Comments on: Rediscovering the Value and Deep Satisfaction of Highly Skilled Hands on Work

By: "SGT Mick"

"SGT Mick" — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:57:36 +0000

Journeyman, you are just the man I needed for inspiration. I am 37 years old, and will soon be transitioning from a short yet honorable career in the Army. I’ve decided to enroll at Wyotech’s Daytona campus for motorcycle technology. I’m a little nervous though. “Can this old dog learn a new trick,” so to speak, and compete against a faster generation, is what I’m thinking. After reading your comment, it has given me greater confidence to pursue this dream. You seem to have a big heart Journeyman, and I highly respect that. Thanks for the inspiration you’ve given me. If you or anyone else cares to comment, I would greatly appreciate anything you have to say. I respect any advice you can give also. I’m looking to specialize in domestic motorcycles at Wyotech just because I think this fits my personality more, but I’m open to any ideas anyone can give me about the career choice as a whole. Thanks again–SSG Mick

By: Earl

Earl — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:01:01 +0000

There’s no satisfaction quite like that of good honest work. I’d like to meet someone like Journeyman, because a smashed foot means landscaping is no longer an option for me.

A beautiful piece of writing and I’ve sent this link to several people who have no particular interest in motorcycles but will love your words.

By: Den

Den — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:12:34 +0000

Ahh the philosophy of the workshop, it reminds me of ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTAINENCE, there is even a BMW on the cover.

It is wonderful to here about all of these peoples’ amazing skills and projects, Kim’s Nimbus is a personal favourite of mine, I had a picture of it as my computer desktop wallpaper for a while, about a year ago. I would also love to see the CB 1100 project, that Jag’ sounds amazing too and I really hope Journeyman finds a good apprentice.

I think that our modern culture has forgotten that some of the greatest innovators in history were tradespeople:
Leonardo Da Vinci – Painter
John Harrison – Carpenter
R Buckminster Fuller – Machinist
Henry Ford – Machinist
Soichiro Honda – Mechanic

By: Justin Willman

Justin Willman — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:06:25 +0000

Motorcycle constuctors.
Enjoy the knowledge of when a valve opens and closes and why.
Enjoy the knowledge of when to change the timing to suit the individual personality of the rider at all levels.
Enjoy the camshaft vs port/valve combinations available to provide the power feeling you want.
Enjoy then combusting the correct air fuel ratios vs ignition times.
Enjoy and understand your engineers reasons for building that particular motorcycle regardless of cc or ci ,their all designed for a reason so find it.
Enjoy the history of 100 years of engineering to change your bike so you love it!
Build what you want,but have a go at all levels of tuning.But try all at full throttle.
If you can’t ride it at full throttle work out why not.
When you do build your bike right,you will love it.

By: Mark L.

Mark L. — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:48:01 +0000

As the engineering manager of the worlds largest manufacturer of stent, heart valve and artificial heart testing equipment, I personally find an extraordinary amount of pleasure in working with my hands.

I am an electrical engineer by profession, but a mechanical engineer by heart. During the day, I design super high reliability electronics for medical equipment. The kind of equipment that has to run 10-15 YEARS without a single failure EVER, and essentially NO maintenance. While the work is technically challenging, it is not very satisfying on a personal level, as there are so many design constraints that you really never get the opportunity to express yourself in any of your work.

So, for a hobby, I have the pleasure of working on the Roehr 1250SC with/for Walter, and as a hobby at home, I build cars and bikes with “interesting engines”.

My current car project, now that I have finished my 410 HP Lotus Esprit Turbo, is a 7.3 liter V12 twin turbocharged Jaguar. I have designed and built my own fuel injection and direct ignition system for it, my own intake and exhaust manifolds, did my own porting and valve work on a flow bench that I designed and built myself, all while on my own rotisary engine stand with worm gear drive that I designed and built myself, so that I could turn 600 lb. Jaguar engines upside down to work on with one finger.

My bike project is building a replica of the Honda CB1100R concept bike that was introduced last year at the IMS. Using a 1250 Bandit engine, and my own frame, bodywork, etc.

What I wind up with are unique toys that are of the quality level that I want, and with a price tag that I can afford, and the satisfaction that comes with knowing that I built as much as I possibly could myself, that I did it my way, and if it breaks again, I can fix it myself.

I find the actual process as much fun, or more so than the finished project. I have taught myself to weld, to build frame jig, a powdercoat oven, a flowbench, a lot of other specialized tools. I have learned basic machining on my old manual mill and lathe, and many other things that I would have had to hire out, and I move at my own speed.

So, next time you see someone with grease under their fingernails, rather than think that you are better/smarter than they are, you would do well to think twice.

After all, he might hand you a depth gauge and ask you how many thousandths deep that bolthole is, and what the thread pitch is.

Interested? My best advice? Just pick up a wrench and do it. If you don’t know how, read a book, take a class, or find someone to teach you. I find the learning process as satisfying as the finished project. Just don’t be afraid to try.

After all, it’s probably already broken, so get over that issue now!

Mark L.