Shop Class as Soulcraft

[far queue]

Eventually I've got a project that'll stretch my DIY ability - fixing a chassis which requires rusted sections to be removed and reconstructured. Been quoted $1000-1200 for a shop to fix it or I could DIY for slightly less. Would be heaps less if I owned the required equipment and had the metal work skills this job would require.

To DIY, I'll need to buy an arc welder $200-300, buy sheet metal $???, buy other tools I don't have $???, learn to weld $???, and finally research how to chop and rebuild the chassis to WOF standard. Boy have I bitten a lot off. God only knows how much time I'll need to invest to figure out what to do and how to do it, and finally to actually do it. Would be much easier just to pay the shop and they'll have it ready the following day, but where's the fun in that!?

When you've completed this DIY job you'll have the satisfaction of having completed it yourself, will have learnt a lot along the way, and will have some new tools at the end of it, and will still have saved some money. You will thus be better prepared for any similar job that comes along in the future and will save lots of money next time.

[Hitcher]

I have seen way too much of Tommy Lee of late. What was Pamela thinking?

Goodness. This thread is back on topic...

[jrandom]

I have seen way too much of Tommy Lee of late.

You too, eh?

*I* reckon he's a base-shaver.

[Hitcher]

Perhaps he's saving that bit for the final...

[Swoop]

...and get a job lecturing at the university or polytechnic of your choice. Mold young minds in your image.

Stop bitching about the system, gentlemen, and start making a difference.

Done.

Next.

[TLDV8]

It's common knowledge in The Industry (tm) that chaps with NZCEs outrank chaps without, due to the much higher likelihood of their being able to do useful work.

Look, folks, in the end, it just comes down to individuals.

If you don't like the way things are going, learn what you need to know, do a bit of academic nancying around, and get a job lecturing at the university or polytechnic of your choice. Mold young minds in your image.

What industry is that,certainly not the one i am in....No wonder the foundation is crumbling due to a top heavy society,one that seems devoted to riding the gravy train...We have 10 or more years of BS polytechnic and Uni courses based on job descriptions pulled out of a hat.The place is over run with people who's skills are nothing but pieces of paper and the cookie cutter continues to stamp them out simply because it is easy with quick turn around.... Just more numbers to put on some government statistic form.

You have to wonder what this Country (and Australia) is coming to when as a Boilermaker,you are interviewed by some manicured nailed prat with no clue about the job and who's main concern is your CV's layout and not it's content.

[TLDV8]

Especially for simple stuff like changing engine oil.

Eventually I've got a project that'll stretch my DIY ability - fixing a chassis which requires rusted sections to be removed and reconstructured. Been quoted $1000-1200 for a shop to fix it or I could DIY for slightly less. Would be heaps less if I owned the required equipment and had the metal work skills this job would require.

You have nothing to lose,skills gained are forever.Dreams are free,reality costs.

[jrandom]

What industry is that,certainly not the one i am in...

Sparky shit, electronics design and manufacture.

I'm not saying everyone acknowledges it, but it's a pretty common viewpoint.

[SlashWylde]

...Society wants their kids to be Doctors, and Lawyers, and "Businessmen"....

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All go to the university,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf-course,
And drink their Martini dry,
And they all have pretty children,
And the children go to school.
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
And they all get put in boxes
And they all come out the same.

And the boys go into business,
And marry, and raise a family,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

- Malvina Reynolds.

I'm more familliar with Pete Seeger's rendition but seemingly it was true back then in the '60s(?) and it's still true today.

[SlashWylde]

Sparky shit, electronics design and manufacture.

I'm not saying everyone acknowledges it, but it's a pretty common viewpoint.

True, but the problem is that the pay scale in most technical organisations is ridgidly structured around the level of qualifications one has. With my NZCE and Diploma in Electronics I was the go-to guy who could fix pretty much anything in the factory, was part of a team making huge process improvements etc, but I hit a ceiling in the pay scale simply because I didn't have an engineering degree. This fact also meant that I reached a limit as to how far I could climb the company ladder because senior management didn't rate my knowledge and abilities without that majick piece of paper. They'd hire new BE grads who didn't know shit, and then I had to swallow my anger and play nice when these pimply faced little boys would come and ask me how to use a soldering iron because they didn't learn how at Uni. Fuck 'em!

This is a large part of the reason I'm now studying for a BE. I want the knowledge, the piece of paper, and the ability to open doors that were previously closed to me. I want to be the best engineer I can be, and use my 9 years of production engineering experience as a design and project management engineer.

[nudemetalz]

Stop bitching about the system, gentlemen, and start making a difference.

Well I'm trying,.....have had some sales so far,..and it's early days, but I have confidence.
My business name has N in the front and Z in the back....hopefully that will make a difference !!
(Yes, same as my profile name here)

[jrandom]

With my NZCE... ceiling in the pay scale simply because I didn't have an engineering degree.

Yeah. I was talking about guys with BEs who'd previously done NZCE. I should have made that clearer.