What do you do for a Living while Wood Working

[Cecil Arnold]

Hello Holly, welcome to the creek from another newby. I've held off responding to your thread, but as someone said it has really become interesting. After spending 20 years in the 4th largest fire department in the nation I retired, went back to college, picked up a couple of degrees, and spent the past 10 years teaching fire technology and initial service training at a small community college. Like most firefighters, I was never sure what I wanted to do when I grew up, so over the years I have also: been a police officer/arson investigator, private investigator, charter pilot (and Martin, I have about 80 hours in a DC-3 that was converted to the 1200 peak hp engines the same year I was born) contracted some remodeling, built some cabinets and entertainment centers for customers, and consulted (which may be the best of all, getting paid for what you know not what you can do). I have a 11X23' shop that they call a garage extension that is closed in, heated, air conditioned and very crowded. It is impossible to work sheet goods on the TS so they have to be rough cut before final shaping. My job now is semi-retired soon to be fully retired (end of August) and I'm afraid LOML has some traveling in store starting in September, so my woodworking will suffer. Look at the Jet mini lathe, but you should be aware that they should give teh lathes away since they will really get to you on all the accessories.

[Arvin Brown]

Christopher Pine - I envy you with your little F-16 toy! I interviewed with General Dynamics when I was graduating from College. Toured their facility in Fort Worth, TX. I was amazed that at one end of a hanger big blocks of aluminim were delivered and one mile later a finished F-16 would roll out the door. Anytime you are looking for a passenger I'm available!!!!!!!

[Mike Scoggins]

I work for a very large oil and gas company, and am a Petroleum Engineer by education. However, I have never been a “practicing” PE. When I graduated from college in 1986, the oil and gas industry was at the bottom of one of the “always-have-been, always-will-be cyclical down turns,” (much like a sine wave). As a result, I ended up going to work for the U.S. EPA because I needed to feed my family. I did that for three years, and then went to work for an oil and gas company as an Environmental Engineer. I’ve been doing environmental work ever since with a link to the original company that I went to work for, although I’ve been through numerous reorganizations, and much industry consolidation including the resultant mergers, buy outs, etc. (who hasn’t?). My job is largely centered around regulatory compliance, which from a practical standpoint means securing the proper environmental permits for seismic activity, the drilling of a new well, the construction of a new production facility, etc. It also entails creating and implementing systems, training programs, etc. for day-to-day compliance with permit conditions and rules and regulations applicable to oil and gas production. Accordingly, there’s lots of paper work.

That’s one of the reasons that woodworking is so enjoyable to me. It’s nice to truly “create” something that you can touch, hold, use, see and enjoy (in stark contrast to the “paper creation” which is a large portion of my job description). It gives you that satisfying sense of accomplishment. It’s therapuetic for me!

I’m enjoying this thread.

Mike

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

Welcome Holly, Along with Wes I find it interesting the broad scope of employment on this board. Ihave been a technical support engineer for the last 25 years with various computer and software companies. Now I am a senior unix administrator. I am a hobby woodworker on the weekends.

good thread

Roger

[Kent Cori]

Good idea Holly and thanks for being the catalyst behind this sharing of stories!

I am by education an environmental and civil (more of less) engineer. I added a MBA a few years later because I learned I was more interested in leading projects and our business activities than detailed engineering work. I’ve now been involved in project delivery for nearly 30 years with three different civil engineering consulting firms. I am currently the project delivery director for all the design and construction projects done by one of the largest engineering firms in North America. We have nearly 15,000 employees world wide and about 20 percent of them are focused on design and construction activities. That makes for a lot of projects and job-related stress. Woodworking is the primary means by which I relieve that stress. It is a great deal less costly than a shrink is and much more effective to boot!

