When I first started out as a mechanic I befriended the meanest, grumpiest old sob in the shop. Somehow he took a liking to my attention to detail and asking for help if I did not understand or was not completely sure of a project. Well anyway as it turned out he was a master machinist, tool and die maker. His position in the shop was no way commensurate with his training or talent he had just found a place rebuilding sub assemblies that worked for him. As the years went by he shared a lot of knowledge with me that he would not share with others in the shop. He would often stray over to my job and offer suggestions etc. When I had a machinist question he was always willing to offer not only a solution but the why and how and hands on help. I had become his apprentice. One day out of the blue he comes to me and says ,give me a hundred bucks, puzzled I told him I would see him on payday. Well when payday came he escorted me out the parking lot to his car, opened the trunk and gave me several thousand dollars of machinists? tools. All old school, no digital, but well worth the money. The tools included handmade micrometers, height gauges, depth gauges, vices, angle blocks, sine bars you name it, enough to start a small shop. His reasoning was that his son in law would only use the stuff as hammers or pry bars. For years after I would occasionally find another tool on my box with his initials engraved on them, he would just find another thing he did not want or need and pass it on. He is gone now but I strive to pass on what I can.
When my son was younger in his early teens and we would be working on a project I would often try to explain the whole process as we went along, much like my friend had. Well as with all kids his age he was in a hurry to see the finished product and not too interested in just how to get it done. I love his most famous quote when he asked how do something, dad I don't need the twelve page explanation. Since he has gotten older, he is in his twenties now; I have gotten a whole lot smarter! Now we are at least up to the six page answer.
Well what's my point? I it is people like my old friend, 4shorts and others on TBN that are willing to share their collective knowledge, talents and ideas that further our knowledge and understanding. Trying to stifle these posts in any way hurts us all. 4shorts keep it coming! I for one respect the talent shared for no other reason but to help and inform others. None of us are too old to learn. Thanks for your generosity.
