Keep your builds documents

I don’t know why I save mine. At least you are in the profession where might need them. I haven’t done any math outside of addition/multiplication in many years (but man I wish I did have a job/profession where I used complex stuff). I have a similar thought though. What if there is no power or the world ends and I need to be able to figure out x with my books.

I really need to either get rid of all of them or just keep a couple really good ones…that I’ll never use either.

 

If it wasn't too long ago they might be able get another. The guys doing my PDI threw mine away but the salesman got another one from Toyota, not a problem.

I keep invoices for everything, it's not that hard to file them. They come in handy when you want to prove purchases or return parts, because, no, "they" don't have it on their computer.

 

I come from a different time obviously. In my shop, I have a small kit I keep in a drawer that consists of mechanical pencils, a 30 and 45 degree triangle, a scale and a ruler, along with a compass and a few shape templates. From time to time, when I am building something that actually requires a plan, I will make a scale two or three view drawing, by hand. This lets me practice a dead skill. I could just open my laptop and draw it quickly but... it's not the same. Same with simple trig in the shop. Instead of doing it the easy way, I will actually, sometimes, solve the triangle with hand written formulas. This is a skill that is far past its usefulness but it still keeps me busy.
At work? Lots of data, lots of analysis, lots of meetings on new design. But at home, the simplicity of doing it the old way is pretty fun.

 

That’s a good skill to have. My uncle works at a nuclear power plant and a lot of time he make a little physical model of something for whatever reason. He’s really sought after for having the skill for it. Not quite drawing but close enough.

I remember back in high school I wanted to pursue architecture. Started off with physical drawings. Absolutely loved it. At the time PC’s were being introduced and we had to switch over to them and stop actual drawing. Hated it, barely finished the class, never looked back.