Man, this was interesting reading...I feel like I know you guys a little better.

I make gasoline for a living. Well, I used to...I was a mechanical engineer in the oil business (ChevronTexaco right now). Spent several years in Bakersfield, moved to Chile for 9 months to build a pipeline, and then spent several years at a refinery in L.A. Then I spent a couple of years touring the country doing finance work (6 months in San Fran, 6 months in New Orleans, 6 months in Miami, then back to San Fran) Now I somehow managed to get myself managing a software design/implementation project for our procurement group.

I work at a grocery store. My job is to walk around in the parking lot and push in baskets. I love my job. I have no responsibilities and so much seniority that I tell my managers what to do. Get paid 12bux an hour, take brakes when I want to and as many as I want to. The company water cooler has been dubbed as "my office". Life is good... BTW im still in college, senior at Southwest Texas.

*edit*
This is post 231 for me!!!!!

"I'm not an engineer, but I play one on the internet".

TB

I make sure the servers are running, but in my former work incarnation I did QA, and that's where my heart lies. I hope to join the QA department with the company I started working for in January and get back to my roots, but I've got to server this current tour of duty first. Computers are like cars, they are a love/hate relationship.

But frankly, #07, I would love to own a nursery and come to workevery day to see row after row of uniformly potted flowers, shrubs, and trees. Hacing lived in Carpinteria above some of the larger CA nurserys (and below some of the larger CA nursery owners), I've come to appreciate the site of a well run nursery.

Do you know where I can order a nice sized Bauhinia tree in the Santa Barbara area? Say like one inch thick, which I suspect is about six to eight feet?

Jason

I too am a Mechanical Engineer. I have worked in the automotive and diesel fuel system world and now I work for Northrop Grumman Newport News on the next gen Carrier. I also spent a year as a stay at home dad. My wife is also an Engineer but more of the programming sort.

Mechanical Engineer here too. I got nudged in that direction watching Alan Kulwiecki win a WC Championship. And of course after I graduated and got into racing (and after buying a Camaro) I read Mark Donohue's book...

Seems like the majority of folks in racing are into engineering or computers.

So, I work for Dresser-Rand (part of Ingersoll-Rand, which means I get good deals on air tools & compressors ) in Painted Post NY where we make "large slow speed process reciprocating compressors". Try saying that 5 times fast. We used to make gas engines too.... The recip compressors we make get up to 16" stroke (usually 10"-15") with bore sizes up to and exceeding 40" in diameter. The connecting rods on our large compressors are about 6 feet tall. Crankshaft journals are 15" in diameter. Pretty cool stuff to see. We compress everything but air, mostly Hydrogen, but also CO2, Ethylene, etc, anything that is a gas. They are mostly in refineries (I've gotten to go to one) and petrochemical plants.

I also got to go to Moscow this past winter on business, it was pretty cool.

In a previous job (co-op) I got to work on some parts that went into a spyplane and some that went into missles.

I am working on getting my MBA as well, as the company pays for it. Plus I might actually want to get a house someday instead of living in a cardboard box Z06 first then house (unless I want to buy another Z06 lol)

Another engineer here

We're kinda like cockroaches. When you see one ....

I recently switched to ASIC (chip) development. Before that I was basically a motherboard developer for laptop computers and high-end laser printers.

I work at costco in the merchandising dept. We have some pretty good car guys working there so its pretty fun. I don't have a house or kids yet so it gives plenty for all the car mods I need right now as well Weird thing is there's a guy that works part-time in the tire center and he just bought a 2004 Z06. Nobody has figured out how yet. I could care less, I just try to get him out racing but he seems pretty nervous about the idea.

