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Used to work for a multi-discipline engineering company that was like you describe, all 60+ age guys, all very skilled, but from the outside at least appear to have a mint time every single day at work making odd things to incredibly high standards.
Working there and being fed up of working for arseholes has directed me to open my own workshop, mostly bicycle stuff but occasionally get time to work on cars, motorbikes, woodworking and metal working projects. I have 250m2+ of bright clean dry space to make as much stuff as I like, just have to make enough to pay the bills each month ;)
BrickMan-
Literally living my dream.
I am not disciplined enough to do that, I'd have no money because I'd just spend my life fucking around with my own stuff. I do not have any ideas either so couldn't start making something to sell because I have no idea what.
Sometimes I do wish I'd persisted with a career in engineering.
NurseHolliday
I like to kid myself into believing that if I had access to the space and all the tools, I could do any job myself, maybe not perfectly the first time, but I could get there and enjoy it. Hopefully by the end of this Saturday I'll have completed an engine swap on basically a driveway, which is a pretty big deal for me, not just in the context of having a working car again, but completing a major mechanical feat. The Bad Obsession guys, truly can do anything, and that impresses me, and thus entertains me.