Plucky Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad was not handy with cars or the home although he was a carpenter by trade. When he worked on a car it never ran again. I am handy. My dh can fix anything, his father cannot. Sometimes these things are genetic. Dh's grandfathers were very handy. I think having the desire and motivation also helps. I like my home to be nice and so does dh, but we are frugal so we do it all ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad was pretty handy with cars and houses. If it was something major he called someone. Dh is not handy at all. Usually it is me trying to fix something or me calling the repair person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Not a bit, but my mom was very handy. She handled repairs, plumbing, and anything with 'some assembly required.' dh is handy but I am not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad could do anything :001_smile: I sometimes used to wonder how he knew so many things. He replaced the windows in the house and made all new baseboards and molding to go with it, reroofed the house, built a 12'x12' shed, pulled electrical wires, television cable, telephone wires, etc. He semi-finished the basement with a drop ceiling and studded and sheetrocked the walls, golly, I don't know what else. He fixed cars, including doing bodywork. He had so many pneumatic tools he had to buy a gigantic air compressor to run them. He even painted cars in the garage once or twice. He hung the chandelier over my kitchen table in this house. I won't forget it--ever--because when he was done, I told him I was pregnant with DS6. We found out a week later he had cancer. I miss him now, but "talk" to him when I have to fix something around the house. I ask him to pray for me when I have to fix the toilet :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) FIL is very handy and can fix just about anything -- whatever project he builds, it will be very top quality and lasts for years. DH however grew up with his uber-repair dad not wanting to teach him (control issues or perfectionism? :lol:) as HIS dad (dh's grandfather) did not teach him anything when he was a kid. He taught himself, basically. Dh then taught himself and learned to quietly watch over his dad's shoulders how he did work and remembered a lot. DH is quite handy around the house and can fix just about anything. Which I am happy about. But a bit sad as the lack of father-son "build" tool time is not there for a 3rd generation as I would LOVE for dh to teach our son how to work on a basic project. I grew up without a dad -- but love home repair and shop lessons. I love power tools. So, I suspect I will be the one to teach ds how to fix an electrical outlet or use a drill. LOL Edited January 16, 2012 by tex-mex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad was very handy. Dh's dad was somewhat handy, but had a white collar job and has siblings in the trades. Dh thinks he is handy, but we often end up hiring out because he doesn't have the time or energy to put into things. In reality, he is no more handy than I am because I read directions;) He tends to be more of a "get 'er done" kind of guy and I am more of a "do it right" kind of person. I do think many things are more complicated now with all the on-board electronics so that the average person would have more difficulty accomplishing the job. I think this especially true with cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Other. My dad left before I was born. DH's dad was handy but passed down none of it, before or after the divorce c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abacus2 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad wasn't handy, but he could handle some basics. He changed the car oil and did own a tool box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My father is an electrician. He was handy with things around the house, but he was definitely a slap bam man My DH on the other hand is a precision man, he can do anything and everything. He built our house, the first half with hand tools ( we had no electricity), fixes all our cars designs and builds the most wonderful things. If there is some problem, he will design and build something to fix it. He is a tool maker by trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I said not handy but I really don't know if that is right. He was busy and we lived in an apartment complex. He wouldn't be fixing things at home because the management would do that. I don't think he would be fixing things on the car at least partly because I don't think such things were allowed in the complex. He was a good cook, good writer, an inventor, a good piano player who played difficult pieces by ear but I can't really say he was handy. I suppose he might have been if we lived in our own house since he must have had mechanical abilities to invent a mechanical object but who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad could fix anything mechanical. Anything. He built their first home, so he could also fix anything around the house. He not only could fix cars, but BIG machines used for digging. He was a machinist when he was young and became an excavator later on. It was darn handy that he knew his way around a machine shop since often you don't replace parts on something like a bulldozer. Those parts are $$$$! You FIX the part. He eventually went to work for Ford as a test driver. He didn't care for that job much, because he didn't get to build/fix/do things, but it paid the bills. He's been gone over eight years now, and I still can't even think of him without picturing him with tools strewn about and something torn apart. When he retired from Ford Motor Company, he bought a drag line (crane used for digging ponds etc.) to tear apart and rebuild as a hobby. When I was younger, I had typical "young person" cars, and by default learned a good bit about mechanical stuff myself. I enjoyed that, and rebuilt the engine in my 78 Mustang. It had holes you could see through in the floorboards, but it sure ran well! :lol: ETA: I had to vote other. "Could fix anything" was not a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extendedforecast Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad was a building contractor, so when something needed to be fixed, he paid one of the independent contractors to do the work. For little things, he did fix them, but my dad is a perfectionist and would rather have a professional do the work if it was something he knew how to do, but not well. Now that he is semi-retired, he has been able to do more around the house himself. I am amazed at all his projects. With cars, he wasn't too handy. He just knew the basics, which he taught to me. I am more handy than DH. I learned as much as I cLuke from my dad and from watching others work when I was a kid. With cars, I started out more knowledgeable (and that says a lot considerig his dad is a mechanic), but he has learned a lot since we've been married. