Did some discovery.

 

photo-1

I was given this sketch of a drawing and told to fabricate a part. Plenty of information!

 

photo

Here’s a little farther along.

 

The drill that I was using had been sharpened with a Drill Doctor, and as such was cutting about as well as a piece of toast would have. It wasn’t a drill, it was a clever imposter.

Some cutting and some bending later, and it almost looked like a real part!

 

photo-2

 

Until we realized that the swing on the hinge was off. Once we corrected that, it became obvious that the window needed to be larger. Since fixturing and modding the old part is about as much work to start over with a new part, I will be starting over with a new chunk of steel tomorrow.

 

It’s a rough feeling, knowing that you didn’t actually accomplish anything. I mentioned it to my dad.

 

 

“I feel like we’re back where we started.”

 

He countered “But we’re a lot smarter.”

 

“I’ll try to think of it like that.” I’m not very good at thinking positively.

 

“It had to happen. That’s what I mean when I say I engineer by discovery. We did some discovering.”

 

 

My day at work

teeth

Turns out that fiberglass will dull a blade really quickly.
My dad likes to casually mention the things that he would do if he hadn’t started his business. Sometimes it “I should have been an engineer for thirty years and then retired into doing what I do now.” Sometimes it’s wishing to be a pilot. Today, it was showing off a clever little chunk of bent steel meant for one of the handicap vehicles and declaring “When I grow up, I wanna be a fabricator.”

When he works, examining around things, checking for interferences, he’ll sucks his breath through his teeth when he discovers something he’d rather not have to deal with. He clicks the plastic of his teeth alignment mouth guards together as he works a way around the problem in his mind.

spring clamps

We couldn’t find enough spring clamps, so we improvised with a set of jumper cables.

When it comes to fabricating, any line is better than no line. The line you try to create with your mind is going to be off by the time you reach the end of it. Had an experience with that today.

A lady on the radio warbled “write your story” repetitively. I heard “Rightous Tory.” Righteous Tory sounds like a she’d be a bitch.