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Learning some mechanics and a foreign language
Hi,
I'm dutch but want to end my trip in Germany. Always liked the country, the food, the people and everything. Thing is, I used to be a paper pusher in a huge international tech company and definitely don't want to that again. So I took up welding last summer for the fun of it and because I want to work I a garage for a few years. Two problems: 1) I speak crappy German. But that will be fixed quite quick I think. 2) As an office clerk I have zero (official) technical skills. What changes do you guys think I have of landing a garage job somewhere? And is there something i can do the learn more about this so I won't arrive in Germany completely a technical? Note: I have rebuild quite a few moped / cross bike engines. So I'm not a complete idiot I hope. Blommetje Edit: other tips regarding this are more than welcome ! Fortune and Glory, kid. Fortune and Glory. |
Just a comment even tho it probably is a bit late. I learned a great deal about motorcycles by working in a wrecking yard for motorcycles that also did repairs. You can start by toting and carrying and then disassembling and work your way up to repairing with used parts.
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Not late at all, thanks! I had the same idea and today I hung around two guys on a street corner.
To my surprise they fix exhaust pipes while you wait! You drive up to the ramp, they remove the exhaust, use the spokes of an old bicycle wheel as welding material and within 15 minutes you're good to go! Hung around a little longer but not much happened, will try again later. Off course, I want yo find a proper garage somewhere and 'work' for a month or so.. And I downloaded a huge German course so all those hours is spend in the busses here (burma) come to good use :) Fortune and Glory, kid. Fortune and Glory. |
You can and download the FAA mechanics training manuals here,good basics on theory and operation of a wide variety of subjects.
AC 65-12A - [Large AC] Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics Powerplant Handbook – Document Information AS for the German,as my wife says"I gave it back to the teacher",and much of that. |
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So what's my recommendation for your interest? Sign up for a technical or vocational course or program on small engine repair or consumer vehicle maintenance. A better choice is to find motorcycle buddies in your community. Motorcyclists are very willing to show others how to do basic moto maintenance. Both of these options are going to be your best options producing the best results, from my perspective and experience. |
Thnx LD Hack, I'll check my options. Although I would like to offer my work/learning process for no or a minimum pay. I completely understand your point of view regarding the hours/material that a new employee would cost (I would have said the same in my previous job) but if I can arrange a work-for-food kind of thing it may be a bit easier.
But nonetheless, point understood, will research the options! Alex Fortune and Glory, kid. Fortune and Glory. |
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Almost invariably the advertisers want people who bring skills to the job - to the point of asking for "cheap labour" in some cases. In other cases it is just a matter of labouring manually. Some of them offer accommodation and food included in the deal, especially if the work is related to farming or small-holding. |
By the way, Germany has a very well established system of Fachhochschule which provides their assured standards of tertiary technical education, based on very high standards and associated certification.
Fachhochschule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There are also technical institutions that provide the basis of all that level of education in Germany (below the level of a degree) but I don't recall the name of those - it is something like "technishe hochschule". As a highly organised society I would be a little surprised if it is possible to be employed within a particular technical discipline in Germany without holding the relevant qualifications. Good luck with your ambitions. |
How to learn motorcycle mechanics.
Have a broken bike Try and fix it Break it some more trying to fix it. Try and fix it again. Break it some more trying to fix second problem Eventually fix first problem Break it some more trying to fix third problem Eventually fix second problem Break it some more trying to fix third problem. Etc, etc, etc. What I'm saying is... NOTHING BEATS EXPERIENCE. You can't learn anything from a manual unless you have your hands on the tools at the same time. It's trial and error. It's making mistakes and learning from them. So go out and buy some non-running cheap bikes and make them run. Be prepared to waste a lot of time and a lot of money. Spending hundreds of hours reading forums and manuals to try and fix a problem. Never with a definitive answer. Expect to spend 1/4 of your time finding and ordering parts, 1/4 buying new tools for stupid jobs and the rest of your time with bleeding knuckles and oil in your eyes. Then in about 5-10 years you will be half competent. bier As a mechanic you will be expected to have all your own tools too. You can't work to a high standard with cheap supermarket tools. Expect to invest at least £1000 if you want to be able to work quickly and efficiently. Someone once said. "Make your hobby your job and you will never work another day in your life". Well, that guy was AN IDIOT.... If you just want to learn bike mechanics as an interest then keep it as a hobby. You will enjoy it FAR FAR more than being in a bike shop getting screamed at to work at 150% all day long for shit money by incompetent managers. I enjoyed working on bikes 1000x more when my income didn't rely on it. :innocent: |
Very true Ted. I've only ever worked on bikes (and cars) as a financially necessary hobby but my brother went down the doing it for a living route after he left school. His "tales from the oil face" were pretty much the same as your experience - pressure, pressure, pressure, idiot managers, not much money and seeing friends on the sales side being paid considerably more. He stuck it out for about 15yrs with a number of different companies before quitting that world all together.
