Chinese Girl Machinist

[Gordon]

A lot of her repair seems to involve removing rust and repainting. Most of the actual repair seems to happen off screen. I have only watched a few of her repair jobs but it does not seem practical to take something which is completely seized after setting for years and trying to bring it back to life. One thing which I did notice is that she seems to use a hard hammer to drive out a shaft etc. Not really a good idea to mushroom the end of the shaft.

 

[L98fiero]

A lot of her repair seems to involve removing rust and repainting. Most of the actual repair seems to happen off screen. I have only watched a few of her repair jobs but it does not seem practical to take something which is completely seized after setting for years and trying to bring it back to life. One thing which I did notice is that she seems to use a hard hammer to drive out a shaft etc. Not really a good idea to mushroom the end of the shaft.

It appears that her family has a machine shop/repair shop, when she is using a sandblaster she obviously has access to a pretty significant compressor, not one you'd generally have in a home shop. Not taking anything away from what she does but that's also probably where she learned a lot.

 

[Toymaker]

<snip>
Young women need good role models, and they need to understand that you can be successful without being a beauty queen.
<snip>

You're right. Young women do need good role models, and IMHO, Linguoer and all her YouTube videos present exactly that,... an excellent role model. What I see is a rather attractive, nicely dressed young lady doing work that is traditionally performed my men. I wonder how many young women, even those that may aspire to becoming cheer leaders, have seen Linguoer's videos, were inspired, and began to believe that they too could do what this tiny Chinese lady is doing.

 

[GreenTwin]

I would give her the benefit of the doubt, and say she is a fantastic mechanic, and an inspirtional role model for women all over the world.
I would also say that an honest person would admit that probably the vast majority of her viewers are males that are 2-3 times her age.
.

 

[Toymaker]

Yes GreenTwin, in all honesty, I suspect the vast majority of her viewers are indeed older men, BUT if only 1% of her nearly 5 million views are young, inspired women, then she's provided a great service which I applaud.

 

[Gordon]

It appears that her family has a machine shop/repair shop, when she is using a sandblaster she obviously has access to a pretty significant compressor, not one you'd generally have in a home shop. Not taking anything away from what she does but that's also probably where she learned a lot.

It does appear that she has access to tools and equipment that her wooden bench in the back yard would seem to indicate.

 

[William May]

A lot of her repair seems to involve removing rust and repainting. Most of the actual repair seems to happen off screen. I have only watched a few of her repair jobs but it does not seem practical to take something which is completely seized after setting for years and trying to bring it back to life. One thing which I did notice is that she seems to use a hard hammer to drive out a shaft etc. Not really a good idea to mushroom the end of the shaft.

On the contrary, it is VERY practical to take a machine that is in TERRIBLE condition, and restore it to full operational capability. That is what antique car restorers do EVERY DAY. (I'm not talking about 1960's Mustangs. Those are just used cars.) I am talking about cars from the 1900s. 1910s.1920s eras. Most of them would be viewed as hopeless projects. But every day, people are completing these machines, with meticulous restorations that return them to their original condition and function. I know this because it is what I do with the cars I have collected.
I have noted that this girl could use some gentle advice on some of her techniques (Like why you don't pound on the ends of shafts with a hammer, or use an adjustable wrench for anything other than as a paperweight to hold down the pages of a manual and keep them from flapping in the wind) but I put this down to her having to work with very basic tools and minimal equipment. You use what you have, to do the work you need to do. I visited several small village machine shops in China when I was over there in 2000, and was most impressed with both their talent and ingenuity. (No CAD, no computers, no CAM machining systems.) Machinists and mechanics all over the world face the same problem of how to do the work with the tools you have.

Yeah, I watch little Chinese girls work on machines. I also watch videos by Keith Appleton, Shop Dog Sam, and many other creative and amazing people.
So what's your point?

 

[GreenTwin]

One trend on ytube is what I call the "sexy woodchopper girls", who wear very tight and low cut outfits to do all sorts of manly things on the farm.
Its an eye-candy affair, but if you are into that sort of thing, more power to you.

The Chinese mechanic looks pretty legit; certainly far more legit than the wood chopper bunch.

To each their own, but on the other end of things, young women need to understand that most women mechanics look pretty much like men mechanics, which is pretty rough, tough, and dirty, and that is perfectly ok. It is normal not to put on heavy makup before you rebuild a machine.
You don't have to look like a member of the Kardashian clan to be a good mechanic.
That is all I am saying.

I work with some guys (married with children) who like to eat at either Twin Peaks, or Hooters, because the food is so GOOOOOOOOD.
Yeah right; whatever........ Count me out of the Hooters/Twin Peak eating crowd. You won't see me supporting that sort of thing.

.

