It's always something (II)

Today was the demonstration bulk-density sampling/infiltration rate lab.

The bulk density samplers are kind of weird - they are (as one student noted) kind of like a posthole digger: a cylindrical metal tube with a milled edge attached to a drop hammer. They're fairly heavy, on the order of 40 pounds or so. And I admit, one of the few ways in which I try to be a little "marimacho" (the Internets tells me that's the correct female form of "macho," not "macha," as I had thought it was) or maybe "tough girl" is that I can lift it and heft it without trouble. (I am fairly strong given that I don't look all that muscular, or at least, I have a layer of fat over the muscles so they don't show).

That year I had the terrible class - with several men who apparently thought I knew nothing and could DO nothing because I am XX - I remember when I demonstrated the lab, first, they laughed at the "churning" motion it requires to operate it*

(Yes, boys, I GET what you are laughing at, but I am too much of a lady in that particular way to react)

(*My guys this year were much better, with their "posthole digger" comparison, which makes sense, at least)

But then I handed it over to one guy in the class and was like "now you try" and he dropped the thing, with a "holy crap that's heavy" and I was like "Yeah, it's heavy, it has to be."

(I find the way in which I most comfortably deal with "nuffers" of that type is to show them up a little but be totally blasé about it - just like the rude guy back when I was an Ecology TA who freaked out when a stick insect landed on him, and I picked it up in my bare hands and talked to the class a little bit about it before gently placing it on a tree trunk because "we don't want anyone to step on it." It doesn't always affect the "nuffers" - though several people in that Ecology class quietly verbally high-fived me after class for taking the jerk down a notch - but it makes ME feel better)

Anyway. We were using it today. These things are at least 10 years old, maybe more, and they've seen hard usage. One guy was taking a sample with it and I saw the pin bending (as did several others and said "Oh, careful! careful!") but it snapped.

He stopped, and looked at me, slightly stricken. "Oh, that happens," I said, calmly, "It probably came to the end of its useful life." I admit, I was inwardly cringing at the replacement cost but really - he wasn't fooling around, he was doing as he was directed, and it WAS an old piece of equipment. And in cases like that, getting angry or upset serves no purpose, and also, in extreme instances it could drive away a student from finishing the degree.

Also, later, I pointed out to the class that the join was made out of some cheap pot-metal type alloy - frankly, a dumb choice for a point where wear and force are going to be a thing and that sparked a discussion (while we were waiting on the second infiltration rate test) about planned obsolesence and why old cars were heavier and had more steel in them (one person did point out that crumple zones in newer cars did make them somewhat safer, and I also noted that lighter cars get better gas mileage).

But still - I think the choice of metal for the join-point was a dumb choice by the company. They might have reasons I don't know about but it does bug me when it feels like something is slightly cheaped out on for no clear reason other than saving a few bucks.

While going to check on the people doing infiltration rate testing I did call back over my shoulder, "Don't worry, I think we have some extra equipment budget this year."
 
(We probably do. The replacement cost for one of these is about $400 and that's not terrible compared to some of the equipment in the department, so I bet I get a new sampler before the fiscal year is out, or if not then, right after the start of the new one - well before I will need it again).

But yeah. Sometimes my unflappability in the face of those things surprises me. If I had broken a $400 piece of equipment, I'd have been upset: angry with myself. But when a student did it (not through carelessness), I could shrug and go "stuff happens sometimes."

I will say I called out a student a couple years ago because he was jacking around in lab and broke a couple pieces of glassware. Glassware is much cheaper than a bulk density sampler (this was a couple of beakers and a graduated cylinder) but (a) it was during the tough budget times when I was ALREADY stressed about money and about "how will I replace stuff that breaks down through normal wear and tear?" and (b) this guy was acting like a total jackhole, being intentionally careless, and I was already irritated at him for some of the stuff he did. And I think he deserved a little chewing on. But not the guy today.

I've already e-mailed my chair with the request and two possible replacements (one more expensive than the other; it will depend on how much is in the budget). But I'm glad I was in a headspace today where I was able to shrug off the breakage.