Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

A little "Fire Axe"

A little "Fire Axe."

After retiring from the Military I had some time on the GI Bill and went back to Tech School. I was the only “Old Geezer” in the history of the Diesel Technician Course to ever finish it. When I was in the last phase the Instructor made me promise never to use him as a reference. I suspected that was a prerequisite to graduating and swore I would never seek employment in the professsion. This is a personal example of how we often have a passion for something but little aptitude. That runs in my family… another notable example being my cousin who is passionate about art and can’t draw… well I’m passionate about automotives and associated processes and my natural abilities are often remarked upon disparagingly by others. This also refers to my writing skills at times.

I took a class in Welding while at Mid State Tech and the instructor asked first if I had cataracts, next if I had Parkinson’s and finally if I was afflicted with Alzheimer’s. When I denied all three he concluded I must have some undiscovered sort of learning disability or an attitude I kept well hidden.

As often happens in academic learning I have a lag of about six months while the little people in my mind sort out the learning experience. So if I keep thinking about it and practicing after a course ends, I eventually acquire an understanding or skill. It just takes a while longer than most. This happened to me in a Statistics Class which I almost flunked and it wasn't until I woke up on morning almost a year later that the light finally came on. Standard Deviation is a pretty cool statistical tool. The same happens to me in learning languages.... Struggle struggle.....nothing nothing... and then bango! success.

After graduating my welding skills began to improve markedly and I got the hang of the gas process. Then I began to develop an affinity for stick welding…, wire feed was a snap and I am still struggling with TIG Welding and keep contaminating the Tungsten in the puddle. However despite all my improving I am still not at the same level as some of my classmates or experienced welders I know.

Because of my welding challenges I turned to another processes for replacing rusted out places on fenders and cabs of autos and trucks. One I particularly like is a technique is being used more and more in body shops and does not require any welding experience. It is the use of industrial adhesives, more commonly known as epoxies. Instead of welding in a panel you “glue” it in. Hold that thought…

At the car show was a “Marketeer” demonstrating a small gas welding unit. The design was really compact and nice and as I watched, noted that demonstrator was someone whose welding skills were not much better than mine. The unit was making him look good as he cut and welded mild steel and aluminum. I will be ordering one next week but the point is that it had a design feature that allowed the bottom of the gas tube to slide along the work piece and then come up and over like a tea spout. The acetylene nozzle pointed straight down and the combined features allowed the welder to steady the tip and keep it uniformly distanced. I can certainly use one of those,I because in the shop the “Fire Axe” (oxygen/ acetylene unit) is one of my standbys for loosening stubborn rusted bolts, cutting and welding mild steel.

Anyway this Salesman was looking for someone interested in a franchise and I think I will explore this possibility further. I think I will talk in the future on the differences in installing patch panels using the welding and epoxy processes. Won't that be a delightful learning experience?