What did you do Today 2018

[MikeParticipant @mike89748]

Amazing how some topics mushroom on this forum, isn't it? All I wanted was a little whinge about the amount of warped wood in my local B&Q. Anyway, I've picked up some good advice, for which I am very grateful.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

With apologies to Mike for hi-jacking his original point about poor quality wood, the resulting discussion of the economics brings out what those much despised Bean Counters do to earn their bread. They aren't just there to frustrate practical men doing useful work! Breaking down costs in various ways makes it possible to see where a business is doing well and where it might be failing. This is far from obvious. A company can look solid on the shop-floor whilst the balance-sheet tells a different story. The outlook for a loss making company is bleak unless the problem, whatever it is, can be fixed. (Preferably not by raiding the pension fund!)

Accountants aren't magic though. Beeching 'fixed' the railways by closing unprofitable lines, not a bad idea in itself. Trouble is the per-line accounts he used didn't properly reflect the economics of the network as a whole, nor did they consider customer needs, nor did he have access to a full analysis of all the available data (pre-computer accounting). By modern standards the Beeching cuts were excessively crude. For example he closed branch-lines to developing London overspill towns, thus losing lucrative commuter traffic while spending on services to heavy industry who he didn't know were already half-dead. The analysis also failed to show that profitable lines depended on unprofitable feeders. Simplistically chopping out loss-making bits of the system cost more than it saved, and poor old BR staggered on. Like any tool, accounts have to be fit for purpose. Quite often they're not.

Dave

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Reference wood quality, B&Q, Wickes etc don’t stand a chance of supplying wood that is anything like reasonable quality because all their wood is stored indoors in a heated building. We have a local “proper” wood merchants were wood is stored outside but under cover and therefore at reasonably stable humidity , they sell quality wood but understandably not at DIY store prices and they are always helpful and will cut to size and don’t mind non-trade custom.

Dave W

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Opened up a box from the US to find a few rusty bits of cast iron inside, I'll have to find something to do with them. When I said I wanted something brown for Easter I rather had chocolate in mind

Should make up into an RMC type A engine.

Edited By JasonB on 29/03/2018 17:57:54

[colin branniganParticipant @colinbrannigan54160]

Today I retired after fifty two years as a toolmaker including apprenticeship, not sure if was the right decision but only time will tell.

Colin

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by colin brannigan on 29/03/2018 21:19:43:

Today I retired after fifty two years as a toolmaker including apprenticeship, not sure if was the right decision but only time will tell.

Colin

I first read that as you weren't sure 52 years as a toolmaker was a good decision yet…

I'm sure you will find ways to keep your hand in and active – the best way to ensure along and healthy retirement.

There may well be local firms who will be happy to get a skilled toolmaker in from time to time.

Neil

[Anthony DrakeParticipant @anthonydrake63078]

Been busy making some of the iron work for a heavy duty tripod for our torsion artillary as well as laminated hardwood legs, still some more pieces to do base plate for it to sit on then a bit of riveting to put it all together.

Regards Tony

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by colin brannigan on 29/03/2018 21:19:43:

Today I retired after fifty two years as a toolmaker including apprenticeship, not sure if was the right decision but only time will tell.

Colin

Straight after I retired I took my boat to the Channel islands with a friend. I always do a safety check with new crew first so sat down with him & started & said " Now this is a holiday but" he immediately stopped me there & i asked him "why?" He replied " It is not a holiday, it is a new way of life"

It is great, although in my case i did go back to work for 4 winters, just for the comradeship (& the money!!!)

Enjoy your retirement.

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 30/03/2018 08:01:31

[MikeParticipant @mike89748]

I've been retired for 12 years now, and have loved every minute of it. I like Neil's suggestion that local firms might value the occasional services of a skilled toolmaker. In another sphere (magazine publishing) I find that people who have proper creative skills like Colin, rather than retired paper-shufflers, will always be welcomed. Otherwise, I suggest volunteering for a worthwhile charity. I've done this, and find it very rewarding and a way of making some super new friends.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I retired last June, eighteen months before my 65 Birthday, and have no regrets as I have plenty to do, my job meant that I could spend two to three nights away from home every week which my wife was very use to and now is struggling with me being home 24/7 so to keep the peace I've found a two afternoons a week part time job to give her some space and she is a lot happier.

