The Things We Used To Do

Found this image on Facebook Marketplace. Boy! Did that remind me of something!

 Sometimes you kind of forget how things used to be. I often try reminding you all here that we didn't always have social media and smart phones. That there was a time before the Tech that has infiltrated every aspect of life these days. 

I'm not trying to say "those were the days", or that any of that was better than any of this. (It is a LOT more complex than a simple maxim could ever convey.) I am saying that we shouldn't forget our past, and the lessons learned, which could benefit us today. 

Here's one example of that and how children did some things in the past which has elements of foolishness and elements of something good wrapped up into one picture. This is an image I found on Facebook Marketplace which took me back 50 years ago when we, as elementary school-aged kids, did some "street engineering" to make our ordinary bicycles something extraordinary. Both in a good way and a bad way! 

In our example, back in Charles City, Iowa, we had experienced an F-5 level tornado in 1968 which killed 14 people and forever changed our lives. But as a kid, it created something which was a bit of a positive, in my view. That storm tore through a lot of homes, and in the process, it tossed a lot of stuff into wild corners around the town where people didn't care to look, and therefore were never cleaned up. 

Specifically, there were bicycles to be had! We children would scour the edges of town, poking around in the woods along the Cedar River, and we would pull out bicycles, almost as if we were picking strawberries in a thorny, overgrown strawberry patch. Many times these bicycles would have minor damage, or no damage at all, and be perfectly serviceable. Of course, since they did not 'belong to anyone', these prizes from the overgrown and neglected areas of the town were ripe for experimentation. This cherry picking of bicycles actually lasted well into the 70's, as I recall.  

I don't know who got the idea first, but it spread like wildfire once someone did the modification on their "Sting Ray" style bike. You would find a Schwinn, or Vista branded bike which typically had flattened steel fork blades. Cut them off with a hacksaw, and then you'd cut off your bike's drop-outs, and stuff the flattened blades into the round fork blades. Even it all up lengthwise, bolt in your wheel, and - Boom! Instant chopper bike! 

You could do this with tapered, round forks too, it was just harder and those tended to come apart! But most importantly, this tomfoolery was responsible for my interest in bicycle repair and maintenance. The flip side of this was that most of our Fathers had jobs and we couldn't get them to guide us through the steps necessary to learn stuff, (not always was this the case, but most times- yes), and therefore I had to really think my way through things. And it is why that kindled my innate sense of how mechanical things worked. 

So, while you might think that image above is a really stupid and dangerous thing to do, (and it certainly was, which was why it was so interesting and fun), it is why I got started out on this path I am on these days. 

And now you know.......

The Things We Used To Do

Found this image on Facebook Marketplace. Boy! Did that remind me of something!

 Sometimes you kind of forget how things used to be. I often try reminding you all here that we didn't always have social media and smart phones. That there was a time before the Tech that has infiltrated every aspect of life these days. 

I'm not trying to say "those were the days", or that any of that was better than any of this. (It is a LOT more complex than a simple maxim could ever convey.) I am saying that we shouldn't forget our past, and the lessons learned, which could benefit us today. 

Here's one example of that and how children did some things in the past which has elements of foolishness and elements of something good wrapped up into one picture. This is an image I found on Facebook Marketplace which took me back 50 years ago when we, as elementary school-aged kids, did some "street engineering" to make our ordinary bicycles something extraordinary. Both in a good way and a bad way! 

In our example, back in Charles City, Iowa, we had experienced an F-5 level tornado in 1968 which killed 14 people and forever changed our lives. But as a kid, it created something which was a bit of a positive, in my view. That storm tore through a lot of homes, and in the process, it tossed a lot of stuff into wild corners around the town where people didn't care to look, and therefore were never cleaned up. 

Specifically, there were bicycles to be had! We children would scour the edges of town, poking around in the woods along the Cedar River, and we would pull out bicycles, almost as if we were picking strawberries in a thorny, overgrown strawberry patch. Many times these bicycles would have minor damage, or no damage at all, and be perfectly serviceable. Of course, since they did not 'belong to anyone', these prizes from the overgrown and neglected areas of the town were ripe for experimentation. This cherry picking of bicycles actually lasted well into the 70's, as I recall.  

