Skills, Common Sense and Making a Difference

The Weavers, Luddendenfoot

So it all started with "Mark, I have a little project for you". 

(Project = I need your help doing something......) 

Task: Help dad fix his band-saw.

On further investigation it appears that the good old band-saw in question had snapped a belt.

Dad had checked and asked around a number of ~ahem "engineering/tool repairers" with all saying..  NOOOOO that make is not in manufacture anymore, we can't fix that or some other lame assed excuse.

Fast forward to the day for me to earn browny points.. 💪😊

Jayne (she who must be obeyed) had already spoken to her dad about me not "bodging" stuff, that I'm slightly OCD when it comes to repairs or DIY or Anything really - After all that's what spirit levels and tape measures were invented for 👍

Where was I? Oh yes browny points... 

So we show up at mum and dads, and after the always warm greetings and small chit chat etc etc etc. me and dad enter his Man Cave..

  

There on the bench lies said pulley with a rubber belt that looks way too small.

We chat, we look at options using a vice, clamps and other methods, and agree that the said 1" wide belt needed to be stretched (it is rubber after all) to stand any chance of fitting.

Now I am no physics expert but understand resistance. After thinking about clamps and a vice, I discounted it as too dangerous, but it gave me an idea.. 

Enter a Caveman reference - Caveman relied on brute force and intelligence to overcome obstacles and challenges back in the day -

By changing the position of the pulley and using weight via my right foot I was able to pull/stretch said rubber belt vertically with ease and sufficient enough to allow dad to slide said belt successfully over the pulley.  

Job done, band-saw assembled and tested equals one happy dad (more browny points). 

Sometimes brawn and brains can work together.

The purpose for me telling this story is it made me realise just how many skills of yesteryear are being lost. Joinery, Carpentry, Brickies, Engineers (proper engineers, not those that have everything given electronically to them on a tablet. No use of Google to search for answers either!) the list goes on... 

In a society where people throw away stuff (not broken necessarily) and buy new (instead of repairing) it saddened me to think just how difficult it must be for people like dad who have the knowledge, have the skills, but physically are not able to do stuff themselves anymore, and go to "specialists" looking for help or advice only to be told "No" it cannot be fixed... 

This just feels like all people do these days is follow instructions.... What happened to Common Sense?

The reality is that today's society cannot be arsed with fixing stuff when it appears cheaper to replace than repair.  The skills of our fathers are slowly being forgotten and will soon go the way of the dodo.

Anyhow apologies if I offend, but as mentioned in my welcome blog, these are my own opinions.

Until next time.

Mark