Engineering Hobby

[korear]

Hey everybody

I posted this topic earlier and liked the responses that I received, but it was deleted because of the data corruption. So I thought I would repost it to see if anybody else had any input.

Would you consider SCUBA a "engineering hobby" and if not would you at least consider it a "technical hobby?"

Thanks

 

[Doc]

It is, when performed to training standards, a technical hobby.

For some of us, it's an engineering hobby. I have built my own backplates (from Lexan and yes- a stray sheet of Scandium); built a carrier system for ditchable lead shoot; u/w camera housing... stuff you do when you are stuck at home in Northern Illinois in the dead of winter.

But mostly for me, it's a relaxing hobby.

 

[Zieg]

Some of us are engineers (just retired, HOOYA). For me it's not a hobby, it's been my life. I was an engineer for the Navy, helped develop all types of underwater toys.

 

[TMHeimer]

My post was possibly for tech. dives or repair technicians. Not for rec. as assembling gear and planning rec. dives is not engineering.

 

[Pao]

As stated before, you just have to look at the DIY section of the forum.....

 

[DaleC]

For me it began as an ecological hobby. I was/am interested in fish behavior and habitat and wanted to observe these "in situ".

 

[fjpatrum]

Both. But maybe that's just me. I like DIY stuff and I like building things in general, combined with being a cheap bastard, which makes nearly all of my interests "engineering" interests in some form or another. I don't find diving to be very technical as the concepts and math/physics behind them are quite simple but I guess you could look at it that way.

 

[fnfalman]

I just do it for the chicks.

 

[rhwestfall]

I just do it for the chicks.

Engineering or SCUBA?

 

[Guba]

I posted on the earlier thread about checking out the DIY forum to see how divers respond to a need to "engineer" a device or solution to a need in diving. Perhaps what sticks in my mind is a comment made on a liveaboard science cruise. I had made my own underwater housing for a typical camcorder. I used readily available PVC, acrylic, o-rings, and aluminum, and I used magnetic switches to actuate the camera without the need for drilling more holes in the housing. A fellow on board watched me assemble my video gear and prepare to take it under. He remarked, "That's pretty impressive. Are you an engineer?" I told him I wasn't, but that I taught physics and "pre-engineering" fundamentals on the high school level. He replied, "Well, I AM an engineer, and I'm still impressed."

It was one of the best compliments I can remember (on the professional level, anyway).