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shadetree

When do you call it quits ?

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Hey outlaws, I have been thinking about this for awhile at times, and I just wanted to get ya'lls input on this. I'm 55 years old now, been working ( wrenching ) on atcs, atvs , motorcycles, small engines for around 28 years now. at times I love what I do, other times, I feel burned out, need to slow down, go ride instead of wrench so much. my question is, when do ya'll call it quits ?, do you enjoy working on your toys all the time ?, or do you get that feeling its just gone on to long ?. I don't know how much longer I will still do this kinda work ?, but it sure feels at times I should be doing something else other than wrench 24/7 !. whats ya'll thought on this subject ?. No I am not kicking the bucket ...yet !..lol, I just feel like I should be enjoying life outside of wrenching at times is all. have I reached the burned out yet ?, have or do ya'll ever feel this way ?. tell me what you think !..thanks.

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I am 61 and have no plans to retire , I think the saying " rolling stone gathers no moss " is true , stay going as long as you can ,  that not only includes physical work but mental challenges ----- seen both my Grandfathers retire and with in a year both were gone , sitting on the sofa and watching tv will kill you faster than a hard days work , especially if the work is something you enjoy 

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1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

I am 61 and have no plans to retire , I think the saying " rolling stone gathers no moss " is true , stay going as long as you can ,  that not only includes physical work but mental challenges ----- seen both my Grandfathers retire and with in a year both were gone , sitting on the sofa and watching tv will kill you faster than a hard days work , especially if the work is something you enjoy 

well...this is all I do..or shall I say...able too do ?. my motorcycle wreck in  '08 left me with no choice but to be home now, but to keep from going insane ?, I do this. I am by no means sitting on the couch all day !..lol. that would deff make me head for the nut house !!!..lol.

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Take up a new hobby like fishing or hunting where you are not doing mechanic work all the time.

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Just now, riverc said:

Take up a new hobby like fishing or hunting where you are not doing mechanic work all the time.

I do all that..but not in the winter time !!..lol. me and cold weather dont mix !!!..lol.

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4 minutes ago, shadetree said:

I do all that..but not in the winter time !!..lol. me and cold weather dont mix !!!..lol.

 

Well ok.....You could start a eBay business stripping old bikes and selling parts.Try and find a part time job someplace where you are not on your feet all the time.

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good idea River....I'm not a wrench monkey by any stretch.. I get into the work usually cause the local shops are 6-8 weeks backlogged and I just don't want to wait..but at 63..the arthritis in my hands...really takes the fun out of it..so I do what I do just so I can get back to riding.

 

I did sell my small biz a year back now...and I don't regret it...hard on the body..late hours, long weekends, lifting heavy gear..heat, cold, etc...and stress...the ATV/dirtbike/golfcart hobby has helped me detox from working all the time, but I still would rather ride than wrench...and I still have my day-office job for a few more years...can't afford to fully retire..and I am missing that extra income...I 'need' to work for another 5 years and even then, might be making a serious lifestyle change in order to make ends meet..we'll see...don't even know that I've got 5 years left on my engine warranty...nobody is promised tomorrow right?...ride, enjoy...

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I'm about 15 years older than you.

 

I have a new atv so I almost feel left out about doing work on it, as it doesn't need anything other than usual maintenance and a winch.  And I don't want to ride in winter.

 

My motorcycle is 10 years old so I'm starting to get a little work to do on it.

 

My car doesn't need much either, tho' it's old.

 

So if anything I'd like more wrenching to do.  More projects. 

 

But the others are right, you have to stay active.  Sitting around doing nothing will kill you. 

 

As to the hands glucosamine chondroitin helps with the soreness stiffness in the hands.  A lot of mechanics use it, or anyone who works with their hands and it can help a lot.  There are a lot of other vitamin and mineral supplements too that may help with that.

 

But that's between you and your doctor but your best health is good nutrition.  For me there's no question that the vitamin and mineral supplements are what keeps me going and no doctor has ever told me that.  In fact I have heard of doctors telling people to avoid those things.  I suppose they don't want anything cutting into their business.  But I know what's right and what has worked for me.

 

I have a new house also, so nothing to do there. 

 

I work part time at physical labor (25) hours.  But I could still accomplish a lot.  I'm happy to take my time installing the winch, as when it's done I've got nothing else to do. 

 

A challenge is always good for me.  I like being able to find out the answer or the part or the tool. 

 

You are young yet.  But do it the way you want to do it.  Maybe you just need a vacation.  Sit on the beach for a few days to figure it out.  But you have a long way to do yet.  So line it up so it suits you best.  And feels right for you.

dc

 

 

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I recently retired from my job profession what ever you want to call it. I know I wont retire completely just got tired of the BS at my place. there comes a time when you just know its the right time to go.

