Is Martin's Transition from Carpentry to Engineering a Leap Too Far?

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Discussion Overview

The thread revolves around Martin's transition from carpentry to engineering, exploring his interests in mechanical engineering and physics. Participants share their personal experiences, welcome him to the forum, and engage in light-hearted banter, while also touching on Martin's background and influences.

Discussion Character

  • Meta-discussion
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Martin introduces himself as a carpenter with ambitions to become an engineer, particularly interested in mechanical engineering.
  • He expresses a fascination with how things work and enjoys problem-solving, though he acknowledges the complexity of engineering compared to carpentry.
  • Some participants share their own backgrounds and connections to Wales, creating a sense of community.
  • There is a playful exchange involving fish slapping as a welcoming tradition, with various participants contributing to the humor.
  • One participant encourages Martin to explore serious physics topics on the forum, sharing their own journey of learning and discovery.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on welcoming Martin and sharing personal anecdotes, but there is no consensus on the seriousness of the fish slapping tradition, as some participants express differing views on its appropriateness.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes informal banter and personal stories, which may not directly relate to Martin's engineering aspirations but contribute to the community atmosphere.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in transitioning careers, those with a background in carpentry or engineering, and fans of Pink Floyd may find the personal stories and community interactions engaging.

MartinJH
Messages
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(A long drawn out introduction)
I thought id post a hello since I've been reading this forum for some months with little or no post activity, it's a very intimidating place to post if you haven't a clue :D.

Im Martin from South wales (uk) a 24 yr old Carpenter by trade (5 yrs) having been to college sometime ago. I have big ambitions, maybe a little to big (another post to come), in becoming an engineer of some type. I have one or two areas i'd like to concentrate on like mechnical for instance. I've always been fascinated in how things work, thinking of ideas to improve the object in mind. I love problem solving, its in my job/nature, although, these arnt near as complicated in respect to mech engineering.

In my spare time I love working on/with computers (CAD). After watching countless hours as a kid of my late grandfather, who had a phD in nuclear physics and my uncle who has just received his masters in mechincal engineering (both influences of mine) working on/with computers, its all part of me having grown up with them. I also like to read about the cosmos and physics, call it 'pop' science if you will, the lack of knowledge towards immence calculations limits myself to just reading the sentences and leaving the maths to you guys!

I could go on more but I know its boring reading other peoples nonsence so I will leave it at that and save your sanity :).
Thanks for reading.
 
Last edited:
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Hmmm I can relate to some of your nonsense...does that mean I'm nonsensical ?? :eek:
Welcome to PF Martin! :biggrin:
*looks for Drizzle and her fish*
 
Wales is a fishy country.
What's your favourite fish, Martin? :smile:
 
haha nice one guys. Funny enough I am cooking cod in batter now so I nominate that as my favorite. I must say Wales isn't my birth place but Oxford so I am making that clear right nowww :D lol.
 
SQUELCH!
*A piece of buttery cod slams onto Martin's left ear!*

You are now properly initiated! :approve:
 
Muchly appretiated and received, I thank you [URL]http://www.airlineempires.org/public/style_emoticons/default/cheers2.gif[/URL]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Welcome and Cheers!
 
Welcome to PF Martin :smile: I hope you like it here!
 
Hey dude, where about in South Wales are you from (the great thing about Wales is you can say the actual town and most here will be unable to pronounce it let alone find it)?

Oh, I'm from there too by the way.
 
  • #10
lisab said:
Welcome to PF Martin :smile: I hope you like it here!

Its been a great experience so far!
JaredJames said:
Hey dude, where about in South Wales are you from (the great thing about Wales is you can say the actual town and most here will be unable to pronounce it let alone find it)?

Oh, I'm from there too by the way.

Hey mate, I live in the Pontypool area. Great to know there are other people from across the pond on here also :).
haha yeh know what you mean by that. My dad, also from Oxford, had trouble pronouncing Abergavenny when he came to visit us, he got it eventually. I've heard some funny storys of non Welsh people trying to pronounce place names.
 
  • #11
I met my wife in Pembroke Dock, Wales in 1999. She's now a US citizen, we're in Virginia.

Small world...
 
  • #12
Welcome Martin to PhysicsForums! :smile:

Now, I don't enjoy the next part, but it has to be done: :biggrin:

*Slaps Martin with a piece of cod*
 
  • #13
micromass said:
Welcome Martin to PhysicsForums! :smile:

Now, I don't enjoy the next part, but it has to be done: :biggrin:

*Slaps Martin with a piece of cod*

Bruises are starting to show:eek:.

I noticed you have the Floyd avatar, your favorite album? :). Mines The final cut :D.
 
  • #14
MartinJH said:
Hey mate, I live in the Pontypool area.