There are a number of "industries" where people do the core activity both for a living and for a hobby - mechanic obviously but that shades into other aspects of engineering as well. Any other jobs that people here do for fun? Painting?, decorating?, building? (doing it because your wife thinks it might be fun doesn't count!) Anybody writing software and not trying to sell it - or just writing for fun and not trying to sell the book? I work as a photographer and often get people coming up to me at events saying they've got a good camera and how can they can get to do what I'm doing. The answer is exactly the same as for working on bikes - practice for years and when you don't need to ask the question you're probably good enough. For some pro / am jobs the gulf is just too great - not many club runners make it to the Olympics or pub footballers into the Premier League and it's been a while since any St John's Ambulance volunteers asked my wife how to become a doctor. |
truth.
ok on the learning German part download Doulingo for your phone, its the #1 app to help learn a language. i just started spanish |
Speaking of mechanics and foreign languages, I've found it helpful to learn the foreign words to key bike parts and other mechanical things in advance and have a list at my disposal.
Brake pads, spokes, battery, bulb, bolt, nut, chain, caliper, spark plug, sprocket, the list is long... all good words to know in a given language rather than saying "your hairy grandmother" when you wanted to say "inner tube." :cool4: |
The translation work has already been done for Moto parts into Spanish.
Somewhere ... ??? here on HUBB that list exists. Also, I've seen several different ones on ADV Rider. I've forgotten most of the Spanish mechanical moto words but now I use my Smart Phone for this! (translation app) It's quite good so far ... haven't been able to stump it yet! :thumbup1: Maybe some Google searches will turn up some of useful lists of Spanish Moto parts that earlier HUBB'ers took the time to write out. I know it's here .... somewhere??? PS: Be aware that words for moto parts will vary from country to country. Just as names do for lots of common items. I learned of at least 10 different ways to describe screwing! :helpsmilie: Some really funny ones ... almost always accompanied with devilish sounds and hand gestures. Once into Cuba and Puerto Rico and it's hilarious! (but do be careful in mixed company ... Latinos are quite conservative regards sex) EDIT BINGO ... here's one from Crashmaster on ADV Rider, it's quite good!! __________________________________________________ ___ Here is what I used in my travels The formatting is a little messed up and some of the words sound strange to me after being in Latin America for a couple years, but you should be able to make sense of it: ABS ABS Accelerator pump (component of some carburettors) Bomba de aceleración Accident Accidente; Caída Additive Aditivo Aerodynamics Aerodinámica Air (as a part of the fuel/air mixture) Comburente Air box Caja de filtro Air cooling Refrigeración por aire Air filter Filtro de aire Alternator Alternador Aluminium Aluminio Anti-theft device Antirrobo Antidive Antidive Antifreeze Anticongelante Autoignition Autoencendido Axis Eje Axle Eje BDC PMI Back (e.g. wheel) Trasera (or trasero depending on gender of noun) Balaclava Sotocasco (literally "underhelmet") Balance shaft Árbol de equilibrado Ball race Bolas, rulemán de (see also under "bearing") Battery Batería Bead (of tyre) Talón de un neumático Bearing Rulemán (also Rúleman); Rodamiento; Cojinete (There seems to be a lot of debate about the distinction between "cojinete" and "rodamiento", both of which are frequently translated as "bearing". Looking through bearing manufacturers' Spanish