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Shade I’m almost 42 & I find myself wanting to enjoy my hobbies more so than working on them now. When I installed that 383 Stroker, Tranny & all the gear on my truck I found then that it hit me.. I’d rather be doing other things instead of throwing out my back bending over working on it. I’m procrastinating on the engine removal & replacement of side case on my 300 now! The motivation to do it is lacking. So all in all, I understand what u r saying. I will never give up wrenching, but I sure won’t be doing it anymore just to do it... 

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I hear ya Jeff....I'm hoping to get a couple more years into the job here with big corporate...but they have just announced some major re-org..so I have no idea what 2020 holds...I've got some time in ...benefits, fully vested, etc...and it's a cozy gig and not a bad commute..so I'd like to ride the train a few more miles....if not, I'll likely grab a consulting gig....contract work is easier to find...full time stuff at exec level..no..the unspoken bias is age..they can't say it...but they aren't looking to hire a guy that they think only has 2 years left...in reality.. I'd love to keep working for another 5-7 years...but that's not what they see....

but the 80-90 hr weeks are done for me... used to own a music industry concert biz...so every weekend had stages in play...and even if I wasn't working a stage, I'd be stressed waiting for the trucks to pull in a 1-2am...and then going out to the warehouse (on my property next o my home) and helping the guys unload, often reload for the next day work...money was good..and made sure to have all trucks, cars, credit cards etc..paid off before I sold the biz..and that cash has gone for home repairs, upgrades etc...and there's some in the bank to get us through a year or so if need be...but I'm a workaholic.. I admit it..and the wife knows that if I don't have some hobbies to be passionate about, I'm likey to go out and start another biz...so she's quick to say..."hey.did you finish that carb rebuild on the 79 honda trail bike?....go out to the garage and enjoy yourself... "  grin...if I've wanted another machine, or gun, etc this year..she's been all about it..anything to keep me from standing up another side biz.

 

I am slowing down.. I confess...I have a home gymn..hit it hard 3 days a week..but results just aren't what they were when I was 40...and muscle mass is fading...it is fact of life...but even last evening...we had gone 4 hours down the road over the weekend to get my 88yr old mom to bring her up for the holiday...got in with an hour of daylight left...grabbed the ladder and hung a couple more strings of lights on the house and then the wife wanted to check some of the trail cams out back...but with the flooding rain, she wasn't sure if there would be any problems for her lifted golf cart...so I told her, with a smile, that I'd be happy to jump on the old fourtrax and do a quick recon of the property..so there's my old 63yr old self out there picking up my feet as I plowed though axle deep standing water and spinning some mud on a back trail... I'm always hoping to still be a big kid...no matter my age.

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If you aren't enjoying it, at least to some degree, take a break.

 

If you stay away from it for a bit, the desire to work on it again will return.

 

I go back and forth from Jeeps to ATV's to my old truck to boomsticks and then start the whole thing over again.  Have a lot more hobbies than I have time to do them, but I do get tired, frustrated, and irritated to the point of walking away from it.  I take a break, tinker on something else, and eventually work my way back around to the projects. 

 

Here lately I haven't been able to do any wrenching with this new kid.  Needless to say I'm practically frothing at the mouth to get back on it.  Nothing makes you want it more than being away from it for awhile.

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Shade . . . . if you're financially able to retire or seriously cut-back on your vocation, do so.  If it's not enjoyable anymore, seriously take a look at something else.  The years go by quickly now . . . . do something that will make you happy.  Good luck to you on whatever you decide is best for you.  Many of us have wrestled with same issue.  

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well way I see it is this,

 if what your doing isn't being as good to you as before, take some time off and just do something else

 as quite honestly, turning tools will always be there if you want o go back to it!

 

I was sort of forced out of my job with a back injury after almost 24 yrs, then company left the country screwing all its workers left behind

 still have back injury(no fix in that) and have since now been out of work since 2009

 I don't buy into folks die after they retire, or at least that the retirement had anything to d with it

 Life style changes MAYBE, but odds are if your a guy that stays busy at work, your going to stay busy when you retire, or all folks I know that lived by ALWAYS being busy, that is what they all do, !, a good portion of them I think NOW work more hours and harder than they did before they retired!

 

I'm always busting there ! about it as well

 I mean, Crap, point of retiring IMO< is tyo enjoy time off to do things you couldn;t when working

 if your going to retire(Make less $$) and just plain work more

 WHY did you even retire??

I can honestly tell you I don;t miss my old job at all

 I DO miss the income and the benefits it provided me and its been a struggle to adjust to there losses, I miss my health more than anything as its  been a hard pill to swallow daily ever since!

 

Maybe it all comes down to how much you like or dislike your job too though!

 

SHade IMO

 

 if working on atv 's and such, ain;t making you happy as it used to

 DO something else I say!

 never know till you try as they say!

