Attention Oldies...

[GaSouthpaw]

After being in this business on and off since the early 80s and full-time since '97, I'd like to think I know it all. That's not reality, though, and I love learning new tricks/short-cuts/etc. If you can show me/explain why an alternate way is better than what I've asked for, by all means, do it. Hell, after seeing it's faster/more efficient/whatever, I'll likely start doing it that way myself.
But, when I've gone to the trouble of spec'ing something out and it's not done that way, though- it's just freaking infuriating. I spec'd it that way because I know it works. And, as far as your first example- gluing on the letters (if it's at all avoidable) is a time-consuming waste. Doing it with the studs makes it easier on most everyone except the person who has to tighten all the nuts. My opinion, anyway.
There's always going to be the one or two people who insist on doing it their way- modernization be damned. If it works for them- more power to them- but I wouldn't want them working for me. My .02.

Addendum: Using a stud welder, I've never seen distortions on a face, unless the material was too thin (less than .080" for the face).

 

[Dan Antonelli]

Great post Rick, and so true.

Coincidentally, I just had an article published on Entrepreneur about a similar thing.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231192

 

[round man]

way way back ,lets just say it's been more than thirty years ago the gentleman who took me on as an apprentice told me,"boy anyone who knows their abc's and ten numbers can call themselves a signman",....often when I questioned him about the way he did things as compared to some of the other guys locally and in the shop,...he would respond,"Alot of signmen trained under guys who were self taught and just because their bosses did things that way they think they should,.. you can get good enough results doing things the improper way in this trade but at the end of the day all you will have done is become quite good at an improper procedure"

edited to add,....the best advice he ever gave was,..."you can't fix stupidity"

 

[Rick]

Great post Rick, and so true.

Coincidentally, I just had an article published on Entrepreneur about a similar thing.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231192

Nice read.. and I think you hit it on the head... ego.

I think confidence is a good thing. But I let my ego get in the way
when computers came in. I let my ego get in the way plenty of times
when being close-minded about some new way of doing something, like
LED and digital print. One huge thing I have a hard time choking down is
gang run printing... and I have to all the time.

I overcame each of these, but as I notice my father getting older and
frustrated with change, I'm probably going to have to rely on someone
younger and more open minded... even with design.

I don't think we all have to change EVERYTHING about ourselves, but at some
point we need to question our methods and attitudes. The story in our head
may not be the absolute truth.

 

[Rick]

way way back ,lets just say it's been more than thirty years ago the gentleman who took me on as an apprentice told me,"boy anyone who knows their abc's and ten numbers can call themselves a signman",....often when I questioned him about the way he did things as compared to some of the other guys locally and in the shop,...he would respond,"Alot of signmen trained under guys who were self taught and just because their bosses did things that way they think they should,.. you can get good enough results doing things the improper way in this trade but at the end of the day all you will have done is become quite good at an improper procedure"

edited to add,....the best advice he ever gave was,..."you can't fix stupidity"

 

[skyhigh]

I used to have newbie-syndrome... like my work was never good enough.
The fact is, I was a better designer at 18 than I am now. I didn't know any
better, I was idealistic, and had less to worry about. I didn't know enough
to give up, and I could afford to give a darn...

Thats the most interesting, and thought provoking thing I have ever read on here.

hmmmmm..... (thats my "thought provoking" sound I make now that I'm getting older)

I am totally immune to this.
If I do something mildly complex and do not write down the procedure, 3 or 4 months later a repeat of the same project will require me to figure out how I did it the first time.
The good part is I can read the same book twice in one year and still be surprised by the ending both times.......

wayne k
guam usa

LMAO
Let me guess..... do you find yourself making involuntary sounds throughout the day.....like "hmmmm" ?

 

[ggsigns]

This same observation can be made about just about any skill, trade or profession. You have to constantly learn, expand into new areas and push your personal envelope or you don't have 30 years experience, you have 5 years experience - repeated 6 times.