So it occoured to me...
That maybe instead of trying to describe to people what I do at work, I should bring a digital camera to work for a while and do kind of a photo essay. I really do like what I do (mold making) and though we're in kind of an 'off' time right now, being in between model years and awaiting our corporate overlords to approve the new budget so we can begin 2010 projects in earnest, times like now allow me to do some prototyping type stuff. For example I nearly always work with 6061-T651 Aluminum, but recently I've had a project come down the pipeline that uses A36 Carbon steel. The fuck do I know about machining steel? Nothing. But I do know how and where to find that information and will commence to making some custom size/shape/function T-nuts for a H.O./skunkworks project. I should post some pictures of some past prototype stuff I've done...in terms of machining they're nothing amazing, but they're all mine...and I never really served an apprenticeship so I'm mostly self taught. Well, self and a few others who have been mentors and helpers.