Everything was perfect for a contented spinning supervisor but I was not contented I did not like anything that was practiced or existed in a company which wanted to carry on with 3rd grade technical or administrative heads who had there own standards and not any well managed textile industry of my time and future time also. To me even my dads mills was substandard as they were governed by community and caste who never had any international standard industry in textiles or engineering.
The mill I worked had 2 spinning masters for its size something never existed in any of my friends mills or mills I knew.
The MD of the mill took rounds in a dress banned in textile industry.
The Mill had no canteen, workers had to go out of the gate and eat in unhygienic road side eatery's
It was not a well layout laid or well planed mill it was a weaving mill which put up a spinning unit in limited place in a unplanned layout of all machines.
I wanted to work in a mill like Binny's my home town mills managed by only Englishperson's from UK.
The place I worked was indeed called as South India's Textile Capitol and Manchester of South India in Coimbatore. Indeed there were couple of mills built and managed by people from UK. These mills were captured by the local big cotton merchants and others when all the people from UK left after India got its freedom in the year 1947 and later due to Govt's industrial policy of not to import any textile machinery when no textile machinery of international standards was manufactured in India by Indian machinery makers..
To work under 2 people heading my side of the mills was not possible and practically difficult. Once the spinning master no.1 rejected a store item with out giving any reason as he was on leave and no.2 spinning manager refused to give information with the result the supplier of the item came to me when I was in 1st shift and requested me if I could tell why the item was rejected. I took him near the machine and fixed the item after stopping the machine and started the machine. The part was wobbling on the spindle and he saw it and asked me how to fix it. I stopped the spindle pressed the bobbin hard and left the spindle it was not wobbling. I told him to take 5 spindles from the mill store take back all the bobbins engage 5 workers and tell them to press 100 bobbins and send for trial the 100 bobbins to mills when it can be approved. He was so happy he gave me his card and told me if I need a help he would be happy to help me. I never met him for any help, but I remembered his name and his company.
I had no hand on experience I could not work in maintenance department to get and in fact there was no body looking after Maintenance exclusively by qualified persons only fitters with out knowing how to read the manuals and maintenance books sent along with machines, it was so in many mills which was managed by a cotton grower or seller who managed the mills by the fact they were Bosses surrounded by Yes Sir, Yes Sir Men every where in the mills. This was known as yes sir yes sir Management.
The only few perks I had were of no value and it was just going out anytime for a coffee break as there was no canteen. If any one comes in search of me I would be informed and I could meet them though I could not show them the mills officially. I could go out to a bank or post office any time on informing the security.
I had the worst irk when after my 3rd shift coming to hotel getting sleep the restaurant opposite to my lodge played local songs loudly and disturbed my sleep playing the same song daily. I was not sleeping in the mill even during recess hours.
I had the worst experience when I was on duty in 3rd shift the spinning jobber came and reported that machines were not working properly I remembered once the spinning master telling the jobber for the same complaint to increase the pinion half a tooth in all machines. The jobber told me that he will have to count the actual number of teeth fixed on the machine and since it was new machines he was not knowing where is the pinion on the machine I must come and show it. I was also not knowing but I know he was testing me. I told him to get the key to wheel room and I will wait for him to come. He left and I dragged the testing boy to dept asked him to show the pinion on the machine. I saw it and came speedily and sat in the room testing the bobbin which showed it was true but not to that extent. The jobber came with the key and we both went to the spinning department. I saw all the machines and told him to check the test report and tell me if we can change the pinion 1/2 tooth he said he will see and come after he left I also followed him as he entered he also saw me. The test recorded book was seen it showed no need to make changes. I took him to the dept and asked him to read the hygrometer readings in all the 4 hygrometers it was OK only in One and 3 showed high temp I asked them to open alternate windows we waited for 30 minutes the breaks were reduced I told him change the wheel and I will sign the book. He changed the wheels in another 45 minutes I asked the workers they said working is good they said. I spent all my time there and kept the jobber also he sat in one corner and I sat in one corner I suddenly got up and came to wrapping room. The jobber also came. I told him dept is OK let's go for a cup of Tea I said he agreed and from that day nothing was not bad.
The incident about a jobber challenging me was not the first. In my previous mill when I was a trainee I was counting the number of teeth in the gear box of a machine under cleaning when the spinning department Jobber passing by stopped and started asking me why I was counting, oh that you wont know I said, he said tell me what is that I don't know. It's called break draft I said. Oh that I will know by not doing what you are doing. I cleaned my hands and gave him my note book and told him to calculate he said I don't need paper and pencil. This was most challenging I asked him showing 2 rollers tell me the break draft. He said close your eyes if I say it correctly what will you give, I said whatever. I don't know what he did but after a second he told me it was 1.25. Oh that is the standard I want actual I said, he said actual may be 1/16th or 1/8th more not less it does not effect the break draft so much. That was a shock. I asked him what was it he demanded he said bring me a Packet of 7 o clock Blade to morrow if you can. I gave him and asked him how he could say it. He demonstrated it. None of my friends could not tell me how to calculate that way.
I did learn from shop floor workers many more such things. The Textile Advisor from JAPAN Dr.T. Hanada who taught me many tips on trouble shooting problems.
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