Honestly, don't want it if it's free. Gay in the homophobic 13-YO boy sense of the word. 'Nuff said.

Sadly, having been a CNC machinist pre-economic meltdown, I swagged the retail price at $300.

And still wanted one...

Were I still making those wages, and were single, I'd have bought one.

Seven fat years, and seven lean years...

:\

After splitting ways with my last designer-gig boss at a metal fab shop, I worked as a CNC machinist for a while. Because I had experience in metal fab, metal fab design including CNC part design, a year of prec. machining schooling, and a year experience with a bridgeport mill, programming, setup, running, and QC... I managed to talk the guy into giving me $7.50 an hour instead of their normal $7/hr

I hope to god that was 'lean'

Driving 45 minutes each way for that gig... I decided central MO was bad for work, and went to Loozyanna at the advise of a friend who was down there. I miss doing more 'hands-on' work :\ at least when I was a designer, I still had opportunity to go out and run machines now and then for prototyping after hours, or what not.

It's all about the thread count, man.

$7.50? wow, I started at $9.50 working part time, after just starting school for machining. That was back in '98...

Maybe it's a job market thing...

Does it even come with a water tight lid for $300? If not those designers should be beaten with it.

Had a lot to do with the company itself.

However, that was in rural Missouri just as the recession was setting in, so job market was also a factor I'm sure.

They had a high turnover rate and hired lots of ex-methheads, and I thought that gave me a leg up on the rest in negotiating my salary but apparently not. However I was in a bind, I had bills and no job. Took what I could get. Then I got the F outta dodge for greener pastures... only to wish I could go back

I was a "metal jobber" in an exhibits shop back then. Doing custom metal work and such was around $8-$9 for a shop-bitch back then (me!) Learn to do some basic manual machining and MIG/TIG welding and get up to the illustrious $11 an hour level. Only time it paid well was when you did those OT weeks at 60 hours or more a week. Then you had to survive the famines of 0 work for 4 weeks.

The only thing I miss about that shop was we were allowed to do our own work when it was slow. I'd make scrap into all kinds of useful stuff. I even turned out some stainless tail-light legs for a custom motorcycle - 4 hours of work got me $200.

wow i really want one!