[SP] Are all of you SPs good with your hands and have mechanical skills?

[mrcockburn]

I don't mean "good with your hands" in THAT way... keep that mind of yours in PG for now.

Anyway, this is the only reason I know I'm an ENTP and not ESTP. (Of course, I know Ns that kick ass at building/fixing things, and Ss that suck ass at it. But let's generalize for the sake of simplicity.)

I'm completely USELESS with my hands. I don't know any of the different components and parts/functions/arrangements of car engines. I've never built a model airplane. I even suck on those IQ test things where you have to fill in the pattern diagrams. :steam:

It's not necessarily just because I'm female. My ISTP chick friend can fly a plane. My INFP male friend, however, is worse than I am. He barely knows what to do with a set of Legos. Have him screw a lightbulb, and he just sits there gawking at the lightbulb like he wants to cry. My INFP father is the same way.

I didn't grow up with anyone who was good at that kind of thing. Were you SPs taught about mechanical things, or were you just BORN knowing how to change a tire?

 

[Quinlan]

I'm Ok with my hands in the sense that I can draw more than just stick figures and can cast a fishing rod well but not in a mechanical repairing and maintaining things sense. I have never been interested in how machines work, only what they can do.

My mind doesn't work in that systematic kind of way, I definitely think its a Ti thing.

 

[Halla74]

My mind doesn't work in that systematic kind of way, I definitely think its a Ti thing.

+1!

 

[StephMC]

I'm pretty sucky at mechanical, hands-on kind of stuff. Maybe slightly better than average, but definitely don't excel at it. I'm more technical, problem-solving oriented. This definitely varies between the ISTPs I've met, at least. I've never met any mechanical-type ESTPs or SFPs in person, but I've heard about a few from others

 

[wolfy]

I'm good with my hands. I value being good with my hands really highly. I think that is interesting, sometimes people will say they aren't good at something because they value it so highly.

I do enjoy how machines work. I do have good mechanical skills in areas I am knowledgeable. I don't know if I am mechanically minded, I can be. I like how things work, I kind of build from that. But I think that is an alternative approach for my mind. To stop and build a framework of how something works in my mind.

 

[Halla74]

I hear you. I figure out what I need to, and am very happy when I am able to pull it off, but I do not live and die by mechanical competency.

 

[countrygirl]

My ISTP husband is mechanically inclined that it is his passion in life. It's his hobby and his job. However, it's the emergency problem-solving (fix it right there and now) that he enjoys the most.

When it comes to fixing/renovating the house, that's another story! :steam:

 

[Quinlan]

I had some ISTP friends when I was younger and they seem naturally gifted in this area, one guy in particular had absolutely zero common sense but he was incredible when it came to mechanics.

 

[Randomnity]

I'm not good with my hands directly, not really interested in mechanical things so I never taught myself how to fix cars or whatnot, and was never taught. I tend to be better at the mental aspects of practical things.

 

[Walking Tourist]

I've never done much with machinery.
But I'm good with my hands.
I can draw and paint and crochet and do embroidery.
My dad, who is hopeless with fixing or adjusting any kind of little machinery, always hands the stuff to me. He gives me the watches to adjust when we start or end daylight savings time. I adjust them. He says, "How did you do that?" I tell him. He has a blank look on his face after I tell him.
I like taking stuff apart to see how it works. Now if only I could remember how to put it back together...

 

[miss fortune]

In a way yes, and in a way no...

I'm good at fixing things that go wrong by looking at them and taking them apart and figuring out how they're SUPPOSED to work... I also have what a friend refers to as tiny little lock pickers hands, so I'm pretty good at the actual fine detail work on things (until I get bored )

However, I have no common sense whatsoever, so I've been known to overfill tires, dump oil into my car and not pay attention to how much was already in it and to stick my fingers into live electrical sockets

 

[Heinel]

Good with hands? Yes. Mechanically inclined? Not interested.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I don't mean "good with your hands" in THAT way... keep that mind of yours in PG for now.

Anyway, this is the only reason I know I'm an ENTP and not ESTP. (Of course, I know Ns that kick ass at building/fixing things, and Ss that suck ass at it. But let's generalize for the sake of simplicity.)

I'm completely USELESS with my hands. I don't know any of the different components and parts/functions/arrangements of car engines. I've never built a model airplane. I even suck on those IQ test things where you have to fill in the pattern diagrams. :steam:

It's not necessarily just because I'm female. My ISTP chick friend can fly a plane. My INFP male friend, however, is worse than I am. He barely knows what to do with a set of Legos. Have him screw a lightbulb, and he just sits there gawking at the lightbulb like he wants to cry. My INFP father is the same way.

I didn't grow up with anyone who was good at that kind of thing. Were you SPs taught about mechanical things, or were you just BORN knowing how to change a tire?