catalogues (mmmm!) it seems that "cojinete" is the more generic term, ranging from simple bushes ("cojinetes lisos") to complex assemblies and "rodamiento" tends to mean roller bearings or other assemblies. The degree of debate suggests they are interchangeable in general usage. If you need to know the gory details, there is a useful article (in Spanish) at http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodamiento) Belt Correa Big end Muñequilla Bike Moto Biker Motero Bodywork Carrocería Bolt Perno; Tornillo Boot Bota Bore (of cylinder) Diámetro Bottom dead centre (in engine) Punto Muerto Inferior Boxer (motor) Boxer Brake caliper Pinza de freno Brake disc Disco de freno Brake drum Tambor de freno Brake fluid Líquido de frenos Brake pad Pastilla de freno Brake pedal (i.e. rear brake lever) Palanca de freno Brake shoe Zapata de freno Brakes Frenos Bulb (i.e. light bulb) Bombilla; Lámpara Bush Casquillo; Buje; Cojinete liso Butterfly (valve) Mariposa Cable Cable de mando (used for control cables - brake, clutch, throttle, etc) Cam Leva Camshaft Árbol de levas Capacitor Condensador Capacity (of engine) Cilindrada Carbon fibre Fibra de carbono Carbon monoxide Monóxido de carbono Carbonisation Carbonilla Carburant (i.e. fuel) Carburante Carburation Carburación Carburetter Carburador Carburettor needle Aguja del carburador Carcass of tyre Carcasa de neumático Cartridge forks Horquilla de cartucho Casing (Usually engine but also pumps, drive shaft, etc) Cárter Catalyst Catalizador Catalytic converter Catalizador Centre of gravity Centro de gravedad Chain Cadena Chain drive Transmisión por cadena Chain link Eslabón Choke Starter (N.B. although the Spanish use the English word, it means choke and not starter motor - see "arranque") Circuit (racing) Circuito (carrera); Pista Circuit breaker Interruptor; Ruptor Circuit breaker contacts Platinos Clearance Holgura Clutch Embrague Clutch basket Campana de embrague Clutch plate Disco de embrague Coking Carbonilla Collector pipe Colector de escape Combustion Combustión Combustion chamber Cámara de combustión Compression Compresión Compression ratio Relación de compresión Condenser Condensador Connecting rod Biela Conrod Biela Consumption (fuel) Consumo Contamination Contaminación Continuously variable transmission Variador constante de velocidad Controls Mandos Cooling Refrigeración Cooling circuit Circuito de refrigeración Cooling fin Aleta de refrigeración Corner Curva Countersteering Contramanillar Cover (1) (noun, e.g. of clutch) Cubierta Cover (2) (i.e. bike cover) Funda Crank bearings (collective term for the set of) Bancada Cranking pressure Presión de compresión Crankshaft Cigüeñal Crankshaft counterweights Guitarras del cigüeñal (Latin America); Contrapesos del cigueñal (Spain) Crankshaft journal Gorrón de apoyo Crash (noun) Accidente; Caída Crown of piston Cabeza del pistón Curve Curva Cylinder Cilindro Cylinder block Bloque de cilindros Cylinder head Culata Cylinder lining Camisa del cilindro DOHC Doble árbol de levas en la culata Dead centre (TDC, BDC) Punto muerto Decompression valve Descompresor Desmodromic Desmodrómico Detonation Detonación Diameter Diámetro Disc brakes Freno de disco Disk lock Candado freno Displacement Cilindrada Downpipe Colector de escape Drive train (in shaft drive system) Árbol de transmisión Drum brakes Freno de tambor Dry sump Cárter seco Dual carriageway Autovía (compare autopista) Earplugs Tapones para oídos Efficiency Rendimiento Electrical system Instalación eléctrica Electrolyte Electrolito End pipe (includes silencer) Tubo de escape Engine balance Equilibrado del motor Engine block Bloque de cilindros Engine braking Freno motor Engine mountings Anclajes del motor Engine noise and vibration when engine is labouring at