Shop Truths, Phrases, Tales; and Outright Lies

[PJs]

Nice thread guys! A little true story, close to home. Dad was a POL officer back in the late 50's early 60's and there was a huge problem with water in jet fuel, causing catastrophic failures particularly in cold weather climates and altitude. The engineers had built elaborate multi-screen filters down to 100 mesh but water was still a problem with moisture in solution. Dad did some research and we played with a few things in the shop, finally settling on the use of felt. Bottom line was Dads simple but elegant solution worked and it became the standard for the Air Force jet fuel systems and may still be today(?). My favorite saying he used to tell us was "a mouse built to government specs is an elephant".

I came into engineering backwards and probably for the best IMHO. Growing up in a home shop, making things we needed, fixing and making things better, competition U-Control model airplanes and hand launch gliders, experimented with chemistry, electronics, physics, and any other candle I could light. Then college (EE), then to retail for a few years then to turning a wrench professionally for 7 years (because they were laying off PhD EE's). Then back to school for mechanical, and CAD. Then turned a pencil until a few years ago. When I was a wrench I always said those Detroit engineers should never pick up a pencil till they worked on vehicles for at least 3 years. A 69' Cougar 390 with progressive tail lights is a perfect example. Second on my list is the Mopar "Lean Burn" system of the 70's.

As an engineering manager in my later years I coined the phrase "Simple Elegance" for our group and tried to instill it by example and praise with our designs for manufacturing. Unfortunately most company's want it yesterday and settle for quite a bit less, dumping it in the market before it reaches some semblance of that...and generally more costly than getting it right and clean first, IMHO.

As a minor hilarity I remember recommending a small ($300) but important software package back in the mid 80's and sitting in a staff meeting for over an hour giving all the details and listening to 7 other staff members hunt and peck around the idea for over an hour...then I said; How much has this meeting with staff members cost the company for the last hour and change? The boss looked at me kind of shocked and frowned then said buy it. Near as I remember there was probably $6-800/hour sitting there. Doh!

Thanks, ~PJ