I learned how to weld while working on a farm at about 12. Come to think
of it, that's pretty much where I learned most of my really practical
skills. The motto of "If you can't improvise, we can't use you" was
pretty appropriate. Gas, stick welding, large scale wrenching, fast car
wrenching (454 in a 59 chevy pickup), machining (if the crops have got
to come in and it's busted, you *make* the parts). I had welders,
grinders, wrenches, air wrenches, air guns, real guns, paint guns, all
tossed at me with little or no instruction. I spent a summer painting
the barn (yeah Red Lead) and the next summer roofing the barn. (and I
still have the hammer I bought for the job...Yeah Estwing). Somewhere in
there I managed to get passable at using all those tools (you hit a
moving groundhog @ 300 yards with a 30-30...:-) Or spend an afternoon
unsticking the BIG 4wd tractor up to its axles in mud. Great adventures.
Wouldn't trade 'em for the world.
Though, on the other hand, Dad is not the mechanical type, despite 34
years working for a car company, he's really not a car guy. How many of
us got it there? How many of us came by it by accident? Though, I have
admit, a few years ago, I found out my grandfather was a machinist, but
I never knew him.
Bob
Susan & Jack Brooks wrote:
> I learned to stick weld, chip, grind, Oxy-Acetylene torch weld/cut in my
> early teens. My dad owned a structural steel fab shop. Go for it, but make
> sure the kids knows what he is working with.
>
> Something I'll never forget learning was painting with red lead paint and
> painting and painting and painting.
>
> Jack Brooks
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <N197TR4@cs.com>
> To: <BillB@bnj.com>; <19to1tr6@attbi.com>; <elliottd@look.ca>;
> <cartravel@pobox.com>
> Cc: <fot@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 12:38 PM
> Subject: Re: Gas No gas MIGand kids
>
>
>
>>At 12 my dad put other devices in my hands...cutting torch, wrenches,
>>
> steam
>
>>cleaner wand, spray gun, and I decarbonized heads and ground valves. But I
>>think the welding helmet kept falling off of my pointy little head, so I
>>
> did
>
>>not advance to that stage.
>>
>>Besides, I found cleaner ways of making a buck.....
>>
>>Years later, I became involved in the layout of a large weld shop for
>>manufacturing along with the purchase capital equipment and tooling. I
>>
> still
>
>>didnt know how to competently weld at this point. And have not tried.
>>
>>However, it is odd that I went full circle back to working on Tractor
>>Engines...this would be a mystery to my dad.
>>
>>
>>
>>>Not a clue. I started welding about that age, but perhaps that's why I'm
>>>such an weird guy. Schools used to teach it at that age, but they also
>>>used to let us carry knives to school.
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