Comments on: Tinkerers No More

By: David from Indy

David from Indy — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:59:17 +0000

Wow… it’s too bad we can’t take all of the wisdom (and some of the attitude) on disply here and start a new political party. Who was it Nextel had running the congress in one of their commercials? I read these comments and can’t help but wonder why this aspect of the American spirit is so rare on the political landscape. I suppose our media driven society and the government it empowers would not approve.

Oh by the way, Kat from Indiana, will you marry me?

Be Well. Tinker On!!!

By: Avitar

Avitar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:07:13 +0000

Those who can’t do teach.
This used to be an observation of the people who could no longer produce competitively for the market gravitated into teaching the next generation. Now it is no longer true. Thanks to teacher certification and school acreditation regulation what is true is:
Those who never did teach.

By: Ernest Teeuwe

Ernest Teeuwe — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:40:06 +0000

I have spent my entire life with machines, tools, and inventions. 35 years of it in the ultimate “manly man’s” world, the Offshore Oil Industry. When non-mechanically minded associates see the size and scale of the machines I have overhauled, fabricated, designed and take for granted, as Seguin states, they are truely awed. I have worked as assistant for three inventors in my 42 year career, the current one holding over 70 Patents in Oilfield and Wind Generation technology.I have raced SCCA and build my own racecars, assemble my own computers to my preferences rather than Michael Dell’s, and am rebuilding the oldest fiberglass production Trawler Yacht in existence….. all because I just happen to know how to swing a wrench. Grease Monkey??? Damn proud of it!!!

By: seguin

seguin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:54:33 +0000

You know, the funny thing is, as a junior machinist, I don’t get any crap from my fellow college grads. Of course, most of them are technical or science degrees like myself (Genetics – absolutely useless as an undergrad degree), so that might have something to do with it. Plus we’ve mostly moved on from the lame dick-measuring years (I’m 27). But still, I get no trashtalk from anyone for what I do.

In fact, sometimes people listen to my work stories in a little bit of awe, which is fugging awesome. Mostly the girls. Which is fugging awesome-R.

I honestly think a lot of this stuff is due for a comeback. And replacing a head gasket is not an “entire engine rebuild.” Thought I’d give you crap for that one too.

By: Dana Mathewson

Dana Mathewson — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:23:54 +0000

I am 66 years old and can relate. Not that long after the war (THE war — WW II, of course), my family and I moved back into the house my father had lived in as a child. One of his projects, which I helped him with (as well as a pre-schooler could) was replacing the gas lights with electricity. In later years I remember helping repair the roof.

A craft that is not mentioned here, but should be, is cobbling. More than once, when I was in high school and college (which I attended in my home town), a pair of shoes that still fit would need new soles and/or heels. Off they would go to Tony Gangi (who also played baritone horn in the town band). When they were returned, they were invariably better than when originally purchased (smelled better, too!) and lasted until the original leather tops went to pieces.

Speaking of today’s cars, though: increasingly, you don’t need a mechanic, you need a computer expert.

By: BigLittleWolf

BigLittleWolf — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:21:46 +0000

Fascinating article. I’ve also been concerned with our apparent lack of “making” things, but I am reminded that artisans, artists, performers, writers – we all, also, contribute, albeit in a different way.

Two points of note: A friend from out-of-town came to visit this summer, and one of the places I wanted to show off was an old hardware store, still stocked with fascinating tools and items I don’t even have names for. They are marvels; each with a purpose and function, and aesthetically, many of them, quite beautiful.

Second – American art is not without its big names who honor the world of tools. Pop artist Jim Dine (b. 1935) grew up around them, and immortalized many specific hardware store items in some of his most iconic works, particularly in the early 1970s.

Indeed, part of the culture – even if no longer appreciated to the same extent.

By: scythe

scythe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:14:52 +0000

What a great article on an interesting subject!!!! I married a man with a degree in Speech Pathology & Audiology. He financed his degree by capentry and masonry during his high school years and through college which he then took up again as he grew older. He built us a gorgeous barn, renovated our old home, and made some many clever things that are a delight to see. I learned from him and now do all my own plastering, restoration, light carpentry, window glazing and repair, and one of my proudest moments was when he told me I was the best painter he had ever known. I have a degree in accounting and love to work with my hands because I can see the RESULTS and they are satisfying. I know someone who was an attorney and left because he was fed up with feeling like he accomplished nothing. He became a carpenter. You are quite correct when you say these endeavors are derogated but I know many plumbers and electricians who are quite well off and they actually like it when their work is devalued. Less competition. The devaluation and elimination of this type of work goes hand and hand with the rise of the feminist movement and the contempt for things that were typically the province of men. Part and parcel of our cultural dislocation and revolution.

By: Kat in Indiana

Kat in Indiana — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:16:31 +0000

#55-we have that vo-tec option in our school district-provided you pay EXTRA and provide the transportation!

Btw-drywall isn’t that hard to do, as long as you have plenty of time and an unlimited budget for “mud”!

And fyi for anyone out there-always use at least 3 coats of Spar Polyurethane, well sanded between coats

And not only duct tape, but baling wire, can be used to fix nearly anything.

By: Barry 0351

Barry 0351 — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:29:10 +0000

I do recall My Dad during the fifties blowing a motor on his Ford and finding another motor, getting a hoist and changing out the blown motor with the good motor and all in our front yard. Dad could do anything he set his mind too He grew up during depression and that’s the way things were done.

By: wayne

wayne — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:23:33 +0000

One thing few people realize is how much cheaper things are today, too.

Many of the things talked about here: TV’s. PC’s and other electronics, cars, and other items all cost way less than they used to.

Some one will yell … but I paid 25 grand for my car!!

30 years ago your 25 grand car would have cost around 6 to 8 thousand and been considered an exotic supercar (they cost 100,000+ now). How many cars in 1969 could you drive all day long at 110 mph, let alone drive them like that with 70 or 80 thousand miles of use on them without even denting the motor?

All you have to do to it is wash it and change the oil every 3000 miles (if you use synthetic its every 5,000 or 10,000) and it will happily run 100,000 miles without a tuneup!! Most 1969 cars would likely be close to (or in) the junkyard at that point – especially the small ones.

Your $500 disposable laptop is a 10 million+ dollar supercomputer used to model nuclear explosions.

A good 2 dollar disposable razor cartridge will last you about 2 or 3 dozen shaves without replacing or sharpening

Your living room has better video and better sound than the best movie theater of 30 years ago…for under $2,000 and you can have a library of the finest Hollywood movies for 10 – 15 bucks a piece.

Your home video equipment and editing program you have on your pc cost over 1 million dollars back in the 1970′s and 1980′s. I know – my Dad used to work for a company that paid that much for its video making gear.

Those cheesy little calculators you can get at Walgreens for 50 cents cost $250 in 1975 – back when $250 was about $1500 today.

You want skills learn to build your own pc and run Linux. If you want to get your hands dirty you can still work on your home and us old fogeys would have killed to have ANYTHING like Menard’s or Loews as there wasn’t anything like that back then. You wanted to replace the broken legs on your table you had to have a lathe or a buddy with a wood shop.

The problem now is most folks are too LAZY to do this stuff, they are working too many hours to buy toys they rarely get to enjoy, or they are too busy managing their kids athletic and academic lives to actually teach them to do something useful like putting up drywall or sweating copper pipe.