The home shop machinist, health of the hobby

[seal killer]

RussN--

Wow! That is great!

--Bill; retired dean and I would have hired her to teach (something) in a split second!

[reubenT]

Too many young fellas addicted to video games, and all manner of other useless garbage time wasters. Someday they may come to regret it, but then they probably won't be smart enough to realize why they missed the boat in real education. I've heard rumors in the last 30 years how USA schools are gradually dropping technical education classes, the signup rate has dropped, and a good share of those taking them are foreign exchange students. Low interest in learning the basics of technology, they're too busy using the advanced technology to back off and learn the foundation of it all. But if the foundation gets weak the whole structure is compromised and could fall.

I grew up in an old fashioned manner, doing old style things, I learned from books and made things. Over the years I've racked up a long list of things I've done, or learned about. The internet became to me the biggest technical library that ever existed, accessible from home. And it's been a wonderful benefit. But otherwise in computers, the more they computerize the vehicles the more I despise them. The simple stuff was easy to repair when something went wrong, now when something goes wrong with a car, forget it, I might as well not even look at it. I learned mechanics on 60's and 70's vehicles.

I see CNC machining as only a means of mass manufacture of many identical parts. Something of excellent use in manufacturing, but not for me. I'd feel lost if I couldn't control the machine with my own hands. Just like I feel like I'm driving blind if I don't have a map to get oriented and trace my intended route. Those GPS things with their turn by turn directions leave me feeling like I'm driving blindly. It's very rare that I want two identical items. So my choice of metal working machines is antiques. 50-100 + year old machines. I find it very interesting and enjoyable to start with rocks, (if I had iron ore handy, but it seems scrap iron/steel is easier to come by in my region) and end up with a machine that can do the work of a crew of strong men. A simple machine that is not hard to fix when it needs fixing. Just using wood, clay, sand, and various such cheap inputs, all put together in a process developed over centuries. The technology engineers tend to over complicate things, and it's just gone way too far. I hate computer controlled engines, the old mechanically injected diesel was good enough, they would go a million miles. add hydroxy to it and it would have easily solved all the problems they are using all this stupid particulate reduction technology to solve. (although the real transportation solution was kicked out of the system long ago) If I have to I will rebuild and build my own to get vehicles that are simple, reliable, long lasting, and fixable myself. and that get better MPG than anything you can buy.
But I'm a farmer, and old fashioned industrialist of sorts. I know how to do most of the stuff people did in the 1800's, and it's nice to know I could get along just fine if everything in modern society collapsed. I've studied horse training, had them for 30 years, worked them, rode them, tamed wild ones. I learned natural healing with just what nature provides,(it's amazing what can be done there) Nutrient dense fertility management goes right with it. I know radio technology quite well, been in ham radio for about 40 years. Been a logger and sawmiller, both band and circle blade mills. Tried driving a semi truck cross country, but found it to be horrendously boring, and high stress as well. I could even build wood wheel wagons from scratch. But as long as we have rubber tires they work better. How many young people you know will have done all that by the time they're 50? I guess I've been busy learning and doing things instead of trying to hold down a steady job. Now I'm heading into orchard development and setting up to do medium scale foundry, just to make my own machines because I don't like what is out there to buy. And it's too expensive anyway. Besides it's interesting to turn rocks into machines.

[neanderman]

A lot of the blame can be put on the advent of the cell phone. People no longer have to search journals, books, libraries for information. Everything is at their finger tips with the cell phone and it will get worse.

To an extent, this is true. But not everything (yet...) is on the web. I still consult books -- like Machinery's Handbook, and some older Audel's handbooks -- because it is still frequently easier to find what I need in a book.

I still make photographs using silver-based materials, and there is a whole lot more historical information in books.

