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[Shackeng]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

[Vicar]

I successfully fitted the bypass hose onto an A series engine, without taking the head off the block.

[Bigron]

Yay, so did I, "Vicar", without swearing....much!

Ron.

[henryd]

I successfully fitted the bypass hose onto an A series engine, without taking the head off the block.

Depends which vehicle said A series is sitting in,if it's a Mini it's a bastud job

[Vicar]

I successfully fitted the bypass hose onto an A series engine, without taking the head off the block.

Depends which vehicle said A series is sitting in,if it's a Mini it's a bastud job

Twas a mini not sure if it was the 850 or 1000 now,, think it was 850.

Well done Ron. 

[Nick W]

I successfully fitted the bypass hose onto an A series engine, without taking the head off the block.

Why would you lift the head when it's much easier to move the waterpump? Using a kevlar hose is a good idea, as it saves having to do it again ina couple of years.

[Vamps]

I successfully fitted the bypass hose onto an A series engine, without taking the head off the block.

Why would you lift the head when it's much easier to move the waterpump? Using a kevlar hose is a good idea, as it saves having to do it again ina couple of years.

Would that have been available in the old days?.............

[Vicar]

From what I remember removing the water pump didn't free off any space. I had the piece if pipe and engine, then was told to fit it.
When you're a limey sixteen year old, you did as you were told back then.

[chrisgixer]

Cleaning and operating a Linotype machine.

[05omegav6]

First day out in an artic... Got given the keys to an early automatic Mercedes Actros 6x2, (having only ever driven a rigid Daf Cf manual in anger before), and being told to pick up a brand new 4.8 meter high triaxle trailer, and take it to a plastic moulding firm in Langrish, just outside Petersfield.

Didn't put a single mark on it even though it took me ten minutes to find neutral when I first went to reverse upto the trailer

Personally, changing the cambelt on the 3.2 was the most nerve wracking mechanical thing I have done... Not helped by leaving it in gear, and then blind panic when the pulleys didn't match the dvd, followed by not being able to tension it and having the belt jump.

Made changing the clutch seem really easy

[Rog]

Blind, single handed, manipulation and detachment of the fixtation mechanism of a mammary containment module.

[The Sheriff]

Blind, single handed, manipulation and detachment of the fixtation mechanism of a mammary containment module.

Most of us have sat that exam, Rog. I think the end justifies the means and, if your subject is under the influence, two hands are quite acceptable.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Coding an STM4 Mux/Demux function with frame sync for an Altera 10K30 device

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Stripping down and rebuilding the engine of my beloved 1960 A40 Farina when I was a naive 17 year old under the supervision of an uncle who was a chief mechanic with the GPO.

The skills learn't and built on later saved me thousands of pounds in garage bills.

[Bigron]

I had one of those, Lizzie - great, weren't they? I did some miles in it, easy to work on, compared to an Omega (what isn't?) and it earned its keep when I used it for work and got an allowance for using it. Ah, memories......

Ron.

[cem_devecioglu]

coding and maintaining real time payment systems (a primitive copy of banking systems)
with a British made 4GL language and db system under unix..  sites were distributed to different cities..


and after a sleeples travel night , changing the license without closing spoolers (required to compile) disables whole print spoolers resulting a disaster at pay offices   so to repair you have to shut down whole db system and clean the spooler loosing track of numbers on printed papers etc etc


this was 24-25 years ago

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I had one of those, Lizzie - great, weren't they? I did some miles in it, easy to work on, compared to an Omega (what isn't?) and it earned its keep when I used it for work and got an allowance for using it. Ah, memories......

Ron.

Oh yes they were Ron.  So straightforward with no electronics just "normal" basic mechanical and electrical engineering.  Over two days I had stripped the engine down, replaced and reground the valves and their seats, put new piston rings on and rebuilt it. Reset the carburettor and distributor, and away we went!  All under the direction of my uncle (also a "Ron"), but just soooo easy compared to our beasts!!

[Shackeng]

Coding an STM4 Mux/Demux function with frame sync for an Altera 10K30 device

Was that via an XSBI interface Mark?

[TheBoy]

School job - having a pig of a job setting up the early Shimano SIS on an early 18 speed mountain bike.

Post school, running a dropwire across a road and into a house.  Simples, but nerve wracking knocking on the door...

[Marks DTM Calib]

Coding an STM4 Mux/Demux function with frame sync for an Altera 10K30 device

Was that via an XSBI interface Mark?

