Worked 45 years as a underground coalminer, from 32 inch coal to 60 inch. This brought back a lot of old memories. Bolting has came a long way since I started in 75. Resin bolts and cable bolts being the most notable. The best innovation in my career has been the automated temporary roof support called ATRS for bolting and the mobile roof support called MRS used for removing pillars. The ATRS and MRS has saved countless lives. I know a lot of people want understand this but I loved it. You watched out for one another better than most families.
Thanks for your work. I live in NEPA in the anthracite fields and have been fascinated with the mines my whole life. My G pa lost an eye as a surface mechanic for one of the mines.. so even above ground you weren't safe
I found BLS's possibly your MRS were somewhat more dangerous pulling pillqars.If The Pit I worked at had gone to something akin to a shortwall they would have been good
I did this job in the late 90s and early 2000s to save up and start a business. It's a pretty tough job when you can stand up and the coal seam is 6 feet or higher and the bolts are only 4 feet but it becomes really extreme when it's 30 to 36 inches high in the mine and you have to bend a 8 feet long roof bolt (rebar) by hand while on your knees 400/600 times a shift. You really never need to do curls at the gym again since your arms look like popeye the sailor man after a year of this. Luckily I moved to working as a JOY or Eimco Continuous miner operator after about 9 or 10 months of roof bolting. The Miner was remote controlled which made it a far easier job and you were in a better environment with less chance of severe injury.
@@braininavatnow9197 It was tough but I was young and I had a plan to leave but the real sad cases are the guys like my uncle who did it for 40 years. Bolting really took a huge toll on their bodies. Coal mining is a young man’s job for sure but I was out before 27 and would go back if it was my only option. I’m thankful that I could get a 90k a year job right out of high school to save up to start my own business. But at 39 it would have to be a last resort to go back now.
@@SMichaelDeHart Alpha Natural Resources Paramont division in Southwest Virginia. Before it was Alpha it was the Paramont division of Pittston Coal corporation up until 2000. I worked in Wise, Dickson, and Russell counties of Virginia. Unlike in this video we had two man Fletcher Roof Bolt machines with ATR covers which are much safer than the old way of doing things. One man on each side bolting together and we had two of those bolt machines on each section for a total of 4 roof boaters, 3 Ram Cars to haul the coal from the continuous miner to the feeder/crusher then out on the belt. We also had one scoop operator who also would hang air curtains and rock dust after the bolting was done. So a crew consisted of 4 bolt operators, 1 miner operator, 3 haulage (ram car) operators 1 scoop operator, one electrician, and one Forman at the face, while the Fireboss or outby Forman was also in charge of the belt line for a total of 13 to 14 people per shift. I also worked on a Longwall miner for about 2 months before I finally left and that was a good job as well but I had made all the money I needed to leave so I did.
@@joesalyers indeed...know the area well. I live in southern West Virginia. My Great Grandfather and Grandfather were above ground mine forman's with Weyanoke Coal and Coke Camp in northern Mercer County, West Virginia and dad worked briefly in the mines right before WWII hit. After his combat service in the South Pacific Campaign in the US Army Air Force/ Corp, he had the option of being a Virginia State Trooper or Class A Transmission Lineman for Appalachian Power Company...he chose the later in Bluefield. Transferring to Charleston, WV in 1956. It's DEFINITELY a MAN'S job!! Mom's originally from Hillsville, Carroll County and dad from Mercer until 6yo, then Giles County on No Business Creek.
@@SMichaelDeHart Yep, I've been to West Virginia many times and I have a ton of Studio clients (bluegrass & gospel groups) from around the Williamson area. I left the coal business to open a recording studio and I have great memories of my time underground but I am a musician and even as a kid there was only one thing I wanted to do and that was to own a recording studio. But if it had not been for the opportunity for that great paying job back then I would have never saved enough to follow my dreams.
