how good are you really?

[Don1966]

Ok here goes!
The question can be answered very simply or drawn out to great lengths.
Me personally in my life I have had the good fortune to have been exposed to many of the manual crafts, art, plumbing, woodwork, mechanics and not the least of which is machining. Whenever I was around someone who was doing something I took a great interest and asked a lot of questions.
I think for those of us that have had similar exposures it comes down to dedication to do the best in whichever discipline we enjoy the most.
 You have to take into account that in general today's culture doesn't expose the youth to the many manual arts that we were exposed to unless a parent passes along his knowledge.
 As far as mistakes, who doesn't make them? I don't know how many times I've made a part over with a head slap thinking "why on earth did I do that?" I guess where the dividing line between our satisfaction with a finished piece and the next person is where we choose to say "I'm happy with the part!" Warts and all. Some choose to redo a job or part until it's basically perfect. My response is whatever makes you happy. In this life it's all about happiness and whatever we can do to make ourselves, or others happy, then go for it!
 Everyone has had good responses to the original question so take a little from each and enjoy the day.
gbritnell

Well said George and I had similar exposer to different crafts. The quality of parts is up to the individual as to how perfect he or she wants them and they decide how good they are. It’s all about enjoying what you do and how much interest and time your willing to put into the finished product.

Don

[Roger B]

Indeed, I have always admired Don's (almost jewellery), George's and others fine attention to the finish of their models. However that is not my interest, I need to understand how it works and how I can make it work better. I make plenty of trial pieces but that is how you learn. Everyone has their own version of their hobby, all are valid 

[bent]

Wow, I like all of these responses.  Personally, I'm middlin', just good enough to get things to work, and look ok.  Some of the modellers who post here are making art, and jewelry...and I look on in awe.  Others are making 8-cylinder engines, and diesels, and other wildy complex machines from scratch...and again, I sit in awe.  I started making model engines from sheer curiosity, and then found a whole community of people doing the same thing, in various ways.  I'm currently just making stuff that I'm curious about, thus flame eaters and stirling cycle engines.

Jo, "The girls have told me I have something they call "baby brain" and NO its nothing to do with a mad desire for a baby  The symptoms are if I try to do something which requires any sort of concentration after an hour I find myself totally unable to think straight  "

Yeah, I'm getting that way as I get older (and nearer retirement?).  I find myself losing my desire to concentrate on something after an hour or two, and so have a laundry list of projects (and books to read, and websites to browse, and honey-do chores) that I can skip to.  This week, I have some 3-way valves and tubing to adapt to some differential pressure meters in the shop, so we can use one instrument to check two differentials.  A simple, dull little project, but I need to fabricate some brackets for the various installations, and that will probably kill an afternoon or two.  Then back to hydraulic design and planning for upcoming testing of a big 12" flow control valve...and maybe spending some actual machining time in my gargage and get the fan motor built...

[gary.a.ayres]

@ bent - I recognise that. The already-almost-endless-but-ever-increasing list of projects.It would be great to complete more than just a few of them in one's lifetime. I hate the thought of one day (hopefully not too soon) lying on my death bed wishing that I could finish my unfinished projects, but that - I fear - is highly unlikely. But at least we'll never be bored.

@ Jo and Zee - retirement? Does that even exist nowadays!? I guess it must for some lucky people, yourselves included. I semi-retired eight years ago, then - sick of working for The Borg - took early retirement this year, and now I'm self-employed and working twice as hard as I have in a decade. Which hopefully means that the wolf will stay away from my door but it also means that I spend much more time wishing I was in my shop  than I spend in it.  I'm sure I'm not alone in that...

@ Stuart - thank you for your kind comments.

gary

[awake]

Indeed, I have always admired Don's (almost jewellery), George's and others fine attention to the finish of their models. However that is not my interest, I need to understand how it works and how I can make it work better. I make plenty of trial pieces but that is how you learn. Everyone has their own version of their hobby, all are valid 

I have to admit to wanting the final product to look reasonably good, but I resonate with Roger's desire - for me the ultimate satisfaction is in figuring out how it works and being able to make it work. That tends to be true regardless of what "it" is - machine work, wood work, baking bread, making cheese ... clearly I have too many hobbies, and need to retire ASAP so that I can devote proper time to them all!