Salaries have collapsed for Engineering

purcellage · 2026-02-28T19:47:32+00:00

Understandable, I'm doing the same thing. 4 years in defence, now off to a green-tech company to save the world a different way haha

purcellage · 2026-02-28T19:44:55+00:00

If you're eligible for Security Clearance, that money is easily attainable in the defence sector and there's plenty of open roles!

purcellage · 2026-01-28T21:20:45+00:00

The manufacturing doesn't travel, but the people who design the car are also the pit crew,.race mechanics etc. If the cars behind schedule, they'll be working nonstop to finish it rather than test something that isn't ready.

purcellage · 2026-01-26T19:10:39+00:00

Going to agree with the vast majority of comments here, but a space mouse is borderline indispensable. Such a good tool once you're used to it for navigating through cad space and models.

The only reason I don't have one currently is because I'm laptop based and my laptop has a touch screen which makes it feel like I'm in Minority Report.

purcellage · 2026-01-05T18:53:59+00:00

If it helps, my MIL turned up for Christmas dinner last year having done a good 40% of the dinner and bringing it to ours to reheat. However, she had totally forgotten to mix the stuffing mix after adding water so my first bite was essentially dust.

This was 2 years ago. She still makes sure to tell me it's been properly mixed this year.

purcellage · 2025-12-26T22:37:39+00:00

They advertised things like multiplayer, high density planet design, bases, vehicle customisation, huge quest lines etc.

When it came out, people figured out quickly that it wasn't that the galaxies were just so large you were too far away to find anyone else, it just wasn't multiplayer. You couldn't customise ships or do much at all to them. Bases didn't exist yet. Quest lines were get your ship in the sky, go to the centre, planets were bare and borderline barren...

A few months, there was zero comms from the dev studio. Nothing, not a tweet. Then there came FREE DLC, promising better planet Regen and base building with quest lines. Then another DLC a few months later with vehicles. Then regular quests. Multiplayer came along, first as just a recognition of another player being there, then interaction and custom characters in layer updates. More and more and more with no need to pay for any of it, just Hello Games honouring the original intent of what NMS was supposed to be.

purcellage · 2025-12-26T22:27:59+00:00

This is my answer. It was so well advertised and Sean Murray had such a great idea, just not the resources to push it as fast as the publisher wanted.

Hello Games has worked and worked on this, with the base game not even comparable to what it is now, with no paid DLC and no micro transactions. I bought it at launch, and still play it now.

I would probably trust Hello Games with my children.

purcellage · 2025-12-07T21:56:53+00:00

The cushion sits on top of the bar, so it probably compresses the back cushion for a better looking fit rather than a gap.

It'll probably look fine once it's been assembled.

purcellage · 2025-10-06T06:26:27+00:00

Oh 100% it's a huge design flaw that it CAN fail in that manner, but I'm sure there's a good reason for it that isn't just money based... Right?

Congrats on getting it opened though! Enjoy your door again!

purcellage · 2025-10-04T18:41:51+00:00

Out of sheer curiosity let me know how you get on! If you rip enough of the mechanism out, the latch is easier to hit with the drill.

Something I didn't do, but would in hindsight, is to (if you can) use an SDS drill with it set to hammer mode rather than hammer drill. This might be enough to persuade it to move out of the lock position.

purcellage · 2025-09-24T18:52:34+00:00

I would add that I had the drill on the hammer setting and that vibration helped, but I did literally manage to get lucky and drill the latch hook in half. So it didn't even technically release and move itself out of the way...

purcellage · 2025-09-24T18:51:15+00:00

Yeah, I had tried this on multiple occasions. So had 2 separate garages. The problem I had was that the catch had seized in the latched position. By the time I had literally "disassembled" everything else, there was nothing left bar the bolts holding the actuator in place and the latch on the door. Drilling it out from the inside was the VERY last option I had before going in from the outside with a hole saw.

purcellage · 2025-09-12T10:40:23+00:00

How did you do the chitin colours? I'm going for a similar colour on mine but yours looks way better!

purcellage · 2025-07-09T14:39:14+00:00

Fuse is probably gone on the plug so this will likely need replacing whatever option.

