Tools vs. Parts

[Wesley Groleau <wesgroleau@despammed.com>]

A little imagination and analogy:

You are an expert mechanic and automotive engineer,
with two job offers.

Abe's is a well-equipped shop.  A wide variety
of modern, quality tools, well-lighted, clean.

Charlie & Joe's is fairly clean, but the tools stink:
One socket set, with the 12 mm and 9/16" missing
and no Phillips screwdriver.  No "special-purpose"
tools like Torx drivers, wheel-pullers, etc.

The assignment in both shops is to build and maintain
a race car.

Think the choice is obvious?  Well, let's talk to current
workers before we decide ....

Abner: Oh, I'm so glad I got out of Abe's.
   The parts department sucks.  Once I got a carb
   with a jet missing.  I had to find a machine
   screw of the right size and drill the right size
   hole myself.  Here, I'd just grab another carb
   off the shelf.

James: At least you had the right size drill.
   And a screwdriver to put the thing in with!

Carlos: Oh, bull!  Any competent mechanic has the
   skill to clamp a ViseGrips so that it doesn't
   slip and chew up the screw head.  Or the strength
   and coordination to hold a standard screwdriver
   at an angle so that it stays in the slot.

John: Well, maybe that's a little extreme.  But
   it doesn't matter anyway.  We just pull another
   carb off the shelf.

Alex: Well, I'M glad I got INTO Abe's.  I'd much
   rather machine my own carburetor than get one
   from Detroit, where the only job title in the
   testing department is "customer."  We're building
   a race car--you can't just afford to pull over
   and call for a tow when something happens!

Jenny: But even with race cars, stuff happens.
   Would you like to machine a new block when you
   throw a rod on the track?  WE just grab a new
   engine and drop it in.

Andrew: Drop it in how?  You don't have a hoist!

Carrie: So what?  We keep in shape.  Carlos, Abner
   and I lower it in and hold it still while Jenny
   handles the vise grips.

Amos: How do you keep it running smoothly?  No scope
   or timing light....

John: Scopes are over-rated.  More complicated, so
   they malfunction more easily.  A _real_ mechanic
   only needs a tachometer to adjust everything.

Amos: But when I worked there, we didn't have a
   tachometer, either.

Jane: We do now!  We built our own!  Besides, a
   _real_ mechanic can tune an engine by listening
   to it and smelling the exhaust.

Abner:  If you remember, I did that quite well
   when I worked with you.  I can still do it.
   But I really prefer hooking up the scope.

(I could drag this on for a long time .....)

I'm sure we all get the point, no matter which
side of personality spectrum we're on.  But
just in case someone needs a hint, look at the
initials of all the names.

(or make up an acronym for "carb off the shelf")