# Finally Up and Running in the New Shop



## wrmiller (May 17, 2017)

It has been an 'interesting' time since last summer when I was laid off. Had to sell the house, pack up the garage, find a new home, and get moved in. Whew...

As of yesterday, I finally managed to do a final test cut in the lathe and get the repairs done to my mill (movers are such a dumb bunch...). I am still in the process of figuring out where to fit everything in the new garage/shop, but it will get done. 

This is the corner where the machines ended up.



The lathe is level and the test cut showed only .0012" variance over 9.5", which is plenty good for now. I will check again in a month or so. The mill suffered damage to the VFD's control box I made, and to two of the leveling feet on the stand. When my friend Chris made the mill stand for me, we didn't take into account the possibility of having to replace a leveler once the mill is mounted on it. Oops... But I managed to make one of them serviceable so now I have the mill sitting on three levelers and one locked wheel. It should suffice.

No job interviews or offers, so I am being forced into early SS. Shouldn't be too much of an issue though as there is a nice range between here and Tombstone where a number of clubs shoot, so I may be able to pick up odd jobs there for shooting/walking around money. Good thing I thought to buy my machines before the money tree died though...  

If any of you AZ locals know where I might be able to find metals and such near Tucson (or even Phoenix for that matter as it's about 3 hours away), let me know. Probably won't be able to afford Online Metals anymore.

It IS good to have my machines functional again.


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## mikey (May 17, 2017)

I have my fingers crossed that life and luck turn your way soon, Bill.


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## wrmiller (May 17, 2017)

mikey said:


> I have my fingers crossed that life and luck turn your way soon, Bill.



Hey Mikey, good to hear from you. 

I certainly hope so, and thanks for the well-wishes. I will refrain from using the 'smile it could be worse' saying though, just in case...


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## mikey (May 17, 2017)

We all get knocked down at some point in our lives but you seem to have gotten up and are on your way. Now you just need a break and I just sent a prayer that it happens soon. I sincerely wish the best for you, Bill!


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## zmotorsports (May 17, 2017)

Bill, I've been away for a long while and just noticed you have moved.  I see that you have moved to AZ and glad you were able to find a place and get all moved in.

Wish I was in the same boat as far as having my equipment up and running though.  We too moved in December and although only about 8 miles I have been building a new shop and have not had my equipment operational since early November 2016.  I am about going out of my freaking mind not having a shop to work in.  I haven't been shopless since the early 90's when I built my last shop.

Good to see you back up and running.

Mike.


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## wrmiller (May 17, 2017)

zmotorsports said:


> Bill, I've been away for a long while and just noticed you have moved.  I see that you have moved to AZ and glad you were able to find a place and get all moved in.
> 
> Wish I was in the same boat as far as having my equipment up and running though.  We too moved in December and although only about 8 miles I have been building a new shop and have not had my equipment operational since early November 2016.  I am about going out of my freaking mind not having a shop to work in.  I haven't been shopless since the early 90's when I built my last shop.
> 
> ...



Hey Mike!

Wow, didn't know you moved too, but given recent events I feel your pain! 

Wish I could have afforded to build a new shop, as that would have been so cool. But my wife has been very understanding in that she is parking her new car out in the AZ sun so I can have a shop and still have a bit of room for storing stuff. Downsizing from a 3600 sq. ft. house to a 1600 sq. ft. house has been a bit of a challenge to say the least. 

If you were a bit closer, I'd invite you down for a visit and let you play with the machines seeing as they are quite similar to yours. LOL...

Love the new area. Spring here is called the 'Windy Season', and for good reason. Once we get into the Monsoon Season that will calm down some. And being at 4500' we don't get as hot as the Tucson or Phoenix area, so that is a big plus. We even get some nice scenery during the Winter months. This was taken out the kitchen window in late January.




I have a similar view out the window in my den/computer room. So things aren't too bad. The house is paid for, as are my machines and the wife's new car. About the only bill I have, other than utilities, taxes, and insurance, is my Rubicon. And I ain't giving that up for no one. Need some way to get up into those mountains!


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## zmotorsports (May 17, 2017)

I hear ya Bill.  I went from a completely paid for house, no debt whatsoever into having a mortgage again, but a manageable one and only on a 15 year note which we hope to have paid off in 12 or less so we can go into retirement debt free again.

I went the other way, we lived in a 1200 square foot house for 26+ years on 1/4 acre with an 1150 square foot shop in the back yard and smallish 2-car attached garage.  We purchased a 4k square foot home on 3/4 of an acre with a large three car garage (third bay is 50' deep) and I am building a 3k square foot shop in the back yard.

