Dealing with people who do not appreciate tools

[99LeCouch]

I've noticed a lot of people my age (26) and older tend to look down on guys who use tools and know how to fix their own cars. Something I've never understood - I have more knowledge than them, know how to fix something and don't have to rely on a shop to (hopefully) do it right...and yet they seem to think I'm not quite as smart as they are, because evidently being able to waste money for simple repairs and things like oil changes at a garage makes one superior. Never mind the fact that my hobby, spinning wrenches, is a lot more constructive than theirs...golf. Yeah, go whack a little ball in your spiffy shoes, I'll stay in my garage and play with dirty, oily, greasy stuff. I bet I know who's going to have more fun, too.

A lot of younger kids don't even seem to grasp the concept that they could learn mechanical skills. Most simply think that once something goes wrong, they take it to the shop, magical gnomes perform black magic, the mechanic comes out and tells them everything is good, takes their money, and off they go.

As far as tools, I appreciate them insofar as they allow me to accomplish a task. I'm not a collector, I'm not a brand snob, I just like having reliable tools for the jobs I need to do.

I'm part of your generation, and there's nothing more satisfying than successfully fixing something on the car that other people would have taken to a shop. Strangely enough, a lot of folks around me respect being able to fix something yourself. Maybe it's because this is a farming area, and golf is a rich/retired person's sport around me.

My dad was always ripping into something when I was growing up, and my grandfathers were the same. Apparently I inherited my one grandfather's ability to jury-rig almost anything, according to all my relatives.

My brother isn't mechanically inclined at all. Changing a wiper blade is the limit of his aptitude. The small tool kits we got as presents years ago tell the tale. Mine's grease-stained, shows signs of use, and the cheap-o ratchet is smooth from oil and ATF changes. His is pristine, with not a speck of dirt on it. At least he knows when to ask for help to do something mechanical.

 

[littletoes]

A-Men! Farm kids don't classify with the rest of the world.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

I'm part of your generation, and there's nothing more satisfying than successfully fixing something on the car that other people would have taken to a shop. Strangely enough, a lot of folks around me respect being able to fix something yourself. Maybe it's because this is a farming area, and golf is a rich/retired person's sport around me.

My dad was always ripping into something when I was growing up, and my grandfathers were the same. Apparently I inherited my one grandfather's ability to jury-rig almost anything, according to all my relatives.

My brother isn't mechanically inclined at all. Changing a wiper blade is the limit of his aptitude. The small tool kits we got as presents years ago tell the tale. Mine's grease-stained, shows signs of use, and the cheap-o ratchet is smooth from oil and ATF changes. His is pristine, with not a speck of dirt on it. At least he knows when to ask for help to do something mechanical.

Yep, the farm guys around here (WV/PA/MD area) all know how to use tools and respect other people who know how to use them, too. But, we have a lot of the faux-upper-middle-class weenies from DC/NOVA around here who think pumping their own gas is degrading, let alone actually changing their own oil or knowing how an engine works.

Funny thing is, my brother (6 years younger than I am) is the same way...not mechanically inclined at all. He can get by doing the very basic stuff, but the good thing is, he knows when he can't do something and (doesn't usually) break things worse before he asks for help.

 

[littletoes]

Well, whats funny, usually the older brother gets relied on "More", so he learns, and the younger brother goofs off more, and gets better at THAT.

Not always the case, sometimes its even flipped, but when it does happen, I say its the Dad's fault....I'm a Dad too, and sometimes, because the Work always needs done, and I forget to teach, and rely on the oldest Son too much.

Sirrah Sirrah....

 

[William Payne]

Said it before will say it again, people wont know what they have never had to learn.

 

[Mavawreck]

I appreciate tools but storage is an issue which means my stuff stays scattered. Most everything is kept in old dressers and army trunks in my tiny 900sf house.

 

[nate379]

I just assumed everyone had an idea on basic tool/mechanicing 101, but no way.

I worked at a grease monkey for Sears some years ago. Supposed to be under a experienced tech for a couple weeks (In Training tag on your name tag ans all).

