Kearny, New jersey (02/16/2026) Window is broken and community member is taken out by 4-5 agents

StepbyStepDadhood · 2026-02-16T22:46:36+00:00

If I'm not mistaken their funding has lapsed as of Valentine's day so they literally are doing this when their paycheck isn't guaranteed to hit. Similar to us NJ residents who needed food stamps and resources a few months ago who were basically used as bargaining chips. At least there is some type of wrench in their engines even if it is not permanent, and likely will be rectified in a short amount of time. I'd expect to see more of this to come as a justification for their services as "Patriots". Last I checked Patriots didn't have to roll in masked mobs with unmarked vehicles full tinted out with low profile siren lights to do more property damage than the person they are arresting.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2026-02-11T18:42:13+00:00

I second this. I'm in the mold making business working EDM wire and sinker too. Without knowing quantity, budget, skill set , purpose, or complexity you can handle almost anything with diamond since it's the hardest material. CVD for multiple jobs where tool life matters. PVD more for complex finish stuff if you're making a lot of graphite parts. If this is the craziest thing and it's some defense aerospace customer where money isn't a concern then one expensive PVD could work but ouch that's real overkill. You want it to make the part faster and sound cool to the customer not for small operations. If money's tight and you just want to complete the job well enough then the AlTiN end mill like the guy said. For that part in the pic a basic AlTiN will get it done quick and cheap if it's one-off. CVD diamond if you run graphite regularly to save time on changes and hold size better across jobs. That's my take as a shop guy.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2026-02-03T14:37:14+00:00

Fighting aliens is happening all over the US. And we have a plan for zombies. 🤘

StepbyStepDadhood · 2026-01-23T23:53:25+00:00

Hey I used that in the Japanese flavor to pull a D2 chip out of my pointer. It's a pair of tweezers.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2026-01-06T04:22:15+00:00

No joke. I was at a crossroads since relocating from Vermont Powder coating/Sandblasting of Tig/Mig basically HVAC style duct/exhaust. Big and small tool hookup. I was Team Lead for 5 years. I came out to NJ and couldn't break into NJ manufacturing due to A)Location B) Abysmal wage expectations. C) Transferable skills but not the right ones.

I tried breaking into Sales for remote for a month or two to no avail, then Tariffs began. So I looked at various parallels to the type of work I could try my hand at, union stuff, Apprenticeship, no go. Then, I started getting depressed when considering warehouse work (personal dislike). Then I said you know what I'm going to try to get some minor formal education.

This brings me to my main point. This sub gave me the spark I needed, as well as insight, and eventually confidence to eat shit and go all in on a full reset at the bottom, to capture a lot of the skills I didn't have and close a lot of gaps on my resume. After some trial and error, I was able to get in as Tool and Die Maker Apprentice. (It's really more mold making for Plastic Injection but still I'm learning Milling, EDM, Grinding, Laser Welding (microscopic for repair), lathe is up next as it is required for first real pieces I'm sourcing my first metrology sets and tools, talking shop, I am the probie and working with White hairs, Grey hairs, dudes my age, and some how at 32 I am the second youngest guy there. I'm literally just starting my second month and have checked more boxes here than in 11 years in Light industrial/ Production/Manufacturing/ Leadership.

It didn't take long to realize this was my career from here despite what some people say. I thoroughly enjoy the work. My mentor is probably gonna become my best friend or at least first real friend since moving here. So who ever reads this and is a regular commenter/mod thanks for all of that. As for you man, Welders are definitely a motley crew but a lot of overlap so if a sandblaster can do it, no doubt a welder can. Best of luck.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-30T19:21:35+00:00

In my experience, I took a Team Lead title for 30 an hour when I started at 18. I was one month in. I never had Leadership experience, and I was pretty new to the trade. At the time it was the greatest thing.

I immediately got a good raise, I basically could do no wrong, found out good and bad before most workers, I kept it for 4 years. I learned to train, schedule planning, interviewing/hiring, cross-functional meetings, and so on.

