General mechanical aptitude

[cmechmann]

For a very long time I assumed everyone had mechanical abilities.
It wasn't untill I had children that I realized not all have it.
I remember in the 8th grade the state has us take (at that time ) an experimental test. It included general aptitude, artistic aptitude. and mechanical
aptitude.I blew thru the mech test and didn,t understand why many others had problems with it. I had asked my brother, becuase he had also toolk it in 10th grade, and he took more time but no great hassle. He scored 1st in state for artistic. yeah also this was in the early 70s.
When I had my kids, my sons never took interest in helping me with the car or with putting together a computer except to play or drive.
My daughter on the other hand would jump under the car with me??????????
I find more and more, especially with younger generations, that unless they had mechanical aptitude, it was very hard to explain how ro repair something that I would typically just roll right thru it looking for the next thing to do.
I only bring this up because oldest son called about getting his car back on the road. Not being near I have to describe over the phone what steps to take.Hear is a man who spent 4 years as a Marine(9 months in Falusia), in to his 3rd year in the army(15 months in Bagdad). three metals, comidations out the ying yang, can tear down a M16a4 in about a minute. 9 and save many lives spotting booby traps and keeping Humv's from being turned to scrap.
Had to move him to way upstate New York from Maryland in november.
When I took his car to him advised him to check if the coolant is strong enough for this area and to keep the battery up.
well the Army is moving his unit to Texas to ready for another tour.(home 3 months with his family)
Took me 2 days off and on to descibe that you need more than an adjustable wrench and a pair of pliers to remove a GM style battery and how important it was to look in the radiator to make sure it wasn't frozen(he listened real well)
Sould I worry that his mechanical abilities should be sharpened or is this how it is?

[Mark W.]

LOL My son is an ET (electronic's tech) In the Navy almost 4 years in and after 2 years on a Cruiser in Japan he's now stateside in VA at his second Sea school. SO of course now he wants a car. Of course he could tear a laptop all a part hot rod the crap out of it and rebuild a radar antenna while hanging upside down from a harness in 20 foot seas.

He calls me and asks if I can send him an email with what he needs to look for when buying a used car!!! Like I have time to write that book. I tried everything from Model airplanes to lawnmowers to old pickup trucks. could I interest him in how to change a spark plug LOL hell no.

Well I got the first 5 pages of the email written I guess it won't hurt to keep going.

[cmechmann]

the youngest son other day whining that the charger for the PSP not working.
he could not understand by following the cord he would find out if the right one was plugged in. sigh
but today acts like a smart ass when I didnt know there was a home menu button on the controller for a new Wii
My daughter never spent a day in computer or electronics classes but is a tech advisor for an alarm company. she guides techs in the field, thru trouble shooting and uploads for the systems when they are installed or being serviced.
Go Figure

[meggy]

My brother-in-law the lawyer couldn't change batteries in a TV remote control. God bless him.

[similost]

I have always been able to fix just about anything mechanical, and some electrical. I never could understand how people can't even figure out how to use a hammer and nail to hang a picture.

I think now especially as things get more and more complicated, and also made cheaper and made to be disposable, as kids, they have no reason to try and understand things.

Now a kid doesn't have to figure out how to put the chain back on his bike, or tighten up the spokes. The wheels are plastic, and if the chain falls off, mommy or daddy just goes and buys them another cheap bike...

To me, it's actually pretty sad so many can't repair things like in the past, most people, even women had a general knowledge to at least check the cord...

On that note, I'm glad people don't make the effort.. it's those attorneys I work for that would rather pay me well to follow that cable to their monitor, then get thier knees dirty to save a buck.

[jhal]

My cousin owns a lawnmower and small engine repair shop. You should see what comes in there. :sigh::lmao::screwy::jawdrop::wtf::dunno::yikes::n ono:

[soundmotor]

Every kid is different. Growing up without computers & video games I created my own entertainment. I did so out of boredom. Part of that was building my own workbenches off to one side of the garage. I tore stuff apart & blew stuff up. When I wasn't doing that I played with Legos, Tinker Toys, & my Erector Set. Had I the same quantity of entertainment available now, who knows? I'd bet though less building & blowing things up.

I do think the environment contributes to the majority of how one develops rather than there being an innate crafter gene. I come down more on the tabula rasa side of the coin. As an aside, both of my kids, one of each are indeed mechanical. From young there were Duplo, Legos & Ello, pens, paint, & paper for them to play with. We let them rip the couches apart and strip their sheets off their beds to make forts & castles. Both can draw first what they build later and some of the things they do amaze me. However, I've yet to have either of them come out when I change my oil and get interested in that.

:D

[wineslob]

I always had mechcanical aptit....err ability. Love tearing things apart, make it go faster, etc.... I think vertical mills look like art. The sound of a screaming SBC puts a huge grin on my face. I have, believe it or not, more tools than I know what to do with. :banana:
My wife, on the other hand.......... is clueless.

[whoaru99]

You mean that's not where the antifreeze goes??? :tears:

[x_25]

I have been tarring things apart since I was little. I would modify my RC cars and such. I can get just about anything apart and back together given enough time (although the number of fasteners put back in may vary). Last February me and my dad swapped the engine in my car. :smoke:

[kbs48]

I learned it from tearing it apart myself and my father who was just a working stiff who didn't have the money to pay someone else to do it.