 

[Gordon]

On the contrary, it is VERY practical to take a machine that is in TERRIBLE condition, and restore it to full operational capability. That is what antique car restorers do EVERY DAY. (I'm not talking about 1960's Mustangs. Those are just used cars.) I am talking about cars from the 1900s. 1910s.1920s eras. Most of them would be viewed as hopeless projects. But every day, people are completing these machines, with meticulous restorations that return them to their original condition and function. I know this because it is what I do with the cars I have collected.
I have noted that this girl could use some gentle advice on some of her techniques (Like why you don't pound on the ends of shafts with a hammer, or use an adjustable wrench for anything other than as a paperweight to hold down the pages of a manual and keep them from flapping in the wind) but I put this down to her having to work with very basic tools and minimal equipment. You use what you have, to do the work you need to do. I visited several small village machine shops in China when I was over there in 2000, and was most impressed with both their talent and ingenuity. (No CAD, no computers, no CAM machining systems.) Machinists and mechanics all over the world face the same problem of how to do the work with the tools you have.

Yeah, I watch little Chinese girls work on machines. I also watch videos by Keith Appleton, Shop Dog Sam, and many other creative and amazing people.
So what's your point?

That is actually my point. Repairing something because it is irreplaceable is one thing but taking junk and rebuilding just for the sake of rebuilding it does not seem like a very productive enterprise. When a replacement is available without using a lot of time or additional resources just replace it. I suppose that it is possible that her family just has more time than money so she is forced to take the cheapest route but she seems to have access to some rather expensive equipment. I am not doubting her talent, I just question her choice of projects. Like you said, people do not restore 1960's Mustangs.

The message that I hope that her female viewers take from it is that it is possible to be both attractive and talented.

 

[Zeb]

Not my cup of tea, but I do enjoy certain shows and documentaries showing Chinese culture and traditions.

Something to be aware of, it is illegal for regular Chinese citizens to use youtube. They have to use a VPN at risk of arrest or be part of a state sponsored program. Not saying they can't produce beautiful documentaries or good shows, but it is something to be aware of.

 

[GreenTwin]

I have watched quite a few of this individual's videos.
She learns fast, is very smart, has a good sense of humor, and makes exceptionally clear well-edited videos.
She makes mistakes, and does not edit those out of the video, but rather takes ownership of them, and posts them for a lesson learned.

 

[GreenTwin]

Here is another individual I have come to know through the local art-iron foundry.
She works at the foundry, and operates a cupola like a pro, from startup to finish.
She taps the cupola, and is right in the middle of all the fire, flame, and splashing molten 2,500 F iron.

She teaches male and female young interns the art of iron casting, and creating cast iron scultures.

Tough as nails, fearless, nicest person you will ever meet, extremely knowledgeable about iron work, and very helpful with questions.
About half of the art-iron crowd are women.

 

[Steamchick]

Considering what Women did in industry during WW1 and WW2 (and right back through history), on both sides and in many countries, I miss the point here. Women can do most things men can do and vice-versa, and I have worked in factories with single sex (both) and mixed sex shop floors. The tasks and skills were suited to each as "people" not because of their sex. And this has been going on since my first experiences of industry in the late 1960s. (After the Ford Dagenham plant women broke-the-mould by gaining equal pay for equal jobs). Speaking of Moulds, I heard that in a pottery factory, there were a majority of men doing the heavy lifting, mixing clay, and other "menial" tasks, compared to the ratio of mew to women doing the fine art work and finishing, inspection etc. because the women were just better than the men at those tasks "statistically". But both areas of work were mixed sexes. And that goes back centuries. Just like textile industries, farming, etc. and others that pre-date the industrial revolution.
I suspect there is a bias of opinion depending on one's background, environs, political state (country?) and culture?
But let's be honest: a Sewing sweat shop is as hard as a Foundry sweat shop, just the dirt from one shows more on the skin than the lungs. They are both environs where the air pollution clogs lungs, the work is hard, and there are particular skills, muscle strengths, staminas, etc. that suit one type of build more than another. And in the UK we seem to have nearly abolished both!
In various countries across the planet, families have a business and all members have to do all jobs. So don't be surprised at seeing a young lady working on machines, etc. as maybe earning a few pence on u-tube helps her income and family somehow?
It really matters not a jot what sex we are when it comes to teaching and learning skills (e.g. Model Engineering). It only really matters when it comes to making babies. Then "Vive la difference".
IMHO...
K2

 

[Steamchick]

Just a post-script: I love the shapely legs (of the foundry) shown in #32... Surely this is the way to tell a Women's workplace? Stylish legs on a furnace? Men would have the cheapest - probably straight angle iron! Narey a thought for aesthetics!
K2

 

[Toymaker]

I have watched quite a few of this individual's videos.
She learns fast, is very smart, has a good sense of humor, and makes exceptionally clear well-edited videos.
She makes mistakes, and does not edit those out of the video, but rather takes ownership of them, and posts them for a lesson learned.