Got in as a 47 year old during a boom and was out at 53 with the bust and some injuries. I'm 60 now. In Australia, a non gassy pit with a descent height 7ft seam and modern equipment. I'm only 5'8 and it was hard yakka in what I would consider, sometimes tough conditions, but nothing like the old days or what some of my Yank brothers have to contend with. Merry Xmas to all and stay safe.
The machinery has changed a little bit. But the concept is still very similar. We use, 6 ft, 8 ft steel rebar torque tension bolts and supplement with 12 ft, 16 ft or 20 ft cable bolts. Very interesting video. Thank you for sharing this.
Im from Ashington Northumberland England, all of my Family for generations were Miners, what a hard horrible job it was and it bread a certain type of hard horrible bastards.
What a terrible job. I can’t think of a more dangerous job than being a miner. My grandpa and my dad were both miners. My grandpa died a young man and luckily for my dad after serving in WW2 he never went back to the mine. For you miners out there, thanks for what you do, stay safe and healthy and Merry Christmas to you and your families.
It was from the 1950s until glue bolting became a thing in the 70s, unless you were mining for steel coal (COKED coal) which is a different type of mining compared to bituminous coal which is coal for power generation. If the mines were mining for steel coal then they would have used what is called crib and timber method since the top rock for coke coal is stronger and is less likely to shift!
this could never be made now a days. there was not one tranny working a shaft in the whole movie. shame on those people back then for not thinking ahead .
Worked 45 years as a underground coalminer, from 32 inch coal to 60 inch. This brought back a lot of old memories. Bolting has came a long way since I started in 75. Resin bolts and cable bolts being the most notable. The best innovation in my career has been the automated temporary roof support called ATRS for bolting and the mobile roof support called MRS used for removing pillars. The ATRS and MRS has saved countless lives. I know a lot of people want understand this but I loved it. You watched out for one another better than most families.
the energy absorbing bolts made even more advances. I worked with the guy who invented it.
Thanks for your work. I live in NEPA in the anthracite fields and have been fascinated with the mines my whole life. My G pa lost an eye as a surface mechanic for one of the mines.. so even above ground you weren't safe
I found BLS's possibly your MRS were somewhat more dangerous pulling pillqars.If The Pit I worked at had gone to something akin to a shortwall they would have been good
My Dad was a roof motor for many years in bituminous coal mines in southern Illinois. God bless him. God bless all who worked underground.
I did this job in the late 90s and early 2000s to save up and start a business. It's a pretty tough job when you can stand up and the coal seam is 6 feet or higher and the bolts are only 4 feet but it becomes really extreme when it's 30 to 36 inches high in the mine and you have to bend a 8 feet long roof bolt (rebar) by hand while on your knees 400/600 times a shift. You really never need to do curls at the gym again since your arms look like popeye the sailor man after a year of this. Luckily I moved to working as a JOY or Eimco Continuous miner operator after about 9 or 10 months of roof bolting. The Miner was remote controlled which made it a far easier job and you were in a better environment with less chance of severe injury.
@@braininavatnow9197 It was tough but I was young and I had a plan to leave but the real sad cases are the guys like my uncle who did it for 40 years. Bolting really took a huge toll on their bodies. Coal mining is a young man’s job for sure but I was out before 27 and would go back if it was my only option. I’m thankful that I could get a 90k a year job right out of high school to save up to start my own business. But at 39 it would have to be a last resort to go back now.
@@joesalyers where??
@@SMichaelDeHart Alpha Natural Resources Paramont division in Southwest Virginia. Before it was Alpha it was the Paramont division of Pittston Coal corporation up until 2000. I worked in Wise, Dickson, and Russell counties of Virginia. Unlike in this video we had two man Fletcher Roof Bolt machines with ATR covers which are much safer than the old way of doing things. One man on each side bolting together and we had two of those bolt machines on each section for a total of 4 roof boaters, 3 Ram Cars to haul the coal from the continuous miner to the feeder/crusher then out on the belt. We also had one scoop operator who also would hang air curtains and rock dust after the bolting was done. So a crew consisted of 4 bolt operators, 1 miner operator, 3 haulage (ram car) operators 1 scoop operator, one electrician, and one Forman at the face, while the Fireboss or outby Forman was also in charge of the belt line for a total of 13 to 14 people per shift. I also worked on a Longwall miner for about 2 months before I finally left and that was a good job as well but I had made all the money I needed to leave so I did.
