Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

871–880 of 881 posts

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#871

Post by wusher87 »

lloyd-christmas wrote: post #330
bungie4 wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is funny, I came into programming from being a high end cabinet maker. I had to give it up because I'm allergic to the components that make up the 'smell' of red oak. Which we worked with a lot. Theirs a real satisfaction in looking at a your work at the end of the day and being able to SEE it.

I've always whittled as a fun side hobby. My desire to do anything bigger is limited by a fear of the table saw. As a lefty, nothing in the shop plays nice with me. I'm too worried about losing a finger which would impact my income stream as well as my other hobby, piano. But, I still spend more time looking at joinery than I do on HN.

As others have mentioned, SawStop can mitigate most of that risk (but not all - it's still possible to get kickback if you're not careful). I'd probably own a SawStop, if not for some of the questionable behavior if it's owner [1]. It's unfortunate, because they're very well made and designed saws.

You may want to check out the Bosch ReaXX, which has a similar tech in a portable job-site saw. SawStop is currently suing Bosch for patent infringement (which I don't fault them for; it was them trying to make it illegal to sell saws without their tech that didn't sit right with me).

[1] http://toolguyd.com/sawstops-stephen-gass-people-who-are-des... and a followup that's more balanced: http://toolguyd.com/sawstop-perspective-update/

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#877

Post by hackermailman »

EpicEng wrote: post #620

Modern day blacksmith. Specifically, I want to make high end, historically accurate swords for a living. I love swords :)

Look up Niels Provos' (OpenSSH/Google) youtube page, he works F/T and is a hobbyist swordsmith https://www.youtube.com/user/mintwart

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#879

Post by evprop »

phaus wrote: post #642
mattmanser wrote: post #532

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That you have an opinion on this and know the circumstances seems to suggest you know multiple people who have lost their fingers, which would suggest the risk is actually quite high.

If a completely untrained person bought an entire shop worth of power tools and just started trying to build stuff, the potential for injury is astronomical. However, there's a right way to go about it. Every shop tool has a simple set of rules to follow. Learn the proper and safe way to use things, wear appropriate attire and safety equipment, pay attention, and the risk is very low. Powertools are made to cut/grind…

Never put your fingers where you wouldn't put your bollocks and you will be fine.

Re: Ask HN: If you were to switch career, what would you do?

#880

Post by mattsnuts »

pieperz wrote: post #633
mrtron wrote: post #626

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a bit confused what stumpcrafters is after going to the website. There is some sort of game...and you sell these pieces of wood for the game?

This page explanes it the best. https://stumpcrafters.com/pages/what-is-the-stump-game TLDR; The Stump Game is played with a Stump, nails, and a hammer. Win by being the last nail above the face of the stump.

They play a similar drinking game in ski bars in Austria - you each get 3 swings of the hammer, before passing the hammer on. Last nail left buys a round. Except you have to hit the nails in with the other end of the hammer, the part for pulling out the nails.

I'm not kidding, in the middle of bars they have a big ol' tree stump full of nails

Post reply on HN