What your Dad taught you,
- Thread starter DangerousDan55
- Start date
Garcky
Well-known member
Most important things my Dad taught me were:
1. Be honest in all of your dealings.
2. Stand up to bullies and for your friends.
1. Be honest in all of your dealings.
2. Stand up to bullies and for your friends.
RalphInCA
Well-known member
“I can do anything, I just need to figure it out first.“
esben57
Well-known member
I was told there are three ways to hold the torch (light).
1. I can't see.
2. You can't see.
3. We both can't see.
Zeke
Well-known member
My dad taught me some things, all dads do. You just have to sort it out and give credit where credit is due. By example he taught me how to drink, smoke and chase women while married. Fortunately I didn't learn that all that well. The whole family were suits and I had a wrench in my hand at age 10. Totally self taught in the world of tools and what they were for.
oldmachinenut
Well-known member
My Dad must have been his twin brother
JasonMcElroy
Well-known member
Figure it out. You're own your own. (implied rather than stated ;-0 )
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
"You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim"
Oh wait a minute that was Jim Croce my mistake.
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim"
Oh wait a minute that was Jim Croce my mistake.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
My dad always said, "never stick your finger in a hole you wouldn't put your **** in."
It sort of baffled me for a while. Early in his career he was a White truck mech. Then a heavy mech on Cat equipment.
Lots of guys would be attempting to bolt an engine to a ****** bell housing and to see how it was misaligned would stick their fingers down a hole just as the transmission would rotate amputating the end of their finger.
I really didn't realize how prevalent it was until after I got out of the military and was looking for a job. All most all of the shop supervisors that I interviewed with were missing a finger tip when I shook their hands.
Later when I started training apprentices working on CNC machines they would try it to and I would slap them for it. We had plenty of alignment punches.
I will pass it down to my sons as well. Don't know what I am going to say to my daughter. She is only 6 now but loves helping me. The other day she crawled under the house with me to change the well pressure switch.
It sort of baffled me for a while. Early in his career he was a White truck mech. Then a heavy mech on Cat equipment.
Lots of guys would be attempting to bolt an engine to a ****** bell housing and to see how it was misaligned would stick their fingers down a hole just as the transmission would rotate amputating the end of their finger.
I really didn't realize how prevalent it was until after I got out of the military and was looking for a job. All most all of the shop supervisors that I interviewed with were missing a finger tip when I shook their hands.
Later when I started training apprentices working on CNC machines they would try it to and I would slap them for it. We had plenty of alignment punches.
I will pass it down to my sons as well. Don't know what I am going to say to my daughter. She is only 6 now but loves helping me. The other day she crawled under the house with me to change the well pressure switch.
41plym
Well-known member
Keep your mouth shut and do the job you’re being paid to do.
Lot's of good stuff in this thread but when my daughter recently said, “…well, you never taught be about that”, I quickly adjusted my feelings about what my dad “taught me about, or didn't”. Common sense should not require teaching.
In retrospect, my dad taught me to do for myself and think for myself.
In retrospect, my dad taught me to do for myself and think for myself.
Last edited:
mrb1
Well-known member
at 15 or 16 years old....."Knock 'em up, and you're on your own"
wood02
Well-known member
My memories of my father are practically nil. In WWII, he was in Merrill's Marauders. I was three when he was K.I.A. in Korea...01 Sept 1950. He was Msgt. William G. Farmer. He was 25 yrs. old., left a wife and four kids...eight month old, two year old, three year old (me) and a four year old. I miss him even now. If your father is still alive...go and give him a long hug and do not say anything, If he has passed go visit the grave site and try and hold back your tear or tears.
alfadan
Well-known member
Mine taught me not to apologize for something I didn't do, if you know what I mean.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Dad did not teach me much. But I learned a lot by watching him.
Wish I had gotten his love for fishing. Then again, he never taught me how to filet.
Wish I had gotten his love for fishing. Then again, he never taught me how to filet.
geoffro5
Well-known member
My grandfather told me that one. He had 9 fingers
It's 1963 and I'm 13. He's got a monaural Bozak speaker system built into the wall that he's gonna give me the speakers and we are going to build a cabinet for them for my use. What a generous father! So I'm in a rush to get the cabinet done so I can really enjoy my Heathkit amps and listen to Roy Orbison. In a big rush! The lesson from him then was "If you're going to do something, do it right, don't cut corners!" The cabinet turned out great! Fast forward 22 years and I built 2 larger cabinets for more Bozaks I bought before they went out of business. I didn't rush. They turned out great. I still have them and they are prized possessions. He was a great father and lived until prostate cancer took him at age 80 in 1996. And in 1963/1964 I was a high school freshman taking algebra. It wasn't easy. With a little of his help one Saturday, suddenly it all clicked. Math became easy. Ended up with BS engineering physics and Masters in applied math. His help got me to a successful 46 year engineering career. Thanks Dad!!