Many of my engineering skills help with my woodworking but the travel required by my role often gets in the way of my shop time . Although our typical project costs in the tens of million dollars to construct, I still worry about saving a $1 per b.f. on my own projects.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Interesting to see such diversity on the creek, specially how many computer related professionals we have. I guess it must be a stressful profession

I am an electrical engineer by degree, have an MS in Information systems as well. But I have worked with Computers all my professional career. I was initially a network engineer, more on the Telecom side with data networks, but currently a Unix admin. Same company and team as Dennis Peacock. Got introduced to woodworking at 13/14 yrs age when my father started woodworking as a hobby. As soon as I bought my first house and had access to a garage I started getting back into woodworking.

Zahid

[Ed Falis]

Interesting to see such diversity on the creek, specially how many computer related professionals we have. I guess it must be a stressful profession
...
Zahid

Maybe it's just that a lot of us who might have been craftsmen in a different society found a way to make a reasonable living and get some kind of craftsmanly satisfaction in the computer business?

I still love designing software after 30 years at it.

- Ed

[Earl Reid]

Hi, Holly and welcome to the Creek.
My background is different than most of the others. I aways had a job since the 6th grade, farm work, blacksmithshop, skipping school to work in a tin shop making sap buckets. Then in the 10th grade I quit school. to work in a greenhouse taking care of the boilers. I also worked in a tin shop for a company that made veneering lathes (Coe ) . In 1951 I started at a large chemical co. First job was running a steam winch, pulling coal and coke cars to be unloaded. I worked on the coke ovens for a year or so. Then I got in the power house. I started on the bottom job and worked all jobs and in 68 was made shift foreman in the power house, I had a crew of 18 men. We generated more than 2 million lbs of steam per hr. We also had 6 turbo -generators. We had one of the largest engine rooms in the country. our largest boilers operated at 2200 psi.
Three yrs later I was put in charge of 3 other depts., engine room, pump house and asst to chief of operations.
At the end of 1976 we shut the plant down and I ended up at our Chicago as plant supervisor. I did a lot of traveling over most of the country.
I had a goal to retire at 55, but stayed till 56. I was a consultent full time for co for a year, and the as needed for a few yrs. During these years I worked with a lot of very good people and give them credit for all the help the gave me.
During all these years, I also was a vol fireman for 25 yrs., served as township trustee. My wife was also active in our community. We raise 4 children that have done well. I also did a lot of wood working as time allowed. We were able to do a lot of traveling also. In 1952 we returned to Ohio to be closer to family and friends. We have less than 2 yrs to go till our 50th anniversery. It seems like everything went right for us.
I love the pen project and hope to make lots more of them. Sorry for the long post.
Earl

[Holly Mosser]

Hi Cecil, it has been a long time since I heard the word DC-3 let alone seen one. In 1982 I went to work for a Air Charter company in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. They owned 2 DC-3's along with 172's, 185's, Beaver's, Otter's, a Caribou and a couple other ones, can't remember what they were. I trained as a Flight Attendant and put over a 1000 hours in the two DC-3's flying Smoke Jumpers, tourist, fire fighter, and hockey teams. In the fire season I even spent nights sleeping in the luggage department. As far as I can see they are still one of the safest aircraft to fly in. We flew fire fighters into some pretty scary places, and made it out when everything looked hopeless, they can fly almost as well on one engine as two. The DC-3's even had names and dancing girls paint on the tail Lady Lou and Klondike Kate. When I get home I could post pictures of them if you like. Thanks Cecil it has been along time since I thought of that chapter in my life. They were a great airplane in their day, in fact Whitehorse still hosts one of the largest Wind Vains in the world, a DC-3 mounted on a pedistool and it moves with only a whisp of wind. I don't think Wind Vain is the correct word, but I think you know what I mean.