I'm a civil litigation lawyer in Toronto. Before that I was an advertising photographer also in Toronto. Decided to change careers after getting into a relatively minor accident with my 83TA back in 1988. I raced two stroke karts a lot until about 1990 and lately I've been running the TA at lap days; also tried autocross a couple of times but I don't like it that much. Although the car has a lot of suspension work it still needs better brakes and a new motor plus whatever else. Seems that for the cost of all that in addition to what I've already spent it would have been cheaper to acquire a dedicated race car particularly as there's a nice Players thirdgen for sale near where I live.

Hey George,
nice to see ya over here...

I'm in the same boat as you expect I'm about to drop a new powerplant in but the brakes and tranny will still need overhaul. We'll for sure have to hookup soon for some track time! What's the next event you plan attending?

System Performance Engineer for a Wireless company. Spent 10yrs in telecom so far, all without a EE (Which I'm working on now)

First degree I got an A&P Aviation License

Matt

Rega - I'm doing the TFbM S2 events on July 25 and Aug. 15 both in Mississauga - pretty much all 4th gens at the last one - I think there was 3 thirdgens including mine. Bring your car out - we need more..lol. The pax system they use is generous towards thirds and the only non f-body was an s-10 which did quite well.

There's a lap day at the Mosport GP track on July 16 which I'd like to do but can't - check the CASC board if you're interested - should be a good one.

There's a lap day/school sort of deal at the GP track at the end of August - two days for $200?? - I might do that one.

I'd like to do an S1 event some time but it looks like they're all done for the year at the Mosport DDT and I don't feel like going to Shannonville.

Too bad the TMP track went down but I guess you've seen the new Dunnville track.

I've had bad luck with OMSC lap days this year: first one was snowed out; second one I picked up a nail after about 15 laps and the third one got cancelled because they had the insurance for the wrong day.

I think OMSC has a lap day on Oct. 28 but it hasn't been announced yet - I expect I'll do that for sure - might have a motor by then

Interesting how the engineer type is more attracted to the "finese" of racing around corners vs. drag racing.

I've seen a form of competition where cars are given points in several areas, and the winner has the highest total. They had autoX performance, quarter mile performance, driveability/comfort, eye appeal, and craftsmanship.

I work for a small manufacturing company in sales. Our website can be viewed HERE My background is as an electronic technician and installer.

My love for motor racing largely stems from working as a corner worker when I still lived in South Africa.

Printing or should I say Graphic Arts Print Sales. Okay okay I sell catalogs.

I am just starting my own business as an electrical contractor. Hopefully I will be sponsering my own race car soon.

I'm a pipefitter for DuPont's Spruance plant just south of Richmond, VA. I went to work there in 1974 at the tender age of 18. Lots of car people. You name it......race fans, racers, restoration freaks, junk dealers like myself. A few of us take in the autofair at Charlotte twice a year. THAT is a show.

I'll bet there's a lot of engineers in drag racing too.

Hey everyone, I new to the site and thought I would chime in.

I work as a network administrator for a Gov IT contractor in the Reston VA area and I live in northern VA

Just want to say that this is a great site, everyone is so helpful. Thanks alot!!

Kevin

I saw this thread just now so this might be a good time to introduce myself also. It's nice to see some familiar names from various places, and I started out in the AX forum on the 'other' site too. But before I spent several years bench racing and then real world racing last decade with various vehicles of mine and friends. Been around cars, bikes, racing and garages since I could ride a bike.

I mainly cruise the mountains here in CA, but have plans to AX for fun and Open Track for some more fun as funds allow in the near future. I AX'd one of 50 BMW X5s at Hollywood park as part of a promotional introduction several years back, and got a chance to shoot the shit with some of their engineers who were on hand in marketing costumes (I just threw that last part in there because it sounds cool, not because it has anything to do with anything...).

In the real world I work for an IBM business partner here in Southern California. We consult Document Imaging Solutions on NT & AIX (big customers) platforms for Governments and Corporations around the US, and are backed by IBM infrastructure but small-business integration solutions. Been having fun here for a little over 4 years since I got my main degree in Information and Computer Science (CA's newfound slang which means 'more than just programmer...'), let the good times roll.