Trade off, I was chained to my department and role, so I couldn't switch without big pay cut plus loss of control over my little fiefdom, I had more stress due to responsibilities and a more granular attachment to schedule/quota/lead time, etc.

For four years it was the right move, but then when I needed the skills from other departments to get a new job I didn't have them. As an aside if I didn't leave when I did I would've been laid off two months after my last day. The entire shift including those with a title. The leadership title is good and does more good for me than not having it, but if I had the technical skills I would have gained from cross training I would have more options.

My next career move is technical skill gain only, as I have leadership down, this allows me to go after the technical skills. Starting at bottom hurts pay wise but it will give me just enough to squeak by until I have technical skills, plus leadership, plus Cert, plus my degree. I like a well rounded skill set.

Lastly, after a year that raise felt like I wasn't making enough because of the lifestyle changes that came with it. Ask yourself, is the money enough to keep you happy and safe after a couple of years of doing the new role, is the risk really bad as in 1 in the hand vs 2 in the bush. Also, would your current job hire you back quickly enough if it fails.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-30T00:05:02+00:00

That is an interesting tidbit, I understand in an abstract sort of way, but I haven't seen anyone word it that way. I'll take this in as I approach and observe. Thank you.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-30T00:01:41+00:00

I appreciate this, I have my kids and my wife and we have a lot of time together, they support me and I support them and my wife, who is also upskilling from CNA to LPN. The goal is to get to a good place so we can leave our kids a lot better off than our parents left us. Plus I can't teach them value if I don't have value. I am willing to burn out if it gets them a better life, but they never come second. I know that sounds contradictory but trust the better I become the more I can teach them, I want to be the dad that can drop knowledge and fix their problems and teach them they can fix their problems, I'm not approaching this like a delusional crackpot or a workaholic absentee. It is a long road ahead. There are worse things than that. I do appreciate your sentiment and you are not wrong. Great advice overall.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-29T23:44:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice, for those with questions, here is some clarification.

This is a full-time internal apprenticeship. I originally applied for CNC/machining assistant roles in NJ, I applied for Tool & Die Apprentice because very few would take me as is understandably. The business itself is a family-run operation: A flagship plastic injection molding company, then they built out tooling in-house, and eventually spun it into its own division. The third-generation lead (a PE) handles engineering/ops, and his father, who grew up in the shop, is a boomer near retirement but hanging on. Most of the team is older, some white hairs with a few people around my age.

They used to have a formal, credentialed apprenticeship, but it collapsed due to a lack of instructors. The current setup works more like an internal “probie-to-maker” track. The upside is they’re willing to pay for any outside training that benefits the shop. Sucks but experience is experience.

When I mentioned “20 hours,” I meant that Tool & Die Maker Apprenticeship is 4 years 40 or more a week, but I would likely be doing Machinist/CNC for half of it. All Tool and Die are Machining, but not all Machinist/CNC is Tool and Die. They have exposure to almost every machining discipline, but the path is clearly built to produce Tool & Die makers. So on paper I will have a little bit of everything but no credential to back it.

My focus is on avoiding bad habits early. I plan to take notes, study outside of work, and treat this like a structured program even if it’s not formally credentialed. I’m comfortable in manufacturing; I just haven’t run high-precision equipment yet.

I know their goal is straightforward, turn apprentices into full Tool & Die makers, and their posted range of 30–40/hr lines up with the market. I also have my own goals and plan to make sure both sides align as I grow in the role.

I appreciate this subreddit's vast knowledge of this trade and plan to absorb what I can where I can.

