Technical Skills

[2010Dolby]

I began getting curious about this a few days ago. The few aspies that I have met in real life and the aspies I know from the good ol' internet mostly seem to lack technical skills (carpentry, construction, working on cars). I'm an official construction worker and an amatuer mechanic so I was wondering if I'm just an oddball. But then I got to thinking that maybe most aspies arent defecient in technical skills, but just dont care how to fix a car or a frame a shed. I think it makes sense that some people with Asperger's apply their special interests and talents towards different areas. As a reverse, most people here seem really smart with computers and phones and that stuff, but Im pretty clueless with those things. Computers really dont interest me much. So Im mostly curious if aspies are normally not as good with technical work or usually dont have much interest for it.

(I'm really tired and sore so if that makes no sense or is worded horribly please forgive me :lol

 

[King_Oni]

All my life I actually had this weird "If I don't have any personal purpose to do X, then... my brain is going into blackout". That being said... I can be fairly technical and handy IF my mind can tell itself "fix this".

Granted I'm no professional, and there's probably stuff I cannot do at all. Putting up wallpaper in a room would be one of those... but in general there's a lot of skills/crafts I can manage decently. I know how to sew (and operate a sewing machine) pretty well, as well as know how to read and make something out of a electrical scheme and solder an electronic device. Years ago I made my own desk in my room, which goes from one side to the other side in length (easily 9 feet in length) and it hasn't fallen apart, lol.

And especially with the finer electronical equipment. If my guitar fails, I'd probably know how to fix it if it's not for the strings but the electronics department with the plugs, cables, pick-ups and all. Sometimes I draw out schematics for instruments and think if it could be done technically (and eventually I'll build some stuff).

In general I think there's a lot of the digital things that work out fine for me. Putting cables around the house for computers. Setting up tv systems and soundsystems. I even installed a satelite dish on the roof once. So that's the practical side of all those digital things.

My dad is pretty big into tools, so the shed is full of drills, electrical saws and all that and he used to do stuff around the house a lot, ranging from tiling the bathroom to putting new pipes for plumbing around the house and I watched some things from him as a kid. And also, the fact that those tools are around make it pretty handy to just do or at least try something. It would be one of those items I would never own (and thus would have to borrow from him all the time).

So; I think it's really
A. a matter of do I care enough for it, so I even want to put an effort to it (which would make me a bad employee, because I'm egotistical when it comes do being technical)
B. what it actually is, in regards to skills. I know I'm much better at the theory behind "practical skills" however, in general I also think I have a decent eye for the really small things. Might even be a good clockmaker... in terms of detailing and small precicion work.

Speaking of the theory... by that default I could probably put in a floor in a room, but I'd probably spend half the time looking, thinking, measuring it... and then putting it in place perfectly in half the time. So if given the time and quiet I can easily assess technical and practical situations and do so without stumbling upon problems. But in general people cannot work with someone who's not having that straight to work hands on mentality. And I look like I'm putting off work and look lazy... just cause I'm just thinking. Yet my parents can value it a bit and they usually ask me up front if I think that X can be done around the house and give them a rather exact outline of the pro's and con's on what they're trying to achieve. And by that I usually tell me dad up front "do this and this, mind this problem" and he ends up executing jobs fine.

 

[Gomendosi]

2010Dolby, this may not specifically answer what you asked but, if I want to get something done and it actually has got to be done, then I will go mental trying to get it done.
Now the weird thing is that I will just use whatever is lying around to do it with, even if those tools are woefully inappropriate!

Like, I once pulled out 2 old windows from a caravan and installed in its stead a single frame double (over & under) window, I had to cut the van frame and make a bracket and make panels from scrounged tin sheets and it took the better part of the day cause the only tools I had were a pair of pliers, a hacksaw, a carpet knife and a hammer.
I thought I showed great initiative and fortitude but everyone said I was a nutball… it’s never leaked to this day and all I sealed it with was a tin of blackjack for floor panels (all I could find)

Don’t ask me to elaborate on my Macguyver like job as I am surprised I remembered this much LOL

 

[Kelly]

I'm pretty sure my dad is on the spectrum somewhere or at the very least he has alot of aspie traits. Anyway he is a 'handyman' for a living, owns his own business installing bathrooms, kitchens, decorating, extensions etc etc. He's also really good with computers, he builds them from scratch and sells them on, fixes them etc, he's very good with his hands. When I was little he used to make alot of things; furniture or whatever obsessive interest he had at the time(model ships, ornate plaster cherubs, rodent cages) and he once built me a 5ft x 3ft high dolls house with working electric lights and everything.

As for me I'm the opposite and I suck at anything to do with my hands, I tried to teach myself sewing with a sewing machine once (I wanted to make clothes) I knew how to do it, what to do but I don't know it's hard to explain I just physically couldn't do it, I always ended up making botched clothes. I tried to learn crotchet because my daughter wanted lots of crotched animals...I read lots, watched videos, even had my mother in law show me but I just couldn't get my hands to do what my brain wanted doing if that makes sense?

 

[190]

I began getting curious about this a few days ago. The few aspies that I have met in real life and the aspies I know from the good ol' internet mostly seem to lack technical skills (carpentry, construction, working on cars). I'm an official construction worker and an amatuer mechanic so I was wondering if I'm just an oddball. But then I got to thinking that maybe most aspies arent defecient in technical skills, but just dont care how to fix a car or a frame a shed. I think it makes sense that some people with Asperger's apply their special interests and talents towards different areas. As a reverse, most people here seem really smart with computers and phones and that stuff, but Im pretty clueless with those things. Computers really dont interest me much. So Im mostly curious if aspies are normally not as good with technical work or usually dont have much interest for it.

(I'm really tired and sore so if that makes no sense or is worded horribly please forgive me :lol

I'm like you, one of my interests is in DIY & basically being able to construct my own stuff. Computers don't interest me that much, but after working with hardware a while I started to realise and appreciate the need for computers - ie things like CAD, CNC and so on.

I agree with your point that people with Asperger's tend to apply their special interests and talents towards different areas - mainly whatever interests them. Interest drives determination, and basically once you have the drive you will find some sort of way to improve and counter your disadvantages. My coordination was below average, but determination + hard work has improved it quite a lot.

I tend to view AS as simply giving us a set of different cards to play. Poorer psychomotor skills and one-track mind are disadvantages, but like many other disadvantages both can be overcome through determination, hard work and a lot of trial and error. On the other hand, logical thinking and one-track perseverance is a big plus if applied properly.

IMO I'm not surprised that most Aspies aren't as interested in technical work, simply because it requires psychomotor skill which a lot of Aspies are disadvantaged in, me included. Computers tend to appeal to Aspies because of the logical framework and more importantly because you don't have to deal with body language or most of the communication problems that AS has.