Martin P

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by martin perman on 30/03/2018 08:26:05:

I retired last June, eighteen months before my 65 Birthday, and have no regrets as I have plenty to do, my job meant that I could spend two to three nights away from home every week which my wife was very use to and now is struggling with me being home 24/7 so to keep the peace I've found a two afternoons a week part time job to give her some space and she is a lot happier.

You need a workshop

Neil

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I have three sheds and my garage is my workshop with a lathe and two mills restoring Lister engines.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

I retired too early at 56, moved to France, converted a barn into a house, restored a 1962 Citroen 2CV van, exported my Austin 7, re-roofed a friends barn, started to build a 5" SPEEDY and am now building a garage, yesterday at the age of 71, I mixed up 1.25 tonnes of lean concrete blinding for the floor and now waiting a few weeks before the ready mix arrives. Employed work, do I miss it -NO!
BobH

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

I quit five years ago at 60. Apprentice Toolmaker and ended up in aerospace company that were heavily into 5S six sigma and all the other lean manufacturing rubbish. Final straw for me was being told that I would be videoed machining a component and the video would be shown to another group who would find a better faster way for me to work. Would have been OK but of the people critiquing my work one was just out of school, another had spent her life on a supermarket checkout and the third one had just joined us from a career selling greetings cards. I picked up my coat, raised two fingers in salute and walked out, and have never regretted it

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Posted by Baz on 30/03/2018 10:39:18:

I quit five years ago at 60.

SNIP!

I picked up my coat, raised two fingers in salute and walked out, and have never regretted it

Baz,

I hate to say this but that may well be just what 'they' wanted you to do. Your post suggests a clash of culture/ethics was brewing and provoking you to leave saved them the cost of a redundancy package. It does happen!

Very unpleasant at the time but often a blessing in disguise.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Swarf,mostly, you are probably right, they wanted all the old people out to fill the company with youngsters who had a couple of kids and a large mortgage so they could intimidate them. I know for a fact that redundancy would never have been an option.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

More likely it was a way to get a graduate a pair of career changers to think like machinists, whether or not they succeeded in finding a better way of doing the job.

In the event they did come up with a 'better way', surely that would be a point to their credit, not one against Baz?

Neil

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Baz.

I used to be involved in the graduate 'fast track to management' course of a major ftse100 retailer. One of the first things I told them was to watch how others did things . . . then try to work out how it could be done better. One aspect of the 'mind games' we were playing on them was we never actually told them to look inwards, we never told them to analyse each & every thing they did & work out how they could improve themselve's !

The ones we observed doing this got one of the biggest ticks possible on their assessment sheets.

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by Baz on 30/03/2018 13:52:52:

Swarf,mostly, you are probably right, they wanted all the old people out to fill the company with youngsters who had a couple of kids and a large mortgage so they could intimidate them. I know for a fact that redundancy would never have been an option.

That is a really depressing comment about your company & one which i have noticed on this & other forums. I suspect that it is just a cynical biased view by someone who is fed up with work . If i felt like that I would somehow think that i had chosen the wrong industry in the first place. To come away with such an attitude after giving a life's work would somehow seem wrong

For my part & in my industry, at least, I worked freelance for the last 12 years of my working life as I sold my 2 businesses to wind down for retirement well in advance. I found that the older i got the more they wanted me to stay & the more they paid me to stay. This winter I reached 71 years of age & it is the first I have not gone back but i know that one phone call to any of a couple of firms & i could have full employment immediately & be welcomed with open arms. I loved my work.

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 30/03/2018 18:51:43

[Ian HewsonParticipant @ianhewson99641]

Well bully for you Sam, glad you have not been on the receiving end of cynical firms trying to get rid of staff without paying redundancy.

My wife was treated in a despicable fashion that forced her to leave a job she liked and had given more than required to it, but then I suppose she was in the wrong trade and did not like work.

