It's not the same thing because I don't have training to be a dentist, but I do have training and skills and knowledge for a variety of non-dentist mechanical, electrical, and electronic things. So this is a specious argument. Where does it end? Do I not do any work myself ever? Or are there things we can all agree some people are capable of doing?
I think the gatekeeping around all of this stuff from people is frankly kind of ridiculous. It's not like the battery repairmen are doing asbestos abatement naked in their living rooms while their families are watching TV. But people are treating it like the same thing.
> I do have training and skills and knowledge for a variety of non-dentist mechanical, electrical, and electronic things.
A fundamental of expertise is knowing the terrain, what you can and can't do safely and reliably. A fundamental of knowledge is becoming aware of far more that you don't know; only in ignorance do we imagine there is little outside our personal boundaries.
Highly experienced professionals will tell me, 'I don't know how to do that, you should talk to ...', and will refuse to even venture advice. My doctor tells me to talk to a specialist. Naive, immature amatuers assure me they can do anything, and can diagnose and treat my medical condition via social media.
Capability is fine but also goes hand in hand with risk. Working on lipo/li-ion cells is risky which is usually why such work is not zoned for residential areas. How would your skills and training translate into something a neighbor or inspector can understand? Would you resent them for questioning your non-dentist abilities? Is someone with no formal training but years of practical knowledge working on devices enough?
It seems like the questions from my end bend back toward proving yourself when a situation breaks, not when it works, which is what sometimes happens when you do work yourself. Have you heard the parable of the nuclear boy scout, David Hahn?
I think the gatekeeping around all of this stuff from people is frankly kind of ridiculous. It's not like the battery repairmen are doing asbestos abatement naked in their living rooms while their families are watching TV. But people are treating it like the same thing.