I don't know who got the idea first, but it spread like wildfire once someone did the modification on their "Sting Ray" style bike. You would find a Schwinn, or Vista branded bike which typically had flattened steel fork blades. Cut them off with a hacksaw, and then you'd cut off your bike's drop-outs, and stuff the flattened blades into the round fork blades. Even it all up lengthwise, bolt in your wheel, and - Boom! Instant chopper bike! 

You could do this with tapered, round forks too, it was just harder and those tended to come apart! But most importantly, this tomfoolery was responsible for my interest in bicycle repair and maintenance. The flip side of this was that most of our Fathers had jobs and we couldn't get them to guide us through the steps necessary to learn stuff, (not always was this the case, but most times- yes), and therefore I had to really think my way through things. And it is why that kindled my innate sense of how mechanical things worked. 

So, while you might think that image above is a really stupid and dangerous thing to do, (and it certainly was, which was why it was so interesting and fun), it is why I got started out on this path I am on these days. 

And now you know.......

Message From The Trenches

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

There was an article circulating over social media during the Thanksgiving weekend which was talking about bicycle mechanics and tipping them. ("Bicycling" February 2019) I wanted to slide my two cents in as a person that has wrenched on bikes professionally for 20+ years now.

First of all, as you might expect, there were a lot of trolls and comments to the effect that if being a bicycle mechanic requires anyone to tip, then "get a real job". These people are likely also the same ones that say that LBS mechanics are terrible and screw everything up. Using their logic, things would be bound to get better, right? 

Good luck with that.

So, besides that nonsense, what I drew from reading comments on this article where it was posted in two different places, and on the original article, is that there are two camps of thought regarding bike mechanics and the work that they do. First is that it is such basic stuff that "anyone can do it" and so it requires little skill. It's mostly just specialty tools and nothing more, and since bike shops own the tools, why should some grease monkey get any money for a job that is basically on the level of flipping burgers.

The second opinion I saw voiced most often was that bicycle mechanics are a valuable resource and should be paid commensurate to their value to the community. Look at other mechanics and service people who make far more dollars per hour.

One side thinks bicycles are simple machines that require little skill to fix, and the other side thinks we are like car mechanics and the like. Guess what? Both have it completely wrong. Let me explain.

It's just tools- anyone can do it. Right- Tell me what this is and how to use it. I know both.

First off, bicycle mechanics are not anything like car mechanics, or what have you. There is one reason for that- people don't need bicycle mechanics to live. I've worked on cars and I've seen the panic in people's eyes when you tell them that their vehicle is too dangerous to drive. It is as if you have told them that their Mother has died. Worse in some cases. Life stops. All sense of reason flies out the window. People cannot even imagine the world without cars.

Bicycles? pffffft! We can live without those. So, the people that fix them are a luxury tax. A necessary evil. Why, these toys can't be that complicated! Any child with the right tools can fix a bicycle. And of course- that thinking is completely wrong as well. 

Now- you need mechanics. Why? Because a LOT of people have no idea, inclination, nor talent to fix anything. That's why. Not just anyone can "fix". Give them all the fancy tools you want, it ain't happening. That is truth. I've seen these people and know them. They live all around me. And guess what? That's okay- because I don't cook all that well, and I can't sew worth a damn, nor can I do woodwork. You get the picture. I can draw portraits. You can't. Tools have little to nothing to do with it.

I find most people that think we don't need mechanics to fix bicycles, or that if we do- they should get minimum payment, are the ones that (a) are mechanics but don't work in the field and think everyone possesses this talent, or (b) are thinking bicycles are toys, not worth investing a ton of money in to, so a mechanic's pay is dispensable. Again- both have poor perspectives.

Tipping: I wish we weren't even having this conversation. I do not tip anyone but waiters and waitresses because their economy is jacked up and we have accepted that practice instead of actually paying for servers that get paid well. I don't tip a plumber, an electrician, or the guy bagging my groceries because I expect they are all getting a fair wage. Bicycle mechanics do not get a fair wage for their knowledge, skill, and for the amount of BS that many bicycle mechanics put up with.

