Thank You For the New Hobby

Just a quick background:

I'm from a family of engineers and draughtsmen, but discouraged from a fairly early age I went into construction, I guess the bug never quite left me and I've always thought I should have been an engineer rather than builder.

Several months ago I bought "your" magazine just to see what small scale engineering was really about, needless to say I was amazed...CNC programming, CAD drafting, 3-D modelling just to name the prosaic stuff (just joking).

Since then I bought a subscription and I think the magazine is a great resource for all things to do with model engineering.

I,ve noticed some of the posts on the website seem to be impatient at the likes of things I would want to see, i.e. David Clarks setting up a workshop, but I think Neil has the balance about right.

Thanks to all of you for a new (and expensive) hobby. Just purchased a WM180 lathe, how to explain that to SHMBO, perhaps you have a thread on that!

Chris J

Hi Chris and welcome

Regarding SWMBO just say it was a moment of madness and it won't happen again ( it will as you will need a mill/drill at some point in the near future). Other option is to do a Basil Faulty and faint at the appropriate point, then when you come round you have a memory problem.

Oh! Don't forget to keep filling your wallet, boy, are you going to need it!

Welcome aboard Chris,

I'm really pleased you enjoy the magazine. As my wife has been waiting 17 years for the acorn light-cord pull I offered as an example of what I could do with my new lathe, perhaps she will write an article from the opposite perspective 'how to control your spouse's ME budget...'

Neil

Neil, my wife has been waiting over 20 years for a nice light-cord pull. Last night she pointed out that I had not yet got around to putting the string on the switch. I'm 6'+ and she is 5'-, I never noticed.

Chris - welcome!

Ignore these cheapskates and use your new hobby to your advantage! My advice is to encourage your wife in her hobbies, if she has them, and if not, find a "suitable" practical one for her PDQ. You will quickly be able to demonstrate that, with a workshop, you can make pretty well anything and you just need to demonstrate that this is an enormous advantage to her.

For example my wife is interested in all things "needlework". I am quickly able to make frames for stretching tapestry, and little tools to assist - templates for patchwork and quilting - shortening long knitting needles etc. etc. Think of the brownie points earned when she says " I don't know quite how I'm going to do ........" - and you can reply "hang on a mo" then whip out to the workshop and return with the solution.

The only slight downside could be that these interests might entail visits to various "wife centred" exhibitions - but you would be surprised how much of interest you might find there.

I always try to keep my wife on side after all she is a great cook - and my limit is a cooked breakfast - and I really don't want to starve to death!

Regards

Norman

Welcome Chris

Pleased to see you enjoy the mag; when SWMBO came to Harrogate exhibit' with me in 2012 looking for a lathe she said why don't I get a mill as well.... ... after picking myself off the floor... needless to say the package was duly bought, good deal at the mo' so I can only thank my lucky stars for her moment of madness... still waiting for the come back tho'... ... Oh cynical me! 'nuff said, don't tempt fate... enjoy

George

Chris, as a subscriber you are entitled to call it "Ours".

made the acorn light pull, been waiting 20 years for a wife.

A note of advise for anyone starting the hobby on buying machines.

This from a lifetimes worth of observation.

Firstly men only see in primary colours, usually only the 7 Microsoft default colours. Women see in shades and not primary colours, ever seen a woman decorate anything machine gray or green ? No, never happens and this is where we can use this to out advantage.

Because they don't see these primary colours make sure that all your purchases are in these colours, the closer the better.

How it works is they come into the workshop, realise something is different but because they can't 'see' as in a laid out domestic situation they cannot take in the whole scene.

Next question is "Is that new ? " to which you replay "No it used to be stood there but I moved it " and because if you are clever / not made your mind up where everything should go, there is a ring of truth to this.

So the answer is at the beginning buy all the same colour if you can, if you can't buy a tin of paint, move stuff about a lot and soon they get that confused that sooner than admit they are flummoxed they soon loose interest and go back to rearranging furniture.

Once you have reached 5 machines or 7 metric tonnes, whichever comes first you know you have won and are safe.

Phew, I've reached both of the targets, but it's probably a bit late to start looking for a missus. I'll just have to buy another machine tool to compensate.

Andrew

I had my Bridgeport clone milling machine (1 tonne) for over a year before my wife noticed it, despite having to walk past it each day to get to her car. I was staggered. Seriously, she asked me where it came from and when I'd got it. I suspect John's colour theory may have some merit and for future reference it was that nice machine tool blue grey.