I'm from near Bridgend (Maesteg). Not so far at all.
Great to know there are other people from across the pond on here also :).

Well, so far as Wales goes it's pretty much just us.
haha yeh know what you mean by that. My dad, also from Oxford, had trouble pronouncing Abergavenny when he came to visit us, he got it eventually. I've heard some funny storys of non Welsh people trying to pronounce place names.

I live in London now (uni related), you want to try asking for a glass of coke up here. It took a while to get it right. All the bar staff kept asking why I wanted a glass of corks.
 
  • #15
MartinJH said:
Bruises are starting to show:eek:.

I noticed you have the Floyd avartar, your favorite album? :). Mines The final cut :D.

Ah, nice to have another Floyd fan here! :-p I (almost) feel guilty for slapping you now...

"Dark Side of the Moon" is certainly a masterpiece, but I tend to enjoy "Wish You Were Here" more nowadays. But these things change every month with me :biggrin:
 
  • #16
JaredJames said:
I'm from near Bridgend (Maesteg). Not so far at all.
Not at all about an hour away.




I live in London now (uni related), you want to try asking for a glass of coke up here. It took a while to get it right. All the bar staff kept asking why I wanted a glass of corks.

lol Corks. It was the same for me when I first moved here.
 
  • #17
micromass said:
Ah, nice to have another Floyd fan here! :-p I (almost) feel guilty for slapping you now...

"Dark Side of the Moon" is certainly a masterpiece, but I tend to enjoy "Wish You Were Here" more nowadays. But these things change every month with me :biggrin:


I love Pink Floyd. My Dad got to see them during the PULSE tour, I am incredibly jealous. Hes responsible for getting me into them. Those are great albums for sure :).
 
  • #18
Aah, I would sell my soul (not that I have any) to see PULSE live. I've heard some of the songs they played at PULSE, and it was great!

I did see Roger Waters in concert lately, it was a brilliant concert. I'll never forget it.
 
  • #19
*slaps Martin with Cod*

Hello Martin and welcome to PF! Enjoy your stay here! :D
 
  • #20
Some of you got it wrong, they should be slapped ONCE only.

And if memory serves me well only members of the PF sisterhood were allowed to do the welcoming slap.

And if you don't know it yet... you don't mess with the PF sisterhood.

Nuns%20with%20Guns.jpg
 
  • #21
I gave my fish slapping powers over to PF members in good standing.
 
  • #22
Evo said:
I gave my fish slapping powers over to PF members in good standing.

Can you give your ban gun to members in good standing? :biggrin:
 
  • #23
Welcome MartinJH. :smile:


HeLi, I don't slap people whom names starts with an M! *shifteyes* :biggrin:
 
  • #24
Alright then I'll do it...as a (rogue and sometimes unwanted) member of the PF sisterhood :biggrin:
http://www.raptureforums.com/forum/images/smilies/bigfishslap.gifWelcome Martin! :biggrin:
 
  • #25
:smile: What is that a whale :smile:

Welcom Martin... If there's any of you left. :biggrin:
 
  • #26
:-p
 
  • #27
HeLiXe said:
Alright then I'll do it...as a [STRIKE](rogue and sometimes unwanted)[/STRIKE] beloved member of the PF sisterhood :biggrin:
http://www.raptureforums.com/forum/images/smilies/bigfishslap.gif


Welcome Martin! :biggrin:

Fixed that for you :smile:
 
  • #28
Welcome to PF Martin! Hey, what do you British carpenters call a two-by-four since y'all up 'n gone metric on us?
 
  • #29
MartinJH said:
I love Pink Floyd. My Dad got to see them during the PULSE tour, I am incredibly jealous. Hes responsible for getting me into them. Those are great albums for sure :).

Martin,

Welcome, another member (myself) whose origins came from Wales as well, been a hopeless fan of Waters, Gilmore and company since the mid 1980's and only wish I had a grandfather who shared his love for Nuclear Physics with me, (my Dad was a machinist, a good one) who never pushed or inspired me with his knowledge.

I encourage you to explore the forums on serious physics subjects here, "Beyond the Standard Model", "High Energy Nuclear Particle Physics", "Cosmology" for a year or two like I did. Once you do and begin to comprehend that some physicists have spent 20 - 50 years of their lives wrestling with deep physics problems I hope you feel the same sense of awe and humbleness that I did after discovering this forum in 2009. I have read about physics mostly from books since the 70's, but, with the advances in the internet, the ability to access new physics discoveries and research has exploded (to the benefit of all mankind). This forum is an excellent (moderated) place to do that. I hope you will like it here, even if you have to suffer the gross indignities of being fish slapped to become an official member.

Rhody... :smile:
 
  • #30
lisab said:
Fixed that for you :smile:

Seconded
 

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