On Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:43:25 -0500, Bill in Detroit
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

As I work for a small company, there isn't really that much pay
compared to the larger shops in the area- but the work is interesting,
the people who own the place are very decent to work with, and they
were willing to go along with the fringe benefit above. Nor is it
entirely limited to me- most employees enjoy the same freedom to make
product for personal use, provided it doesn't interfere with the
normal work, and they are in good graces with the powers that be. It
just happens that I hold one of the two positions that allows me the
free time do things like this on a semi-regular basis.



I can recall working for a small machine shop that was very much like
that. We called it "government work" and you were allowed free run of
the shop on your lunch 1/2 hr to do whatever metal work you might have
need of doing.

We call it that here as well- I figured it was an oddball thing that
was specific to the shop, but I guess not!


So ... lots of little shops allow 'gubmint work'. But not everyone is
willing to give up their lunch break to do it. Machine shop work can be
both stressful and difficult ... and the rest needed. But ... for a good
cause ... almost anything is possible.

Sometimes it's stressful and/or difficult, but I'm a fairly energetic
guy most days. We've got a shortage of machinists of any type in our
area (and it sounds like it's not even really as bad as most areas!)
so they're extra nice to everyone on the floor- that makes things much
more pleasant, obviously. (Though I admit, sometimes I wish they'd do
a little head cracking from time to time- not everyone works well
under their own steam!)

Generally speaking, I don't use my full breaks- I just grab a quick
cigarette, and then head back in. I find that if I sit down, I don't
want to get back up again, and it gets just a little harder every
year. Better to have sore feet and do a little extra work than to
fall asleep in the break room!