Hello Holly, welcome to the creek from another newby. I've held off responding to your thread, but as someone said it has really become interesting. After spending 20 years in the 4th largest fire department in the nation I retired, went back to college, picked up a couple of degrees, and spent the past 10 years teaching fire technology and initial service training at a small community college. Like most firefighters, I was never sure what I wanted to do when I grew up, so over the years I have also: been a police officer/arson investigator, private investigator, charter pilot (and Martin, I have about 80 hours in a DC-3 that was converted to the 1200 peak hp engines the same year I was born) contracted some remodeling, built some cabinets and entertainment centers for customers, and consulted (which may be the best of all, getting paid for what you know not what you can do). I have a 11X23' shop that they call a garage extension that is closed in, heated, air conditioned and very crowded. It is impossible to work sheet goods on the TS so they have to be rough cut before final shaping. My job now is semi-retired soon to be fully retired (end of August) and I'm afraid LOML has some traveling in store starting in September, so my woodworking will suffer. Look at the Jet mini lathe, but you should be aware that they should give teh lathes away since they will really get to you on all the accessories.

[Jim Ketron]

Jim I haven't looked at the Jet Mini Lathe, but I have seen alot of beautiful work done with the lathe. Also the Jet seems to be a popular brand name, must be one of the better lathes. Maybe I will have my husband look at one for me and where do you purchase the Jet Mini Lathe and what is the ball park price.

I got mine from Amazon $199 but thats just the start the things that you have to get to go with them $$ ex chisels, chuck, sharpinig tools I started with the Harbor freight chisels $39 look up some old threads on here to get more info.
It's a lot of fun !!
Jim

[Holly Mosser]

Cecil here is the picture of the DC-3. This is right along the Alaska Hwy at the Whitehorse Airport. This aircraft it totally air worthy can be taken down off the pedistool and flown. It is in mint condition. I found this web site, thought you might enjoy it http://www.douglasdc3.com/dc3vane/dc3vane.htm

[Cecil Arnold]

Holly, thanks, that brings back some memories. Surprisingly, I still remember the N number from the one I flew, along with the plate in the cockpit stating that the engine upgrade (engines) was done for Delta Air Services in 1942. That, by the way, is the second (I think) name for what became Delta Airlines. I think it was Delta Air services, then Delta and Western, and finally Delta AL. You might find it interesting that the origional 3 had 1000 peak hp engines and was rated at 800 continious. The one I flew was upgraded to 1200 peak and 1000 continious, followed by a later upgrade that I think went to 1750 peak and I really don't remember the continious hp since I never got to fly one. I had heard that there were a number of old 3's in Alaska, still being utilized, and as long as they can find rebuilt engines for that grand old lady she will get you where you are going. She is old, slow, and about as reliable as an airplane can get. Did you know that origional equipment included a pilot's rain cape. They couldn't get the windows to seal, and I don't think they ever really fixed that problem. Anyway, thanks, and what Jim Ketron said about the lathe is sooo true. They should give you the lathe because all the extras really mount up.

[Curt Harms]

Here's a DC3 census of sorts.
http://www.oldprops.f9.co.uk/DC3%20USA%20Census.htm

Also, Basler in Oshkosh has a PT6 conversion. Seems expensive but they've sold some.
http://www.baslerflightservice.com/b...baslerair.html

I've never flown a DC3 or any other round engine, and the one thing I've heard about them is that the mixture control is backward from modern GA aircraft i.e.aft is rich, forward is lean/cutoff. I could see me know,....lessee max power- everything forward..mixtures, props, throttles, ooops... Pilot induced dual engine failure

[Cecil Arnold]

And as far as I'm concerned, at GTOW the critical engine is "BOTH".

[Chris Padilla]

I am an EMC (eltromagnetic compliance) engineer...I have a master's degree in electrical engineering and focused on electromagentics. Recall when you were watching TV and your mother decided to crank up the vacuum, run the blender, or the hairdryer? The TV probably got all fuzzy. Also, recall in the winter time when you'd grab a door knob or flip a light on/off? If you got a shock, that is known as ESD--electrostatic discharge--deadly to computer chips! My job is to prevent the TV from going fuzzy when you switch on a Cisco router and prevent ESD from damaging our routers. Fun, eh? My wife does similar things for Cisco only with optics.

The proceeds from this jobs feeds my ww'ing addiction and home remodeling addiction!