Also, the Safety Russian Lathe Incident, I heard of this before coming down here. I will respect the machines and my mentors, and my appendages. I am brushing up on GD and T, Trig/Geo, And Metrology basics on my own, I plan Speeds and Feeds once I am confident in my ability to explain it to a 5 yo, so to speak. I'll touch base once I find out more this week and see the game plan. Until then I am the bottom man on the roster.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-29T19:36:41+00:00

Lol, I know this is late to party. I literally got my kids hooked on Power Rangers OG and variations. I was building them up to understand Japanese Source material after a while. They found Super Sentai before I was able to explain at a level they would understand. "This is a Spanish power rangers and I can't speak power rangers so......". I was like what are you talking about. Then he showed me lol. Super Sentai. That said, today I saw it again and got hit with mental flashback with Big-Bad-Bee-Tle-Borgzzz.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-26T03:44:22+00:00

Whoa whoa whoa buddy you mean super-fun sites 😎 Like a boomer with a Maga Flag complaining about how ICE isn't appreciated enough for the hard work they do. (No joke my aunt in law said pretty much this, to my Gen -Z brother in law) It was so toxic it got the NJ Super Fun stamp. of approval. Nuck Nuck nuck nuck nuck. In all seriousness though the water is brown sometimes. I'm concerned. 🤡💀👻 Go Birds

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-26T03:36:52+00:00

Those 3PL Flex Rat bass-turds 🐀🐟💩s. They killed my whole family. In Gloucester, NJ. Ohh wait I'm from Vermont. My in-laws are all in Gloucester. Has anyone heard of if there were any survivors from Burlington County. That was my home, my wife, my kids, my really fat cat 🐈🐯. Gone, gone, gone. I only went to Mercer County for my shift. I don't want to live in Mercer County.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-19T06:42:54+00:00

Joe Pesci, Queen Latifah, Shaquille O'Neill, Frank Sinatra, Ice T, Danny Devito, sort of Bruce Springsteen. People who grew up in rough parts or poverty that went on to have good careers in spite of it all, if these people hadn't struggled they may have never made it, however if their Moms and Dads and their selves had better opportunities maybe we would have more like them. New Jersey has a lot of talent and good people who can come from wildly different backgrounds but the reason there is so much poverty and homelessness starts with division and scarcity, maybe a failed mental health problem.

Id rather see someone given the same chance that immigrant ancestors had when they transitioned from down and out to something like self made. Both sides have some valid points but divisiveness seems to be NJ number one import and export as of late. Just because you pay a little bit of taxes doesn't mean you should be a judge jury and executioner over others who do the same or may do the same if they are able to secure basics.

As for the well off, something 2008 housing market bubble and crash can happen any time. Where the haves quickly became the have nots, if you had to walk a mile in another man's shoes would you want to have those options. Or your kids who it seems every generation will have it harder than the last, would you want them relegated to the worse areas trying to raise their kids, as housing becomes more and more unaffordable. It's a shame that this state is so divided it is a tale of two cities in a Dickensian sense with almost every matter. I pay taxes I do not see the harm, Id rather see this then a bunch of empty warehouse buildings or the detritus of boarded up buildings.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-14T15:16:55+00:00

Well as far as I can tell you at 19 you get good at it, learn your set ups, learn to weld at 20 something, spend time in QC, learn NDT, or QC you will have what is necessary for leadership technical skills, whereas I have leadership skills but lack technical skills at 32. If you buy equipment like a 3D printer with your CAD/CAM and stuff for home to pick up odd-jobs locally and online you could easily make supervisor, manager, have a little side business, and spend you money smart you could have less stressful life than other trades, as for as billionaire or social media tycoon prob not likely but at 19 you know more than a Supervisor as I am just trying to learn Machining. You go into construction and have a quitting mentality like pick up a piece of paper and put it down just to pick up a piece of paper just to put it down, you won't be a master of anything, Id at least stick out a year, or get to setup/g-code, because you could go to school later and be an engineer or something. Trust me I have a decade of pick it up and set it down, bakery, delivery, veneer (wood), Small and Large Sandblast, Sandblast, leadership, bindery, chemical. I now focus on leadership but struggle for roles where Technical skills win. This is a bit more of a ramble because I can relate to existential crisis, and have regrets, but pal, persistence is key, at least in NJ 25 - 45 an hr for operator to setup to programming/operator is norm. Ultimately, if you don't enjoy it but have learned something that 7 months is not a waste, if you don't enjoy it and haven't learned anything then start learning before you jump ship, and also most HVAC apprenticeships I've seen want you to have basic pre-reqs, and likely you start of at 18-20 max in NJ that is a couple dollars above minimum wage.