After 3 days of working there the manager came in and ripped the tag off, said I knew more what was going on there some of the techs that had been working there for a couple years... OK? All I was going was changing oil, tires, batteries, etc. Even a half retarded monkey couldn't fawk that up!

 

[honcho]

So many young people have no appreciation for mechanical skills and the trades it makes me want to cry. My mother still has some of my 7th grade woodshop wooden knicknacks, the fireplace set my older brother made in metal shop and the cast aluminum eagle my younger brother made in metal shop. My eldest son knows the value of fixing things himself but my younger son, despite a degree in electrical engineering, still thinks fixing things is beyond his ability . If only he knew how much more beer money he'd have if he did even a few things himself.

My daughter is artsy and creative as heck, but her skills with mechanical tools are mostly using wirecutters when she makes jewelry.

If we rely on the Chinese to make everything and immigrants (illegal and legal) to do all the building and repairing, we're going to be a shell of a country. Not everyone can be a doctor, lawyer or accountant.

 

[back2class]

I am pretty sure my little guy will like to work with his hands, at least as a hobby. The DIY gene is strong and every man in this family is mechancaly inclined. Not sure where his intrests will take him. For example, my father is always tinkering...mostly fixing cabinets or doing house projects. Never did he do much mechanic work. His mechanic type tools are a old SK sae set and a box of craftsman wrenches. I finally gave him a metric socket set two years ago. He just does not much like to work on mechanical or metal stuff. Now I was always fixing engones and dirt bikes from the time I was 7 or 8. As an adult I do more tinkering than he, but that is partly because I have too. He was a pretty well paid ban counter by day. I don't make alot of money so sometimes I am fixing things because I have no other way to pay for something I want or need fixed. But messing around with mechanical stuff has been part of who I am for all my life. I recall not having much in the way of tools when I was 13 and partents devorced. I thik my need to have so much equiptment on hand is two fold. One, because I experienced having so much agrovation as a teen never having the right tool. Had a few stray wrenches and screwdrivers and that meant hasle and breaking or damageing things I was trying to fix. I also would rather invest in a tool and own that tool and knoledge, than just pay someone.
My 2 year old now has a Cornwell 7 drawer roll cart full. I have fun filling it for him and I also use them as my house tools so I don't have to walk out to the barn when I need something. I am not giving him a choice. Nothing less manly than not being able to fix or build somethng. It has nothing to do with money, a man should be able to maintain the house without HAVING to pay someone.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I am 24 and have loved tools my whole life. Not sure how it started, but at 2 I had all the play tools, and by 4 I had my own workbench with real tools. My dad is fairly handy, but most of my interest came from my uncle, who has been a plumber for 40 years now. Everyone gave me tools growing up, and I loved to spend time at hardware stores or Sears (this has not changed, lol) I shadowed the maintenance guy at my mom's work for my entire childhood and he remains a good friend to this day. He taught me all kinds of things about building maintenance and renovations. This summer and last, I helped him with some office remodeling where he now works, as well as service calls throughout the buildings. I worked at hardware stores throughout high school and college, where I continued to learn more. I am not the best at building things, but I loved woodshop class. I was very sad to learn that they got rid of woodshop this past year at my high school. I enjoy fixing things around the house and wish more people my own age would learn the basics at a minimum!

 

[csmitty]

my Dad, on the other hand can use tools effectively and is awesome at fixing or building whatever comes his way but appreciate tools? that's another story altogether. he uses screwdrivers for just about everything besides turning a screw, a nice knife is often a putty or caulking spreading tool, a ratchet is half the time used for a hammer, etc. I guess he only buys the "what's on sale" stuff because he figures he's going to destroy them anyways so why spend money on them. I don't know why or how I ended up with the OCD that I have for my tools cause it certainly wasn't from him!

My dads the exact same way and I'm the same as you. I used to have all my tools between my Jeeps box and Trucks box. Just basic Craftsman stuff my parents have gotten me over the years and stuff I got as I needed. I tried to keep it as organized as I could there and now in my own garage with a nice box everything is well organized and alot more higher quality tools. I think I got the OCD from whenever I would have to get tools out of dads box at home, having to hunt for wrench's, the sockets atleast were somewhat still organized. I've got him some magnetic trays and will probably get some Ernst orgainzers for him for christmas but I guess it works for him but I'll throw in some hints. I just can't stand it. But he's also more about getting the job done so I can't harp to much.