low revs Picado de biela Engine torque Par motor Exhaust (-stroke or -system) Escape Exhaust gases Gases de escape Exhaust pipe (includes silencer) Tubo de escape Exhaust tract Conducto de escape Exhaust valve Válvula de escape Expansion chamber (in 2-stroke exhaust) Tubarro Expansion tank (cooling circuit) Vaso de expansión Explosion Explosión Fading (of brakes) Fading Fairing Carenado Fall (noun) Accidente; Caída Fan Ventilador Feeler gauge Galgas; Pastillas calibradas Flame front velocity Velocidad de combustión Float chamber (of carburettor) Cuba del carburador Flywheel Volante de inercia Footpeg Estribo (literally stirrup); Reposapiés Footrest Estribo (literally stirrup); Reposapiés Forced cooling Forzada, sistema de refrigeración Fork leg Barra (de horquilla) Fork slider Botella (de horquilla) Forks Horquilla Four stroke Cuatro tiempos Frame Bastidor Friction Fricción Front (e.g. wheel) Delantera (or delantero depending on gender of noun) Fuel (as a part of the fuel/air mixture) Combustible Fuel filter Filtro de gasolina Fuel pump Bomba de gasolina Fuelling Alimentación Fuse Fusible Garage (repair shop) Taller Gasket Junta Gasoline Gasolina Gauge Galga Gear (1) (wheel) Engranaje Gear (2) (ratio) Marcha; Velocidad Gear lever Palanca de cambio Gear selector/shift/change fork Horquilla de cambio Gearbox Caja de cambio Gears (i.e. the gear ratios collectively) Cambio de marchas Generator Generador Gland Empaquetadura Glass fibre Fibra de vidrio Gloves Guantes Grandstand Tribuna Grease Grasa Grid (on racetrack) Parrilla Grip Adherencia; Agarre Grip (on handlebar) Puño Gudgeon pin Bulón del pistón Handlebar Manillar Hanging off Descolgarse Headlight Faro Heat exchanger Intercambiador de calor Helicoil Helicoil Helmet Casco Hemispherical chamber (combustion) Hemisférica, cámara Horsepower Caballo de vapor; CV Hose, hydraulic Latiguillo Housing Alojamiento Hydraulic circuit Hidráulico, circuito Hydraulic piston (e.g. in brake or clutch) Bombín Hydrocarbon Hidrocarburo Ignition Encendido Ignition advance Avance de encendido Immobiliser/Ignition lock Cerradura de contacto Indicator Intermitencia Induction Admisión Induction and exhaust Distribución (N.B. not electrical distribution) Induction valve Válvula de admisión Inertia Inercia Injection (fuel) Inyección Injector Inyector Inlet tract Conducto de admisión Inner tube Cámara de neumático Input shaft (of gearbox) Árbol primario de cambio Instruments Instrumentos Intake Admisión Intake valve Válvula de admisión Intercom Intercomunicador Internal combustion Combustión interna Iron Hierro Jacket Chaqueta Jet (of carburettor) Surtidor del carburador Joint Junta Key Llave Kilogram Kilogramo Kilometre Kilómetro Kilowatt Kilovatio Knee slider Taco de rozamiento Knock Detonación Lambda sensor (oxygen sensor in catalytic exhaust) Sonda lambda Lamp Bombilla; Lámpara Lap Vuelta Lead tetraethyl Tetraetilo de plomo Lever (on handlebar - brake, clutch, etc) Maneta Light(bulb) socket Casquillo Lighting Iluminación Lights Luces Limit of grip Límite de adherencia Locking pin Fiador Locknut (In English, the term locknut is used for both a nut screwed down on another to secure it, and a self-locking nut (q.v.). This is the former.) Tuerca candado Locus of the contact patch around the tyre Banda de rodadura Low pressure (as in the cylinder during the induction stroke) Depresión Lubricant Lubricante Lubrication Lubricación Lubrication circuit Circuito de lubricación Magneto Magneto Manometer Manómetro; Vacuómetro Mechanical losses (of a motor) Pérdidas mecánicas Mirror Espejo Mixture Mezcla Moment of inertia Momento de inercia Monocoque Monocasco, chasis Motor Motor Motorbike Moto Motorway Autopista (compare autovía) Muffler Silenciador Multicylinder Pluricilíndrico Needle cage