# What’s your long running project ?



## JerryK (Nov 27, 2017)

Started this bike project 9 years ago with
a grandson. His hormones took over and lost interest.
Still needs the rear brake (some day)


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## Dabbler (Nov 27, 2017)

All of my projects seem to be long-running!  

Nice bike!


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## Firestopper (Nov 27, 2017)

Ashamed to admit it, but started a restoration of a 1970 Lemans sport, GTO Judge clone or tribute car as its now called. My son was in eighth grade at the time (he's 29 now), we built a cool rotisserie and replace all rusty panels (hand made), bead blasted the body and sealed it inside and out. We then blasted the entire frame and primed with self etching acid primer and coated with three coats of epoxy paint after mocking up a LT1, and 4L65-E tranny. Rebuilt the rear end and added 4 wheel disc brakes and Eibahc lowering suspension. The rolling chassis has lived in the two car garage since 2001 while the completed body (sealed only) lives on the rotisserie. Shame on me for this. I have $10K in new interior parts in boxes. This was to be his HS car but shop work has consumed my time since then. I was so guilt ridden over this incomplete  father/son project that for his 16th birthday he was given a 1898 Trans am WS-6  hurst edition, black in color and man was that a menacing looking car. Ls1 was wicked to say the least. I once ate a 1999 Corvettes lunch with that car. Any way back to the clone, I plan on finishing it after I retire in 3 years and probably without my sons help as he lives 1200 miles north. I will gift it to him when it's done with an appoligy letter. For those that know me, I normally don't start something I don't finish within a reasonable timeframe but this topic you bring up opens an old wound. BTW, my son has $1500 of his own money tied up into this project so at least I can say once its done that the rest is interest earned from is 17 year investment.

Jerry, if you have the time, finish the bike and ride it, his hormones will appreciate it. looks like a cool project.


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## DHarris (Nov 27, 2017)

10 year project - - finished it, all except paint, decided I needed to retire and sold it off - paid off the mortgage on the house and retired - now spending all my money on THIS hobby!




New owner sent me a photo of it painted - - damnnnnnnnn


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## savarin (Nov 27, 2017)

My Giant Binocular (http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/the-giant-binocular.55688/)
In the post I said it was started 5 years ago but going through all the first drawings and pictures it seems I actually started it in 2003. Gee, time flies.
Then there was a long gap after the first bit of welding, then another gap for some more welding then a huge gap until I re started this Feb.
Its been held up whilst I've been making a bunch of small brackets for it.


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## BROCKWOOD (Nov 27, 2017)

Very nice GT40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bike has promise too!  My longest term project is a car that got me through college in style. Been collecting parts for it since 1985. To do the car right, I needed a shop. I have the 1st 7000 sq ft of a 50 x 200 building that I took apart laying in piles awaiting the day I can afford dirt work & concrete to build a 5000 sq ft shop out of. Kids, then grandkids & family in general have been more important. Seems I'm always collecting parts & tools to get where I'm going. Smaller projects & customer jobs fill the void.  I'll get there - but the journey remains fun!


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## gr8legs (Nov 27, 2017)

Well, I started out thinking about building a cuckoo clock about 1985 - but that doesn't really count as 'project time', does it?

I finally started actively puttering on it in spare shop time about 4 years ago and almost have part of it up and running now.

Today's portion of the project was making a hub for one of the chain sprockets. And it was also an excuse for a 'learning exercise' on TurboCad and porting it to the 3D printer. Photo attached.




Check with me again in another 4 years 

Stu

Regarding TurboCad: The $150 'Deluxe' edition is worthless for a machine shop if you're getting into 3D printing. Any round 2D graphic objects extruded into 3D solids will end up as 14-sided polygons. Fitting round shafts into 14-sided polygonal holes is an exercise in lunacy. I'm planning on upgrading to a real solids modeler but will try the free download first to be sure it's not another mistake.


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 27, 2017)

here is one of my long term projects,
1939 South Bend 11" x 5' lathe
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...111b-105014-iqr-rebuild-by-ulma-doctor.14399/




i'm very slowly chipping away at other projects to return to her, but she still silently awaits to run again


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## Eddyde (Nov 27, 2017)

I once got a fortune cookie that read "House Finish Man Die" so my house will never be done...


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## Billh50 (Nov 28, 2017)

My longest project took me a year to finish. But then I needed the money and had to sell it.


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 2, 2017)

Billh50 said:


> My longest project took me a year to finish. But then I needed the money and had to sell it.


That trike is a real neat piece of gear. Did you build it up from scratch, or was it already a trike, servicar by the look ,and you've restored it, still nice job.


