So what do (or did) Y'all do for a Living and Play?

I was curious to what kinda jobs everyone here has or had, since I know some of you are probably retired. Most of the forums I have hung out on in the past have been job specific, but the thread always came up where people were more specific about what they did in their line of work. So curiosity has me wondering on this forum as well…

I am a CNC Programmer/Supervisor at a race shop in the Indianapolis area. I have worked in the machining industry for 20 years. Aerospace, Racing, Medical, I have pretty much made parts for all of the fields. I started out machining for the first half of my career and slowly moved into programming and engineering. I have made some really cool stuff, especially in the Aerospace industry, but racing has been the most exciting field of them all. I once made a modification on an Indycar transmission housing that was surely against the rules. But you do what you are told. Boy do I have stories to tell :wink:

When I am off work I play a bit of guitar, a video game every once in awhile, and hang out with my son when I have him. Oh and I practically live on here since finding this forum LOL. Are there any other guitar players here?

How about you?

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We had a thread like it here:

:smile:

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I’m the lead case manager for a chronically homeless/disabled housing program. Been in this field for almost 14 years. Pay isn’t very good, but I love it. Get to meet some verrrry interesting people. Previously I was an IS Project Manager for 10 years. Great pay, but lousy work. Don’t have much time for hobbies (except vape related stuff) as I’m on Hubby/Dad fix-it duty all the time. Used to love model building and electronics but with failing eyesight, I rarely do it anymore. I love dogs (and all animals in general) and have four rescue dogs that keep me from going anywhere (fine by me). The wife has put me on dog restriction. If she puts me on vape restriction, I’m getting a lawyer.

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Started out in metal stamping for about 14 years. then supervision for 9 years and now tool and die machinist. Problem for me is standing on my feet for 10 hours a day, but I only work 4 days a week. I like to target practice with my pistols, fish, mushroom hunt, but mainly work in the yard and garden. Love to garden and grow things to eat and give away.

Forgot I also play a little guitar. Have a Fender tele, Dean acustic and a Washburn acutic.

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I’ve been a truck driver otr for over 15 years. And besides vaping. I love my motorcycles. Before my wreck. I lived on my bikes. I haven’t rode for 8 months now. Still in recovery.

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I play guitar a little. Nothing major. Never teally got good at it. Before i started driving. My very first job was in a machine shop for compatition specialty. Worked with the hydroplain the winston eagle. Like you made all kinds of cool stuff.

Sorry to hear of your bike wreck.

Yeah me too lol. I had a lady pull out and hit me head on. Messed my world up. It’s amazing how fast can change derections in a blink of an eye.

Wow and she would of done the same if you where driving a semi. Went to town this afternoon and had 3 people pull out in front of me.

Oh she would have. Everyone is in such a herry anymore.

Ha, a few Chip cutters here huh? I have some pics I could share. Here’s one really cool one…
[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/2FastLX/media/Machining/l_35a53636e365b8ee0082c6bcaa64b86e.jpg.html][/URL]

And a wind tunnel part…
[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/2FastLX/media/Machining/HPIM3216.jpg.html][/URL]

And parts for the 1/4 scale car going in the wind tunnel…
[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/2FastLX/media/Machining/HPIM2846.jpg.html][/URL]

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Awesome work!

Thanks! The very first time I got to go to an Indy 500 race, 2 days before it I had to make some rear wing supports for team KV Racing’s 3 cars. They usually anodize these parts black, so they didn’t have time to get that done. So I am sitting at the 500, and during cautions I could see my wing supports whizzing by because they were the only 3 cars with shiny aluminum supports. It was so cool. The shop I used to work at was frequented by Tony Stewart, Jesse James Dupre from the band Jackyl, and numerous other people like the guys from 2 Guy’s Garage. It was a pretty amazing place to work. I have since moved on to lesser important things, but I am well respected where I am so life is good.

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Must be a cool feeling knowing someone is out there using an item you made. The fact that it’s moving at extremely high speed doesn’t hurt either.

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Yeah, it is pretty cool. I have made so many strange things and never knew what they did. Parts for NASA, the military, etc. It wasn’t until I got into racing I could actually go to the track and see where the parts were going. We had a spec shop in the pits. So I got to go in during qualifications and hang out with the race teams. The drivers were all a-holes. But the crew were all good people.

Bass player here in Ohio…Graphic artist/screenprinter, specializing in T-shirts …Have a small studio on my home property…used to be full time business, but now do it part time, especially when a beautiful piece of art comes my way…or I get the chance to sink my teeth into the creation of a graphic that will end up printed on a T-shirt…Particularly enjoy special effects graphics…Did a couple of years doing Home Health Care after earning STNA license…A big part of my appreciation for life was cultivated in that period of time (2 years)…Doesn’t pay a living wage, but the life rewards were unbelievable…May even be a part of my life that contributed to me quitting the cigs…Spending a lot of time here as a newbie, and have been warmly welcomed by numerous people who have reached back out to me when I make inquiries…Retirement…Haven’t seen a gold watch yet…:slight_smile:

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Done a lot of things. Last 25 have been in some form of IT and tech support. Make less in my current job than I have in a while, but it’s doing tech support in retail for one of the computer manufacturers you may know. Best part is all the cool people I get to help out everyday. Stevie Wonder’s just a ball of laughs every time and just a genuinely compassionate guy. Barry Sanders and many of the other Detroit Lions have been real cool. Kirk Gibson, Joe Dumars, and several others. Yeah, it’s name dropping, but it is what keeps me going back.

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I do calibrations for a manufacturer.
I’ve got a lot of hobbies…was a bicycle mechanic in my twenties, play Frisbee golf as well as guitar. I do guitar tech work on the side for spare cash, and am also a gear hound.

My buddy does that. He used to have some very expensive gear that he had since he was young. He got messed up on drugs and his girl sold it all on him while he was locked up for a few months. It broke his heart. So now I think he trolls Craigslist in hopes he will stumble across it some day. Really sad story. But he has bought and sold thousands of dollars worth of gear over the last few years. Man he finds some sweet deals.

As I’ve mentioned in other threads, I’m in transportation. I am a broker in expedite freight. I specialize in moving anything from a small box to a large box truck (think Ryder or Budget rental type trucks) that can hold 10-12 pallets. Primary industries I serve are automotive and medical. Move a ton of auto parts for manufacturing as that industry operates on the Just In Time model. Also move medical equipment and pharmaceuticals both critical and supply.

I was a truck driver for 16 years before a back injury ended that in 2005’

Prior to that I did some home construction, insurance sales, and one stint building explosive charges - Titan and Sidewinder warheads, self destruct panels for various missiles, and separation charges for the Space Shuttle. After witnessing an accidental detonation I left. The girl who had the accident was unhurt except for temporary deafness, but it was all I needed to see.

As for hobbies, DIY and vaping has replaced my other interests completely. Before starting DIY I was already having trouble finding time to play my guitar. My love for guitar had already waned a bit, but since getting into mixing I probably haven’t strummed more than a few chords. I never took lessons, don’t read music, but have a finger-picking style that’s all my own. I do love playing just don’t do it much.

Now, with all the machining talent why hasn’t anyone made the Official ELR RTA and RDA? :slight_smile:

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