Best move I made was to give two fingers and leave at 55, invention of the wheel was in progress by the new wiz kids who knew it all, but then I was biased and cynical also.

Never looked back and the last 23 years have been our best yet, now I pick and choose what I want to do.

[Bob DringParticipant @bobdring71940]

Baz,

I think that the ways that are used by a company to get you to quit a job are part of an escalating process. If you hadn't left when you did it may have become very unpleasant and stressful. Workers of our generation expect to be treated fairly but there is a new generation in management positions now with different priorities. In general I think if the company has the need for a 'human resources' department then you might be happier elsewhere.

In one job I stayed too long. All the other engineers had left and I remained to tidy up the documentation to send on to the new overseas engineers. When the manager moved me into an isolated portable building deep in the underground car park. I got the message fast… Actually, I could have managed quite easily being on my own as I have Aspergers but I knew something worse would have been next. so it was time to walk. The manager did get his full redundancy package soon after.

You have heard this many times before about retirement but it is true. "I don't know how I would find time for a job now."

For those that can see retirement coming soon. Sit down and think about it. How would you like to spend your time? What things do you like doing once in a while and what very often. Like any big project, retirement is easier to handle if you think it through first and plan for it.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Finished a quick bearing swap on my 4" belt linisher. It was bought second hand on Ebay around 6 or so years ago. It was always noisy, the mains wires stuck out of the broken junction box on the back of the motor and for the last couple of years I have needed to wear ear protection to use it.

Couple of days ago an engineer friend of mine came around for some aluminium, to make some spacers and I said what do you think of these bearings and switched it on. He took quick listen, shook the spindle and condemned the bearings. 10 minutes later we had it dismantled. The bearings were open cage and obviously grinding grit and swarf had got into them. Swapped them out for sealed bearings. and within hour the machine was ready for reassembly.

Changed the cable from on/off switch to the motor, fitted gland and newly made cover plate and gasket to the motor.

It runs a lot better and quieter now, Why didn't I do it when I got it, didn't have time and just needed the push to start the job. Next job is to try and make space for nice BCA jig borer.

Colin

[colin branniganParticipant @colinbrannigan54160]

I did have an action plan for my retirement, in Jan 2015 I gave notice that I would be reducing my hours to 30 a week come my 65th birthday in March but low and behold 2 weeks before that date I had a heart attack in work, blue lights, very scary but I survived by having three stents fitted and in six weeks back to work all fine in body, not so the mind but that's another story. Come March 2016 I dropped to twenty one hours a week and continued to work but at the end of 2017 I had had enough and gave three month notice which took me through the winter months and into spring.

As well as a workshop in the garden I now have a 12 x 8 wooden machine shop containing Myford S7, Chinese miller and 6×4 saw, vertical and horizontal linnisher welding kit and pillar drill, so I won't be bored.

Some would say "haven't you had enough of making things?" no I haven't, I loved my job whether it was a small fixture made in three hours or a ten person assembly line made in three months, it all starts with a vision in your mind and progresses into a thing of beauty. (to me anyway)

Colin

[LimpetParticipant @limpet]

Posted by Bob Dring on 30/03/2018 20:21:11:

Baz,

For those that can see retirement coming soon. Sit down and think about it. How would you like to spend your time? What things do you like doing once in a while and what very often. Like any big project, retirement is easier to handle if you think it through first and plan for it.

Couldn't agree more. Although I still have 4 1/2 months to retirement at 65 (who's counting?) I have several hobbies and interests and been planning and building up resources, tools, experience in not only model engineering but also my other interests. Although I've mostly enjoyed my working life (we all have bad times) being with my present company for 35 years I feel it's time for some 'me' time. Who knows I may decide to go back to work for a couple of days a week in a couple of years but personally I can't see it happening. Bring it on!

Lionel

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

My nephew came over from Oz in February for a couple of weeks just after his 30th birthday and one activity was to meet with a bunch of his college friends. Two had already retired. one was in banking and one had founded a version of bitcoin.

I have a few years before retirement but keep wondering 'can I' when another month working would be a nice lathe, then another month a mill etc. 6 months would be a super workshop.

[Author]

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