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 2, 2017)

My longest running project, well actually there are a few, but the main one is to build a small jib crane so that I can lift 4 jaw chuck and face plate, and other stuff.from floor to lathe bed and back down, as my back will not allow me to do that any more. I have started work on some parts, but no pics yet. Other project is to build vertical spindle mill attachment for lathe, will also need crane to lift that. I've only had the lathe for about 18 months, and they tell me that Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm lucky if I get half a day in the shop per week. The other half has been very poorly these last twelve months, but she is now on the mend and becoming indepenent again, so hopefully in the not too distant future I'll get a bit more time in the shop.


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## Billh50 (Dec 2, 2017)

Downunder Bob said:


> That trike is a real neat piece of gear. Did you build it up from scratch, or was it already a trike, servicar by the look ,and you've restored it, still nice job.


I started with a frame and motor that needed complete rebuild. The truck  like bed was an idea I had and welded up to fit.


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## larry4406 (Dec 2, 2017)

I'll play

Bought the 71 barracuda vert in 1983 as a running driver to make a Cuda clone.  Started resto in 1985.  Marriage, 2 kids who are now adults, various houses and moves, and it is still just a roller buried in my current garage.  Attached picture from the last house when I was having fun.  Someday......


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 2, 2017)

Billh50 said:


> I started with a frame and motor that needed complete rebuild. The truck  like bed was an idea I had and welded up to fit.



Pity you had to sell it. Do you still own, ride a harley? My current ride is a HD 2010 Road king, which, owing to a failing back and hips, I had converted into  a trike in 2012-13. Conversion was done using a kit from Motor Trike in Texas.


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## Billh50 (Dec 2, 2017)

I have a 1987 fxstc. haven't been able to ride this year because of the cancer though.


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## Grumpy Gator (Dec 2, 2017)

This one.
**G**


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## FLguy (Dec 2, 2017)

See what happens when "life" puts things on hold ?


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## Silverbullet (Dec 2, 2017)

My shop ,moving unused tools and machines into a container, and ten years of collecting fancy hardwoods for building wood projects . All brand new just stored . Then I started being in so much pain I had to stop. Still trying to sell tools and the wood plus forty years of being a mechanic and parts , engines . Special tools stuff I paid thousands of dollars for. Now my wife wants me to sell my reloading equipment so my daughter and son in law and gran baby can move in with us. YUPP my project is life I guess.


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## dlane (Dec 2, 2017)

**G** that looks like a long term project.
At least you have a helmet


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 3, 2017)

Billh50 said:


> I have a 1987 fxstc. haven't been able to ride this year because of the cancer though.



G'day Bill, sorry to hear you've got cancer, I knew you weren't well, but for some reason I thought you just had a crook back, like me. 

FXSTC, that would be a softail custom I guess, 1340 early evo motor, nice bike, I rented one of them for a day when in Rhodos, Greek islands, Back in '94 rode right around the island with my then 20 Yr old son on the back,  

At that time back home I had a 1993 FXRSC Also 1340 motor. Shipped it to USA in 2003 for the 100 years home coming tour, had a great time. Stayed for 3 months, did about 25,000Km. That bike did about 150,000Km including twice around Australia, when I sold it and got the Road King in 2010. Which has now done about 130,000Km.


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## Downunder Bob (Dec 3, 2017)

gr8legs said:


> Well, I started out thinking about building a cuckoo clock about 1985 - but that doesn't really count as 'project time', does it?
> 
> I finally started actively puttering on it in spare shop time about 4 years ago and almost have part of it up and running now.
> 
> ...



I have seen some pretty amazing stuff done in solid works. rotating machine parts and assembly demonstrations, I have no idea how easy or hard it is to use, I have just seen the demos, I can't even do 2D cad. I also believe they offer a free trial.  Good luck.


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## cvairwerks (Dec 7, 2017)

I've restarted the rebuild of my Fairchild AT-21, after having it in deep storage for the last 20 years now. I've spent most of this year chasing down all the radio equipment for it while I clear some other stuff out of the way. Will start with the small steel parts first, due to space limitations.


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## FOMOGO (Dec 7, 2017)

Looked it up on Wiki. That one might take a day or two to finish. Cheers, Mike


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## cvairwerks (Dec 10, 2017)

FOMOGO said:


> Looked it up on Wiki. That one might take a day or two to finish. Cheers, Mike



You aren't kidding Mike. I figure I will surpass 500 hours in making jigs and fixtures before too far into it. If my count is correct, there are 75 jigs required to make the ribs for just the wings and the flaps alone.


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