no1steelsmith
Active member
Hi guys, just wanted to introduce myself. I am a certified weldor and worked as a fabricator for 35 years. Until 2010 I was actively pursuing metalshaping, then the economic crash of '07 took it's toll and that all came to an end.
I am now starting over as a certified RV service tech. My wife and I live in a 33' diesel-pusher motorhome in an RV park on the Gulf Coast of Texas. I have no garage
.
Starting over, while never easy, is a Blessing in some ways. I have all of the experience of my previous life to draw from and that is huge!
I had a well equipped shop, from paint-booth to machine shop as well as all kinds of welding/fabrication equipment. After auctioning of all of our stuff to down-size to a mobile life-style, we are now finding employment at an RV dealership. That means to some degree, that I will need to acquire some tools from my passed life, new purchases.
I was a tool junkie then, my wife says I still am ... All I know is that I am determined to not over spend for the tools I buy this time around. If Harbor Freight will do, that is what I will buy. I had 3 sets of combination boxes full of Craftsman, Snap-on and Matco tools as well as SK and other brands. I always bought the best I could afford, even when I really couldn't afford to.
I have recently set up a service van and was working out of that van, using it as my 'shop'. Now I find myself in a position of changing direction, at least for a time. I have hired on at a dealership that is being reorganized from scratch, I'll be getting in on the ground-floor so to speak.
From my previous life, I had extensive auto-body/paint skills as well as composite experience. I never expected to get back into the 'autobody/paint' biz but the new manager of the dealership wants me to help out in the paint department when things allow. To that end, I will need to pick up a 6" DA sander. Air would be needed, since I would like to use it wet as well as dry. My old DA was a 'Hutchen's. I'm considering Dyna-brade. However, while purchasing a new upper and lower box at HF today, I got to wondering if they had anything decent?
What say you?
I am now starting over as a certified RV service tech. My wife and I live in a 33' diesel-pusher motorhome in an RV park on the Gulf Coast of Texas. I have no garage
.Starting over, while never easy, is a Blessing in some ways. I have all of the experience of my previous life to draw from and that is huge!
I had a well equipped shop, from paint-booth to machine shop as well as all kinds of welding/fabrication equipment. After auctioning of all of our stuff to down-size to a mobile life-style, we are now finding employment at an RV dealership. That means to some degree, that I will need to acquire some tools from my passed life, new purchases.
I was a tool junkie then, my wife says I still am ... All I know is that I am determined to not over spend for the tools I buy this time around. If Harbor Freight will do, that is what I will buy. I had 3 sets of combination boxes full of Craftsman, Snap-on and Matco tools as well as SK and other brands. I always bought the best I could afford, even when I really couldn't afford to.
I have recently set up a service van and was working out of that van, using it as my 'shop'. Now I find myself in a position of changing direction, at least for a time. I have hired on at a dealership that is being reorganized from scratch, I'll be getting in on the ground-floor so to speak.
From my previous life, I had extensive auto-body/paint skills as well as composite experience. I never expected to get back into the 'autobody/paint' biz but the new manager of the dealership wants me to help out in the paint department when things allow. To that end, I will need to pick up a 6" DA sander. Air would be needed, since I would like to use it wet as well as dry. My old DA was a 'Hutchen's. I'm considering Dyna-brade. However, while purchasing a new upper and lower box at HF today, I got to wondering if they had anything decent?
What say you?