Houdini5150
Well-known member
In the mechanical stuff to learn my dad taught me right tighty lefty loosey...
But the number one thing he taught was how to properly hold a flashlight
But the number one thing he taught was how to properly hold a flashlight
To work HARD, and not complain about it. From a young age he tough me the value of hard work and saving money. When I was little and we went on a family vacation, my Dad would give my brother and I one dollar a day for spending money. We could do whatever we wanted with it. On the first night I blew all seven dollars in video games. My brother spent 1 dollar on games. The next day we went to a flee Market and my brother got some kool stuff. I wanted to but something but had zero money left. I asked my Dad to buy me some magic trick and he said I am sorry you already spent your allowance for the week. I was miserable and it was a good lesson.
Last edited:
My Dad was a soldier's soldier. Too many stories to put a dent in it, but one in particular is when he was near end of career (and life, died on his 50th birthday and day of his retirement) he was training troops to use hand grenades and one bounced back from wall someone didn't manage to throw it clear of. While panic struck everyone around who ran away, he just ran up to it and tossed it over....LONG after the pin had been pulled. He knew me better than anyone - ever. Whatever I seemed to be interested in whatever was needed magically appeared. When I turned 12, a V860 and a set of S-K tools were my birthday present. He led by example. When he passed, my Father-in-law stood in his place (Dad was artilary, FIL was infantry) and the same lessons in humility, honesty, family and service continued for another 20 years. You know what they say: You have to choose your parents carefully.
marinusdees
Well-known member
Who pays the fiddler, calls the tune.
Rst277
Well-known member
One thing my dad taught me was to have confidence in yourself. He was willing to try anything, confident that he would figure out how to do it. He was a chef by trade but after coming to Canada, not knowing a soul or how to speak English, he decided on a career change and bought a beekeeping operation. In the spring he started beekeeping full time having read a few books from the library over the winter. Did it for 20 years, helped set up the Manitoba honey producers association and started importing beekeeping supplies for sale from Montana. He was always scheming and hustling -money doesn't make itself!
jayemm
Well-known member
I don't know if it was teaching as much as it was advice, but heard him say these things that I remember:
"keep your nose clean" (stay out of trouble)
"people stink" ( getting shafted by some deadbeat for work he performed)
"peace of mind is worth something" (even if it means spending a bit more money)
"keep your nose clean" (stay out of trouble)
"people stink" ( getting shafted by some deadbeat for work he performed)
"peace of mind is worth something" (even if it means spending a bit more money)
Dakotadadv8
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 30, 2021
- Messages
- 1,483
Just don’t get caught
Junkdrawer Dog
Well-known member
"It's almost always a bad ground. "
RalphInCA
Well-known member
Yep. Confidence.
Largely because of my dad I’ve never been afraid of trying anything. This may have gotten to me got me into a little (OK, maybe a lot) of trouble over the years, but it’s always worked out.
Figuring things out and doing it myself may not have always been the cheapest/easiest/fastest way.
But it’s lead to some interesting experiences.
RivennHewn
Well-known member
Today’s lesson from dear ol dad was brush your teeth, and have a good relationship with your dentist.
Had to take him to an oral surgeon for an extraction of a front tooth.
You never know if you’ll live into your nineties,
But you might, and you might as well have all your teeth!
He’s already talking about implants, and the stitches aren’t even out yet!
Here we are goofing around with some of his old hats from the 70’s.
Had to take him to an oral surgeon for an extraction of a front tooth.
You never know if you’ll live into your nineties,
But you might, and you might as well have all your teeth!
He’s already talking about implants, and the stitches aren’t even out yet!
Here we are goofing around with some of his old hats from the 70’s.
Attachments
Piece-it Pete
Well-known member
The first mechanical thing I remember dear old dad teaching me was straightening used nails.
TexMedium
Well-known member
My father taught me that if your mother doesn't toss the bum out on his *** when he quit working FOREVER at age forty, then i should have moved three to five time zones away from them when i turned eighteen. Otherwise, you get stuck supporting both of them into your own old age.
Ilikeike
ALLIANCE MEMBER
This (see pic below), and sailing,
I ran the jib in some Hobie cat races down in Baja (San Filipe) and in SD bay. Running around USS Kitty Hawk , CV63 in the 70s.