 

[Landlord_ZA]

Greetings from South Africa. I've been lurking around GJ for a few weeks now, but this is a great opportunity for my 1st post.

My late dad was a mechanic /auto tech (what ever you call it in your particular part of the world) and as a kid I always used to "help" him when he worked on cars. Gedore is (was) one of the most popular brands around SA, and he had just about every tool they made. I used to be his "spanner boy", fetching, cleaning and returning tools as he needed them. After he passed away, my mom sold everything off and thus I didnt inherit any of those cool tools of his.

I had an interest in computers, and thus I went on to become a computer specialist and today I am an IT manager. I sit and work in an office all day, wearing a collar and tie - so when I look at or pick up a tool, people stare at me in a weird way (as if to say WTF are you gonna try and do with that thing guy?).

But my dad passed on his passion for racing and motorsport to me, and I've always raced something (from bmx to karts to quad bikes), so have had to have some basic tools around for that purpose - but nothing to the scale dad had. It was only about a month ago that I realised, I've been spending a lot of time looking at tool catalogues and in particular, browsing this site! I've saved just about every pic from the "Let's see your toolbox" thread, dreaming about getting a collection like that going.

The point I'm trying to make is that it might not seem like your kids have inherited your "tool loving genes", but given enough time, they (and you) might discover that they have (or develop) the same appreciation as you have.

* Great site by the way people, glad I discovered it *

 

[Indy_500]

Couldn't agree more with the posts in this thread. I have a few friends who are into trucks and snowmobiles like i am (i am 16). A few of them, they have dads who fix their stuff, make it sound like they did it themself, but really don't know jack squat. I don't know a whole lot about trucks and cars but can do a lot more than your average 16 yr old (at least I like to think so). As far as snowmobiles go, I can rip them down to the tunnel and put them back together with ease without labeling what nut/bolt/washer/part goes where. I just bought my first vehicle (98 gmc sierra) so that is part of the reasoning I don't know a ton about cars and trucks. My parents didn't let me touch their vehicles and they think its easier to take it to the dealer. I dont plan on taking anything to a dealer, I havent for a few years with snowmobiles and hope to never have to with cars and trucks either. I've already rebuilt 4 snowmobile motors and can't wait to dig into cars and trucks more. I installed the A/C bypass pulley on my truck yesterday and a new serpentine belt. I can't afford to get the A/C working so I figured it was a cheap alternative (compressor bearing was shot).

 

[ChrisF250]

I'm in my early twenties and Im the only kid in my group of friends who owns a socket set let alone a 15 drawer rollaway toolbox. It seems there is some sort of generational gap where kids my age were raised by their parents to take it to the mechanic rather than try to fix it themselves. I think a lot of that has developed from the paranoia that is often instilled through the media.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I had an interest in computers, and thus I went on to become a computer specialist and today I am an IT manager. I sit and work in an office all day, wearing a collar and tie - so when I look at or pick up a tool, people stare at me in a weird way (as if to say WTF are you gonna try and do with that thing guy?).

Been there, done that, for 31 years ! My close IT friends bring their cars to me for brake jobs, etc.

On other days I build/repair and do software maintenance on friends PCs.

I only wish I had some woodworking and sheetmetal skills.

 

[mayhemman]

me, well dad has always been into trucks and working on things. owns his big rig, growing up did most of the maintainance himself. i was always there helping, far as the other stuff we have had we did most of it ourselves.

i have gotten into working on small engines as a career now. doing it 5 days a week the past few months, but i would never have gotten the opportunity if dad had pushed me to learn and do so much growing up. i started tinkering with small engines on my own around 15 and have been steadily increasing my knowledge and skill with mechanics. where i work i was asked by the owner if i wanted to work for him, i never asked him in all the time i have dealt with him.

