Member Profile

Test Survey:

Which of these machines do you have in your workshop?

• Lathe

• Mlling machine

• Drilling machine

• Bench grinder

• Compressor /air tools

More about me:

Got paid by the Railways to attend Imperial College on a 1:3:1 sandwich course. (Those were the days.)

Worked in the Signalling and Telecommunications Dept. of Eastern Region.

    High points. Using a hacksaw to cut a slot in a steel bar used to change the interlocking in a 100 year old signal box, writing basic code to automate tasks in the telecoms office, travelling on the footplate of a Deltic and hitting detonators for unscheduled track work.

   Low points, dodging trains. At the time, this was the second most dangerous job in the UK with 2-1/2 fatalities per month.

Worked in the oil fields of the Middle-East and Far-East.

   High points. Being paid to travel to remote and sometimes beautiful regions of Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Sumatra, Papua New Guinea and many more. Successfully and safely handling radioactive sources, various types of explosives, and high pressure (>3000 psi) oil and gas wells.

   Low points. Repeatedly being stuck on a rig with nothing to do and wondering the ways this was different from being in jail.

Becoming an expert in Production Logging

   Finally had my true worth realised (and possibly a bit more). Got used to M$/day North Sea rigs waiting while I converted raw log data into answers and then recommended where to spend the next 30M$. Developed interpretation algorithms and techniques. Had Patents issued. Wrote an interpretation manual (now on its second edition).

Retirement at 56.

Living in Phuket. Studying Thai to keep the brain active. Need to start building that clock when I get a round to it.

My stats:

• 155 forum posts
• 18 photos
• 0 articles