Oh.....and I own my own tools, thank you! I have to buy new ones to keep up with ever changing standards. I have to learn new things every year to keep up with the latest in technology, which is delicate, subtle, and beyond the comprehension of even some engineers I have met. Sometimes I have to buy tools to cover old standards which might be found on jobs people bring in that I didn't already have tools for. I have to also know how and when to use all of these tools. You cannot expect to have a high school boy or girl, or even college aged younginz, know this stuff, because I've watched all of them come and go through the doors of the two shops I've worked at, and let me tell you- hardly any of them were, or are mechanics worth training. 

So, when I read articles and the comments that go with them regarding bicycle mechanics, pay, and tipping, I shake my head in sadness at the misconceptions and laugh at the foolish thoughts on display. Most folks have little idea what bicycle mechanics actually have to know, nor what innate skills and thought processes make for a person with an aptitude for being a mechanic. They have no sense of what is appropriate behavior when dealing with mechanics. They have, in many cases, irrational expectations and beliefs. And articles like the one I saw only help to prove all of this.  

Message From The Trenches

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

There was an article circulating over social media during the Thanksgiving weekend which was talking about bicycle mechanics and tipping them. ("Bicycling" February 2019) I wanted to slide my two cents in as a person that has wrenched on bikes professionally for 20+ years now.

First of all, as you might expect, there were a lot of trolls and comments to the effect that if being a bicycle mechanic requires anyone to tip, then "get a real job". These people are likely also the same ones that say that LBS mechanics are terrible and screw everything up. Using their logic, things would be bound to get better, right? 

Good luck with that.

So, besides that nonsense, what I drew from reading comments on this article where it was posted in two different places, and on the original article, is that there are two camps of thought regarding bike mechanics and the work that they do. First is that it is such basic stuff that "anyone can do it" and so it requires little skill. It's mostly just specialty tools and nothing more, and since bike shops own the tools, why should some grease monkey get any money for a job that is basically on the level of flipping burgers.

The second opinion I saw voiced most often was that bicycle mechanics are a valuable resource and should be paid commensurate to their value to the community. Look at other mechanics and service people who make far more dollars per hour.

One side thinks bicycles are simple machines that require little skill to fix, and the other side thinks we are like car mechanics and the like. Guess what? Both have it completely wrong. Let me explain.

It's just tools- anyone can do it. Right- Tell me what this is and how to use it. I know both.

First off, bicycle mechanics are not anything like car mechanics, or what have you. There is one reason for that- people don't need bicycle mechanics to live. I've worked on cars and I've seen the panic in people's eyes when you tell them that their vehicle is too dangerous to drive. It is as if you have told them that their Mother has died. Worse in some cases. Life stops. All sense of reason flies out the window. People cannot even imagine the world without cars.

Bicycles? pffffft! We can live without those. So, the people that fix them are a luxury tax. A necessary evil. Why, these toys can't be that complicated! Any child with the right tools can fix a bicycle. And of course- that thinking is completely wrong as well. 

Now- you need mechanics. Why? Because a LOT of people have no idea, inclination, nor talent to fix anything. That's why. Not just anyone can "fix". Give them all the fancy tools you want, it ain't happening. That is truth. I've seen these people and know them. They live all around me. And guess what? That's okay- because I don't cook all that well, and I can't sew worth a damn, nor can I do woodwork. You get the picture. I can draw portraits. You can't. Tools have little to nothing to do with it.

I find most people that think we don't need mechanics to fix bicycles, or that if we do- they should get minimum payment, are the ones that (a) are mechanics but don't work in the field and think everyone possesses this talent, or (b) are thinking bicycles are toys, not worth investing a ton of money in to, so a mechanic's pay is dispensable. Again- both have poor perspectives.

Tipping: I wish we weren't even having this conversation. I do not tip anyone but waiters and waitresses because their economy is jacked up and we have accepted that practice instead of actually paying for servers that get paid well. I don't tip a plumber, an electrician, or the guy bagging my groceries because I expect they are all getting a fair wage. Bicycle mechanics do not get a fair wage for their knowledge, skill, and for the amount of BS that many bicycle mechanics put up with.