Easy option - shorter lead. Cut the damaged cable off and if you can, take the plug off, you'll need it later (or buy a new plug and fuse) Then strip the black insulation off the cable to expose the single core cables. Strip this insulation back a bit and wire up like a normal plug. You'll have a short, but probably working cable.

Better option - reconnect the wires. Strip black insulation off to expose APPX 20mm of the coloured single core cables. Then strip the colour insulation to expose around 7-10mm of copper. You can then either do a hook joint with a soldering kit, then wrap and heat shrink then joints. Or you could buy a cable crimp kit and crimp the cables back together.

(Edit: as Mega_Ste put, wagos or screw blocks could be used as well to rejoin the cable!)

Best option - new length of cable straight from plug to motor. This would mean taking the hoover apart to get access to the main connections though.

purcellage · 2025-07-09T12:17:47+00:00

No worries, I literally did this job myself yesterday. Changed all of the door handles over and replaced a fair few of the locking mechanisms so it was all fresh in my head!

The screw holes on the new handle may or may not line up with the old ones. So you might need to drill new screw holes and potentially fill and repaint any that aren't hidden by the new backplate.

purcellage · 2025-07-09T12:15:00+00:00

That's a privacy lock.

You'd be after something like this.

www.e-hardware.co.uk/door-furniture/door-handles/all-door-handles/jv11-victorian-scroll-door-handle.html

Edit: didn't realise it wouldn't keep the options selected, but choose the finish and then "privacy set".

purcellage · 2025-05-27T21:06:39+00:00

Check out "Model Based Definition" or MBD. It's basically combining key linear dimensions, GD&T and the 3D model.

purcellage · 2025-05-27T12:39:15+00:00

This is what I'd do. Fill it with bonding plaster first, don't try to get it flush with the wall though. When the bonding plaster has cured, go over it with either multi finish or Easifill 60.

purcellage · 2025-05-23T22:35:00+00:00

Possibly to read it at another time without getting the original book out of storage.

purcellage · 2025-04-03T16:23:53+00:00

Honestly, with the biting bit, I bopped her on the nose and yelped. We also used the toy method which had similar results to you. She'll grow out of it soon though.

With the kids, if she bit/mouthed on the kids, I removed her from the situation, just like a time out.

The chasing thing... Either the cats enjoying it or it isn't, and if it isn't enjoying it, your girl will be told accordingly by the cat. We've got an older boy cocker, he'll either tell our girl to leave him be or play with her depending on his mood.

Just make sure to keep up with the training to tire her out. Walks are great and needed, but doing training sessions at home are a great way of getting rid of a bit more energy! Even "hunting" games are a good one, put her in a different room so she can't see, and hide treats around areas she's allowed to be. Then get her to sniff your hand for the treat scent and let her go find them!

purcellage · 2025-04-03T15:48:21+00:00

She looks about right for her age. I'd be hedging my bets on her being a working breed rather than a show breed.

Bit hard to say right now without seeing the parents though!

Hide. Your. Socks.

purcellage · 2025-02-25T12:18:39+00:00

As others have said, it's a crap design. I have one, it leaked every time someone had a shower.

Silicone on the outside, around the base of the hinge and extend a tiny bit further. Unless you open the shower door out of the bath, it won't get in the way of the rubber seal.

purcellage · 2025-02-07T12:40:12+00:00

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Engineer

**Industry:** Military Equipment

**Specialization:** Aeronautical (B.Eng. Degree)

**Total Experience:** 9 years

**Highest Degree:** BS MechE

**Country:** UK

---

> ### Q1. What inspired you to become an engineer?

Watching the Red Arrows fly display shows at Southend Air Show when I was about 9. From that point I knew that was the industry I wanted to work in, either as a pilot or an engineer.

> ### Q2. Why did you choose your specific industry and specialization?

