MacGyver Engineering
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011 in
Engineering
While I’m waiting for my coffee to finish brewing, I’m cleaning out my email inbox. It got away from me the last couple of days, as did my recording of time for my weekly timecard. I’ll probably tackle that a little later this morning.
My graduate-school advisor sent this image the other evening. It probably sums up what most folks think about engineering and certainly represents the bulk of tools needed by MacGyver to extract himself from almost any situation. [grinning]
WD-40 really isn’t a lubricant; it’s a water-displacement material intended for use on objects that need chemical assistance to be loosened. It has a light penetrating solvent to penetrate small openings. As far as lubrication is concerned, it contain a light mineral oil, and that might be sufficient for some assembly lubrication (think door hinges).
The classic urban legend is of the police officer who used WD-40 to clean and lubricate his service revolver once each week. When the unfortunate time came for use of his sidearm in the line of duty, it failed to fire and he was killed. His choice of lubricants deactivated the cartridge primers, resulting in a failure to fire.
Regardless of the veracity of the oft-cited story or the ability of MacGyver to use anything at hand to accomplish the mission, the point is clear — use appropriate cleaners and lubricants for the job at hand, not a dose of “man-in-a-can.”
There needs to be the addition of the Swiss Army knife as the tool to cut the duct tape or reassemble/ assemble additional parts as needed, but not being an engineer I would not be so bold as to say where.
— Griff 19 October 2011, 07:57 #Or a Leatherman. I think it’s a footnote. :)
— ruminator 20 October 2011, 02:41 #