Oh.....and I own my own tools, thank you! I have to buy new ones to keep up with ever changing standards. I have to learn new things every year to keep up with the latest in technology, which is delicate, subtle, and beyond the comprehension of even some engineers I have met. Sometimes I have to buy tools to cover old standards which might be found on jobs people bring in that I didn't already have tools for. I have to also know how and when to use all of these tools. You cannot expect to have a high school boy or girl, or even college aged younginz, know this stuff, because I've watched all of them come and go through the doors of the two shops I've worked at, and let me tell you- hardly any of them were, or are mechanics worth training. 

So, when I read articles and the comments that go with them regarding bicycle mechanics, pay, and tipping, I shake my head in sadness at the misconceptions and laugh at the foolish thoughts on display. Most folks have little idea what bicycle mechanics actually have to know, nor what innate skills and thought processes make for a person with an aptitude for being a mechanic. They have no sense of what is appropriate behavior when dealing with mechanics. They have, in many cases, irrational expectations and beliefs. And articles like the one I saw only help to prove all of this.  

You Can't Do This

You aren't seeing those wheels on this bike. Really.

As a bicycle mechanic, you learn pretty quickly that there is an unspoken tradition of doing things you aren't supposed to be able to do. Components deemed not compatible being used together successfully, techniques for doing things that sound incredibly questionable, and "bending of rules" that would be frowned upon by manufacturers, brands, and marketing firms.

I have tons of examples, and many of those things are also done by consumers. So, mechanics aren't the only ones, but we tend to be the most successful at things of this nature. Take for instance my use of 80's era Shimano aero brake levers and Avid MTB BB-7 disc brakes. Technically, this is a no-go. Impossible. You cannot make it work at all. But I rode my Karate Monkey with that exact set up for years and had great braking. Tricksy, it was. I've done the long cage Ultegra 11 speed derailleur with an 11-36T cassette for years too. That's another no-no. Cannot do that! But.......I do all the time. 

 I guess we mechanics just like to see what we can get away with. Now to be sure, some of these tricksy, false things don't work perfectly. A customer would never put up with the functionality of some things we do. But mechanics seem to know when to over shift a hair, or when you have to do something a "certain way" to make it "work". I'm not saying any of this is a good thing, mind you, but it happens. Experimentation. Tinkering. Basically being a mechanic means you have a proclivity for this sort of behavior.

So, today's example- Wrong wheels with tires not rated for the bike because "they do not fit and screw up the geometry", and a cassette from Shimano on a SRAM 1X chain and rear derailleur. It's not supposed to be. You aren't seeing this. It does not work at all. You cannot do this.

Except when it does for me........but I am a bike mechanic, after all.

You Can't Do This

You aren't seeing those wheels on this bike. Really.

As a bicycle mechanic, you learn pretty quickly that there is an unspoken tradition of doing things you aren't supposed to be able to do. Components deemed not compatible being used together successfully, techniques for doing things that sound incredibly questionable, and "bending of rules" that would be frowned upon by manufacturers, brands, and marketing firms.

I have tons of examples, and many of those things are also done by consumers. So, mechanics aren't the only ones, but we tend to be the most successful at things of this nature. Take for instance my use of 80's era Shimano aero brake levers and Avid MTB BB-7 disc brakes. Technically, this is a no-go. Impossible. You cannot make it work at all. But I rode my Karate Monkey with that exact set up for years and had great braking. Tricksy, it was. I've done the long cage Ultegra 11 speed derailleur with an 11-36T cassette for years too. That's another no-no. Cannot do that! But.......I do all the time. 

 I guess we mechanics just like to see what we can get away with. Now to be sure, some of these tricksy, false things don't work perfectly. A customer would never put up with the functionality of some things we do. But mechanics seem to know when to over shift a hair, or when you have to do something a "certain way" to make it "work". I'm not saying any of this is a good thing, mind you, but it happens. Experimentation. Tinkering. Basically being a mechanic means you have a proclivity for this sort of behavior.