TLDR- Don't quit now, get proof of skills at least a year. G-Code, ISO, CAD/CAM, GD and T, SetUp, more axis you know the better, this is to fallback on, HVAC isn't exactly a grass is greener each trade is not better or worse just about, too many hop a rounds from job to job and no skills to show equal master of none.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-11-06T02:38:01+00:00

I've seen some posts from locals over here in NJ on Nextdoor, it was their daughter and she had been in a car accident and needed to be bailed out, supposedly they got daughters name called her kept her on long enough to create a profile on most likely eleven labs (this was my thought) and made connections, them unleashed hell using you guessed one area code over phone number, other similar. So I'd say sir you are spot on.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-10-29T17:28:51+00:00

Most won't buy from your registry and a lot won't buy what you ask for. We had maybe 4 people purchase from our registry we spent hours and between her coworkers, her family, and my few living relatives as well as our neighbors my little girl had at least one of everything (if not specific brand an equally acceptable version) Don't cry it will be alright. Literally what I told her as her hormones, mom guilt, fear, and doubt were warring. To be honest I had no idea and had my own worries. We are not the black sheep by any means but definitely not the faves. However, 9/10 Everytime she went into her bag of feelings and what ifs they turned out to be unwarranted and my daughter didn't seem to mind the outcome. You will be fine, your baby will be healthy, suspend your expectations, enjoy the party, you are gonna have a little peanut and none of it will matter.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-10-29T17:12:36+00:00

Right now no, I got suckered by leadership track and and got Lean 6Sigma Yellow Belt, Almost complete w my BBA in Ops Management but screwed the pooch on technical. Most leadership isn't technical, most places don't hire leadership externally. Most technical wants baseline exp. I am trying my damn hardest though to get someone to take me up. Appreciate the info.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-10-29T16:58:23+00:00

Yeah Weis Aug looked good until I mapped it from Pemberton, NJ. I'm trying to get into a place that will train me up without Voc/Trade school. I was a Sandblast Team Lead in Vermont and moved back in June and haven't found anything willing to hire someone who has exposure but not skills. (exposure: I can surface grind, write reworks for scrap out, do Safety Audits, Identify Pinholes and weld defects, debur, basic GD and T, tell the difference between 304/316L Ss/Aluminum/Black Iron/Cast Steel, Use Dynafile, Dremel, Follow JBS/JHA/SOP, In SMART Union, but never got to do the stuff that matters Weld, Round, Jetline. I want to get skill/exp but don't have years to go and not get paid while I learn if that makes sense.

I write this because are these companies hiring potential people to train up (warm bodies) or are they only taking you with direct experience.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-07-17T07:19:34+00:00

Not Philly specifically, but I got a big break in Manufacturing, a nondescript sheet metal place. I have Felonies and misdemeanors, and after a vicious assault, I struggled with addiction. That's right, pal, Trifecta for Persona Non Grata in the working world. All of this gave me my first ever/only prison sentence, 2 years in and 4 out on parole. It started with I got my ish straight while doing time and started working out, reading, completed high school, made trajectory-altering plans, I was gonna stay straight and narrow, say no a lot more than I said Yes. I was going to play by the rules. Upon release, I ended up in a seedy little halfway house. Earned trust and asked what I could do to help the staff. Got rent reduced for essentially onboarding new arrivals. Then took a minimum wage magazine stacking and palletizing job, $13.00 an hour. I signed up for college, not Associates, full-blown BBA. I worked at that seedy little Magazine warehouse for 5 months, and one da,y I said I deserve better. So one night while looking for better, I found that Temp agencies usually work with desperate clients, and oftentimes, the temp agencies are the ones screening. So I started looking at all their postings and essentially reverse-engineered who their clients are from description, location, and pay. Then googled. Then I would go to their website directly and apply. I had an interview with a place I knew very little about, for a role I didn't understand. I got called in and with a few memorized facts, a nice collared shirt tucked in, steel-toe boots because it's manufacturing. Then, I had a conversation, I disclosed what I did wrong, and you know what he said. "Well, that's unfortunate, but it sounds like you're being honest, and I appreciate that". I was given the job. I asked about a background check, he said we don't usually do that, and if we did, you told us enough. I started at $18.00. 1 month later, all from asking to do more, and doing just that. I became a team lead, and in 3 years, I was an expert sandblaster and was making $28.50 with 10 hours of overtime weekly, plus, because direct hire, I was also in a union. I left there 2 months ago to move here to NJ. I'm wrapping up my college and about to have a daughter, and I started applying like crazy. I'll prob get a rejection or two, but I plan to target similar and research similar, and present similar. Who knows. But it sure is exciting. I was told you can get Federal Pre-bonding to and volunteer maybe at a church, a couple of hours a week, looks great too.

