I often get the sense that I’m in the only one here doing manual labor but I’m sure there are others.

Identify yourselves.

  • @That_Devil_Girl@lemmy.ml
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    157 months ago

    Shipwright welder. I crawl all throughout the bowels of Navy and civilian ships with my gear in tow. I build new areas, cut out old areas, and perform repairs on hulls and pipes.

    • @ContrarianTrail@lemm.eeOP
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      87 months ago

      I love welding. One of my favourite things to do in my previous job. I’m highly skilled at oxy-acetylene welding steel pipes in really tight and difficult places but my favourite one was TiG welding stainless steel with automatic and ventilated mask while listening to podcasts. Really meditative just being in your own bubble staring at the bright spot of molten metal.

      • @Anticorp@lemmy.world
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        27 months ago

        I’m shit at welding for someone who’s generally handy in just about every other area. If you want two pieces of metal that barely stick together, with wires sticking out all across the seam, then I’m your guy!

    • @Anticorp@lemmy.world
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      37 months ago

      Do you get covered from head to toe with grease and grime? Does it pay well? I have a friend who’s about ready to wrap up his underwater welding classes, and supposedly he’ll make some big bucks after he graduates.

  • Track_Shovel
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    157 months ago

    Soil scientist. I spent 10 years stomping through the bush and digging pits when I got there.

    Now I sit behind a desk.

  • @rowinxavier@lemmy.world
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    97 months ago

    I work in disability support so I may use various creams while massaging, I get messy while helping people with washing and toileting, and I feed people which can get messy. I also help people with their yards, cleaning their house, washing their pets, whatever they need.

  • @Agrivar@lemmy.world
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    97 months ago

    I used to be a programmer, but I got sick of the whole corporate scene. Now I build and maintain houses - and my hands are dirty a good amount of the time!

  • @Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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    87 months ago

    Facility maintenance. We grease motors, change belts, tighten bolts. One of the fuel pumps on our generator has a leak, so that’s a fun bit of dirty hands.

    My approach to maintenance also involves a lot of cleaning, because I believe clean equipment runs better over time. So cleaning off fan blades, insides of electrical cabinets, sumps, etc. We also fix sinks and toilets.

  • @BluescreenOfDeath@lemmy.world
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    67 months ago

    I work for an ISP in the southeast USA as a field technician and it’s dirty work sometimes. Fixing rodent damage to fiber connection boxes for businesses, placing temporary cables when underground lines get cut, working in dusty equipment closets, etc.

    It’s not bad or hard work most days.

  • skmn
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    57 months ago

    Window manufacturing Our 2-part industrial sealing silicone gets everywhere; hands, clothes, hair, whatever. Never comes out of clothes and you gotta scrub hard to get it off skin.

  • @Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world
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    57 months ago

    Hands themselves stay clean, but through my gloves/gown, I’m regularly elbow-deep into blood, guts, and poop.

    Surgical technologist. It gets pretty nasty.

    Pay is kinda shit though, so I’m trying to switch over to nursing.

    • @Anticorp@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Damn, I wouldn’t expect the words “surgical” and “shit pay” to go together, especially when a basic surgery gets billed at $40,000+. From what you described your day at work to involve, you deserve all the money! Especially since you’re helping people.

      • @Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world
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        27 months ago

        We’re ultimately ‘just a tech’. We make enough to pay the bills, but not enough to make things like the check engine light not-terrifying.

        It’s a good foot-in-the-door job, especially if your path of entry is like mine (enlisted USAF, they just told me “You’re going to be a surgical tech!” and I was like “Cool! …what the fuck is a surgical tech?” and they covered all my training for it).

        I generally discourage people from actually paying to go through a surgical tech school, cuz if you can afford that, then you can afford to go to nursing school, and nurses make about twice what we do.

        Super cool experience, but not a good long-term career choice.

  • @over_clox@lemmy.world
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    57 months ago

    I do occasional vehicle maintenance, like replacing brakes, starters, alternators, water pumps, radiators, etc.

    Last one I did the other week was replace an old rotted leaky fuel line. Fun fun…