bearing Jaula de agujas Neutral (gearbox) Punto muerto Nikasil (Nickel/silicon carbide hardening process for alloy cylinders) Nikasil Nut Tuerca O-ring Junta tórica OHV (overhead valve) OHV Octane number Octano, número de Off-road bike Campo, moto de Oil Aceite Oil control ring Rascador, segmento Oil filter Filtro de aceite Oil level Nivel de aceite Oil level window Ojo de buey (literally "ox eye" - also means porthole) Oil pressure Presión de aceite Oil pump Bomba de aceite One-piece race suit Mono Otto cycle Ciclo de Otto Output shaft (of gearbox) Árbol secundario de cambio Overtake Adelantamiento Oxidation Oxidación Oxidisation Oxidación Paddock girls Chicas de paddock Paddock stand Caballete Padlock Candado Pannier Maleta Parabolic reflector Parábola Pass (as in overtake) Adelantamiento Passenger Pasajero Petrol Gasolina Pillion Pasajero Pinking Detonación Piston (1) (hydraulic) Émbolo Piston (2) (in engine, as opposed to hydraulic) Pistón Piston pin Bulón del pistón Piston rings Aros del pistón; Segmentos Piston skirt Falda del pistón Pollution Contaminación Port (e.g. exhaust or transfer in a two-stroke engine) Lumbrera Power Potencia Power jet (additional injector in a 2-stroke carburettor) Power jet Power/ignition stroke Expansión Pre-ignition Preencendido Pressure release valve (of radiator) Tapón del radiador Pressure wave Onda de presión Production (as opposed to prototype) Serie (e.g. "motos de serie") Profile (i.e. height of tyre) Altura; Perfil Progressive suspension Suspensión progresiva Pulley Polea Puncture Pinchazo Pushrod Taqué; Varilla (usage is a little confusing - both terms are widely translated as pushrod but there is a diagram at http://mecanicavirtual.iespana.es/hazlo-taques.htm which labels the part of the pushrod in contact with the cam as "Taqué" and the length of the rod as "varilla") Race (i.e. lots of riders trying to go faster than each other. For the type of bearing, see "Ball race") Carrera Racetrack Circuito (carrera); Pista Radial tyre Neumático, radial Radiator Radiador Ram air Ram air Range (on a full tank) Autonomía; Alcance Rear Trasera (or trasero depending on gender of noun) Rear view mirror Retrovisor Reciprocating mass (i.e. the pistons and conrods) Masa alternativa Rectifier Rectificador Reed valve Válvula de láminas Regulator Regulador Relay Relé Reliability Fiabilidad Replacement part Pieza de recambio (or just recambio) Retaining collar, pin, etc Retén Return spring Muelle Rev counter Tacómetro Rev limiter Limitador de revoluciones Ride (1) (noun) Vuelta; Paseo Ride (2) (verb) Montar Rim Cerco; Llanta Road (1) (major) Carretera Road (2) (minor) Camino Rocker arm Balancín Rocker cover Culatín Rotary valve Válvula rotativa Rotor (of alternator) Volante magnético Run-on Autoencendido Running in Rodaje SOHC (Single overhead cam) SOHC Saddlebag Alforja Screen Cúpula; Parabrisa; Pantalla Screw Perno; Tornillo Seal Empaquetadura Seat Asiento; Sillín Seizure (engine) Gripado Self-locking nut Tuerca autofrenante; Tuerca freno; Tuerca de seguridad; Tuerca autoseguro Sensors Sensores Shaft Eje; Arbol; Cárdan (this seems to be used for both drive shafts and the universal joints they use) Shaft drive Transmisión por cárdan Shock absorber Amortiguador Sidestand Pata de cabra (literally goat's hoof); Caballete lateral Sight glass Ojo de buey (literally "ox eye" - also means porthole) Silencer Silenciador Silent block (rubber mounted engine) Silent block Single-cylinder Monocilíndrico Sleeve Casquillo; Buje; Cojinete liso Slicks Slicks Slide valve Válvula de guillotina Spanner Llave Spark plug Bujía Spark plug cap Pipa de bujía Speed (1) (of motion) Velocidad Speed (2) (of engine) Régimen Speedometer Velocímetro Spoke Radio de rueda Spring Resorte Sprocket (1) (especially rear) Corona