Tinkering

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RONALD
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Tinkering

Post by RONALD »

On page 46 of the December issue of "the fabricator" magazine ( www.thefabricator.com ) is an article titled " New Poll Shows Teenagers Turn Thumbs Down on Manufacturing Careers". It's says that the majority of teens want "White Collar" careers, and this attitude can be traced to the influence of counselors and educators, pop culture, media, and parents, who have little understanding of manufacturing.

Here is a copy of an insert in the article that is interesting:

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Adult Americans Don't Tinker, So Why Should Their Kids?

It should come as no surprise that America's young people don't view manufacturing as a career choice. They simply can't relate to the excitement of a career in which they actually work with their hands.

In a poll of 1,000 U.S. adults sponsored by NBT, nearly six in 10 -- 58 percent -- said they never built or made a toy. More than a quarter -- 27 percent -- have never made or built even one item from a list of eight common projects ranging from a dollhouse or piece of furniture to a fence or flower box.

In addition, 60 percent said they avoid handling major household repairs, opting instead to hire a handyman, enlist their spouse, ask a relative, or contact a property manager. And 57 percent stated they have average or below average skills at fixing things around the house.

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The NBT is the group called "Nuts, Bolts, & Thingamajigs" that is sponsored by the Fabricators & Manufactures Association, whose spokesman is John Ratzenberger.

With the loss of most high school shops, and parents with the above attitudes, it's no wonder that their sons and daughters have little interest in working with their hands.
dly31
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Post by dly31 »

Maybe they know but don't care that without something harvested, mined, or manufactured there is no need for distribution, sales, finance, communication, or many other fields that are secondary. As far as I know, few towns ever sprung up just so the citizens could all live by passing money around from one to another. Without a product produced there is nothing to wholesale or retail and no net value increase. I personally think basic manufacturing is what drives a robust economy for the long haul.

Don Young
tailshaft56
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Post by tailshaft56 »

I'll second that. I think you are spot on.
Dennis


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Bruce_Mowbray
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Post by Bruce_Mowbray »

At a Thanksgiving dinner with some friends of ours, the discussion came up about what to give the kids for Christmas. There was talk of video games, telescopes, and learning programs for the computer. When I suggested a small metal lathe, you could have heard a pin drop. The first comment after the break was, "What would a kid do with a metal lathe?" I came up with a list a mile long and was shot down with every suggestion. I even offered to give away my little central machinery 6" lathe to the parents of a 10 year old boy. They turned me down. They decided on giving their kid (and themselves) a video game system instead. It certainly looks like the parents are partially to blame for this non-tinkering trend. Sad...
Bruce Mowbray
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turkeywire
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Location: Pearland, TX

Post by turkeywire »

Bruce,
I have to agree. My father did not tinker but my maternal grandfather did more woodworking. We grew up on a farm so there was always something to fix. One of the adults that I admired most was the old gentleman that ran the repair (read blacksmith) shop near us. Then there was the mechanic that repaired a motor grader in the front yard I was out there every day helping. I finally joined the Navy and became a mechanic, been doing ever since.

Carl
Bruce_Mowbray
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Post by Bruce_Mowbray »

True Carl,
In going through my old mental files, my grandfather was more of a tinkerer than my father. Although it was my father, who is now 85. that let me get started with a home shop after much pestering to build my own livesteamer when I was 12. My father's older brother who would be 95, was a machinist with a home shop. I spent many days in my uncle's shop watching and helping when I could. He was a real tinkerer. I remember watching him make piston rings for a Sears Roebuck automobile using old cast iron plumbing fittings for stock. He silver soldered bandsaw blades together with pieces of silver dimes using borax-o for flux. And had a sea sled with a Packard aircraft engine in it. Oh yeah, most of his shop machinery was driven with flat belts from an overhead line shaft system. I can still remember the clickety clack of the belts and the smell of sulfur based cutting oils.
Fond memories...
Bruce Mowbray
Springville & Southern RR
TMB Manufacturing & Locomotive Works
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Mid Day Machining
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Location: San Clemente, CA

Post by Mid Day Machining »

I have created a medical device which in the next year is going to creat more money than I can spend. When that money starts, I intend to open a tech school where students can begin learning machining skills in the 6th grade. I will have skilled machinists to teach these kids a way to make things other than from wood.

With the closing of all the industrial arts programs in the high schools, what are kids who are not college bound supposed to do.
Qst42know
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Location: Toledo,OH USA

Post by Qst42know »

With the closing of all the industrial arts programs in the high schools, what are kids who are not college bound supposed to do.
And there's the root of the problem. Schools that are closing are responding to industry demand. Just what's left for them to do with all the manufacturing jobs going to Asia? A school to teach kids for jobs that are leaving by the thousands every day may not be the wisest investment.

Where I'm at now is fast becoming a warehouse. When the old man died the Son fell in love with $1/hr labor. A hundred man shop is down to 45. Twenty worked full time in the machine shop, I was their Toolmaker for 25 years. The machine shop is gone now virtually given away to the local iron monger for a used "Green" cardboard baler. A new replacement product line comes from China every month. Soon there will be none made here. I stuff repair parts in boxes now, others aren't as lucky. I've been looking for work in my field since before the economy crashed in 08, so far nothing.

I'll stop whining now.

Save your money Steve, a school that's not needed won't last anyway.

Chris
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Mid Day Machining
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Post by Mid Day Machining »

Qst42know wrote:
With the closing of all the industrial arts programs in the high schools, what are kids who are not college bound supposed to do.
And there's the root of the problem. Schools that are closing are responding to industry demand. Just what's left for them to do with all the manufacturing jobs going to Asia? A school to teach kids for jobs that are leaving by the thousands every day may not be the wisest investment.

Where I'm at now is fast becoming a warehouse. When the old man died the Son fell in love with $1/hr labor. A hundred man shop is down to 45. Twenty worked full time in the machine shop, I was their Toolmaker for 25 years. The machine shop is gone now virtually given away to the local iron monger for a used "Green" cardboard baler. A new replacement product line comes from China every month. Soon there will be none made here. I stuff repair parts in boxes now, others aren't as lucky. I've been looking for work in my field since before the economy crashed in 08, so far nothing.

I'll stop whining now.

Save your money Steve, a school that's not needed won't last anyway.

Chris
So what you are saying is "because the cheap bastard you work for wants to make all the money for himself, screw the kids who aren't college bound ".

Wrong.

What's going to happen with them? Do you want to support them? I don't. Should they wait for a government handout?

The way this jackass president we have is spending money, there won't be any money for the next generation because everything they earn will go to pay off the debt he is piling up.

I don't really care if I make money with a school. That's why it'd going to be "FREE".

Sure it will also be a prototype job shop to pay some of the bills, but it will be mostly be a hobby shop.

Qst42know, it you are so unhappy with your job, go find another one. There's work out there, it's just a little harder to find.

Besides, it's my money and I'll spend it any way I want.
Qst42know
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Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:42 am
Location: Toledo,OH USA

Post by Qst42know »

Besides, it's my money and I'll spend it any way I want.
That's everyone's right of course, but the fact remains, jobs follow the money.

Where you buy from is where the majority of the jobs will be.

Unless their warehouses fill up with unsold imports there's nothing to stop this trend. If you work for more than $1/hr someone has been looking at you with a jaundiced eye as well.
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Harold_V
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Post by Harold_V »

This topic is shifting towards politics. That is a subject that is not acceptable on this forum. Any further discussion in that regard will result in this thread being locked, and posts deleted.

Harold
Qst42know
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Post by Qst42know »

Fair enough Harold. I'm done.

Chris
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