I too understand the need to get off road in the Jeep.

Mike.


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## JimDawson (May 17, 2017)

Bill, sounds like you are settling in.  

Wait until July and August.  I spent those months at Ft Huachuca back in '68.  Lemme tell ya it can get hot, but the nights are much cooler than Phoenix.  Also be careful of sunburns, at ~5000 feet there is a mile less atmosphere to filter out the UV there than us lowlanders have.


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## wrmiller (May 17, 2017)

I would dearly love to have the shop Mike, but not the house. The wife and I got real tired of having to clean a house that big. The new one is 'just' big enough for the two of us and the cats (2).


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## wrmiller (May 17, 2017)

JimDawson said:


> Bill, sounds like you are settling in.
> 
> Wait until July and August.  I spent those months at Ft Huachuca back in '68.  Lemme tell ya it can get hot, but the nights are much cooler than Phoenix.  Also be careful of sunburns, at ~5000 feet there is a mile less atmosphere to filter out the UV there than us lowlanders have.



Oh yea, it gets into the mid-nineties on average in July and August, with about 3-4 low 100 days a year. But as you say, it cools down much nicer here than Phoenix or even Tucson for that matter. And yea, I got my first mild sunburn of the year the first week in March. The sun is more intense, and our sky is clear blue. No smog whatsoever. We don't even have to smog our cars here in Cochise county. Kinda love Apache country...


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## NCjeeper (May 18, 2017)

zmotorsports said:


> I too understand the need to get off road in the Jeep.
> 
> Mike.


I caught the disease back in 1997.


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## Silverbullet (May 18, 2017)

I wouldn't know what to do if my life wasn't always in the pits. Never had a chance to have a normal life. Sorry you are down but it'll get better. Glad your ok take care.


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## Randy803 (May 20, 2017)

I am really sorry for you woes my friend. I lost everything in 2012 after a not so good experience with the BATF. You will recover and you will survive to thrive again!


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## Charles Spencer (May 21, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> I wouldn't know what to do if my life wasn't always in the pits. Never had a chance to have a normal life. Sorry you are down but it'll get better. Glad your ok take care.



Well, this gave me a sad little chuckle before:


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## hman (May 22, 2017)

Too bad there's not a click for "agree without liking."  My very best wishes to you, Silverbullet.


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## Maroast (May 24, 2017)

I live in Tucson, where are you? I buy my new metal at Industrial Metal Supply and my "scrap" at Tucson Iron and Metal. Both are great places (as far as I'm concerned) and are pretty much right off I10.


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## wrmiller (May 25, 2017)

Maroast said:


> I live in Tucson, where are you? I buy my new metal at Industrial Metal Supply and my "scrap" at Tucson Iron and Metal. Both are great places (as far as I'm concerned) and are pretty much right off I10.



I'm in Sierra Vista, about 70 minutes SE of you. 

I will write both of those down, thanks!


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## 3strucking (May 25, 2017)

Randy803 said:


> I am really sorry for you woes my friend. I lost everything in 2012 after a not so good experience with the BATF. You will recover and you will survive to thrive again!



Were you a FFL/SOT? Asking because I'm thinking about getting mine. Have talked to several and want to hear all the pros and cons before I decided.


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## rsicard (Oct 16, 2019)

*wrmiller and 
Maroast*
I live in Tucson also. Have a Southbend 13" lathe.  Also in process of rebuilding a 9x49 Bridgeport Milling Machine.  Would be nice to converse with you fellows and any others living in Tucson.  Curious what others are involved in machining.

Regards,

Rolly


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## NCjeeper (Oct 16, 2019)

3strucking said:


> Were you a FFL/SOT? Asking because I'm thinking about getting mine. Have talked to several and want to hear all the pros and cons before I decided.


One of my best friends has his FFL & SOT. Biggest problem right now is transfer times on title 2 stuff. You have to have room to store the items up to a year for year customers. The plus side is eform three's are a few days to transfer. He has been inspected by ATF and the lady was nice and friendly and the inspection went easy.


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## wrmiller (Oct 16, 2019)

rsicard said:


> *wrmiller and
> Maroast*
> I live in Tucson also. Have a Southbend 13" lathe.  Also in process of rebuilding a 9x49 Bridgeport Milling Machine.  Would be nice to converse with you fellows and any others living in Tucson.  Curious what others are involved in machining.
> 
> ...



Sent you a PM.


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