What do you do?'to pay the bills'

[MadMike]

I think we all know one of your hobbies(VW's) ;D So what do you all do to support it? I'm semi-retired ;D and was Owner of Mad Racing a Motorcycle/ATV Performance Shop. I also did ATV Safety Classes and Dirt Bike School,Before I started Mad Racing I owned Mike's Transmissions Service,Now I just Build VW Engines & Transmissions for something to do 8-)Madmike

[Southpaw]

If I don't get a job soon I may not have any toys to play with . After 14 months I'm now getting an unemployment check . I loss a kick a$$ job & didn't need a side job .

[blue71]

I'm a college student so budget restrictions? Most definitely! If I wind up needing something I'll trade to get it or sell some stuff I'm not using.

Then I wind up needing what I sold, like the spare glass and WCM seal for a bus side vent wing delete window. I sold it last summer to get a new spare coil. Now have another bus so had to buy some glass from a friend.

[81pumagtc]

I tried being a gigolo, but I couldn't afford a cup of coffee with that. (Actually couldn't afford a Bazooka Joe piece of gum...who am I kidding?)

I'll often design a widget or do some database works for folks.

Occasionally I'll do some private computer work as well. Very technical boy here...

Keeps the Puma in catnip!


Dave

[dunedudex4]

Printing by trade.... I'm the guy that fold your road maps... Thanks Dave T

[VDub63 ( Steven )]

I am a Welder. I work for Landscape Forms Inc. in Comstock. Full time dad to Addison. Part time photographer.

[ghiastein]

I am currently a Design Engineer in the mechanical field. I currently work at a start up company currently at the Research and Development stage. The problem is that we have been at that stage for years without progress.

I have also been the Assistant Store Manager of AutoZone almost to the point of running my own store but I turned it down. I also worked at Sears Auto Center back when they did more than just tires and batteries. I have also been ASE Certified in many automobile areas but my certifications have all been expired.

[MadMike]

6 repleys ;D and over 60 checked it out Kind of cool to find out if I or anyone could use your services, was the reason for the post ;D I luv to Barter

[81pumagtc]

AJ:

I feel for you! I was Director of Engineering for a company in Jackson, and designed lots of interesting stuff...from mechanized powder coating sprayers, solar-powered type C arrowboards (the big trailers that tell you to change lanes on the highway), solar-powered battery packs (CNN used them in South America), pre-fabricated garages, a radio-controlled training machine that could serve and set volleyballs so accurately that you could shoot baskets with them...even had sonar built in to stop them if someone accidentally wandered in front of it, and other things I can't even remember.

The issue was, that I would design things, we would develop and prototype them, and then never actually get around to selling more that a few of them at a time. Very frustrating when your children would languish when they found new and shiny things to play with.

I REALLY feel for you!


Dave

[MadMike]

Dave, I got to talk to you about Solar power next time we meet,LOL

[vw1s]

I work for Walters Gardens as an irrigation maintenence technichian by day. You know the BIG sprinklers that farmers use to irrigate? That's me, I make the rain! I maintain 4 T-L linear irrigation machines, and 24 Kifco T-40 hard hose reel machines, as well as 12 pumpsites with no less than 30 horsepower electric motors and up to 75 horsepower electric motors, 29 pumps in all. We are capable of pumping over 100,000 gallons a minute if we turned on every pump we have! It would make quick work of filling your swimming pool!
I also build and maintain all of the controls for the pump motors, all of which can be started, and set to run for a given period of time, from a hand held radio. I also maintain miles of underground irrigation pipe, mostly 6" and 8" PVC. I also assist in the maintenence of the tractors, planters, harvesters, and related field equipment to support 900 acres of field grown perrenials.

That's what I do in the summer time.

In the "off season", I spend most of my time at our main plant in Zeeland. I do everything from design and build greenhouse related equipment (I'm currently working on a new mower that hangs from rails in the top of a greenhouse and will be used to trim the tops of plants). I also do a LOT of plumbing, I am in the final stretch of a plumbing project that I started at the beginning of January! I re-plumbed about half of our greenhouse complex to supply 3 different sources of water to the different greenhouse ranges.
In my spare time I do a little bit of everything, just like at work. If it's broke, I fix it.
In the past I've worked at a body shop and, like AJ, have quite a few expired certifications, including I-CAR and ATEG. I've also done my fair share of time in the pizza industry, starting while I was in high school, and eventually working my way up to managing 3 different Hungry Howies locations. I would love to open my own restaraunt some day.

As some of you already know, my wife Cori does pinstriping and hand painted lettering. She also makes cakes for any occasion, anything from a simple birthday cake, to the most elegant wedding cakes, she can do it. Fountains, sugar work, fondant, flowers, etc, she can do it! If you've watched Buddy or Duff on TV, and thought, who can make cakes like that? Cori can!

So that's what I/we do. Let me know if I can help, I too love to barter!

[rochester73super]

I am co-owner of Interstate Construction. We specialize in insurance restoration of residential / commercial / institutional properties from fire / water / wind / etc. damage. We are based out of Sterling Heights, MI.

www.Interstateconstructionllc.com

to help fund my Choptop 73 Super project, I pickup bottles and cans alongside the freeway.

[Southpaw]

OK , Heres my list . @ 12 years old I striped & rebuilt my dads 1950 Harley Panhead all but splitting the cases and tranny and that summer I started paying taxes due to the job I got helping in heating & AC repair .

@ 17 I started machining at K-Line Tool and Die in Holland working in the tool room doing R&D and low production . By 19 I was in South Haven building rubber molds .

4 years in the Navy trained in steam heat & hyd ac/ref and damage control including decontamination of dropped Nuclear weapons .

After the Navy worked @ Martin Marietta Aerospace building B1B bomber components , Minute Man Missiles and Vertical launch system components .

Then Stamping dies , Plastic , Zinc , Aluminum , Rubber molds , Die Cast machine repair .

I have been in the bottom of a Nuclear Reactor ( Off line ) and transported a broken fuel rod . it was the size of a pencil eraser @ 8,000 REM taped to a broom handle and put in a lead bucket ( 600 REM can kill a MAN )

And for 14 years @ Trelleborg Automotive I was a 1 man Prototype Machine shop at the Corporate headquarters in South Haven . Now that was fun , thought I was going to retire there . had a week & a half back-log aways had work .

And in between that 11 1/2 years in a Bike Club repairing and building Harley's .

Now almost 7 years playing with my VW bus Westley the Green Tin Can .

AND 14 mounts looking for a new job in Van Buren Co. (slim pic-kins) P.S. Wanted 1 JOB , good pay .

[jmallen05]

I am a pipe fitter, specifically fire protection. Its not really a dream job, but it pays the bills. I don't really have any specialized skills, but I do a pretty good job at dumbing my way through things.

If anyone has any knowledge about boats please let me know. I have a 17ft glastron with an inboard that has a leaky lower unit. Hoping it just needs some new seals, but I have no idea really.
This spring, with the help of my favorite 12 pack, I'll be diving into it head first. Hopefully I figure it out.



jerry

[dansam]

I am a servce advisor at a Buick GMC Formerly Olds/Pontiac store. I set up oil changes and brake jobs all day I guess I just need to be around cars in need ALL THE TIME.