I started watching Blondihacks slightly before she started making her first model steam engine; she's a very talented machinist and videographer. Quinn (Blondi) has a knack for explaining how to make various parts and tools in a presentation style that's both interesting and informative to watch. According to her bio, she's been making video games for some 36 years.... a very talented women indeed. I wonder if she's on this forum?

 

[L98fiero]

When a replacement is available without using a lot of time or additional resources just replace it. I suppose that it is possible that her family just has more time than money so she is forced to take the cheapest route but she seems to have access to some rather expensive equipment.

That may be the issue, some areas of China are still very poor so rebuilding may be the only affordable option, if you've ever watched the videos of rebuilds of equipment by central Asians, Pakistan, etc, you'll see people rebuild things that would never be rebuilt in most western countries but in fact the labor is cheaper than buying a new part, if they can get it!

 

[GreenTwin]

I watched a few more videos of the Chinese woman.
There are some interesting things going on in those videos.
They live in a very plush part of China (not sure where), but it has sort of a tropical mountain forest feel to it.

It appears to be pretty primative in that area, very hilly, house is somewhat primitive.
Edit: Upon futher viewing, it seems pretty modern. She drives a nice gas 3-wheeler (that I would like to have), and a local sawmill has a powered bandsaw. Sort of a mix of light industrial, and primitive moutainous terrain.

She is welding in one video without a welding helmet. Good way to get cataracts really fast. Not cool.

There is a rather stark contrast between her somewhat primitive living conditions, and the polished and rather sophisticated videography, with nice drone shots of the area, etc. Someone has some pretty expensive video equipment, satellite uplink, video editing software, etc.
It is like a pro is doing the videography. This is not amature stuff.

There are two people in every video, the woman and the person filming.
The real star is the person filming. Most impressive work with most impressive scenery.

As I was watching one video, an Anime advertisement kept flashing across the bottom of the screen, LOL.
She is basically a live person anime character, or so it would seem.

Almost 200k subscribers in 5 months. That is the definition of going viral.
I know folks who have been on ytube for years, how have perhaps 20k subscribers.

There is a guy named Mechanic Steve, with a larger following, doing similar work, and without the breathtaking scenery, so it appears there is a big following of mechanic work by males and females, and this sort of rules out thinking people are only watching the woman because she is a woman.
His channel has not grown as exponentially fast as the womans's channel, but he still has an impressive number of subscribers (perhaps 1/2 million?).

It is a pretty unique combination of interesting terrain, working under semi-primitive conditions, different culture, and movie star face.

Makes me wonder if a pro is doing her videography.
No telling how many subscribers she will get too. I would guess millions at the rate she is gaining.
It is quite possible she and whoever is making the videos will become some of those ytube millionaires.

Just watching the scenery in the background is interesting.
So really this is a chinese version of a Hollywood reality series, and all things considered, they are beating the pants off of the garbage coming out of Hollywood these days.
Interesting turn of events for sure.

And her english is not bad, although she may just be reading off of a board without really being fluent in english.
Imagine us trying to make a video, and speaking in chinese. You have to hand it to her for that.

I think china is an interesting blend of primitive and modern.
They are rapidly gaining with technology.
It was not too many years ago that the US railroad buffs traveled to china to see their steam locomotives, which have been in common use until not too long ago.

Edit:
Reality is always stranger than fiction, and if I had to guess, the "poor village girl" is probably from a wealthy family.
Many of the clothes she wears in the videos are brand new.
In china, I think it would be a very bad thing to live in an extravagant house and such; due to envy and other things.
Her producer is the genius in these videos. No doubt that he will be a millionaire very shortly.
.

 

[minh-thanh]

I watch videos about techniques at home such as : restoration , making somethings, make engine .... with a very comfortable mind .
Unless the videos are too unsafe , or like : "I do the best ...smallest.."
We Vietnamese have a saying : " Đừng vạch lá tìm sâu = Do not trace leaves to find worms => Do not be a faultfinder. " . If we always want to find the bad, the not so good,..we will surely find it.
Personally, I know a few women who are very good at mechanics, and there's one woman who uses lathes and milling machines to make parts mechanics don't lose to anyone

 

[GreenTwin]

Here is another one.
I have to guess that these videos are staged to some extent, because the person always has clean clothes on, without a spec of dirt on their body.

But this woman is doing some serious and potentially dangerous work.
You could easily lose fingers or a hand with a wrong move doing this type of work.
And those tires and rims are very heavy, and yet she does the work with relative ease.

Having changed a car tire, and a tractor tire myself, I find this quite impressive.
Very physical work for sure. There is no faking it in this video.

 

[GreenTwin]

The chinese movie industry seems to be quite advanced.