Show of hands, how many old guys still doing manual labor here ?
 

48, still bustin it out every day, but a little bit sore sometimes I was just talking with my ex brother in law this am. He is also my age, and a roofer. Guy is in super good shape, but says he is feeling it also. Starting to get some arthritis in his hands, sore back some mornings, all the normal stuff.
Generally, I feel pretty good, and could still probably work some younger guys into submission, but I can also tell , that I am no longer 25 . I always feel best after a few hard days work for some reason.
I sometimes wonder how long I can go this hard . I've got a few buddies who bailed out , and took a desk job , or moved into sales.
I know Baz has got a few years on me, and still out there doing it. Any of you go hard till retirement age ?

I don't fall into the range of your poll since I am retired. I will say though that I was a go hard all day guy. Do take care of that body. I am only 66 but have more aches and pains than I ever thought I would. Nor do I heal quickly anymore. Be good to yourselves.

47 here, retired from the service at age 38, been taking over my family cattle ranch ever since. It's just myself and my elderly parents. Right now I have over 300 head of moos on site. Plus irrigating the hay fields with hand-lines. It's pretty manual..:D. But on the good side I still got my six pack.-WW

Me - I work for Vehicle Division of Fairfax County. I'm 58 - will be 59 in the fall. I've been here 4 years, starting on my 5th next month. I basically started over here, I mean really started over. But the pay and benefits exceed the Federal government by a good bit for most positions.

Also, I have worked hard and smart and have been promoted a few times, the next position above me is admin only.

I'm in good shape, a lot better than most guys my age. I never smoked cigarettes, but indulged in every other vice there is with great enthusiasm. I've noticed in the last year, I don't have the stamina that I had even ten years ago. I've partially torn my rotator cuff tendon back in December, but continued to work albeit very carefully. It's almost healed now, or at least doesn't hurt too bad.

I'm sure I'll continue working in some form or another until I die, but then that's what's programmed into me back as a farm kid. As a matter of fact, if I couldn't get up, go out and work on my projects or some other useful task, they might as well put me in the box and nail it shut.

That is my biggest fear growing older..................

Currently a 53 year old prototype developer for a top 100 rubber company. I design/mold/troubleshoot/assemble/ship parts for future 2019/2020 automobiles/SUVs for many of the major car makers.

I also run my own small farm, with many animals, and building projects. also cut 5-6 cords of wood per year for heating our house.

I'm picking up an older John Deere backhoe tomorow to help do less hand work in the future. It will, however, need some restoration, so.....

Almost 65 here and still feel good after a day of manual work. I also only weigh 150..I think that helps. Someday, I'm sure, I will start to feel the aches and pains. Until then..live it like you're 30.

Moved out to the forest last year, heating our home with wood.
Really enjoying grabbing the chainsaw and wandering the property finding next year's firewood.
Eventually we will get a splitter, but for now, we're having fun chopping wood with an ax.

As Maynard G Krebs said, "WORK!!!"

Yup. 58. Retirement was 55 from federal government job. Now just doing property maintenance for 21 clients. Just myself now , but there are days I sure feel older than I am! Just stay on the green side!!!

By "doing manual labor" you mean what, like for a living?

this reminds me of why i went back to college.

i dropped out to chase girls full time.

i was working for a sign company. we were building a marquis for a hospital. there was a slight contract dispute on who had to dig the trench for the conduit. we lost. my cheap ass boss had us dig it by hand. i learned quickly what CALIECHE is; desert clay layer. very very dense.

i was 20, so was my best friend. we were digging along and he looked at me and said, "holychit CLIFF, look at us! we are DITCH DIGGERS!" we laughed our asses off..but somehow that struck a cord.

i went back to school ASAP. i was in great physical shape tho. not so sure how long i could have handled a hands-on labor job.

Funny story Vash. Its amazing how working a couple of year at the tender age teaches and humbles a young man.

I wanted the hard labor as my interested has always been in construction around high school. I never lost interest. Being dumb and young, like myself, I would volunteer at my local construction site during summer months and went bicycle racing / training for more abuse. I discovered at a very young age that I can make so much more money hiring someone to do the heavy lifting then having to do it myself. I dug about 5 trenches myself. Almost all were for my parents and my own house because of my cheap azz. Now, I do the small stuff like building cabinets or doing finish work. Someone else can hump 2x4s and haul the gravel on my stupid hill side job. I still ride / train on my road bike like I was 20 (trying to anyway), hauling stuff and do smaller things at my job just to keep in shape. thank goodness my body isn't beat up like lots of the guys in the trades.

I was already in college when I started working as a carpenter in summer and on Saturdays. I loved it. It is in my blood, several grand and grand grand dads were carpenters. I was seriously thinking about getting into carpentry, start my own business etc.

Then, after a long summer of work I had back pain. Went to the ortho. X-ray ... guy said "you better stop working construction, or you are going to eff yourself up". So - end of story there. I really never had any back issues since, so I think part of it was me being an idiot full off piss and vinegar, using my muscles and not my brains ...