So, today's example- Wrong wheels with tires not rated for the bike because "they do not fit and screw up the geometry", and a cassette from Shimano on a SRAM 1X chain and rear derailleur. It's not supposed to be. You aren't seeing this. It does not work at all. You cannot do this.

Except when it does for me........but I am a bike mechanic, after all.

Lessons Learned From Teaching

Yesterday I just finished up with my last Mechanics Class for the year. I had a four hour class which was held twice with two different groups of cyclists/students. I taught them the basics of bicycle mechanics, how to tune up their bicycle, and some tricks of the trade I've learned and used over almost twenty years of being a bicycle mechanic.

I'm sure the students learned a lot, and if I take their comments after the fact to heart, I would say that they actually did learn something or three along the way. But what they didn't know was how much I learned teaching them.

The classes were attended by more women than I expected. Fully one third of the total number were women. That was very heartening and, I might add, exciting from my viewpoint. I was stoked because it showed me that several women were not intimidated by the shop, or signing up for classes, and that they wanted to learn. I also was stoked on every class attendant's willingness to learn, by the way, but in this day and age where you hear all kinds of chatter this way and that about how shops are or are not doing a good job with women's needs in cycling, well...... I guess the shop I work at is doing a pretty fair job in that arena.

So, I learned that.

I also learned that people around here don't mind getting their hands dirty. That's good to see. The students dug in and worked with their bicycles and were getting knowledge built through doing. But more than that, I learned that there is a certain joy in giving away knowledge and wisdom gained through a lifetime of work.

I could be like so many mechanics who begrudgingly give out snippets of information, or who won't teach the tricks of the trade for fear that they will lose business or......whatever it is they are afraid of. I don't know. I guess I don't see it that way. I learned something quite different, actually. I learned that when you share some good information people actually respect that and trust and relationship in terms of the business actually grows stronger.

So, those are a few of the things I learned from teaching. I hope to continue that and learn even more.

Lessons Learned From Teaching

Yesterday I just finished up with my last Mechanics Class for the year. I had a four hour class which was held twice with two different groups of cyclists/students. I taught them the basics of bicycle mechanics, how to tune up their bicycle, and some tricks of the trade I've learned and used over almost twenty years of being a bicycle mechanic.

I'm sure the students learned a lot, and if I take their comments after the fact to heart, I would say that they actually did learn something or three along the way. But what they didn't know was how much I learned teaching them.

The classes were attended by more women than I expected. Fully one third of the total number were women. That was very heartening and, I might add, exciting from my viewpoint. I was stoked because it showed me that several women were not intimidated by the shop, or signing up for classes, and that they wanted to learn. I also was stoked on every class attendant's willingness to learn, by the way, but in this day and age where you hear all kinds of chatter this way and that about how shops are or are not doing a good job with women's needs in cycling, well...... I guess the shop I work at is doing a pretty fair job in that arena.

So, I learned that.

I also learned that people around here don't mind getting their hands dirty. That's good to see. The students dug in and worked with their bicycles and were getting knowledge built through doing. But more than that, I learned that there is a certain joy in giving away knowledge and wisdom gained through a lifetime of work.

I could be like so many mechanics who begrudgingly give out snippets of information, or who won't teach the tricks of the trade for fear that they will lose business or......whatever it is they are afraid of. I don't know. I guess I don't see it that way. I learned something quite different, actually. I learned that when you share some good information people actually respect that and trust and relationship in terms of the business actually grows stronger.

So, those are a few of the things I learned from teaching. I hope to continue that and learn even more.

Minus Ten Review- 5

Perhaps the ugliest handle bars ever devised by man.

Ten years ago on the blog here I referenced a "New York Times" article which bemoaned the state of customer relations between bicycle shop mechanics and the customers. I took umbrage at their "too simplistic" viewpoint and offered up some counterpoints to their views.

