What do we call ourselves?

I'm called "The strange old dude down the street that fixes all of our stuff (for free)".

Edit: I call myself that too.
 
What I call myself varies from "genius" to "dumb S.O.B.", depending on whether my last move was remembering to lock the Z-axis before fly cutting or forgetting to lock the quill before fly cutting. In mixed company, I'm a "hobby machinist".

Tom
 
Guy with tools? I like dabbler too, but that user name is taken. ;)

I tend to downplay any phrase that includes machinist, mechanic, carpenter, welder as those titles are too high falootin for my skill level even with the qualifier of amateur or hobby. I make stuff, and sometimes it even looks decent but that is as far as I'd go.

I have a secret I will let you in on. A lot of things can be fixed with glue, paint, putty and / or a grinder. :D

I don't use the term "maker" although I have nothing against it. I am a bit surprised at the negative reaction it gets from some (the poster above is not alone in dislike of the term).

hman said:
I call myself an "amateur machinist" or "tinkerer," depending on how many blank looks or silly questions I anticipate.

PS - I was once asked, "Why do you have a milling machine? What do you do with it?" by a female acquaintance. My carefully considered reply was to ask her, "Why do you have a sewing machine?" I guess the best answer to both questions is "Whatever comes along."
Click to expand...

When people ask what I make with my machines, I usually reply with something like whatever I want.
 
I was talking to my auto mechanic today, old family friend. I showed him a picture of my latest acquisition, a K&T 3K vertical mill. He asked, “so you’re a machinist?”. I told him I own a socket set too, but I that doesn’t qualify me as a car mechanic.
 
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