if it wasn't for my love of tools,mechanics and working on things my life would be dull and boring. i love saving money on doing all my own maintainance and the great feeling of doing it myself. most of the people i know seem to never have heard of anything but a hammer or screwdriver, let alone know how to properly use them it seems. we need more poeple who want to learn and do things for themselves.


sorry for rambling, back to the normal thread lol

 

[pysen78]

Rant mode: ON

I like to fix things. I like the idea of self reliability. Never took my bike to the shop when I was a kid, and always repaired stuff like clocks, VCR's, and computers myself when growing up. On larger mechanical stuff, I started late. Got my own car at 22 and have been doing everything on it since (Had it for 10 years now) My view is, there's nothing you can't do if you have a Haynes manual, internet and the right tools. A view that is hard to see the reason of sometimes, since I get paid enough at work to be able to pay for most repairs or new stuff by just sitting an hour longer at my desk one day. Since a year I'm a homeowner, together with my girlfriend who is also mother of my child, and love of my life since 7 years.)

Now. Love of my life or not. She can't appreciate workmanship, or tools, for SH*T! And her family is the same. Last summer, someone had used a perfectly sharp carpenters chisel to dig up weeds in the garden with, and left a puddle of diesel fuel on the garage floor. And I can't even argue with her. She simply don't understand, since her whole family is all "Screw it in/pry it loose/whack it apart- with the kitchen scissors, and good at it, she thinks I'm just fiddly and backwards for wanting tools to be used in a correct manner. Especially since every tool can be bought for $1 (Or at least a chinese made replica of a tool cast in soft metal, and she can't tell the difference) she argues that it's OK to not clean paintbrushes properly, ok to use a not quite right bit in the screw gun, ok to use a pair of spring clip pliers to pull out nails from the walls, etc, etc...

I really don't know what to do. I try to keep a certain amount of sacrificial tools in the house, so they won't come into the garage foraging for something to destroy, but it's a nightmare everytime I know they'll be doing any kind of DIY while I'm not at home. I hoped to find answers in this thread, but I guess the real answer is just putting more locks on the garage door...

 

[yellowbox]

fffffffff

 

[yellowbox]

I've noticed a lot of people my age (26) and older tend to look down on guys who use tools and know how to fix their own cars. Something I've never understood - I have more knowledge than them, know how to fix something and don't have to rely on a shop to (hopefully) do it right...and yet they seem to think I'm not quite as smart as they are, because evidently being able to waste money for simple repairs and things like oil changes at a garage makes one superior. Never mind the fact that my hobby, spinning wrenches, is a lot more constructive than theirs...golf. Yeah, go whack a little ball in your spiffy shoes, I'll stay in my garage and play with dirty, oily, greasy stuff. I bet I know who's going to have more fun, too.

A lot of younger kids don't even seem to grasp the concept that they could learn mechanical skills. Most simply think that once something goes wrong, they take it to the shop, magical gnomes perform black magic, the mechanic comes out and tells them everything is good, takes their money, and off they go.

As far as tools, I appreciate them insofar as they allow me to accomplish a task. I'm not a collector, I'm not a brand snob, I just like having reliable tools for the jobs I need to do.[/Q

 

[csmitty]

My eldest son knows the value of fixing things himself but my younger son, despite a degree in electrical engineering, still thinks fixing things is beyond his ability . If only he knew how much more beer money he'd have if he did even a few things himself.

EE's (from my experience) are in a world of their own, and i've never been able to understand. I'm a ME, mainly cuz I love taking things apart and building things, so granted I only know enough electrical to hurt myself but hanging out with some of the EE's, the spark jockeys just didn't seem quite with it. We had some on our SAE team and had to explain the righty tighty a few times, or your other left. Good times I do appreciate what the EE's do though, I couldn't do it, I have to look at what I'm working on, and feel it. Rather not do that electricity though.

 

[taterdog]

Been there, done that, for 31 years ! My close IT friends bring their cars to me for brake jobs, etc.

On other days I build/repair and do software maintenance on friends PCs.

I only wish I had some woodworking and sheetmetal skills.

I was a cisco major in college at first till I took an automotive class. I always had interest in working on them. Then I learned I could hit cars with hammers and fix them and I was sold on being a mechanic.

