Not very. I rebuilt the entire steering and suspension on my wife’s car, I’ve done AC work on every car I’ve owned, but my ASE certification is expired. Electrical work on both 12 volt and 120 volt systems, but I’ve shocked myself more than I care to admit. Built the kids a playhouse in the yard, but no swing set. I’ve cut down trees, planted lots of plants, but I’m no arborist. Built my own shelters in the wilderness, but I still got cold. Cooked lots of delicious meals, but I’ve never butchered my own meat. I might be certified for search and rescue and lead the team, but I’ve never actually made a live find myself. I’ve built my own antennas, but I’m only an amateur radio operator. Sure, I dabble in a lot of stuff, but I’m no expert despite what the paperwork might say, there’s always somebody better than me at whatever it is I’m doing.
@fuzzmanmatt Back in the very late '70s and early '80s, I had an ASE Master’s certificate. Late in my stint as Parts Manager with a VW dealer here in Houston, a number of people were embarrassed to discover that I was the only ASE Master working for a VW dealer in SE Texas. It didn’t help that this came out when I found the defect in a Rabbit that was being bought back under the Lemon Law after 80 hours of tech diagnostic time had been spent trying to diagnose it at dealers all over this half of the state. (I spent about five minutes asking our best tech what he’d checked, and then the first place I looked was where the problem had been all along.)
@werehatrack I’m just a humble parts guy myself! Moved from CarQuest in the early 2000’s, to Advance for a while, then a Cadillac dealer, now I’m with a Cat rental store. I always tell people “I don’t know anything much, but I do know where to look to find it.”
@fuzzmanmatt The term “Jack of All Trades; Master of None” comes to mind. This is what my father who was indeed a JOAT;MON, called me at one time or another, and which I can also call my son, whose fearlessness in handyman, or automotive skills knows no bounds. It’s a rare day when we call a pro.
I tried to think of what I imagine the average meh user and voted myself very handy. In reality, probably pretty handy to the average American, but only somewhat if I were in a room full of union workers.
I’ve built computers, a bit of soldering, standard electrical stuff like turning off the breaker and checking 3x with my Klein tool every cut for outlets, fixtures, etc.
I bragged about a winerack I made for my dad over on casemates. Framed structures, drywall and taping, plumbing, shingled a roof, demo (and its not as fun as they make it on the shows), fixed lawn equipment. Changed belts, tires, brakes, body panels, and most anything that doesn’t require an actual mechanics garage and lift.
I can cook and garden. I have never field dressed an animal or hunted, but being a love of cooking and respect for animals, I have been invited over by hunting friends to break down the deer (stripping the skin, bone saws, cutting, vac sealing.) I suck at fishing, but enjoy the experience of nature.
My general approach to anything is: “I can probably do that!” Then, after researching what anything entails, I take the plunge or defer to the experts. But, my first thought is always wondering if I could do it myself.
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
My teenager has learned everything his contractor grandpa knows, so I don’t need to be handy anymore. Nothing makes him happier than being asked “hey, can you install this”!
Two.
Homo Habilis (“handy man”)
![enter image description here](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
@Kyeh I love Red Green!!!
@tinamarie1974 Me too!![:grin:](https://dj5zo597wtsux.cloudfront.net/joypixels/assets/6.6/png/unicode/64/1f601.png)
And I must say, being good with one’s hands is better in the long run than being easy on the eyes, I think.
@Kyeh agree! Looks fade, but being handy lasts 4-ever
@Kyeh let’s go to Possum Lodge and break out the duct tape!
@Tripod2
“Quando omni flunkus moritati” !!!