Junior in College Majoring in Aeronautical Science (Professional pilot). I'm your future Jet Pilot. Hoping to get a job as a flight instructor by the end of next year or so to build some time. Funding is tight since school is very very expensive.
How do I pay (or at least attempt to) for this hobby, odd jobs here and there, also a beach lifeguard. I'm a handy man and a mechanic without official schooling or a license (I bet we have a lot of these on this board), that was brought up on Corvettes and old classics such as a '57 bel air. My other current project ('23 T Bucket) has run out of funding for now .
There are a lot of people with interesting professions here on the board.

Hey dudes! Nice to see youzz!
Justin is my protege on the Ontario side and George is another web based fbody fanatic we all know up here! I work as a machinist in a CNC machine shop. I supervise the afternoon shift and I generally don't get along with engineers! . But engineers have their work cut out for them with me ....Its all good!

Not many people do

We're a contrary lot ....

I can't resist ... true story ...

I work at a nuke plant ...

An engineer was attempting to measure a distnace between a pipe run and a support column to design a pipe hanger. It was about 30' above the floor.

He set his flashlight on the floor underneath point A and then again at point B and measured.

A friend of mine walked over to him and commented on how ingenious this was, but asked if his flashlight had been calibrated. Almost all measuring devices have to be calibrated at a nuke plant.

He replied, "No."

Friend told him to take the flashlight over to the Cal Lab and they would fix him right up. Off he went and we never heard what the Cal Lab guys said to him.

Nice one!

Classic!

A more experienced engineer would have known to simply line up the flashlight, mark it's position, rotate it 180 about it's long axis, mark again, and split the difference, thus cancelling out any angular misalignment between the beam and base of the flashlight.

Of course, someone with common sense would have made the bracket adjustable.

A design change at a nuke plant?

OK, late to this party, but here goes.

Another mechanical engineer. I currently manage a new product development department for a manufacturer of aerosol spray dispensing systems - pumps, valves, etc.

Have previously worked as engineering manager of a number of different manufacturing companies, including die casting, tubing, textiles, and circuit boards.

I've raced cars and bikes, drag and RR, always find a lot of engineers at the events.

Electrical engineers are to electronic's techs as mechanical engineers are to machinists. At the place where I work, the techs are always giving us engineers hell (and some of us deserve it, but not me! )

Anyway, the lead tech has a sign above his desk that reads:
"TALKING TO AN ENGINEER IS ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE DIFICULT THAN COMUNICATING WITH THE DEAD."

USAF 15ys w/ 5 and a wake up. Service, ie Food Service, Lodging, Mortuary affairs, Honor Guard, Fitness, and accounting. I'm a certified pastry chef but don't practice but instead currently work as WGM.

And not all that different ...

So true! You should have seen my Dad (aeronautical engineer) explaining math to me for my elementary school classes!

Yeah when our kids need help with their algebra, I'm not alowed to talk! My wife helps them, but she doesn't know much math, so first I have to show her, then she shows them what I showed her!

Once, and only once, I was invited to a "career day" by a friend who was a teacher. It was either elementary or middle school.

The horror ... for me, and for them ... the horror ....

I guess Carter is screwed. I'll hav to have him call his uncle, my brother, mr calc boy.

Maybe with my interest in soc, and psych, and criminal justice, I could tell him why some people are such a damn PITA but.......NEVER MIND........

So is this why I think my professors are horrible teachers?

Only if you have trouble communicating with the dead

Doc #2 on the list (hence the username). I cant believe how many engineers there are here! Of course, the two guys I race with are both engineers, go figure. I'm now in year 12 of post high school education, thankfully my last year, working up to 120hrs/wk and making about 3 dollars/hr. Lived in a roach infested apartment all this time and maxed out my school loans so I could spend every last dime on my car...money well spent. Cant wait to graduate this year.

