My family's kitchen gadget frenzy after hearing I'm a boilermaker

I was at a backyard cookout and my aunt asked about my trade, so I said I'm a boilermaker. She instantly yelled to the whole party that I could repair her leaky pasta pot, lmao. Before I could explain it's about big industrial systems, cousins were dragging out blenders, toasters, and a rusty coffee percolator. One even brought a slow cooker with a busted lid, sure I could 'boilermake' it back to life. I had to calmly tell them I work on massive pressure vessels, not small appliances, which got blank stares. Then my nephew asked if I could build a boiler for his science fair volcano, which almost made me spit out my drink. We all cracked up, and I spent the next hour giving a simple talk on what the job really involves.

3 comments

3 Comments

ryanh561mo ago

Classic family move right there. They hear 'boilermaker' and instantly think you're a kitchen appliance repair wizard. Imagine their disappointment when you can't fix a blender but could probably build a big steam system. The science fair volcano idea is pure gold, like yeah, let's just whip up a boiler for a school project. It's funny how trades get taken so literally. At least you got to educate them, even if they were hoping for free toaster repairs.

the_olivia1mo ago

Ryanh56, classic family logic. Boilermaker equals handyman, not steam expert. Their loss, your gain in cool factor.

phoenix97028d ago

Watched my buddy Mike, a machinist, get asked by his dad to "machine" a new lid for a cracked rice cooker. The man brought him the whole pot and a sheet of aluminum foil as "raw material". Mike just stared at it and said his lathe works on steel blocks, not kitchenware. His dad looked so let down, like he'd uncovered a hidden talent Mike was keeping secret.