[Patio]

For the first time in history, man's knowledge is not held captive by others. IE. colleges, trade unions and the like. You can learn most anything you want nowadays, via the internet. I have never been wealthy enough to go to a real college, where they have lectures and such. I went to a trade school and learned electronics, via a student loan. Which I have paid off, long ago. But I have listened to a professor from Stanford, give a lecture on quantum physics. For me, it was fascinating. During the lecture he talked about the two guys that discovered the force that holds everything together and because they had never taken Latin, they ended up calling it Gluons.
Learn more here. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hb ... expar.html

My phone is a tool! I use it all the time for info and work. If one feels compelled to answer it, every time it rings, then they are a slave to the machine, if not, it is a tool. I joined FB years ago, when I decided to take a solo run on my bike, half way across the states and back. It allow me to post each night to that my family would not worry about me.

It is also true that phones have created a lot of zombies too. Even I spend more time that I should, just browsing the net, but I watch very little TV.

There is a maker community now that gives me some hope. Another thing is the 3D printers have opened the manufacturing world to a lot of young people also.
We can only hope that it gets better before it is to late.

[neanderman]

That's the one thing that tempts me to trade in my flip phone -- I understand there are apps available for smart phones to filter out the spam calls.

I don't use an app -- if I get a call from a number that is either not in my contacts, or that I don't recognize -- I just don't answer it! If they don't leave a VM, or leave a BS VM, I add them to the 'block list.'

Works like a charm.

And I avoided a Smartphone for a lloonnnggg time -- finally, my job mandated one (which they pay for.)

I wouldn't go back.

[TimTheGrim]

Well, after two grueling final shifts, I’m retired. My land line will now be retired as well. That was my call in contact number from work and is no longer needed.
I’ll only have my iPhone now for a leash and reference tool. I have the Kindle app and iBooks app that can store PDFs. That makes storing charts and reference tables in PDF form easy and available for quick access.
The McMaster Carr app is great for buying stuff and generating ideas when I’m brainstorming.

[spro]

These replies are so great, I've read nearly every. reubenT has opened it further by letting us know. Informing us that the foundations and work skills have not died. I'm so happy that reubenT represents many others too. They have wealth of knowledge about using the Lord's gifts and make use of them.

[neanderman]

Well, after two grueling final shifts, I’m retired. My land line will now be retired as well.

It is my hope to follow suit soon.

[Harold_V]

I've made mention before, I think, but I retired when I was just shy of my 55th birthday. The only regret I've ever had was that it couldn't have been sooner, but that was not to be.

Enjoy! There's nothing quite like living to one's own schedule.

H

[liveaboard]

Most people seem to work way too long I always thought; afraid to stop, because it can be hard to get earning again if you need to.
Most retirement plans strongly encourage work to 65 or so, and penalize people for stopping early.
To do so, you need to make your own financial plan, and it has to be good. I think most people just spend too much and invest too little during their working lives to make it possible.
We're encouraged by our peers to live up to our means instead of within them; more house, clothing, car, intoxicants, vacation travel, etc.
Of course, if you have kids or other dependents your options are much narrowed.

But from what I've seen, luck is the biggest single factor; right time, right place, right nationality / race.
I've seen people who seemed to do it all the right way, get wiped out by unforeseen disasters. Others who were total deadbeats get unexpectedly rich.

When I was young, a lot of my contemporaries used to say they never worried about money, the universe would provide, etc.
It turned out that most of them were expecting to inherit.
Some did, some didn't.

[AllenH59]

I recently got a position with a title because of my home shop. I have a lathe and a mill and a few other things. I am self taught, which really means that I have stolen or begged information to make my machines do what I can do with them. A friend of mine is a HD Mechanic instructor at the local College, and he had an experimental project that required some parts made. Being a buddy he asked if I would make them. The college has a budget for this work, so to pay me, they had to put me on the payroll. I am now a Research Associate, and will get first crack at the work needed on other projects. I get to design most of the parts, so I can design them in such a way that I am able to make them. I will be looking in more often to see what is being discussed, and posing questions when I need the benefit of experience I do not have. I am also getting ready to chamber and fit a rifle barrel for the first time. This will also be an adventure. I am pretty sure my accuracy skills and patience are good enough now to do a good job of this.

[neanderman]

This will also be an adventure. I am pretty sure my accuracy skills and patience are good enough now to do a good job of this.

Best wishes!

I look forward to your questions/updates, etc.