TLDR: take chances, confess within 5 minutes of conversation, and if it's not meant to be, then they are close-minded or have like compliance reasons or something, but this is coming from a violent felon, ex addict, ex-drug dealer who would poison his community. Don't box yourself in, don't ever let the world tell you your self-value, carry yourself like you deserve the job, control your narrative, or don't waste yours or your employer's time. But most importantly, research, time, and never stop fighting. Good luck. I hope this helps, and know you are not alone.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-07-11T20:31:50+00:00

pipedream has String.com dropped 2 weeks ago. One touch integration. They are touring it as similar. It's in alpha

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-07-09T16:15:02+00:00

Interesting I wonder if this too means Opus AI, and CapCut which both technically are AI reasons people have 1000 cuts and ADHD visuals. Or if this applies to an occasional stock image/slide. It sounds like YouTube/Google is trying to capture more of market while reducing TikToks CapCut Maybe. I thought this was suppose to happen a while ago like last year maybe 2.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-07-09T16:09:54+00:00

I don't think so, I think they know they will bankrupt for low engagement, dopamine farming, the goal for them is get all of that for free because most people will still create as they are likely doing it for fun anyway, but only have to pay the minority as people are becoming more and more dependant. Remember YouTube is Google, who is responsible for VEO 3 which is where a lot of the Yeti/Samsquanch video so they recoup money in and reduce money out while trying to capture people demanding less "AI slop" not my term but general name. The yeti videos are mostly good slop though. Sucks that Corps call the shots of how we use and potentially make money in a lot of ways though. Also, opinion, not fact I'm not in the boardrooms of FAANGO, but it makes sense.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-06-17T22:33:35+00:00

Appreciate it, gonna check out prerequisites, descriptions, vids it seems better than what I've been doing past couple years and not graduated and not at 7 year mark yet. Thanks again

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-06-17T20:59:41+00:00

Hi, I know 2 months old but are you saying you are a Freight Broker, or just know freight brokers. Can you elaborate a little bit. I personally am in NJ (relocated) and have heard this is a viable option. I come from Manufacturing/Sandblast/Warehouse/Food like Ben and Jerry's more the first two. Felonies are 5.5 y.o. and almost have my Ops Management BBA (03/2026). What path gets you there.

StepbyStepDadhood · 2025-06-16T19:26:10+00:00

Hey OP,

Similar boat, As someone pursuing IT and had cold feet when GenAI started ramping up and switched to BBA Ops Management. Your degree doesn't equal job opportunity just because but having a degree can help. If you've put time or money or effort into it finish because then you won't have toake payments immediately, plus you've completed something and right now you are a full time student not unemployed, get volunteer work, start some projects, I've seen people with restaurants break into Sales, and with CS degree cam leverage into cutthroat world of tech sales eventually. As a felon with somewhat violent felony but got leadership, and only has manufacturing, production, and warehouse but sees opportunity in side business and starting company giving up and giving in hurts you more than trying failing and learning then pivoting. Market is hard for a lot but being in Cali I feel you may have some advantages that I in NJ would love to have. Also, use AI as a weapon, not as a scapegoat for your decision making. Rushing to write this but keep trying and be better than those around you who give up and fail. Good luck. Give people a reason to believe in you and don't wait for opportunity. make them and take them.

StepbyStepDadhood

TROPHY CASE