It is all good. What's left is the desire to build some stuff in retirement, maybe get a couple rental units to remodel.

G

I'm 67. My body can't do what I did 10 years ago.

Will be 75 in November. I'm still able to do a few things, but no longer able to go hard all day. Also, neuropathy in feet have shot my balance...no longer get on the roof, thing like that. Have to rest a day after a day of going hard. Like I told the neighbor I'm giving some firewood trees to, "I'd planned on thinning these when I planted them 40 years ago. What I didn't plan on was diabetes and a bum ticker..."

Enjoy good health while you have it!

(edit) We all deteriorate at different rates, but I find it sad that my buddies & I often find our talks involve the latest medical happenings. Nobody beats father time..nobody.

Not for a living, but I do manual labor just about every day....today was with a Stihl pole saw....before the rain came. I retired from the corporate bs at 48...ten years ago....now back to the weight I had in my late 20s, and in the best shape I've been in 30 years....I LIKE manual labor....but wouldn't want to make a living doing it....nosireebob ;).

61 here and same thing, I'm currently scheduled to get a MRI then see a orthopedic surgeon for a consult about my knee.

Really pisses my off, 30 years ago I hauled a cast iron bathtub up the stairs with a furniture dolly.

I suppose I'm lucky to be surrounded by friendly construction workers who give me a hand moving heavy stuff up/down the stairs.

Kinda sad/embarrassing to feel like the old man in the neighborhood that needs the youngins to give him a hand (mind you these youngin are all in their 40's)

Yes I compensate them with a case of beer now and then.

Suppose I should count my lucky stars that I have the help nearby.

I do like light labor working in the yard, but I'm still working a 40 hour week and doing maintenance on two houses don't have a lot of time to do it.

Kinda why I'm looking at hand spoons so I can get away from the house for an hour or two at the range.

i still love splitting wood the hard way. something very satisfying about hitting the end of a log accurately with an AXE.

i find STACKING the wood the complete opposite. what a life-suck. i hate that part.

my dad told me before he died, to "do at least one thing constructive every single day" for some strange reason (in my mind), most of the task should be manual labor in nature. i dont think balancing my checkbook counts.

Thanks for this thread, Fred. I always enjoy your thoughts on stuff that most of us can relate to in some form or another.

I turn 64 next month and yes am feeling various aches and pains in my joints. But still charging as much as my body lets me. Same as most here, I'm sure.

The ability for us to perform physical work has a significant bearing on how we perceive ourselves, therefore it's tough when we are forced to slow down.

But I also feel that a very positive aspect of the aging process is that of gaining wisdom. And with wisdom we realize that just because we can't do all the things we used to, we can still "stay busy" with various projects - just on a smaller scale and at a slower speed.

I can only speak for myself but am very proud of all the physical labor I have done through the years and now that I am easing back a bit, I don't feel I have anything left to prove to anyone - or myself.

I have stayed in my field of study my entire working career and it's one that I love very much - so that alone has carried me forward in a strong spiritual sense.

I plan to keep working as much as possible - maybe not ever retire in the textbook sense. Next year I qualify for Medicare and will pick up a Humana Advantage plan and then will have more options available to me to access health care and wellness.

A tip of the hat to my fellow Pelican enterprisers - especially to you Fred.....keep charging! SmileWavy

I still dig holes in the yard when my Master Gardener wife has a new tree to plant. And I still mow and edge my yard. It takes me about two hours to do it. I can afford to pay to have it done, but I prefer to get that exercise and I am a cheap SOB. That is beer money! ;)

Glad I no longer need to frame houses. A friend who builds nice homes occasionally asks if I want to help frame a roof. Working with trusses and/or rafters is like playing on monkey bars- Pure fun.

Climbing around like a kid while accomplishing something useful- Doesn't get much better than that.

Well said. There is no competition here.

I have even felled a tree by axe. Was a great time. I like to keep active but it gets tougher as fewer towns have softball leagues. Still do Muay Thai every Friday with the daughter though. She is getting better and I am getting older and is is starting to hurt more.

I worked with dad doing commercial flooring until I found out I had a knack for these computer thingies. He started at 16 and retired at 65 doing it though. Still did the odd job or two until he had both hips replaced a couple years ago.

I've learned to take it easy with an axe, sledge hammers, etc. Though I don't mind the physical aspect....I feel it in my hands and wrists later...plus...it's inefficient as hell ;).

Gimme 2 hours with a good hydraulic wood splitter, and I'll split a months worth of axe/maul/sledge/wedge labor....easy :).

Last summer...had a large red oak (4') uprooted....rather than haul my splitter to the tree, I split the logs into qtrs for transport to my splitter...enjoyed it...hard work!
Paid for it for several days though :(. And that's the way my dad & I did it for years....no mas.

70. Still fixing 911s all week.

Well at least you have an excuse for having neuropathy, you are an old Geezer. More importantly your neuropathy is not between the ears like a a lot of the BOyz on this Board.