Sprocket (2) (especially front) Piñón Sprung weight Masa suspendida Squish band Squish, área de Starter motor Arranque; Motor de arranque Steel Acero Steering Dirección Steering axis Eje de dirección Steering damper Amortiguador de dirección Steering geometry Cotas de dirección; Geometría de dirección Steering head angle Ángulo de dirección Stoppie Invertido Stressed member (e.g. engine as part of frame) Autoportante Stroke (i.e. of piston) Carrera Subframe Colín Suspension Suspensión Swept volume Cilindrada Swingarm Basculante Switch Interruptor; Ruptor TDC PMS Tachometer Tacómetro Tank (petrol, etc) Depósito Tankbag Bolsa cubredepósito Telescopic forks Horquilla telescópica Temperature Temperatura Thermal rating (of a spark plug) Grado térmico Thermostat Termostato Thread Rosca Threadlock Pegamento para tornillos (literally glue for screws) Throttle Acelerador Titanium Titanio Toothed (of gear, etc) Dentado Top dead centre (TDC) Punto Muerto Superior (PMS) Top speed Velocidad punta Topbox Baúl Torque Par (de torsión) Torque at crank Par motor Torque specified for a bolt/screw Par de apriete Torque wrench Llave dinamométrica Track (2) (racing) Circuito (carrera); Pista Track (1) (path, trail or rough road) Pista Trail (fork geometry) Avance Transfer port (in a 2-stroke engine) Transfer Transmission ratio Relación de transmisión Transmission shaft Árbol de transmisión Tread (of tyre) Dibujos (literally drawings or designs) Triple clamp Tija Tubeless Sin cámara; Tubeless Two stroke Dos tiempos Tyre Neumático Tyre pressure Presión de inflado Universal joint Cárdan (Also used to mean shaft drive. The four-armed crosspiece in which the connected shafts locate is called "Cruceta de cardan") Unsprung weight Masa no suspendida Upside-down fork Horquilla invertida Valve Válvula Valve adjustment Reglaje de válvulas Valve guide Guía de válvula Valve opening/lift Apertura de válvula Valve overlap Cruce de válvulas Valve play Juego de válvulas Valve seat Asiento de válvula Valve timing Calado de la distribución Velocity Velocidad Venturi effect Principio de Venturi Viscosity Viscosidad Viscosity index (how affected by temperature) Índice de viscosidad Visor Visera; Pantalla Volt Voltio Vulcanisation Vulcanización Wankel Wankel Washer Arandela Water cooling Refrigeración por agua Water pump Bomba de agua Weight transfer (under braking or acceleration) Transferencia de cargas Wet sump Cárter húmedo Wheel alignment Alineación de las ruedas Wheel balance Equilibrado de ruedas Wheelie Caballito (also used for bunnyhop); Guili; Wheelie Width (e.g. of tyre) Anchura Windscreen Cúpula; Parabrisa; Pantalla Woodruff key Chaveta Workshop Taller Yoke Tija |
In most of the lessons, you read the sentence, click on the sentence to listen to the sentence, and then you can practice speaking by repeating after the audio file provided by a native English speaker. This proven method strengthens your reading, speaking, and listening all at the same time and makes learning English easy. You will improve your English speaking using this method.
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Seems to me most current young travelers depend solely on Google Translate ... since they have an incredible speak function that actually WORKS!
I know my MC parts and basics pretty well in Spanish ... but if I'm stuck, Google Translate is brilliant. Sadly, this could mean fewer will have a real conversation beyond basic tourist chatter. Then again, I always got left behind when hanging with grad students in Colombia when conversation turned to politics and beyond. These kids were VERY WELL educated, had read a lot, had a lot to say. (Unfortunately they were targets of secret police :nuke: ). |
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