 

[toolman1967]

I am the go to guy in the neighborhood for tools and any fix it project. Its amazing that these people who do not understand people owning thousands of dollars of tools until they have something that is broke. My wifes boos lives down the street and is always asking her how I could afford to have so many tools. She tries to explain that when I had a project I would buy the tools and then OWN them instead of paying someone to do the job or begging to borrow a tool.

It doesnt take long to acquire the right tools to do the job if you have the will and desire.

 

[Milton Shaw]

My daughters both have and are able to use tools. My oldest has bought and refinsihed furniture to outfit her apartment, used my tools and shop. MY youngest daughter when she was a senior in high school had a friend who had a flat tire at his home. She came home borrowed my roll around jack, hubcap hammer, and star wrench, drove to his home and showed him she could change a tire. As a football player (sports jock) he didn't have any idea of how to change his flat. He was waiting for his father to come home from business trip on the weekend and call AAA to change it for them. My grandson 4 just loves tools and has his own box of plastic tools to help, knows screwdrivers, pliers, wrench, drill, etc. His mom and my wife want me to wait a few more years before he gets real tools to take things apart.

 

[TexasT]

My dad is a PE and has an MBA with a minor in finance. To say he has some schooling is an understatement. He taught me that if you take care of your tools they will take care of you. He grew up on a 40 acre farm with stories of how they would find tools in the place they repaired the tractor when they plowed in the spring. He has a two drawer box with a very mismatched set of tools. I think my brother learned the same lessons as he is a turbine mechanic and has a pickup bed full of tools he takes to the sites where he does maintenance and repairs.

His father(my grandfather) was a repair technician at the GM plant in Janesville. I was told he fixed the equipment there and the cars they couldn't get started at the end of the line. Very mechanical. My other grandfather owned an Allis-Chalmers dealer in SE Wisconsin. He also farmed as well as repaired and maintained equipment.

The neighbor next door to me came over after calling the city and getting me warned for having my trailer in the driveway and had the nuts to ask me to help him with his car. Big nuts, but I was nice and told him what I would do, but couldn't bring myself to actually help him. Not my usual but he shouldn't have called the city.

Even coworkers have no respect for the work tools. Mud, dirt grease no respect for decent tools. so I keep mine separate and take them home when I am not on call.

I hope my daughters find good husbands, but so far, the oldest has a boyfriend that is going to Texas to get an engineering degree. Sadly, he is a computer, gamer guy, not a hands on guy. We will work on him.

 

[ibedayank]

its simple...you don't take care of my tools you will never use them again...that simple
my tools make me my money or get used to make/build/repair what i want

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I work with some guys who have no appreciation of tools. They're not mechanics, they're upholsterers. Flat blade screwdrivers are either prybars or chisels, rivet gun is a hammer, unless it's being used for riveting, in which case something else is used as a hammer to hit the rivet gun with. Chrome 3/8" sockets on 1/2" electric impact guns all day long. It makes me sad.

If i don't have kids that want my tools when i die, i'll have them buried with me.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I think the issue is all personality more than genetics -- my Dad had tons of tools that he knew how to use and was capable of getting most any job done from automobliles to construction / home improvement stuff. Growing up, I never though much of it except that I knew I needed to fix stuff and to do that I needed to keep the tools in one place and in good working order to make it faster / easier to do the work.....Years later I end up becoming a mechanic and I'm doing stuff for Dad just to be helpfull. He never said much to me, but after he passed on, his freinds and coworkers told me that he was allways talking about me to them and telling stories of my mechanical abilities that amazed him. He felt like he "got by" with some general knowledge and some decent tools, while I took that start and ran with it to a much higher level.....but now that my own kids are adults I realize that I will probably sell all but the basics when I get too old to use the tools since my daughters are not going to use them and I have doubts about them finding "tool" guys for husbands....

At work, we get a steady stream of our sales guys and upper mgt who seem to think the entire shop is thiers to use any tools and supplies, and leave behind any mess they create, to boot. Whenever I can't find my tools, I just have to backtrack where ever they've been working on a project and I usually find my stuff.....whenever I'm not there to watch out for that, my box gets locked up......