Of course, I also agreed that in many cases, they were right to say what they did say. Here is a sampling of that post for review:

"On the other hand: I will say that certain of the bicycle mechanic and sales help are woefully under informed, self righteous, and downright unfriendly. I have been in several bike shops that have suffered this mentality. It's as if, "Well, if you don't know the code words and the secret handshake, then buzz off pal!" So, I can see where stuff like (that) can also be legitimate.

So, it's alot more complex than one might think. A good shop will have a knowledgeable mechanic that is most likely under payed, and expected to cover customer service, sales, teaching, managing, purchasing, researching, and student skills all in the same day. A lot of us are stressed, sure. I'm not saying, "Oh! Pity the poor, poor shop mechanic!" However; it ain't easy street either!

And to those "holier than thou" shop rats out there. Straighten up before the "Pedal Wrench of Karma" smacks you 'tween the eyes!"

 Unfortunately, ten years down the road, I can honestly say that nothing has changed. There are rumors of changes, in the form of a "professional, certified bicycle mechanic's association", but in reality? Yeah..... There would need to be a major shift in the economy of this culture before bicycle mechanics are paid anywhere near the salaries of, say, car mechanics, and they don't often get what they are worth either. I know. I was one for five and a half years.

Oh, and as for that Jones H-Bar knock off by Titec?  Yeah.....  One ugly bar! Led me to get the Carbon H-Bar I have now, but man! What were they thinking when they used that cross bar?

Minus Ten Review- 5

Perhaps the ugliest handle bars ever devised by man.

Ten years ago on the blog here I referenced a "New York Times" article which bemoaned the state of customer relations between bicycle shop mechanics and the customers. I took umbrage at their "too simplistic" viewpoint and offered up some counterpoints to their views.

Of course, I also agreed that in many cases, they were right to say what they did say. Here is a sampling of that post for review:

"On the other hand: I will say that certain of the bicycle mechanic and sales help are woefully under informed, self righteous, and downright unfriendly. I have been in several bike shops that have suffered this mentality. It's as if, "Well, if you don't know the code words and the secret handshake, then buzz off pal!" So, I can see where stuff like (that) can also be legitimate.

So, it's alot more complex than one might think. A good shop will have a knowledgeable mechanic that is most likely under payed, and expected to cover customer service, sales, teaching, managing, purchasing, researching, and student skills all in the same day. A lot of us are stressed, sure. I'm not saying, "Oh! Pity the poor, poor shop mechanic!" However; it ain't easy street either!

And to those "holier than thou" shop rats out there. Straighten up before the "Pedal Wrench of Karma" smacks you 'tween the eyes!"

 Unfortunately, ten years down the road, I can honestly say that nothing has changed. There are rumors of changes, in the form of a "professional, certified bicycle mechanic's association", but in reality? Yeah..... There would need to be a major shift in the economy of this culture before bicycle mechanics are paid anywhere near the salaries of, say, car mechanics, and they don't often get what they are worth either. I know. I was one for five and a half years.

Oh, and as for that Jones H-Bar knock off by Titec?  Yeah.....  One ugly bar! Led me to get the Carbon H-Bar I have now, but man! What were they thinking when they used that cross bar?

A Mechanic's View: The Brands

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

 

 

 

A Mechanic's View: The Brands

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

 

 

 

A Mechanic's View: 3

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

 

A Mechanic's View: 3

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

 

The Mechanic's View: 2

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

Shimano "333" shifter for a 3 speed internal gear hub from an old Huffy 20"er. 

 

Var Cotter Pin Press

The Mechanic's View: 2

No wordy post today! Just wanted to share some views from the shop. It is Winter, and I have a bit more time on my hands these days. I figured I would take a few "close up" views of some of the work I have been doing of late. I used an iPhone 5s this time, and I used an Olympus Tough TG-3 camera on the "Microscope" setting, then I did a little post-processing fooling around, and that's it.

These aren't meant to be great "photographs" because I simply don't care what "technicalities" are offended or encouraged in my take on these. I simply look at this like drawing or painting, and the end look overall is what pleases me. Maybe you'll like them, maybe not.

Nuff said, here's the images for today.

Shimano "333" shifter for a 3 speed internal gear hub from an old Huffy 20"er. 

 

Var Cotter Pin Press