Jack-of-all-trades

If I want to remodel my bathroom, I'll pick up a book and do it myself. If I need heart surgery, I'll go with a specialist.

Yup I'm with you, I'd consider myself a pretty good all-rounder and if I need to learn new skills I know I have the wit and coordination to to at least be passable (ok..we can rule out gymnastics, brain surgery etc).

What pisses me off these days is all the rules and regulations which say I shouldn't do the electrics and gas in my own house .. the rules state the work must be done by a 'competent' person but then spoils it by saying that the only people they recognise as 'competent' are those with specific qualifications.

It would be interesting to see how that definition stood up in a court of Law... but hey we have enough wealthy lawyers already, and I have neither the time or money. So I keep shtum and do it myself anyway employ the appropriate tradesmen.

I think the key thing with any trade/skill etc is to recognise when you are out of your depth... so when the KrisDel^TM home brew nuclear generator is up to 56bar and 9500^oC I know it's time to call in the professionals

Del

I agree with you. It appears DIY projects are more restrictive there than in the U.S. There was a program on TV called "This Old House" where a renovation project was being done in London. It was amazing how many restrictions were placed on the project by the city engineers. I hope you saw that program.

"so when the KrisDel^TM home brew nuclear generator is up to 56bar and 9500^oC I know it's time to call in the professionals" or run like hell.

I ove those DIY programs...we get your Holmes on Homes over here too...He's a great guy. Mind it's a lot easier in those timber built homes. Our previos house was pured from 'no fines concrete' it was a nightmare to attach anything to those walls

A saying I like is..

'Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools'

Del

The amount of restrictions depends on where you live. Some home owners organizations have ridiculous bylaws governing what can and cannot be done to your home.

I work in Vincennes, Indiana. There are a great deal of historical sites and buildings to visit. If you choose to live in the historical district you must keep your home as it would have appeared in the old days. I remember one gentleman whose porch roof needed repairing. He took the porch roof completely off and started rebuilding. Mind you this was not just the shingles and decking. He took the framing down as well. Someone turned him in to the historical society. He had not gotten approval from them before he started. So, down came the new roof, framing and all. Then after the approval process he was allowed to redo the repairs. They were to their specs of course.

Since remodeling typically increases the value of your home, I keep waiting for someone to come up with a regulation requiring a permit to purchase materials in quantity from a lumber yard or home store. This way the local government can raise your taxes. I would be among those protesting against it. I believe stores such as Home Depot, Lowe's, and Menard's would lobby against it as well.

I have heard this saying myself and feel I fit in, at least with the jack of all trades part, a little insulted with the second part but I get where it comes from. I do my research perhaps jump into some things I shouldn't, but most of the time I know very well what I am doing before I do it. Many things you just cant learn until you have done it. With computer simulations replacing hands on learning in schools I fear their will be less less jack of all trades diy people. I learn something everytime I do a project, and plan to do so for the rest of my life.

I think anyone who fits this saying should contribute some posts to the Workbench creations blog. I know Dell and bhankiii already have.

Count me in. So many things that we all do are just common sense. Even the codes that we have to use as a guide when building, or remodeling something are just common sense. My latest project was replacing the roof on my house. I guess I am due for a DIY project to post.

The best engineers I have worked with have these same qualities. If you are not able to keep learning new techniques, keep innovating, keep inventing, keep pushing your envelope, you will not survive in today's workplace.

You said - "When we stop learning, we are dead." - you're dead right.

Have you heard the expression 'brain dead and throw away society'? Well, as far as I'm concerned the world is seemingly well on that way and it is still speeding up in that direction.

This is one of those reasons why a lot of good materials are getting wasted and people becoming ever increasingly more hopeless, unable to help themselves to fix a trivial problem around in a household situation.

Lot of trades people even are no longer dedicated in their jobs (work rough as guts). I do look at from time to time some 19th century buildings, during refurbishing, how accurate their steel structures are including rivetings and the surface of the concrete on them (still in perfect level).

If you ever come to watch a wild life documentary you can quickly see that animals do think for themselves and work around things to overcome obstacles in everyday life. Surely, we should at least reason from them and know how to be more resourceful, in particular, because most four legged animals are. The list could go on and on in learning from nature.

Ofcourse, by constantly learning and emproving things around us (not nature though) should be a must for everybody not just politicians, should it not?

This thread smacks of the similar flavor of "bring back apprenticeship?" and "buy a diploma anyone?" so it would appear to be on most people's minds. I suppose there will always be conflicting opinions on the two most apparent schools of thought, the jack of all trades, and the Engineer. My personal 2 cents worth on the topic is that one needn't be either of the two. All thats really required to achieve anything in life is self discipline, commitment, an enquiring mind but most importantly passion for what you do. The school of experience is the world.

