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Morrisman
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Uber cool.
I've only ever watched people using CNC, but that was years ago, on what were basically CNC capstans for mass production. Things have probably moved on since the late 80's? 
colnerov
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Hi, Yes I have proofread it, posted it and moved on. Then there's a nagging in the back of my head and have to go back, and still not spot anything.
Colin
I started work in 1969 at Firth Vickers Stainless Steels in Sheffield. I wanted to be a draughtsman as I liked drawing, however, you couldnt be a draughtsman without doing an engineering apprenticeship. So I started with 200 other kids. In those days you could get a job, no problem, as long as it was in the steelworks or the pit. I had 5 job offers....the best being for the NCB as a Surveyor, until they told me i needed to go down the pit...no chance
There were 200 kids but a lot were apprentice office workers so maybe 50 were Engineering apprentices but I was the one and only Metallurgist apprentice. I think Ive told this story before, but the first few weeks were classroom based and doing tests. One day the Training Mamager shouted out my name....i though Id done wrong...and offered me the Metallurgist vacancy....I had to ask my Dad, who didnt know but it was 50p a week more so I took it.
What Im getting round to is that every one of the kids went round ALL the different trades....Fitter, Electrician, Turner, Machinist, Pattern Maker, Moulder etc etc....you did a few weeks at every department.....some were given a choice some werent. I think those that impressed were offered the Fitter or Electrician jobs....my mate from school was offered a job as a turner, and Turner was his name..
I was sent off to college for 4 years, only coming back at college holidays....all paid for and no contracts signed.....I even got some additional pay for anything I needed and dinners (they were free at work)
Those were the days
There were 200 kids but a lot were apprentice office workers so maybe 50 were Engineering apprentices but I was the one and only Metallurgist apprentice. I think Ive told this story before, but the first few weeks were classroom based and doing tests. One day the Training Mamager shouted out my name....i though Id done wrong...and offered me the Metallurgist vacancy....I had to ask my Dad, who didnt know but it was 50p a week more so I took it.
What Im getting round to is that every one of the kids went round ALL the different trades....Fitter, Electrician, Turner, Machinist, Pattern Maker, Moulder etc etc....you did a few weeks at every department.....some were given a choice some werent. I think those that impressed were offered the Fitter or Electrician jobs....my mate from school was offered a job as a turner, and Turner was his name..
I was sent off to college for 4 years, only coming back at college holidays....all paid for and no contracts signed.....I even got some additional pay for anything I needed and dinners (they were free at work)
Those were the days
Morrisman
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Hi, Yes I have proofread it, posted it and moved on. Then there's a nagging in the back of my head and have to go back, and still not spot anything.
Colin
But you never see the blatantly obvious until after yo have committed it to print.
Other Daniel
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chris pruteanu
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I believe most of it its in the genes and if your grandfather done something similar then its highly likely your father has done it too then you as well, however being skilled or self taught its a dying quality nowadays and every company expect 20 years experience from a 25 years old !
I run a very busy workshop where we weld, fabricate and pretty much fabricate anything the client needs, especially if its too small for the big firms to mess with or they cannot be bothered...basically you hand me a bunch of measures and/or show me what you want and i will do it for you ! Lately there is a shortage of machinists, i keep employing old guys in their late 60s because i cannot find young, sharp guys to understand what i want, they are out there but are busy doing what i also do- work !
In eastern europe we were taught to do with very little, you had to fix somehow, many times without spare parts- you just had to modify or make the part !
I keep telling every kid i know to learn a trade, however i can see that IT brings more money than a Barrister yet with minimal physical effort ! However, we are going towards a decline of human economy in such a way robots would be able to do most of the unskilled/repetitive work and as such there will be high levels of unemployment and such our society cannot exponentially grow to the same rate as today ! So, without bringing any conspiracy theories in context, i think that too many people with the same trade will hinder eachother so the answer is controlled birth rate and high competition in almost every field...aka survival of the fittest ! Hope i wont hit many sensible chords with my remarks !