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 No!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Tara~ Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I needed multiple options. My dad could work on cars, fix anything in the house and did woodworking. A jack of all trades. My husband is the same way. Though lacking a bit in the woodworking skills. He *can* it's just not his thing. Woodworking was one of my dad's hobbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 He could perform basic maintenance things, but I wouldn't have called him handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stages Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I didn't grow up with my dad around, but my mom is extremely handy. She could fix most things around the house (except plumbing- which she got my grandpa to do). She taught me and my sister how to do quite a bit, though the lessons didn't really stick on her. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I voted Other since the poll wasn't multiple choice. :) My dad was good with houses and with other kinds of work. Cars, just basic maintenance, but he could fix or build just about anything we needed. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad is handy, and so am I. Probably less so than he, because I haven't had as much time to devote to learning how and practicing. But I am better at it than many men I've dealt with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My dad did whatever repair mother had him do, was it done well...um no but it got done. Now my dh can repair anything right. He has saved us a lot of money over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 he's brilliant. he's unbelievably, scary brilliant. no one would ever say, "oh good, mr. elfgivas sr is here. let's ask him to fix ..... (fill in the blank)." not ever. :lol::lol::lol: there was the time he tried to change the valve in the toilet tank. the water was off for three days, the toilet ended up in the hallway, and my mom, bless her, called a plumber, who laughed so hard he cried..... then there was the attempted building of a shed, the filling of the oil in the car, the use of the car jack, now that was a time ;).... my brother is very good at all of these things, we reckon in self-defense.... :lol: ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I voted other. My dad was handy when he was young and could build/repair just about anything - cars, houses, boat motors, you name it. He built me a beautiful playhouse when I was very small that looked just like a miniature little house. He became disabled with RA when I was in elementary school. By the time I got married, he had trouble walking me down the aisle. After that, his dad, my Papa, fixed everything at our house. I remember coming home and finding Papa on our roof making some kind of repair when he was in his late 80's. My dh is also handy and does everything around here himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My father is just over 50. Your dad is about the same age as my dh & me. We are both 51. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My daddy could build things--carpentry, masonry, etc. He could do a little bit with cars, but usually paid somebody else to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Your dad is about the same age as my dh & me. We are both 51. :D You would be surprised (or not!) by how often I hear that someone is the same age as my parents or has children my age. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love having a handy dh. Me, too. Oh, the money he has saved us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My dad could/can fix or build just about anything. My DH is a farm boy and he really can fix anything. I've seen him mechanic on drilling rigs, tractors, cars, fix plumbing, fences, hang barn doors, build a playhouse and giant pirate boat complete with a plank. He's just amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awisha. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Where's the 'all of the above' option?? My dad is a handy man, he'd work on the cars, bits and pieces around the house, build verandas/decks etc, he's an electrician. Very handy indeed and I guess he ingrained in my mind the need to find a guy who CAN do things for himself. And my DH is exactly that :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My father works on cars(body work) for a living. He and my mom built our house from the ground up.... so yeah he's handy. The thing is my mom is the better electrician, mechanic, and all around maintenance. In fact she is a maintenance tech in the bio industry. I have not one lick of mechanical ability. When something is broken I try to fix it by "smacking" it. Luckily for me my DH is very handy (industrial maintenance tech) and can fix cars/houses, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well, we were all that age once.....and you will be on the other end of that soon enough! Dawn You would be surprised (or not!) by how often I hear that someone is the same age as my parents or has children my age. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Needed an "all of the above and more." My dad could do absolutely anything (seems that way to me, anyway). He worked on cars, did carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, put on roofs, fixed anything that broke, and he could cook and taught himself to knit and sew. He also could hunt and fish, and taught himself to shoot a bow well enough to win awards at contests. I miss my dad. :( Edited January 17, 2012 by VaKim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 My dad fixed construction equipment for a living after he got out of the Navy. He could fix anything in the house, too. My dh can fix or build just about anything. I was an adult before I ever knew there was such a thing as a man who was not handy at most things or at least something. It always seems ... odd... to me when I meet men who admit they are not handy at anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I recall lots of "home improvements" and unfinished work.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 my dad can do anything. he is truly amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Completely handy father (and all of his brothers) and completely handy dh. They've built houses, rebuilt car engines, rebuilt tractors, rebuilt computers... you name it, they can do it. I wish I was handy. I can change a lightbulb and change the oil in my car. That's about it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 My dad was the worst kind of not-very-handy: thinks he is handy + lack of $$ to fix stuff or buy supplies = nothing ever really got fixed and many things he touched got broken more. :glare: He never assembled anything well. Would fail to read directions, break or lose something and then blame the company for making a bad product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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