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Registered
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Valencia Pa.
Posts: 8,844
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Lots of little jobs, or large time consuming projects ?
How do you like your life organized? I try to keep a decent mix at the shop, I like to have one or two small easy jobs each day, but one or two days a week, I like to dig in , ignore the phone, do one large job, one customer, and just go at it .
At home, I am all over the map, I always have something going on . Big jobs, I just have to nibble at when I can. I think if I could , I would just stay on larger long term projects . It is nice to only have to manage one job, and stay focused on it 100% . Most of my days/weeks, are just chaos and disorder, trying to herd all the butterflies . ![]() A picture just because. Started yesterday at noon, hoping to be done by days end today. Basically a two day job, timing chains on a gm 3.6 ugh Happy Friday Fellows !
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No left turn un stoned |
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Driver, not Mechanic
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 3,002
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Mix is good. Completion releases endorphins. I don't want to be stuck doing just a single two-year project...
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 9,733
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Most of my jobs are huge projects that I need help with. There doesn't seem to be any time for going golfing, going racing, or car shows/Porsche driving events. Living on a farm, working full time +, 2 kids with school activities, and having health issues keep me from doing some things I want to do.
-currently replacing the shingle roof on my daughter's 16'x80' cathedral ceiling trailer and mounting a new metal roof. -have to cut/split/stack 5 cords of firewood for next years supply. -have to finish the retention fence and gate out in the horse pasture so we can keep the horses off of it for the Winter so we can drag and re-seed the pasture to come up strong next Spring. -Wife wants a new pantry built before Christmas. -Daughter's place has a sidewalk (decorative stone insert) about half finished to her back door. -Wife want's horse wash stall finished in new barn (concrete, and plumbing work). -Freinds who always seem to help us have about 100 tons of gravel that needs spread out from the old foundation we took out earlier this year (they bought and knocked down their run down neighbor's property, and bulldozed the house). -I have about 40 mature Ash trees in my creek bottom that have succombed to the feared emerald ash borer, and need to be taken down, (i'll need to borrow the neighbor's trackhoe, or backhoe for this job). -My daughter and I bought her a beautiful 96 F150 with a blown head gasket. It's mostly complete and re-done now, but still needs new front springs, and heater core. -My son's Honda XR200 has a kick starter that has been slipping when kicked, and is currently in pieces in our shop. |
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Get off my lawn!
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I tend to take a long time on little jobs. I would starve in no time if I went pro if I charged by the job. Big jobs take me weeks to do.
I am always getting side tracked but I only work on my cars. I get in there and almost always find some other issue that "while I am in there" I should fix or upgrade some unrelated task. I own two high mileage mid 1980s cars. I have owned my 348,000 mile 86 El Camino for 25 years, and the 166,000 85 mile 911 for 21 years. I can't blame the previous owner for much anymore. I love to tinker on them and I can always find something to do in my garage.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,298
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Too many of both! I like to finish a project before moving into the next one but sometimes I am "re-prioritized" by the wife. Lots of small car projects needed, and the kitchen is our last big house project. Ugh.
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‘07 Mazda RX8-8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
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Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,646
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I think one needs a little of both to keep sane.
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 55,844
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I like short to medium term projects. I'm not a fan of big long term stuff, but if a long term can be broken up into several smaller projects, that will do. A day or two or three for short term or a couple of weekends for a medium term. Stuff that drags on for months is not my thing.
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa ![]() |
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Registered
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I have so much coming at me that I mostly just put out fires. Finished a story for a deadline this morning, meeting a roofer at a rental house this afternoon, babysitting a post-surgery wife after that - I have no control over my life.
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Docking Bay 94
Posts: 7,009
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I feel inadequate if I haven't done a big job in a while. Last one was replace coils/shocks and struts all around on my BMW. Everything else has been brakes or oil changes.
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Kurt |
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Registered
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My last big job was writing a book. I don't want any more big jobs in my life - ever. I'm content to finish rebuilding my Carrera engine and making the rest of my fleet driveable.
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Registered
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,318
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I like a mix of both.... work on the big stuff, as you get bored/frustrated/need to wait/whatever crank out some of the small stuff.
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Registered
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: MD
Posts: 5,733
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x2
moderation. I get stuck in the weeds a lot with little stuff and dont get much time with the 'real' projects. |
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unsafe at any speed
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 12,320
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Ha! a lot of guys would rather swap the engine with a Jasper rebuild than replace those gm 3.6 chains..
![]() In my shop (motorcycle, and power sports repair) I do like an occasional project... But I find lots of small projects can be more profitable, and less taxing on my aging brain.. Quote:
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Bill Swartzwelder 2002 R1100S Prep/ 2024 Tenere 700 Last edited by wswartzwel; 11-11-2016 at 01:04 PM.. |
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Fast Acting, Long Lasting
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Eastern Chatham co. NC.
Posts: 1,171
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My work seems to go in three tiers: Simple jobs that take an hour or two happen almost every day. One or two jobs come thru almost every week that are 8 hours or more. I try to have one "project" every 6 months, to a year, that the customer doesn't mind if I take my time, and i can fill in holes in my schedule with.
That GM 3.6 chain job is a fun one in an Acadia/Traverse/Outlook. ![]()
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Eighteen ways to burn fuel. |
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Registered
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Who has time for projects? I barely have time to eat and sleep :-(
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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?
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,405
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Projects....probably got at least 20+...I am so freakin' flawed in this regard...I can't finish them, and sometimes I neglect to do so "just because"
![]() ![]() I need help...not really, it's just who I am, and help won't help ![]() |
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
Posts: 22,713
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Lots of short jobs to do. GF asks "What are you doing today?" I say "Don't worry, something will come along soon." Work is mainly property maintenance/improvement.
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?
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 30,405
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Quote:
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Registered
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: bottom left corner of the world
Posts: 22,713
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I can imagine KC. People around here say "It's so peaceful in the country." I say "obviously you have never lived in the country." Too much rain - grass grubs, sinister other diseases, not enough rain - animal starving or dying of thirst. Nuts neighbours. Rodent problems. Tax problems. Markets for produce changing. Poor crops....
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