Happy studies

As a engineer and a Jack of All I had done following odd repair jobs:-

1.Repaired Oyster Mixiee.

2.Repaired Gas Stove.

3.Repaired Quartz Wall Clock.

4.Repaired Land Line Telephone.

5.Repaired Domestic Iron.

6.Changed the fuses in house panel.

7.Changed the Network Card in my P.C CPU.

8.Cleaned up the Keyboard. and many more jobs.

Bowling alley mechanic, While in the U.S.Navy.

You're a versatile character. Good on ya.

"A specialist is someone who chooses to be ignorant in a vast array of fields"

Ah yes , the specialist, the person who knows more and more about less and less

You have a good outlook on life. Stay strong, and life should be good to you.

As for that quarter panel, just get a can of bondo.

Thanks I appreciate the good words

As far as the quarter panel goes, well it's waaaaaaay past bondo.

When I used to work at a dealership in NY, there was a cab garage next door. It's never too late for Bondo.

Even when the side of the car is caven in about 6 inches deep from the top of the door just below the glass, from just about the middle of the door to the rear wheel well?

I guess I could just fill it in but I think it will add about 100lbs to the weight of the car.

The bodyline would be pretty easy to follow though.

Oh in answering the next question before it come up.

I am doing this because it is a 1986 Crysler Laser LE turbo. only about 2000 made, only about 800 left, only about 300 in driving condition, and half of that in original condition.

So it's a bit of a pet project. Next project; 1965 Chevy Van.

I guess I could just fill it in but I think it will add about 100lbs to the weight of the car.

Think Dacron pillows.

Hello double j b,

Did you find info on the new way to secure body panels? The glue I mean instead of welding? It's a little pricey but cleans up way easier than welds. I used to re-attach outer skin of my truck cab and it works like a charm.

Thanks for the link I will have to look into that.

Hi Double J B,

Nice to read your post. I have learnt to repair many thing just for my inquisitiveness. First I will try to open the gadget and look around for screws which hold the assembly. Copy the Assembly on a paper so that I wont forget when I reassemble.Then I will strip apart the gadget and see any part has broken or jammed due to dust etc, or needs oiling. Then I will do the needful and reassemble as per original Assembly. Mostly I had success ed in repairing the gadget.

There is no school which teaches you to be Jack of All but your own initiative.

It's good to tinker with the unknown on occasion. Sometimes finding out how something works can be quite fascinating. when I was younger I took apart the Bendix brake on my bicycle just to see what made it work. Took quite some time to figure out how to put it back together as I didn't pay attention to how it came apart.

But then that is typically the case when your are impulsive as a child. Needless to say I learned my lesson and any further delving into curiosity was matched with the diligence of attention.

Keep learning suresh and always remember the lessons.

The Bendix brake was a better lesson for you, than me. I still find myself with a collection of parts on the table and no map.

Something I have learned over time is this:

Wherever 2 parts or pieces mate, be it screws washers or whatever, there is always some tell tale sign of how they went together. It might be an imprint, a scratch, or even just a shadow from the grime, usually I use these thing as a road-map for reassembly.

Paying attention to disassembly is always best but I have a cheat that a lot of people don't have. I would describe it necessarily as a photographic memory, but I never forget the location parts come from. Its like iI can see how they were put together. Sometimes I get the order wrong and have to backtrack but I always get it back to how it looked and worked when I started.

A good friend of mine is exactly the opposite. He never remembers where anything came from, so I gave him this little tip.

By yourself a little book of stick on numbers and a scribing tool. On the little parts stick a number on it and the part it corresponds to. On the big parts make scribe lined between them and their mating surfaces. This will give orientation of the parts and location for reassembly.

This is how I typically teach new mechanics that are just getting started. After a while most of them can get by without using them because it forces you to take the time to pay attention to how something came apart.

Just a little tip in case you might need it at some point.

Yup, those tell tales are a life-saver.
(I usually need a couple of goes to get it right)
A while back I mended the electric window in my daughter's car...nightmare...the cables had snapped and snagged up...I got some bicycle gear cables and fixed it eventually...it took absolutely ages, but I wouldn't let the darned thing beat me.

I even re-assembled it mirror image once.

Del

Was that an OOPs or did you actually use a mirror to do it just to prove you could.

I know how you cats love mirrors, by the way did you ever run off that other tom you saw starin back at ya?

My book of numbers, along with the 3M color-number wheels of tape have been collecting dust on the top of my tool box for years. Kind of like an alarm sticker used to ward off memory loss. I have used all of the mentioned memory prods plus colored paint markers, and I have learned to lay out the parts on a clean spot in the order of disassembly.