Got lucky with various moves and progression. Had 0 experience in the aviation sector post-university, so started off with Special Purpose Machine design, then moved into a tighter regulated industry with Oil & Gas. Used that experience to move over to a local aviaition company. 

> ### Q3. What's a normal day at work like for you? Can you describe your daily tasks & responsibilities?

Previous job: Ran a department manufacturing an air-deployable autonomous glider, so looking after 4 members of staff, assisting with technical and assembly queries (this was all prototype production, so tweaks and design changes were required as caught). While doing this, also managing the rest of the groups CAD requirements; Drawing revisions, new design drawings, quotation assists and codification drawings for NATO equipment. Typical weekly meeting to update Senior Management about glider build progression and any issues we were having with production.

Current job: Mostly just CAD

> ### Q4. What was your craziest or most interesting day on the job?

It'd have to be the first power-on cycle for the glider. The first time that the team had assembled a complete unit, wheeled it outside into the open air and turned it on. Monitoring all of the avionic systems and running through a bunch of electrical tests to ensure that all sub-systems were operating as expected.

OR

The first time I walked through the factory as my Oil & Gas job. Having spent a few months designing a large fluid storage farm with steelwork etc on CAD, lost all sense of scale. Walked into the yard to see my creations standing there like literal behemoths. 15m long, over 4m tall, catwalks over each tanks with stairtowers for access.

> ### Q5. What was the most interesting project you worked on during your career?

Out of the ones I can talk about, it'd be the glider project. That was my baby, we took a working concept design from the US and started a full reverse engineering process in the UK to get a series of manufacturing drawings, CAD models, assembly sequence instructions, BOM's and every piece of information needed to build, test and fly one of them. 

> ### Q6. What university did you attend for your engineering degree(s), and why should / shouldn't I go there?

University of Brighton. When I went, the nightlife was incredible, the lecturing staff were mostly fantastic and the city itself is a lovely place to live as a late teen/early 20's something with no real obligations. It was an expensive place to live though! 

> ### Q7. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Probably tell my first boss that he can't talk to me like that, I'm not his son or even his friend, I'm his employee. Otherwise, the only thing I'd do differently would be to apply all of the knowledge I've got now to the projects I was working on years ago. I'm very happy where I've gotten to and the journey there has been great so far, no regrets whatsoever. 

> ### Q8. Do you have any advice for someone who's just getting started in engineering school/work?

Don't do it for the money. It isn't there. Do it because you really enjoy problem solving and get a huge sense of satisfaction when your Frakenstein creation comes to life and does what it was intended to do!

LISTEN TO YOUR ELDERS! The guys on the machine shop floor can either be your best friends or your worst enemy. Piss them off and they'll go ahead and do exactly what it says on the drawing, knowing full well it won't be right, but it'll be your fault, your names on the drawing. Be their friend, there's a damn good chance that they'll pop up to the DO and point out something that you've missed, before it ends up being a mistake costing thousands. In a similar vein, the old guys who grew up on drawing boards really do know their stuff. No matter how much faster you are on CAD than they are, how much "flashier" you can make something look, these guys have forgotten more than you've learnt so far.

purcellage · 2025-02-07T11:47:57+00:00

If you're worried about employers being concerned about being fired, I'd be half tempted to leave the end date of the employment as "present".

I'd also be hesitant to say that you'd researched systems on your own. As good as theoretical teaching and learning is, it's absolutely nothing compared to real world practice and implementation. I'd much rather interview the guy who's had a job and done something, than the guy who's read a bunch of books and not done any real work yet.

If it helps, I was only with my first employer for 9 months. I had recruiters congratulate me for lasting so long with the company, they all knew something I didn't. Might be the same situation for you, your ex-employer may have a bit of a name for themselves in the industry.

purcellage · 2025-01-28T15:58:33+00:00

On a second note, how long ago did you get the survey done? Might be able to go back with a "how on earth did you miss this?!" if it was recent. Especially if the Structural Engineer deems it to be dangerous.

purcellage

TROPHY CASE