 

 

 

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Hey shade, you have had a nice change this fall working on your cabin.  I know it's hard work but something different for a change.  Sounds like you have more to do so next spring take some time away from wrenching and finish the cabin.  You can keep wrenching to keep you going but maybe not take on the full rebuilds like you have been doing.  I'm sure there are many smaller fixes you can do such as brakes, carbs, or top ends.  Just slow down on the full jobs from the ground up.  I think you have enough of a rep in your area to pick and chose the smaller easier fixes.  I can't believe you want to completely dump working on these but I could be wrong.  You've just been burning yourself out on these long hard rebuilds.....my 2 cents worth...

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9 hours ago, riverc said:

 

Well ok.....You could start a eBay business stripping old bikes and selling parts.Try and find a part time job someplace where you are not on your feet all the time.

I have thought of this a few times, even my bud who has a very large bone yard of atvs, atcs, tried to get me to start doing this ^^, might give it some more thought !.

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53 minutes ago, bcsman said:

Hey shade, you have had a nice change this fall working on your cabin.  I know it's hard work but something different for a change.  Sounds like you have more to do so next spring take some time away from wrenching and finish the cabin.  You can keep wrenching to keep you going but maybe not take on the full rebuilds like you have been doing.  I'm sure there are many smaller fixes you can do such as brakes, carbs, or top ends.  Just slow down on the full jobs from the ground up.  I think you have enough of a rep in your area to pick and chose the smaller easier fixes.  I can't believe you want to completely dump working on these but I could be wrong.  You've just been burning yourself out on these long hard rebuilds.....my 2 cents worth...

yeah..your right, I spend so much time into doing complete rebuilds, it eats away most of my time, sooo..your right on this !.

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@everyone, thank you very much for your comments !. I do love wrenching, its in my blood. but as a few here have said, it takes a ton of time to do what I do, and maybe this is why I feel like I do at times ?, I just need to slow down, breath, exhale , and take it slower I guess ?. I did get my cabin fixed up this past summer, I am looking very forward to spending time out on the lake next spring/summer enjoying my jet ski that only has about 12 hrs on it ?!!, its time to chill for a bit ! :-).

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I was ready to call it quits years ago. Not turning wrenches but move to a private sector so I can do other things as well. Take a week and go set in a skid loader or tun a backhoe and install water lines or something. I use to help bale in the summer months but it got to be too much so I quit that. The piece and quiet of sitting in the tractor is missed though. Taking a break and doing something else for a while helps a lot. 

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Take a break. Do something else. No fun in wrenching all the time, have to enjoy the fruits of your labours some. Life is too short to be doing things you don't enjoy, everybody can get burnt out. I haven't had any major projects going for some time now, I did that hooptie 300 last winter but that's been about it. Doesn't bother me much, if I want a project I'll go buy one. Simple as that lol.

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Whatever you do don't give up imparting your advise on the forums, you have way too much knowledge not to share with those of us who need it.  Good grief my 450 would be sputtering along right now without the help I received, just had it out hauling wood today, running like a top.  You have no idea how much people like me appreciate what you have accumulated in that Arkansas brain of yours..... 

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1 minute ago, _Wilson_™ said:

Interesting thread, what ever you choose just do it while your health holds out.

my health is fine..for now !..lol.

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I told this story before , it had a dramatic affect on how I view things , the Johanna Witness ladies stopped by , I am Catholic , but talked with them a few times , cause the younger one was pretty hot , LOL  , the older lady looked around and asked about all the 4 wheelers , she says " can I ask how old you are " , I told her and she says " , how many more years do you think you can ride 4 wheelers before you can't do it any more " , then she says , "10 years maybe , there are 52 weekends in a year , so that is 520 more weekends " , when I looked at it like that , I started partying like it was 1999 , that was about 5 years ago , so by those numbers I only got 260 weekends left in me , LOL 

 

I seen it so many times , people retire and can't do the things they want to do any more cause their body won't let them , so I am living my retirement now 

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26 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

I told this story before , it had a dramatic affect on how I view things , the Johanna Witness ladies stopped by , I am Catholic , but talked with them a few times , cause the younger one was pretty hot , LOL  , the older lady looked around and asked about all the 4 wheelers , she says " can I ask how old you are " , I told her and she says " , how many more years do you think you can ride 4 wheelers before you can't do it any more " , then she says , "10 years maybe , there are 52 weekends in a year , so that is 520 more weekends " , when I looked at it like that , I started partying like it was 1999 , that was about 5 years ago , so by those numbers I only got 260 weekends left in me , LOL 

 

I seen it so many times , people retire and can't do the things they want to do any more cause their body won't let them , so I am living my retirement now 

I hear ya fish !. I dont worry about not being able to do this work, shoot..i'm still picking up these old 350 motors complete, and rocking them into frames, and this is with a bad leg !!!..lol.

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