That reminds me how my supervisor (mechanical engineer) told me the reason he got so much further than other engineers that were more taleneted than him. You guess it he communicates well with the people here. I do my best ot have a good relationship with our maint. crew and permanent contractors (welders, fabricators, etc.). Actually I get along better with them than some of the engineers.

I really do believe it would be a HUGE help to require more classes on writing skills and giving presentations before you could get an engineering degree. Sometimes I'm amazed at how poorly others around me at work write and talk when trying to explain things to others. It really makes a very big difference to a customer or manager or anyone for that matter when you give a very clear, concise presentation with lots of pictures so the dummies who aren't engineers can understand.

Now, we have a couple of Romanian and Turkish engineers who are just plain hard to understand. That's just an English language problem, but it brings humor to some of our meetings. One such time one of the Romanians said, "The dead cat is in my back yard." We all just looked at each other not knowing what to think. Turns out that means the same as "The ball is in my court." Yep, that saying stuck and we still use it every once in awhile.

Couldn't agree with you more on that one.

Engineers are pretty concise in nature, and some naturally write and speak very clearly (it didn't surprise me that a number of members here are engineers when I read their posts). But, some just can't explain a technical subject clear enough for laymen (like me) to understand, as Mike stated.

More writing and speech classes for engineers!

Yeah you should've seen our presentations in Thermo II last semester. Half of them wouldn't make eye contact and either read from note cards or from the powerpoint slides. That's cool though-made me look like a professional. In my high school I wouldn't have been allowed to continue giving a presentation if I did those things.

We have a Jamaican engineer at work from florida state that's pretty funny. He even makes fun of his accent. There have been some "interesting" moments.

I made a new thread for the AWB. Sorry, but I had use that button it was like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-I just hadn't pushed that button.

When I was attending UC Davis about 20 years ago, I had some friends attending at the same time in the Engineering program. They had about three units of electives. Can you say "imbalanced?"

As long as we brought this up, on a related subject: I can remember going with my Mom to pick up my Dad from Rockwell one day after work. I had always wondered about Dad's selection of clothes, stripes with checks, mismatched colors....then I saw the shift change at Rockwell... all was explained when the hundreds of other fashion wrecks rolled out of the building! Well, no one cares what color space suits are now do they!

Hey now, I think I dress quite stylishly. No pocket protector for me thank you.

I tried to pursue a few minors (hmm, that doesn't quite sound right ...) but was told by the Engineering College that they didn't allow minors. We certainly wouldn't want anyone to be too well-rounded, after all ....

I have a minor in Math by default (based on requirements of the ME degree program).

You all make a very interesting point about communication, one that I have made myself many times to others in management.

I believe the problem with engineers and communication to be related to two factors. The first is that most engineers/technical types have a similar personality type (for those skilled in MBTI, that would be INTJ or ISTJ) which is/can be very different from non-technical personality types. Further, most engineers do not even realize that others have a different perspective based on their different personality type, and that others would see a situation any different from the way they see it.

Add on to this the fact that engineers are educated by older more experienced engineers, who just further reinforce the 1/0 - right/wrong - perspective on any issue. I'm sure many of you can relate having an entire 40 point problem that required 3 pages of calculations marked completely wrong on a test because of a minor error on calculation number 25 at the top of the third page

I am an engineer, and I would agree the we need a/more classes to help communication, and MBTI class would be a good start. I actually brought in a trainer for 2 days worth of training with my staff and it made a dramatic improvement in relations with the operations personnel.

When I first met my wife, she said my clothing was out of style and miss-matched, and thought I should be embarassed to go to work that way. Then one day she saw the other engineers leaving my building, and she understood!

Tonight my professor gave us a handout and the last page said by the end of the course we should be able to think, talk, learn, and be prepared like an engineer. I'll have to download the presentation and post that page so you can see the drawing that went along with it.

Now I'm all for being smart and knowing everything, but some people just lost touch with reality when the books took over.