I've never really thought about it... but I suppose so. I don't go around tinkering with cars and what have you... however I was always pretty decent at drawing, sewing, random crafts... fixing things in unique ways around the house, etc. My ISTP roommate is a freak at mechanical machinery. Since he's been living here, he's fixed/worked on four computers, his motorcycle and three different cars. He stays absorbed in those types of projects. My INFP exboyfriend, was actually a much better artist than me. I had a softer/feminine touch to my drawings, and often lacked patience and so would become incredibly creative with whatever I was... creating! But he was always faster and dead on with accuracy & realism, and was also a prop builder & costumer designer for fan boy type conventions. So, I would say he was far better and much more motivated than I to do these types of things. He's since moved on to carving, as well! And my INTP roommate has been the most handy around the house, having fixed the washer, dryer, sink, and dishwasher. So, I don't know if these hands on skills can be entirely thrown into the SP category only.

 

[Poki]

I have always had extremely good balance and coordination. Whether its my hands, core, legs, etc. Its not static balance, but in motion balance and coordination.

I dont know if my mechanical skills were learned or innate. Being good with my hands though makes things that are mechanical really smooth and easy. Makes the use of tools effortless. I can also pick up vague concepts and merge them really fast which also helps with mechanical abilities as alot is carried over from one thing to another.

 

[seamaid]

My ISTP bf took a spare bike frame with some loose and rusted parts, bought a couple new parts and built a working bike for me this past weekend... =) He accomplished this in a couple of hours and was verrry pleased with himself. He tried to explain to me how it all worked and for some reason it went right by me. Same with computer hardware. But I have miles of painting, drawing, and pretty-making skills he doesn't have. We have the same level of cooking skills, but he's better at improv-ing something great out of whatever is in the kitchen, whereas I stick with tried-and-true classics.

 

[Poki]

My ISTP bf took a spare bike frame with some loose and rusted parts, bought a couple new parts and built a working bike for me this past weekend... =) He accomplished this in a couple of hours and was verrry pleased with himself. He tried to explain to me how it all worked and for some reason it went right by me. Same with computer hardware. But I have miles of painting, drawing, and pretty-making skills he doesn't have. We have the same level of cooking skills, but he's better at improv-ing something great out of whatever is in the kitchen, whereas I stick with tried-and-true classics.

I remember piecing together bikes when I was younger. My cousin didnt have any extra bikes, but like 5 broken ones that I pieced together, painted flat black, bought a few parts and had a bike for the summer to ride.

 

[seamaid]

I remember piecing together bikes when I was younger. My cousin didnt have any extra bikes, but like 5 broken ones that I pieced together, painted flat black, bought a few parts and had a bike for the summer to ride.

That's awesome, Poki.

I also agree with countrygirl who said her istp husband prefers the emergency fix-it situations. OMG. Sometimes I think my istp purposely leaves stuff behind so he can find a different way to do something. We went camping on Memorial Day and he forgot to bring the tent poles. He found a low-hanging tree branch and made the tent into a teepee (with flashlights, cuz our timing getting to the campsite wasn't so great either 's!). Anyway, he was quite proud of his makeshift tent as well, and regretted that we didn't take a photo of it.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

What is it with ISTPs and bikes? My ISTP is, among other things, the bike repairer of this large family. When we go camping he takes his toolbox (of course!), air pump, oil can, and whatever spare parts he thinks he might possibly need and loads it into the car knowing he usually will be called to service at some point in the next few days.

I just discovered the old Schwinn bicycle I got from a garage sale about 11 years ago for $1. I have a newer Schwinn which is blue (with only one gear ) but I wanted my husband to take the other Schwinn camping instead of his Kona mountain bike (so we could match ) so I hauled it out of the shed in its tire-rotted rusty disused condition, flipped it over on its seat (ready to be inspected , and threatened to take it to a bike repair shop. Then I stepped back and watched my plan fall into place. Within a few hours he had taken it apart, was scrubbing off the rust, shining up the fenders, removed the wheels, thrown away the rotted tire, blown up the other tire, oiled the chain, removed and inspected the gear assembly, and ordered a new tire.

When he spoke with the bike shop owner, he said that an original Schwinn gear assembly with two gears would fetch him $400-500 alone!! He also told my guy NOT to spray paint it (my man loves spray paint), but to leave it in either its original state, or pay $100 to have it professionally painted.

Here is a picture of him on his camping Schwinn:

My INTJ son, who loves the website Magnificent Bastard just reported that old, original Schwinns are quite the height of fashion. Not that the ISTP gives a crap of course.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

That's awesome, Poki.

I also agree with countrygirl who said her istp husband prefers the emergency fix-it situations. OMG. Sometimes I think my istp purposely leaves stuff behind so he can find a different way to do something. We went camping on Memorial Day and he forgot to bring the tent poles. He found a low-hanging tree branch and made the tent into a teepee (with flashlights, cuz our timing getting to the campsite wasn't so great either 's!). Anyway, he was quite proud of his makeshift tent as well, and regretted that we didn't take a photo of it.

you guys need a J in the family for sure.

 

[seamaid]

you guys need a J in the family for sure.

Oh believe me, he's turning me into one!