As for the memory thing, My mind is similar, except it is spelled pornographic.

Maybe I'm just blessed, because like you I always know how it goes back together, whatever "it" is. I could not tell you how many times I've had people walk past my bench when I've had some device spread across it and ask me, "How do you know how to put it back together?" I usually just shrug my shoulders and answer "I took it apart."

I admit it used to puzzle me that people would ask me that. I always found it harder to take something apart. Once it's apart, putting it back together just seems to follow a kind of logic. And if I end up with pieces left over, then it seems pretty obvious that I've done something wrong.

I do love to tinker. Taking something apart for the first time is maybe just a little like falling in love, equal parts delight and frustration. After I've had it apart once already, the romance is gone, though it does go a heck of a lot more quickly.

Now what can be truly frustrating is when someone brings you a box full of parts and says "Can you fix this?" Especially when you have no clue what it even is.

I've had one or two of these "box jobs" over the years. It's fairly easy when it's something like a computer, because you already know what aught to be there and where it should go. It's a wee bit harder when it's a sixty year old outboard motor. And of course, it never fails but that some of the parts are missing. Ever tried to find parts for a 1948 Evinrude?

But you have to admit, after someone brings you a lost cause like that, once you've gotten it all cleaned up and back together, there is little more satisfying than pulling the cord and hearing it come to life.

I couldn't agree with you more on both of your posts.

And I have had numerous time that I have been asked the very same question about putting it back together.

I think sometimes " box jobs" are the most challenging. I have had a lot of these as I have 3 boys that have shown the same tendencies to take things apart as I do. Problem is they can never seem to remember how it came apart. Happens at work all the time as well.

But little things do make life a bit more interesting especially when you finally get it back together and feel the accomplishment of it working properly when your done.

The first fire pump that I ever did any major repairs to was a "box job", or basket case. Like you said, an odd brand, combined with it being a 1958 truck made it a real reward to watch it shoot a stream of water when finished. And being new on the job, every one wanted to come over and watch me resurrect this crap from the dead. It was a long project, but a good one. Thanks for another good memory.

Some good solid advice I have used my camera on my phone for just that purpose on occasion.

I am forced to give you a GA for the line; " This is also helpful when a vendor says the machine does not exist."

Don't you want to just shove that counter person's book, or computer down their throat when they tell you that the vehicle, or piece of equipment that you have spent hours working on "does not exist", because their book does not show it?

I would take my chances on getting away with choking the counter person to death, if I could have 12 mechanics on my jury.

Are you happy now? Do you sense how angry you have made me? Have a great friggen day.

I'll do my civic duty. Can I help pick out the vendor(s)?

We have 2 Lagun Mills nestled in among some 30 Bidgeports. I called the vendor for Lagun parts. The person on the other end told me the part number was not correct and gave me the new number. Parts ordered, time past, parts received, WRONG PARTS! I called back. Same person answered the phone. I asked about the parts and the was told they never sold the machine with that type of table lock on it. That is actually a different model. I replied politely by saying we have 2 sitting on the shop floor, the parts are in my hand, and I am looking at the book right now. They still wanted to argue about it.

Exactly.

I know what you mean, I inherited a Henkel hunting knife. Asked Henkel about it and they wanted pictures so I sent them. The still cant tell me about it. That was almost a year ago. I guess it wasn't ISO 9000 compliant

Brad

Spot on!!! Nice to know there are like minded people like yourself out there.

Well said.

I am right there with the rest of you. Raised on a farm, know my way around house hold and industrial electricity, certified welder, graduate of injection mold tooling program, got a job repairing machining equipment while taking classes, started my own business repairing manual metal working machines, been a consultant for a local manufacturer, put in a 1 acre +/- farm pond, built an in-ground pool (hired concrete patio work out), built my own pole barn, next year I will be building a pool house.

Sorry for the resume. Just a little background. Most people I know work with their hands to make a living. Those that don't I feel sorry for. If the economy takes a dump those will be the people that will need saving, especially the lawyers. The rest of us will be able to tough it out. I am a believer that every home should have a library. Useful books, not just fiction. How-to-... books. Things like home electrical, plumbing, HVAC. Growing up my dad purchased a set of how to encyclopedias. They covered everything from building a camp fire to adding on to the house. These made for some good reading in the winter months. That was back when we could get 3 TV stations. 4 on a good day.

I couldn't agree more about the library. Such a thing is a treasure beyond all price.

Until now, I thought maybe it is only me who's a Jack-of-many-trades on this blog and tried to keep it on a low profile.