I run a very busy workshop where we weld, fabricate and pretty much fabricate anything the client needs, especially if its too small for the big firms to mess with or they cannot be bothered...basically you hand me a bunch of measures and/or show me what you want and i will do it for you ! Lately there is a shortage of machinists, i keep employing old guys in their late 60s because i cannot find young, sharp guys to understand what i want, they are out there but are busy doing what i also do- work !
In eastern europe we were taught to do with very little, you had to fix somehow, many times without spare parts- you just had to modify or make the part !
I keep telling every kid i know to learn a trade, however i can see that IT brings more money than a Barrister yet with minimal physical effort ! However, we are going towards a decline of human economy in such a way robots would be able to do most of the unskilled/repetitive work and as such there will be high levels of unemployment and such our society cannot exponentially grow to the same rate as today ! So, without bringing any conspiracy theories in context, i think that too many people with the same trade will hinder eachother so the answer is controlled birth rate and high competition in almost every field...aka survival of the fittest ! Hope i wont hit many sensible chords with my remarks !
magnet
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Robert.
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I suppose it depends on what you class as the skills . You still need to be able to identify the problem and how to solve it . You need to have an eye for correct , the knowledge to know where to start and where to stop . How to correct for material variations and what materials to use . Whether it's a mechanical solution , hydraulic solution or electronic solution . Still need to work out the cost , rate and time to do the job . Getting a machine programmed to do something is such a small part of the process is it really much lost if that part is simpler ?
waldershelf
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This change in skill sets starts in schools, when I went to school in the late 60s all boys did metalwork, the school had a fully equipped metalwork shop with lathes, millers, drills, welding, soldering etc, even a forge. We were all taught the basic skills some (me) went on to do "O" level.
20 odd years later when my oldest son went to the same school the metalwork shop was locked up and all the machinery was mothballed, far too dangerous for the kids to use. By the time my youngest son left the school the machinery had gone and the room has been repurposed.
When I left school and went to join the 200 apprentices at the local steelworks my school experience left me well suited to my career. Today whats left of the steelworks is still there, employing a small fraction of the people it used to, the apprentice training centre is a housing estate and they no longer train craft apprentices, relying on recruitment to employ craftsmen.
20 odd years later when my oldest son went to the same school the metalwork shop was locked up and all the machinery was mothballed, far too dangerous for the kids to use. By the time my youngest son left the school the machinery had gone and the room has been repurposed.
When I left school and went to join the 200 apprentices at the local steelworks my school experience left me well suited to my career. Today whats left of the steelworks is still there, employing a small fraction of the people it used to, the apprentice training centre is a housing estate and they no longer train craft apprentices, relying on recruitment to employ craftsmen.
Morrisman
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Same with the college I did my metalwork O level at, and then attended during the whole of my apprenticeship. There was a huge machine shop, with all the usual machines, fitting benches,mand several forges. Fast forward 20 years and it was all gone, the whole huge room was full off computer stations, for that was the future.
I went back ten years ago and it was set up as a nail finishing training centre. Finger nails.....
Seriously? The way of the future?
I dread to think what happened to the dozens of lathes, millers, shapers etc.
The ability to wire a plug may not be needed so often but I think every parent should teach their child this as the skills it encourages are vital in later life.
slim_boy_fat
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Farside
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This PC is hand-carved out of the finest walrus ivory, I'll have you know.
ronan
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We're slowly, well maybe not so slowly making ourselves obsolete. Look at the films of the car factories in Birmingham back in the 60's, thousands of people flooding out at home time. Now its next to no one. Where are the rest of the people employed ? Zero hours contracts, minimum wage jobs, working in places like vape shops, tattoo parlours or cafes or barbers, they are all that seems to be left on main streets now.
bigegg
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I was amazed, my first week of a (2nd year) electrician's course - first practical lesson - was wiring a plug.
Not amazed it was part of the course. More that several people couldn't do it.
I've been wiring plugs since i was 3 years old! (Just taking the screws out of the old/broken ones - g/dad + dad's "beer money" came from buying + fixing broken tools etc so I "helped").
The first ones i did had round pins!
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I said this should be the way it's done to a couple of our design team the other day.
