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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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20th Feb 2018, 10:58 am | #41 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Doing a foreigner
Lots about the term in this thread too: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...=139611&page=3
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20th Feb 2018, 3:22 pm | #42 |
Hexode
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Medway towns, Kent, UK.
Posts: 271
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Re: Doing a foreigner
I was once asked if I could do a 'radio 4' job for someone and when I looked blank he described it as 'home service'. so I put in an extra extension telephone for him.
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"Oh yes I love television, all those wiggly lines"! |
20th Feb 2018, 5:46 pm | #43 |
Hexode
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK.
Posts: 418
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Re: Doing a foreigner
Have herd that phase, when working in the TV trade down here on the south coast but in the in the London area, it was universally known as a pee jay, PJ or a private, ie, I've got a private to do this afternoon.
Happy halcyon days, and many a crisp £20 note trouserd that way. |
20th Feb 2018, 6:07 pm | #44 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 7
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Re: Doing a foreigner
I lost my last "proper job" over 30 years ago on suspicion of doing "foreigners" as they are called in the midlands.
Best thing that ever happened to me !!, it was the same month I bought my first house and 2 flats. I worked for Mastercare and a manager saw an Akia VCR in the back of my private car after the ice cream van reversed into it one lunch time, I was in the pub lol. About 4 I was called into the office and suspended and escorted from the workshop, I was a team leader and hit bonus every month (it was a personal thing with the stand in boss) the disciplinary procedure was a nightmare, got to director level...he was the only one that made sense, but once the ball was rolling they couldn't stop it. Started working for myself the next week, worked hard and never looked back. I did struggle for a bit and applied for a tech job a couple of years later and when I questioned the low wages was told you can make the money up with foreigners.....LOL |
21st Feb 2018, 7:50 am | #45 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sleaford, Lincs. UK.
Posts: 7,639
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Re: Doing a foreigner
When I left school in '81 jobs were thin on the ground so I went on a couple of YOPS (Young persons Opportunity Scheme). One of these was working in the fitting shop of an upholstery factory that made the springs for chairs etc. There it was known as a "job on the side".
The gaffer and one of the fitters both had boats, so apart from making the tea, I made various parts for boats when I wasn't making bongs on the lathe. One other fitter, an ex army bloke actually made a small submarine powered by a bank of army lorry batteries. We also fixed anything the factory's employee's brought in like welding pushbikes, garden gates etc. So most jobs were foreigners, the fitting shop was more a subsidised private workshop. Andy.
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Curiosity hasn't killed this cat...so far. |
21st Feb 2018, 2:12 pm | #46 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,885
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Re: Doing a foreigner
I seem to spend most of my time doing foreigners...the trouble is I work for myself!
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21st Feb 2018, 4:55 pm | #47 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Bristol, UK.
Posts: 2,059
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Re: Doing a foreigner
I recall a joke about a local company 'they make aeroplanes from the parts left over from doing foreigners’
dc |
21st Feb 2018, 5:34 pm | #48 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Mayabeque, Cuba
Posts: 617
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Re: Doing a foreigner
Quote:
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When electrons move, things happen. There's nothing you can do that can't be done. |
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21st Feb 2018, 9:07 pm | #49 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: Doing a foreigner
When I worked at Sinclair the whole place seemed to be one big mess of home projects, a lot of which got marketed!
Miguel, nice to see you back here too. |
21st Feb 2018, 9:29 pm | #50 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Mayabeque, Cuba
Posts: 617
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Re: Doing a foreigner
Quote:
__________________
When electrons move, things happen. There's nothing you can do that can't be done. |
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22nd Feb 2018, 12:14 am | #51 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ashhurst, Manawatu, New Zealand
Posts: 570
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Re: Doing a foreigner
My Dad worked for that large place in New Street, Chelmsford in the 40's up to the 60's and would come home with things found in the rubbish bin. Often aircraft instruments with red labels tied on which I duly took apart just to see how it worked - or didn't. As he went to work on his push bike, he couldn't bring home any large bits but he did succeed in bringing the individual aluminium panels to reassemble and make for me one Christmas a very large "Martin's Garage" complete with edge-lit sign machine engraved, illuminated petrol pumps and all spray painted in suspicious dark grey, light grey and grey-blue colour scheme. The "Foreigner" par excellence. Mind you, he was in a department called "Development" so I suppose that was almost carte blanche to make anything!
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Cheers - Martin ZL2MC Last edited by majoconz; 22nd Feb 2018 at 12:21 am. |
24th Feb 2018, 9:44 pm | #52 |
Hexode
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Charlton Mackrell, Somerset, UK.
Posts: 315
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Re: Doing a foreigner
"Doing a foreigner" was a common phrase here in the south west and any parts used or taken off premises were known as being "liberated" - an RAF term apparently.
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