Not very. I rebuilt the entire steering and suspension on my wife’s car, I’ve done AC work on every car I’ve owned, but my ASE certification is expired. Electrical work on both 12 volt and 120 volt systems, but I’ve shocked myself more than I care to admit. Built the kids a playhouse in the yard, but no swing set. I’ve cut down trees, planted lots of plants, but I’m no arborist. Built my own shelters in the wilderness, but I still got cold. Cooked lots of delicious meals, but I’ve never butchered my own meat. I might be certified for search and rescue and lead the team, but I’ve never actually made a live find myself. I’ve built my own antennas, but I’m only an amateur radio operator. Sure, I dabble in a lot of stuff, but I’m no expert despite what the paperwork might say, there’s always somebody better than me at whatever it is I’m doing.
@fuzzmanmatt Hmmm, that’s quite a humble brag, I’d say!
@fuzzmanmatt
Handiness does not equate to expertise. Being able to get the job done (much less being WILLING to) is enough…
@Kyeh I think if I would have mentioned my doctorate from Abide University then maybe it would have moved further into brag territory…
@fuzzmanmatt You get star #150,000.
@fuzzmanmatt @narfcake
Wow, definitely an honor!
@Kyeh I can’t keep it at 149,999 forever, y’know. Granted, I’ve long forgotten what post got #100,000.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@fuzzmanmatt
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
/giphy slacker
@fuzzmanmatt So…“Jack of all trades,master of none”. An expression my father used.Always stuck in my head.
@fuzzmanmatt Back in the very late '70s and early '80s, I had an ASE Master’s certificate. Late in my stint as Parts Manager with a VW dealer here in Houston, a number of people were embarrassed to discover that I was the only ASE Master working for a VW dealer in SE Texas. It didn’t help that this came out when I found the defect in a Rabbit that was being bought back under the Lemon Law after 80 hours of tech diagnostic time had been spent trying to diagnose it at dealers all over this half of the state. (I spent about five minutes asking our best tech what he’d checked, and then the first place I looked was where the problem had been all along.)
@werehatrack I’m just a humble parts guy myself! Moved from CarQuest in the early 2000’s, to Advance for a while, then a Cadillac dealer, now I’m with a Cat rental store. I always tell people “I don’t know anything much, but I do know where to look to find it.”
@fuzzmanmatt The term “Jack of All Trades; Master of None” comes to mind. This is what my father who was indeed a JOAT;MON, called me at one time or another, and which I can also call my son, whose fearlessness in handyman, or automotive skills knows no bounds. It’s a rare day when we call a pro.
I think I am very handy. My wife has a different story. So, I compromised and said pretty handy.
How handsy are you?
Pretty handy, I guess. My wife used to say she thought I had three hands.
TMI?
I wouldn’t say I’m handy, but I’m not not handy either. I can do basic stuff, but don’t give me an orbital saw or whatever.
I tried to think of what I imagine the average meh user and voted myself very handy. In reality, probably pretty handy to the average American, but only somewhat if I were in a room full of union workers.
I’ve built computers, a bit of soldering, standard electrical stuff like turning off the breaker and checking 3x with my Klein tool every cut for outlets, fixtures, etc.
I bragged about a winerack I made for my dad over on casemates. Framed structures, drywall and taping, plumbing, shingled a roof, demo (and its not as fun as they make it on the shows), fixed lawn equipment. Changed belts, tires, brakes, body panels, and most anything that doesn’t require an actual mechanics garage and lift.
I can cook and garden. I have never field dressed an animal or hunted, but being a love of cooking and respect for animals, I have been invited over by hunting friends to break down the deer (stripping the skin, bone saws, cutting, vac sealing.) I suck at fishing, but enjoy the experience of nature.
My general approach to anything is: “I can probably do that!” Then, after researching what anything entails, I take the plunge or defer to the experts. But, my first thought is always wondering if I could do it myself.
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
Still working on that sonnet…
@macromeh
That all. Lol
@macromeh I grew up reading Heinlein, so that might explain something!
Got both the left and the right, so I guess average handy
My teenager has learned everything his contractor grandpa knows, so I don’t need to be handy anymore. Nothing makes him happier than being asked “hey, can you install this”!