When I was was doing my courses in the 80s, first in metal fabrication then soon followed by electronics, I accepted the general idea for no point being a Jack of all trades and master of none.

However, since the end of the cold-war (when all things started to turn upside down and trade unions in many places gradually became a toothless cobra to protect the hopeless) I realised reconsidering my earlier idea, as a child, learning about the most basic things in every day life is not a bad thing after all. Today, when there are no more secure jobs around anymore, this is pretty much the way to go anyway and may I say, I don't mind it either because it helps to bring out of you more.

Well said

Must be an engineer thing.

Just started TIG welding classes in college and I'm older than my professor. Teaching myself Law and PIC programming to boot.

I call it "Jack of all trades, Master of some".

Some of it may be mental masturbation, but what can I say I bore easy. Almost everything is interesting.

It does have its up side, My blacksmith forge cost me $0., The open walled hay shed I turned into a wood shop $80 (lights). The old boat trailer turned into a tilt bed quad ATV hauler $40 for fenders. The steel grape arbor we are building onto the end of the house $0 as planned.

Brad

Sounds like you are having some fun with all that stuff...and by spending so little you don't need to hire an accountant!
I did a basic welding course at night school too ... great fun and money well spent!

(that's a potential thread....'most useful course you ever sent yourself on!')

Del

mmmm... for me it has to be Advanced Rescue. Man was that one tough, took 6 weeks, every second night and weekends. Clearly I was much younger then

When I came to work here, the only welder was a simple stick welder that was the size of a battery charger. I convinced the chief we needed a machine that could weld aluminum and stainless. We shopped for a while, and finally bought a Syncrowave 250. This is the most fun tool there is. (I should have taken a welding course. Had to guess a lot, and call another welder here on the airport a lot.)

I too fit into the category of jack. I have had a monkey elephant (thirst for knowledge) on my back since I learned to walk.

I took apart and reassembled every toy I was given as a child, and at 8 years old was the only child in town that had an adult library card.I had already read every volume in the 600 series (Dewey decimal) in the children's section of the library, so asked to go to the big peoples section for more.

At 17 years old I wired and plumbed the house my grandfather helped us build, and only had two mistakes needing to be fixed when it was inspected by the local inspector. Not bad for someone who had just read the applicable sections of the then current NEC and plumping code books from the library.

I agree with the previous posts that outline the need for skills in multiple disciplines, and that those without will be hard pressed to simply survive, much like it was during the last great depression.

And now at age 50, that elephant is still there, spurning me on to learn as much as I can in as many different areas as my minuscule brain can handle that interest me, or that I need to complete various projects.

To paraphrase the OP, When I quit learning, bury me, because I have failed to realize my own demise.

Charlie

I must have pestered my father as he tinkered in his work shop when I was too young to help. He gave me a box of tacks and I used my little boy hammer and put armor on the door step

Reassembly almost always left parts on the bench but I realize now that many gadgets are made with unnecessary parts in them.

Some older stuff may have extra parts, but I tend to think that a lot of stuff made today could really use a few more parts.

Most of the junk I take apart to fix design shortcuts have been taken. For example they will utilize one motor to drive multiple things, or design a circuit where parts are undersized and over utilized. While this saves on costs, those parts get a lot of stress. Perhaps a device could deal with a few less screws on the case, but if you leave out some of the parts inside I doubt it will last long if it lasts at all.

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, giver orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.

Specialization is for insects."

From the Notebooks of Lazarus Long by Robert A. Heinlein, and truer words have never been spoken.

Now that is what I call a well rounded education, not the conformist, minimally functual, public education given here.

Brad

Farmers in particular, due to their isolation from big city resources, were not only farmers, but machinists, carpenters and blacksmiths. They also were veterinarians, hunters and did whatever was needed to carve out an existance.

your comment on this was very true, how these kids grew up, instilled confidence and as well a sense of humility to instill common sense.

These farmers learn from their own expense, (experience) which is education in its self.

I have also ran into people that knew alittle about everything..........enough to be dangerous. Those types of people you have to be weary of.

GA. My favorite expression for those people is "They only buy toilet paper with instructions on it"

But truthfully I also feel that good old fashioned business ethics are sadly missing from some of our youth.

"They only buy toilet paper with instructions on it"

ROFPML <tears in eyes>

I have never heard it put like that but I will remember that line for a long time.

How about "You have enough stupid to open your own government."

I am in full agreement with you on the missind ideals in workers. We had a thread on that very subject a little while back.

I am also a non degreed engineer by choice. It happened to me much like it did you but what I enlisted in was a marriage. 26 years and still counting.

Long tour of duty but I think that benifits are better.

I think I will make it a life time tour.