Some men can't turn a screwdriver !

[donsrods]

It always amazes me that men, in particular, sometimes have NO clue whatsoever about anything mechanical. I guess we who grew up fixing things and building cars just naturally assume everyone knows how, but that isn't the case sometimes.

Yesterday at work one of our people was trying to help a customer who said his bilge pump wasn't working in his boat. I was overhearing the conversation. Our guy was trying to tell him how to start at the switch and do process of elimination from there. The guy didn't even know there WAS a switch to work it, and had no idea where the pump was or what it did. It was like trying to explain it to a 2 year old.

He didn't even understand how to open the fuse holder to inspect the fuse, and finally our guy gave up and gave him the business card for one of the local boat mechanics. How did these guys get through life this far, do they pay someone to replace anything that breaks in their home or on their car ?

I had a guy one time who I was explaining how to wire something up on his boat and when I told him about the ground wire he said "So do I just hang that over the side of the boat so it is touching the water or what ??" You can't make this stuff up.

Don

 

[jmlcolorado]

I have the same thoughts ALL the time!
I drive a 3/4 ton diesel and its never been in the shop for any work except tires and alignments. A few weeks ago I did a clutch and rear main seal. I had a buddy over who is pretty dang smart. He's in school for civil engineering. At the end of the whole thing he says, no way would I ever attempt this kind of job on my truck. [S

There really isn't much I DON'T do. I grew up with just me and my mom. We didn't really have much money, so I learned to do everything I could to help out.
I changed out my first hot water heater for her at 14.
I'm not really sure how a fella gets by in life paying to have everything done for him! First off, they gotta be broke all the time paying premium prices for even the simplest tasks. Plus, it would drive me INSANE not knowing how something works in case I have to revisit a problem with it later.

 

[dmw56]

I can build a car or a house from the ground up if I had too. But sometimes I have no problem paying people to do stuff I don't want to do.

 

[21willys]

I can build a car or a house from the ground up if I had too. But sometimes I have no problem paying people to do stuff I don't want to do.

Amen to that. I can do wiring but I refuse to! Especially trailer wiring! I just paid my brother n law to go thru my wedge trailer and fix everything and put water tight connections on everything. I could of did but I hate it for some reason.


When in JR high and high school I worked for a hvac place. A lot of people couldn't believe that me and my brother (6yrs older) would be the ones installing their AC or heat.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

"So do I just hang that over the side of the boat so it is touching the water or what ??"
Don

Priceless. [cl

High school shop class...

"Should I change my oil?"

"What does it look like? Is it dirty?"

"It's black, but I don't see any DIRT."

.

 

[billy]

There is a lot of things that I know nothing about.
And most of my automotive things I tackle I have to learn as I go.
I rebuilt a transfer case once and while I was successful
I don't want to do it again.
I have learned a lot
But these days I pick my battles.
If it is going to take me 100 hours to do an iffy job.
I will save up and hire someone with experience.

 

[bruno]

A man has got to know his limitations.

 

[Neverdone]

I can build a car or a house from the ground up if I had too. But sometimes I have no problem paying people to do stuff I don't want to do.

I am in the same boat!!! Problem is I usually want to do it...... But if I know it will take me forever and I need it done know out comes the wallet.

 

[39flatback]

The worst I find are the ones that think they can fix something but can't. I repair machinery at the plant where I work . Some guys shouldn't be allowed to use tools...especially a hammer & pipe wrench.

 

[26Troadster]

The worst I find are the ones that think they can fix something but can't. I repair machinery at the plant where I work . Some guys shouldn't be allowed to use tools...especially a hammer & pipe wrench.

no some guys need the hammer and pipe wrench used on them, for the crap they do saying they know how to do it.

 

[Dirtyrat]

I get crap at work about "just clicking a mouse all day" and I just laugh at them, most of them can't even do a brake job or change shocks or struts on their own cars...

Most of the time I tell them, hey I do more wrench turning and fab work when I leave here than you do all day while you are here...

 

[timbo]

I just got tired of having to go back and redo the work that I paid to have done and just learn to do it my self.

I have a brother in law that fixes everything with duct tape. If it isn't about a ball playing sport, he is lost. Nice guy but Duct tape all over the kitchen cabinet door's because you don't know how a hindge goes on, come on.[S
Tim

 

[Sam_Fear]

I have the problem of always deciding to do it myself. Sometimes it's a good idea to get exactly what I want. Sometimes it makes more sense to have it hired out. I had my garage built because it woulda taken me all summer - it took them less than a week.

Jack of all trades, master of one - fixing my mistakes.

I like working on different things just to learn about it and the process.

 

[ronnysplymouth]

My wifes BIL is a bank manager and can do nothing mechanical, he even has to call her stepdad to come hang pictures........he's a great guy but I honestly cannot believe someone cannot even hang a picture......they have four boys so here comes a whole new generation of know nots

 

[patrat]

mechanical midget minds

work in many exclusive neighborhoods as a service tech/pipefitter for natural gas utility. I often find and bring home bikes with flat tire or chain fell off, nothing else wrong. My son would fix and sell these expensive bikes that were tossed only because someone could not or would not fix . Got lots lawn eqpt the same way. Dump out old gas and clean plug, ready to use. I did farm out garage roof job, hate roofing.

 

[gassersgarage]

When I was poor kid, I worked on my own cars because I couldn't afford to have someone else fix it. Now, with the advent of computers, I have to have someone fix it. Even my home computer, my wife has to guide me.

 

[billy]

When I was poor kid, I worked on my own cars because I couldn't afford to have someone else fix it. Now, with the advent of computers, I have to have someone fix it. Even my home computer, my wife has to guide me.

thats why i work on my own cars and computers ,guns,eggbeaters etc.
if it poops out i usually dont have the money to pay someone else to do it.
some exceptions are welding critical components on my vehicles
automatic trannys and such
things like that are beyond me.

 

[Sniper]

Then again, for all the people that are in the "I can't or won't" category, I have to say thanks. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have or had a job.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Then again, for all the people that are in the "I can't or won't" category, I have to say thanks. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have or had a job.

There is some definite truth to that, and the thing is, everyone is good at something I don't think any of us are surgeons or dentists or upper level management and we may be judged as morons if we were to attempt such positions as well...

 

[CR55]

Then again, for all the people that are in the "I can't or won't" category, I have to say thanks. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have or had a job.

Amen to that!