Learned how to drive in dads Manx buggy during the same time. I was just tall enough to push the clutch in.
I'm an unlicensed acrobatic pilot. (always with a ticketed pilot) love Gs and inverted sht. 7.5Gs assisted in an F16 block 42-D
I ran the jib in some Hobie cat races down in Baja (San Filipe) and in SD bay. Running around USS Kitty Hawk , CV63 in the 70s.
Learned how to drive in dads Manx buggy during the same time. I was just tall enough to push the clutch in.
I'm an unlicensed acrobatic pilot. (always with a ticketed pilot) love Gs and inverted sht. 7.5Gs assisted in an F16 block 42-D
paredown
Well-known member
I'm just hitting the age that my Dad was when he passed--taken by renal carcinoma in his early 70s, a disease closely connected to working with hazardous materials (which he had done for a lot of his life). It's shocking to think that he must have felt pretty much like I do now-- except for the disease--which is to say, not feeling old, and still feeling like there were projects to finish and things to do.
He was a farm kid turned aircraft mechanic, car mechanic and then machinist/tool and die maker, and had more skills across a wider assortment of trades than anyone I have met since. He also could just get stuff done--there's a picture of him as a young man on the family farm, on leave from the Air Force (WW II), and my brother's quip was "If you asked him to go plow the back 40, he'd get it done."
My brothers and I worked along side him from our early teens on and even though there was too little time for training, all of us picked up the basic skills of troubleshooting and especially the knack of procedure driven approaches to solving problems. I wish there had been time for more instruction--I'd love to have a tenth of his facility with a welder, never mind some of his extraordinary abilities as a machinist.
What gets more remarkable though as I age is that he would start every day with optimism--and the phrase that sticks with me was his standard comment after a brutal day where the bear got us--'Things will look better in the morning!"
More often than not, it did.
He was a farm kid turned aircraft mechanic, car mechanic and then machinist/tool and die maker, and had more skills across a wider assortment of trades than anyone I have met since. He also could just get stuff done--there's a picture of him as a young man on the family farm, on leave from the Air Force (WW II), and my brother's quip was "If you asked him to go plow the back 40, he'd get it done."
My brothers and I worked along side him from our early teens on and even though there was too little time for training, all of us picked up the basic skills of troubleshooting and especially the knack of procedure driven approaches to solving problems. I wish there had been time for more instruction--I'd love to have a tenth of his facility with a welder, never mind some of his extraordinary abilities as a machinist.
What gets more remarkable though as I age is that he would start every day with optimism--and the phrase that sticks with me was his standard comment after a brutal day where the bear got us--'Things will look better in the morning!"
More often than not, it did.
Last edited:
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Get away from me you stupid see-you-next-Tuesday.
Girls aren't worth ****. They can't do anything.
Girls aren't worth ****. They can't do anything.
RivennHewn
Well-known member
tncatadjuster
Well-known member
Almost everything. I'm spending four days a week with him (95 yeas old), it's only a eighty mile drive for me. If I had to make one statement it would be "live within your means", it certainly has made my life better and allowed me to drag a chain rather than push one.
Sherk
Active member
I became a father myself in Jan, at the grand old age of 39.
My father taught me how to hold a flashlight. Jokes aside (yes I did hold many lights while growing up) I learned a lot as a kid on how stuff really worked and how to repair stuff. We fixed a lot of stuff together, including my older sister's car when she didn't check the oil and threw a rod through the block.
In the past few years he's helped me build a shop and rebuild a deck. I've well moved past the point of learning from him and into the new territory of, "Spend a much damn time with him as you can."
My father taught me how to hold a flashlight. Jokes aside (yes I did hold many lights while growing up) I learned a lot as a kid on how stuff really worked and how to repair stuff. We fixed a lot of stuff together, including my older sister's car when she didn't check the oil and threw a rod through the block.
In the past few years he's helped me build a shop and rebuild a deck. I've well moved past the point of learning from him and into the new territory of, "Spend a much damn time with him as you can."
andyvh1959
Well-known member
Dad always said "if it don't go, don't force it. Let the tool do the work. Use the right tool for the right job."
He also showed me with effort, patience and a mind open to learning means you never fail. You learn even if you fail, so you can do it better again. Learned too not to do it half assed. Take the time up front to figure it out, plan out, plan for the final result, not for the immediate gain.
He also showed me with effort, patience and a mind open to learning means you never fail. You learn even if you fail, so you can do it better again. Learned too not to do it half assed. Take the time up front to figure it out, plan out, plan for the final result, not for the immediate gain.