Long before the days of 10GigE interfaces, the fastest about was STM16 at 2.4G. 

Programming was by blowing OTP Roms on an Altera programmer.

[Shackeng]

Coding an STM4 Mux/Demux function with frame sync for an Altera 10K30 device

Was that via an XSBI interface Mark?

Long before the days of 10GigE interfaces, the fastest about was STM16 at 2.4G. 

Programming was by blowing OTP Roms on an Altera programmer.

I bet you thought I knew what I was talking about.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

School job - having a pig of a job setting up the early Shimano SIS on an early 18 speed mountain bike.

Give me a car, bus, van or lorry and I'll happily spend hours spannering. Yet show me a set of bike fears that need adjusting and I'll always make a rapid exit, stage left.

[Gaffers]

Finding TDC on a Toyota engine with a oil dipstick after fixing a loose pulley bracket.  The markings were sh!te and I was only 14

[bootie]

Built a set of mountain bike wheels, Magic rims, double butted stainless spokes on Hope hubs. Still going strong 18 years later, only needing a nipple tweak every now and then!!!

[minifreek]

Going or an interview with the Police to install radar and radio into patrol cars and VASCAR into pirsuit cars when I was 18.... didn't get the job, only because I wasn't old enough to drive the Police cars, otherwise Id have got the job... Chief of GMPolice interviewed me and offered me the job on the spot.... tried to find an insurance company that would insure me... would have been on circs £12K at 18yrs old (in 1989)... would be minted and retired by now I reckon

[Bigron]

"bootie". you reminded me of what my 14-year-old self did: I wanted to fit a Sturmey Archer gear hub in place of my Derailleur (spelling?) gears, so I stripped and re-spoked, loosely, and gradually and evenly tightened the spokes and for a final tighted spun the wheel "pinging" the spokes as it went round, re-tensioning them to get the samr "ping" note and no eccentric wobbles.
After I had finished, I was told it was a specialist job and can't be done without proper equipment.
Good job I didn't know that, else I would never have tackled it and completed it successfully.
Apparently, according to scientific calculations, a bee cannot possibly fly because its lifting power is insufficient for its weight.....just as well nobody told the bee!

Ron.

[tigers_gonads]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

[Broomies Mate]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

Admin need to make this post a Stickie!

This is exactly how to re-attach the blend flaps on an Omega! 

[Shackeng]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

Almost as easy as changing the oil pressure live line from an outboard engine on a Beverley.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

Almost as easy as changing the oil pressure live line from an outboard engine on a Beverley.

My God, you and Tigers makes my first little job on my A40 seem soooooooooo tiny!

I'd have loved to say "I worked on a Merlin or Lightning"!!

[Shackeng]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

Almost as easy as changing the oil pressure live line from an outboard engine on a Beverley.

My God, you and Tigers makes my first little job on my A40 seem soooooooooo tiny!

I'd have loved to say "I worked on a Merlin or Lightning"!!

Trouble is Lizzie, you have to be OLD to say it!!!

[Lizzie_Zoom]

The trade test I had to pass as an engine fitter in the RAF was to carry out valve and ignition timing on a Lancaster's Merlin engine, which then had to start and run correctly! (I did pass before you comment!)
What was your first technical job which filled you with trepidation as it did me?

Sounds like a piece of pish that 

Mine, on my 1st day in ASF @ Binbrook was the changing and wire locking of the cabin pressure controller on a Lightning F6 WITH THE SEAT IN 

For those who never had the honour of working on the Frightning, the cabin pressure controller is situated behind the instrument panel / rudder peddles 
Basically, you enter the cockpit head first and on your back with your feet dangling around the bang seat face blind handles.
You then, somehow have to get head and both your arms in down one side of the centre console and using a selection of mirrors, torches of which the batteries always go piggin flat half way through the job  sockets, spanners (on a piece of string), wire locking pliers and locking wire

That was the easy bit   

The really difficult bit was getting out again after the bloke who's job it was to pull you out by your ankles has pished off for a cuppa and a pie 

Almost as easy as changing the oil pressure live line from an outboard engine on a Beverley.

My God, you and Tigers makes my first little job on my A40 seem soooooooooo tiny!

I'd have loved to say "I worked on a Merlin or Lightning"!!

Trouble is Lizzie, you have to be OLD to say it!!!

How true!