| Original Greaser Bob - 1/20/2025 15:39
Would it be possible to run those machines making run-of-the-mill (pun intended) parts for now to generate income for a new building, then switch back to the high end stuff or would running them in less than ideal conditions result in wear that would ruin them?
I hear you about the employers. One highly motivated, highly intelligent employee, if given the freedom to work as he/she wishes and who's ideas and suggestions are taken seriously by the boss to improve things (and compensate him/her accordingly), is worth four drones who show up only for a paycheck. And can probably make things work so well that they can do the work of all four. The problem is, most of the time that boss is only of average intelligence and cannot see what he has and if the light bulb finally goes off, feels threatened and will start to sabotage you. Don't ask me how I know that.
There are other things the machines can do, but they can't be used at all now because they are all offline, and 3 I am paying for storage. They must be reasonably climate controlled. The reasons are huge. If the steel gets too cold, they will sweat and rust up instantly. I learned that hard lesson 25Y ago! If it's too hot, the electronics will fail and there is no repair in them that costs 100s, it 1000 and up. I also have to have an "inspection area" that is tighter climate control for proper measuring. We are talking micron tolerances. Even changing the temp of a machine 10*F can cause scrap parts.
As far as working for others, I know I have to keep it on the table, but at the risk of sound too "smart" yet again, I have to admit I've had some very incompetent bosses lean on me very hard to solve problems that were WAY over my pay grade! At 20yo, in college, I was tasked with figuring out how to put a 1.5mi radius in a civil engineered municipal retention wall. Yeah, I questioned why I was "that guy". In the end, I was paid the the same as all handle shovel operators. They did listen and brought me a new $10k dual axis spinning laser. They weren't cheap back then.
I am doing odd jobs though! I go do the work when I can get it. But I know I need to stick with complex stuff that other's can't do as it gives me an advantage. Running a shovel, I am no better than anyone else, but I will do it. Last Summer I was contacted for electrical troubleshoot of a sports complex 2 wire digital irrigation system. 3 techs came before me. Not only did they not fix it, they cost the owners many thousands and made it worse! I charged $7000 for 50hrs work. A guy that knows them told them I can do it, let him work. At 3 days in, they were getting worried because I had yet to fix anything. It literally took that long to build a schematic because they didn't have one! On day 4 I started make strategic repairs, even finding the original problem in the process. But the issue is my work is right as rain, and I don't expect them to call me again because it should not fail. There are only so many of these jobs out there.
But at the very moment, I seriously cannot even take a real job because I am right now, full time trying to survive the cold. I am monitoring my furnace and potential evacuation. If anything fails in the cold, I have 1hr before it freezes in here. My go bag is sitting next to me. I have a check list, first up is plugging truck into generator so it will hopefully start. I haven't had AC since 2021. It gets to 125F in here. I can barely sleep. So when people say "take a job", that would be nearly impossible right now. I'm in total survival mode. I'm frustrated!!! Thus why I guess I'm on the net getting text bashed. I know something has to change. |
Personal...."go fund me"...I need to fix my path.