However, you can be pretty certain that small and expensive items will be spotted from 50 yards. The rotary table was noticed immediately (despite being an outrageously good bargain and coincidentally paid in cash), doubtless due to the brown (unauthorised) paint. I'm sure there's a lesson in there somewhere although that suggests some degree of logic that probably doesn't exist.

Merry

Thanks to all of you for the advice and welcome, I suppose I can refer to the magazine as ours when I officially join the club on arrival of my lathe.

I think John's colour theory has a lot of merit, but Warco green is probably a bit too subtle and not primary enough, guess if I get a mill it'll have to be Sieg red.

Incidentally did I read Peter King's Christmas quizz correctly, what on earth was he making...the turret of a battleship?

Hmm now to design that light pull!

Chris J

Welcome aboard Chris,

I'm with Norman in the Team Wood operation, my wife has grown up organically with my workshop, in fact my wedding present, by request, was a top grade socket set which over the years has saved us many 1000's.

She in turn turns out works of embroidery art for the walls, curtains and all manner of soft furnishings that would also set the budget back severely. House repairs and fixing mechanical faults is my part in this parnership and we both have our own workshops, mine just happens to be outside and is a lot heavier, but we find it works well. She finds it vaguely incestuous that my workshop can make it's own spare parts and those she needs as well when hers can't do that.

I'm not sure about the primary colour theory that JS recommends, but I do bring in the more unusual creations for 'marking' just as I get to see work in progress in the sewing room.

You have though picked a money pit for a hobby, so start fixing up the house in some way that was not possible before and the future will be bright!

Regards

Brian

Biggest boost for me has been MOT failures.

I got the OK for a MIG welder when the camper needed the sills redoing, and I'm still kicking myself for not going for it (especially after doing eight continuous seam patches using an arc welder). Still the nibbler will come in handy when I decide what to do with the 1.5 square metres of 1mm steel filling the middle of my workshop.

Neil

Welcome aboard Chris

Another option is to keep the workshop looking full so another machine is unnoticed this is supported with the Js theory. As a side while fiddling in the workshop the other day SWMBO actually knocked on the door and waited for a 'come in' before entering. I was dumbfounded.

Lionel

I find that a few household repairs are enough to justify costs. Replacement bearings for Dyson motorhead saved £55 cost of replacement head - new wheels for sliding patio doors saved cost of replacement doors as spares no longer available - a few minor jewelry repairs on demand. I think I have enough brownie points for another lathe.

Russell

Suggestion,start young,buy your lathe and mill before you get married.I was building an Allchin when I got married,after about 4 years my wife said it will be years before you finish it,why not get a stationary engine like your friends got,we used to have them on the farm. Well that started something,its now forty years of stationary engines with the pair of us showing in all weathers ,travelling all over the country for sales etc,it got up to 28 and it nows down to thirteen,and in that time I also built 4 hot air engines and a bungalow.My wife has one saying ,that she does not get new things as I can repair most items,except washing machines as she beats hell out of them, her mad moment was when she suggested we buy a 2 1/2 ton Hornsby portable oil engine at a local sale,she later said it was a mistake but we did not lose money on it. Worst error was buying a Tom Senior mill when she wanted a new carpet though I got a paying job for the mill and I soon earned enough to cover the cost, I know of a number of enthusiasts who have bought an engine then stored it at a friends rather than take it home, When I was making vintage spares I have been asked many times ,only phone me at work ,dont mention money on the phone, if your wife keeps mine talking I will pay you down the workshop,all part of life. Best advantage of buying used English machine tools,you rarely loose any money on resale, What really annoys me now is that repairing modern vehicles is so difficult with all the electronics and servicing is so expensive,all ways did my own,but dont know where to start on my Discovery.

Lot's of interesting theory and avoidance strategies here, but nothing to cover getting caught lifting an old ammunition box full of grubby magneto's out of the boot of the car...

How about :

" Look what I found dumped in the drive/ road/garden - I guess I'd better hang on to them in case someone comes back to claim them"

or

" I thought I'd better get this junk out of the car then I will take you to that new restaurant this evening."

or (if you are very brave)

Look at this great find! Just give me a hand to clean them up will you.

If you do try any of these please supply before and after photographs so that we all may learn the best approach ( other than not getting caught in the first place!)

Norman