling unit pulled 1 rod length at a time then lay it down and get the next. Some worm hand had screwed up causing them to drop the string. The blacksmith shop where I worked got a call needing a welder so William took me along to give him a hand I was all of around 12 or 13 at the time we drove from Spring town to Megargel once there we set up and made an overshot fishing tool for them They caught the string 6 rods down on their first try so everyone had to turn a holiday into a get it done. later I made my first pair of duck bill tongs out of the screwed up rod.
Many years later I found myself designing and building drill rigs then had to chase them to add up grades often found myself and my helper the only ones on the rig who knew anything about it. after the owner's hands had wobbled so Ron and I and the owner wound up drilling a 1500 ft hole by our selves a lot of work considering that Toby the owner had never worked the floor or drilled in his life