I turn 50 next month, fell over dead last year but back to normal and really enjoy hard manual labour

I've quit my cushy office job to spent the summer outside doing everything needed to build a house.

I'll dig the foundations, level the concrete slab, build the walls from stone and concrete block, cut and fit floor joists, fit steel beams, even got a couple 1000lb oak beams to fit, roof trusses and tile the roof.

Not for a living but I do own a farm.

I had a great run avoiding as much manual labor as possible when my children were still on the farm. I put them both under the yoke when they were 6/7 and used them like Clydesdale's until they graduated college and fled:cool:

Those days are over. Almost: My son just finished his first year of law school and starts his summer internship in two weeks: He is mine.

I approach manual labor differently these days. I had two small tractors and a larger one to refresh last weekend (fluids, new mower blades, repairs, paint, etc.): More burpees than you can imagine. Ten years ago (same tractors) I was done in a day.

Not no mo'. I was sweating like The Real Housewife's of Beverly Hill's taking the SAT's for a day and a half.

Good for you. Hit it hard and knock it out.

At 55 I opened my wee shop. More of a semi retirement hobby, beer drinking man cave, where I fix a few cars for to pay the rent. 61 now.

I flat backed it for three years before I bought my lift. That is work. Not manual labor but it officially qualifies as work.

With a lift it's "kinda" like a desk job.

Me llamo Manuel Labor, y yo tengo cincuenta y uno años.

I retired on 12/1/17 at 59 and turned 60 in January . I have been enclosing my pole barn by myself , studding the walls , plywood etc. all by myself . Not as fast as I was at 20 but can still get it done . I can push all day in 90 + heat if need be . Sure I have aches and pains but nothing to complain about others have it much worse . None of us beat the clock but keeping it at bay as long as possible is my goal :D

56
I'm installing a new 996 engine today, 8 engines and 4 transmissions in cue. Did a IMS solution last week.
About to break ground on an addition to my shop.
Put a new steel roof on the house last year, mostly by myself.
Helping my 17 year old son get his first car on the road then were tackling his 914 project.

Not as fast as I was, but still plugging along nicely.

53, I still work outside in the Florida heat every day. While not a labor intensive job, there are moments. Like when we have to cut a couple hundred of feet through the woods with a machete. I tend to move very fast most of the young guys that have worked for me complain I need to slow down some.

My favorite is having to hop 5-6' wood fences, I can still get over them very easy and it pisses the younger guys off, especially the ones that struggle.

I have no plans on slowing down, my plan is to do this until I am 60 then scale back my work field load a lot and let the young guys do all the work while I ride a desk most of the time.

Thanks, sounds like you have found a good balance

Not planning on going full time as a builder, just want to spend time doubling the size of my house and building my dream garage.

Everyone else's car project is the most important priority now it's time for one of my many projects to be the most important priority

I'll be 49 in June and still wrenching on all the family cars. Just finished a clutch in our Jeep Wrangler, before moving on to the light weight flywheel and clutch in my 993 (and a few other "while in theres"). Yeah, I am much more sore and take my sweet time. I really need to get another lift! Now I'm gathering all the parts for a suspension refresh on our Jeep.

I have a corporate IT job by day and work out of the house.

EDIT: and my 21 year old son just bought a 2000 BMW 528i, so I'm sure there's more pain in my future...

71 . 30 years as a line tech and 12 as a shop foreman at a dealer. Lots of physical and lots of sweat. Retired in 2012 and still can't sit around good. I do my own yard, play LOTS of golf, service my own vehicles and ride my bike a lot (pretty flat here in the lowcountry). Been blest to not have too many aches and pains but trying to be smart and not do things I know I can't. Don't take any meds but skin is so thin I can bleed in a new york second! I am so thankful not to have to be twisting wrenches or contorting under dashboards anymore!

I pulled out of the trade I worked in 10 years ago. I was overhauling/troubleshooting and maintaining large equipment for over 20 years.
Started teaching at that point and now at 55 years old can't imagine going back to that routine. Wouldn't be able to physically take it.

SmileWavy
Working on 65 (64 1/2) still working full time. Dismounted and mounted two truck tires this morning, dug out a couple of culverts, cut three trees along the roadside. Just dropped them. The backhoe shoved them off the road.
Don't get around as well as i used to but i'm far from useless.

I'm 50 and work pretty hard 7 days a week. Prior to going Hershey, my last day off was Christmas. Haven't had one since Hershey. While all I do is have fun all day long, I couldn't work on my own cars...the 928 engine build has languished for months. So I have recently hired 2 assistants and I might be able to start taking time off in July.

Have had super cushy desk jobs but feel much more alive doing real physical labor, mostly in window frame sanding/polishing/anodizing but plating prep is hard physical work too. And tumbling Turbo trailing arms is a serious workout for an hour, each side.

I think hard work keeps you young as long as you respect when your body tells you to relax and recuperate.