@@joesalyers indeed...know the area well. I live in southern West Virginia. My Great Grandfather and Grandfather were above ground mine forman's with Weyanoke Coal and Coke Camp in northern Mercer County, West Virginia and dad worked briefly in the mines right before WWII hit. After his combat service in the South Pacific Campaign in the US Army Air Force/ Corp, he had the option of being a Virginia State Trooper or Class A Transmission Lineman for Appalachian Power Company...he chose the later in Bluefield. Transferring to Charleston, WV in 1956.
It's DEFINITELY a MAN'S job!!
Mom's originally from Hillsville, Carroll County and dad from Mercer until 6yo, then Giles County on No Business Creek.
@@SMichaelDeHart Yep, I've been to West Virginia many times and I have a ton of Studio clients (bluegrass & gospel groups) from around the Williamson area. I left the coal business to open a recording studio and I have great memories of my time underground but I am a musician and even as a kid there was only one thing I wanted to do and that was to own a recording studio. But if it had not been for the opportunity for that great paying job back then I would have never saved enough to follow my dreams.
Definitely a procedure demanding serious attention. Mining's tough work and my thanks to those involved over the years.
Got in as a 47 year old during a boom and
was out at 53 with the bust and some injuries.
I'm 60 now.
In Australia, a non gassy pit with a descent height 7ft
seam and modern equipment.
I'm only 5'8 and it was hard yakka in what I would consider,
sometimes tough conditions, but nothing like the old days or what some
of my Yank brothers have to contend with.
Merry Xmas to all and stay safe.
I just fed my coal stove before watching this ,merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Ty, now i can start make some tests to my roof at 3am.
Fascinating!
The machinery has changed a little bit. But the concept is still very similar. We use, 6 ft, 8 ft steel rebar torque tension bolts and supplement with 12 ft, 16 ft or 20 ft cable bolts. Very interesting video. Thank you for sharing this.
Very good
Im from Ashington Northumberland England, all of my Family for generations were Miners, what a hard horrible job it was and it bread a certain type of hard horrible bastards.
🎄 Merry Christmas, Y'All, from the Republic of Texas! 🎄
God bless ya.
First saw roof bolting at Annesley colliery when I was a deputy. Was not really a fan after being used to sell rings for years
What a terrible job. I can’t think of a more dangerous job than being a miner. My grandpa and my dad were both miners. My grandpa died a young man and luckily for my dad after serving in WW2 he never went back to the mine. For you miners out there, thanks for what you do, stay safe and healthy and Merry Christmas to you and your families.
Been there. Done
That
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I don’t think this Method was used in mines in the U.K.
It was from the 1950s until glue bolting became a thing in the 70s, unless you were mining for steel coal (COKED coal) which is a different type of mining compared to bituminous coal which is coal for power generation. If the mines were mining for steel coal then they would have used what is called crib and timber method since the top rock for coke coal is stronger and is less likely to shift!
Ha , i think yu·re just great .
--Se
That poor film... what caused those massive persistent lines?
this could never be made now a days. there was not one tranny working a shaft in the whole movie. shame on those people back then for not thinking ahead .
Oh dear
Democrats are the Enemy of a Free and Prosperous people
Yes. Shame, shame!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sad, huh? We have kids graduating from school today that can't figure out which bathroom to use. 🤔
@@Iconoclasher or how to use anything if it aint got wifi or an app.
That should say roof Bolter
God the Eternal gave us coal ,we should use more of it
He gave us sunlight and wind too.
You lost me after 'springs'.
Claustrophobia
*"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."* --Walt Disney
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