Warning: this is not about Ham Radio

[Phil]

On 6 May 2012, at 14:58, Mike O'Dell wrote:

> In high school, much to the annoyance of my
> "guidance counselor", I took Metal Shop where
> i learned to weld (gas & arc), run a lathe, and
> rebuilt a reciprocating shaper. 

>> In secondary school, much to the annoyance of my geography master, I took Ordinary Level Engineering Design where I learned applied maths, technical drawing (the only sort of art I can do), correct drill speeds and lubrication, grinding the correct rake angles on a lathe tool and aluminium foundry work among others.

> Of all the classes I took in high school, that one had
> the furthest-reaching impact of any outside math.

>> Of all the qualifications I have ever taken, bar none, Engineering Design has been the most useful. I solved a major technical bugbear involving drilling ferrule holes in a brass DIL package in my first job simply by knowing (a) the correct drill bit and speed to use for brass, and (b) that the pillar drill could be adjusted to the correct speed. In my research career, I have built complex apparatus myself. At home, I don't bother returning flat-pack furniture for replacement or refund, I just sigh and fix the problem myself. While my tool-savvy friend carefully designs router templates, I wield a hand-held router by eye and refine the job with hand tools in half the time.

>> Such are the benefits of a pre-1980s Nanny State Health and Safety education. All hail engineering skills!

Phil M1GWZ