El Mustachio
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2010
- Location
- Eastern Washington, USA
So, my shrink says spend more time at the lathe or mill, preferably 1-2 hrs a day. Also suggested I find an outlet of like minded individuals to connect with, perhaps "a web forum or blog where I can talk to other similarly technical people" (pretty much exact quote). This, I can do . Before I say any more, I'd like to thank all of you and especially the moderators for keeping this corner of the internet alive and well. For some of us coming here isn't just a hobby, it's part of holding it all together. Keep it up.
Now for a little background for those who would relate.
In 1996 the second best thing in my life happened. While 20 yrs old and going to college in Seattle I landed a job in a machine shop across the street from my school. Even though I grew up in a fab / mach shop setting I was greener than green. First day of work I showed up with only a tape measure, some wrenches, and a fractional slide caliper (probably had a claw hammer in my box too ). I was given a chance to learn though. Just a few months into my job there the shop moved to a new location too far for me to commute. My boss went above and beyond and contacted the boss of a shop I would call home for the next 3-4 years. Still wet behind the ears but at least savvy enough to admit it, I was given 90 days to prove myself useful at Nordic Machine & Mfg. With help from family I pulled together enough money to start buying some basic tools. To this day I can remember how hard it was to justify $300 on a set of brown and sharpe mic's. The guys at Nordic took me in and taught me constantly, I will never be able to repay that crew for what they did. During this time I was in engineering school full time, was newly married (the #1 best thing to happen in my life), and broker than broke. Understandably the stress was intense, but I handled it well. The shop was rough and could be harsh on those with thin skins. Yelling bosses, yelling customers, yelling co-workers, it was all part of the package. I remember my boss pulling me aside one day and saying "Si, you're a duck!". I didn't know what he meant. He explained, "You're a duck, everything just rolls right off your back", referring to whatever abuse was being handed out that day. I was surprised he said that, but took it as a real compliment.
Fast forward 17 years, I'm no longer a duck. Seems like nothing rolls off my back these days. It's all personal, every bit of it. I'm angry, I'm tired, I just want to be left alone.... and I hate knowing that's what I've become. Understandably the wife isn't excited about it either . So I finally agreed to see a shrink. We looked at all the things that make life today is different than back then. Started a then and now list: "just" a machinist then vs. shop boss now; no contact with customers then vs. part of the job now; no desk work then vs. almost constant now; not related to co-workers then vs. employed at family business now. Also identified that, at least for me, the act of running a manual machine has a calming effect on me. Somehow I feel free to let my mind go ahead and forget everything else, nothing else exists but the work-piece and the tool in that moment. Leaving my desk work and getting back out in the shop is not necessarily convenient, but at least I work in a situation where it's certainly available. So the Dr. settled on that as his advice until next visit.
So far so good. Nothing has changed in my work load, still over my head from dawn to dusk. But the machining is helping. Apron goes on, earplugs in, swap safety glasses for office glasses, and I become a new person. Of course nothing's getting done at my desk while I'm out there. But at least the work I'm doing is part of production, I'm not just out making brass napkin holders. After a week or two, I really am feeling the difference. Nothing's perfect and I still have plenty of stress to find ways to manage, but this is a prescription I could take all day! (side effects may include: swarf in mustache, permanent odor of vaporized cutting oil, & increased creativity)
Thanks again.
Silas
Now for a little background for those who would relate.
In 1996 the second best thing in my life happened. While 20 yrs old and going to college in Seattle I landed a job in a machine shop across the street from my school. Even though I grew up in a fab / mach shop setting I was greener than green. First day of work I showed up with only a tape measure, some wrenches, and a fractional slide caliper (probably had a claw hammer in my box too ). I was given a chance to learn though. Just a few months into my job there the shop moved to a new location too far for me to commute. My boss went above and beyond and contacted the boss of a shop I would call home for the next 3-4 years. Still wet behind the ears but at least savvy enough to admit it, I was given 90 days to prove myself useful at Nordic Machine & Mfg. With help from family I pulled together enough money to start buying some basic tools. To this day I can remember how hard it was to justify $300 on a set of brown and sharpe mic's. The guys at Nordic took me in and taught me constantly, I will never be able to repay that crew for what they did. During this time I was in engineering school full time, was newly married (the #1 best thing to happen in my life), and broker than broke. Understandably the stress was intense, but I handled it well. The shop was rough and could be harsh on those with thin skins. Yelling bosses, yelling customers, yelling co-workers, it was all part of the package. I remember my boss pulling me aside one day and saying "Si, you're a duck!". I didn't know what he meant. He explained, "You're a duck, everything just rolls right off your back", referring to whatever abuse was being handed out that day. I was surprised he said that, but took it as a real compliment.
Fast forward 17 years, I'm no longer a duck. Seems like nothing rolls off my back these days. It's all personal, every bit of it. I'm angry, I'm tired, I just want to be left alone.... and I hate knowing that's what I've become. Understandably the wife isn't excited about it either . So I finally agreed to see a shrink. We looked at all the things that make life today is different than back then. Started a then and now list: "just" a machinist then vs. shop boss now; no contact with customers then vs. part of the job now; no desk work then vs. almost constant now; not related to co-workers then vs. employed at family business now. Also identified that, at least for me, the act of running a manual machine has a calming effect on me. Somehow I feel free to let my mind go ahead and forget everything else, nothing else exists but the work-piece and the tool in that moment. Leaving my desk work and getting back out in the shop is not necessarily convenient, but at least I work in a situation where it's certainly available. So the Dr. settled on that as his advice until next visit.
So far so good. Nothing has changed in my work load, still over my head from dawn to dusk. But the machining is helping. Apron goes on, earplugs in, swap safety glasses for office glasses, and I become a new person. Of course nothing's getting done at my desk while I'm out there. But at least the work I'm doing is part of production, I'm not just out making brass napkin holders. After a week or two, I really am feeling the difference. Nothing's perfect and I still have plenty of stress to find ways to manage, but this is a prescription I could take all day! (side effects may include: swarf in mustache, permanent odor of vaporized cutting oil, & increased creativity)
Thanks again.
Silas