# When is this gonna END??



## Lo-Fi (Feb 20, 2020)

I bought a Bridgeport... It came with a small amount of tooling. But, of course, you can't do anything useful with it until you've spent more on tools and accessories than the machine itself. VFD, vice, parallels, adjustable parallels, rotary table, dividing head, arbors, cutters, end mills, clamps, ER collet holders and collets, collet blocks, stock to make T nuts, boring head, spindle indicator holder all turned up. DRO is still on the list. 

I've just about got most stuff I need to make the mill useful and decide I need a surface grinder. And a bigger lathe... 
I'm sure a heroin addiction would be cheaper. And less.... Addictive. I've just spotted a right angle attachment that I really _need_. 

My girlfriend has christened the mill "Bridget" and tells everyone I'm having an affair, and I think I realise now why everyone I've ever met with a well equipped home machine shop has been over 60: you've got to do a lot of work to afford it! 

Do loved ones stage an intervention? Do tool suppliers cut you off?? Or do you eventually reach a stage where you can look through tool catalogues and think "there's nothing I really need or don't already have", as I do with automotive/hand tools after 20 years hard purchasing, scrounging and collecting?


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## RYAN S (Feb 20, 2020)

It is an endless hole!


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## Aaron_W (Feb 20, 2020)

I thought having a tiny shop would keep me safe. Wrong! it just made me good at machine Tetris.


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## mmcmdl (Feb 20, 2020)

Lo-Fi said:


> Or do you eventually reach a stage where you can look through tool catalogues and think "there's nothing I really need or don't already have", as I do with automotive/hand tools after 20 years hard purchasing, scrounging and collecting?




The time comes when you have 5 of everything , and don't need any of it .


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## Winegrower (Feb 20, 2020)

The best way to look at it is that at any time, there is only one more thing that you really need.


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## benmychree (Feb 20, 2020)

You mention a VFD; can you imagine all the years that we got along without them?  It seems to me that this is a fad item, however, I'd have to get all that other stuff if I did not already have it ------  Also, I think that adjustable parallels are not essential to milling machine work, they are more of a measuring tool.  about parallels, a guy cannot have too many!  If you get a surface grinder, you could make your own, as I did, on my employer's time when I was a young guy.  I made two sets, one taller than the other so that hold downs could be set on the taller ones and the work on the shorter ones.  Hold downs as those made by Starrett are worth having for mill work for work held in a vise.


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## benmychree (Feb 20, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> The time comes when you have 5 of everything , and don't need any of it .


When that time comes you are under the grass -----


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## DavidR8 (Feb 20, 2020)

I am so screwed. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## francist (Feb 20, 2020)

David, I can hardly hear you. It sounds like you’re deep insiiide a tunnelllllll......


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## MontanaLon (Feb 20, 2020)

Relax, it isn't even remotely to the terminal stages yet. Terminal stage is when you look at all the attachments and say to yourself, "If I had another mill, it sure would be easier to leave the dividing head, rotary table, vise, angle vise, attached to it so I didn't have to go through all this setup all the time."

That is when you know you are sick, and the only cure is another mill, lathe, surface grinder, work bench, etc.

It also applies to work benches in spades, when the top of one gets full with "stuff" and there is no room left to work,  it really is easier just to buy another one.


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## BGHansen (Feb 20, 2020)

It's can be a real rabbit hole.  I've got a Blake Co-ax, couple of SDA laser center/edge finders, Starrett and Enco mechanical edge finders, Bore-it electronic edge finder, Import electronic edge finder, Enco wiggler set, Indical/DTI, Skoal centering scope and those are just tools for locating a part before machining.  Then add the right angle milling attachment, Quillmaster and QRA attachments, DRO, Power feed on the Z, end mill holders, collets, ER32 collet chuck, parallels, stubby drills, mist coolant, etc. etc. etc.  It is a slippery slope, but we all like skiing.

Bruce


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## Dhal22 (Feb 20, 2020)

Ya'll are going to scare us beginners off....  I already have more model airplane engines, kits, servos than I will ever need so well aware of these 'rabbit holes'.


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## jcp (Feb 20, 2020)

Supposedly owning a boat is the biggest money pit....as a machinist I'm not so sure.


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## westerner (Feb 20, 2020)

Aaron_W said:


> it just made me good at machine Tetris.


Yup.


MontanaLon said:


> Relax, it isn't even remotely to the terminal stages yet. Terminal stage is when you look at all the attachments and say to yourself, "If I had another mill, it sure would be easier to leave the dividing head, rotary table, vise, angle vise, attached to it so I didn't have to go through all this setup all the time."


Oh, jeez. I wish ya hadn't a said that.....


Lo-Fi said:


> Do tool suppliers cut you off??


Sure...just like your Snap-On dealer did......


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## GL (Feb 20, 2020)

Could be worse, how many cats do you have?  Nobody shows up when you have "too many" tools, and they don't stink the place up.  Although a well oiled machine does create droppings that kitty litter will help clean up.  The more you know, the more you don't know - see winegrower above.


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## Andrew R Stewart (Feb 20, 2020)

Who knew that hack saws and hand files were gateway drugs. Andy


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## MontanaLon (Feb 20, 2020)

Andrew R Stewart said:


> Who knew that hack saws and hand files were gateway drugs. Andy


Or that this forum is full of enablers. They are just like the pusher hanging around the school yard I always heard about when I was a kid.


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## NCjeeper (Feb 20, 2020)

Just when you think "I am good right now" Something else comes along.


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## mmcmdl (Feb 20, 2020)

MontanaLon said:


> Or that this forum is full of enablers. They are just like the pusher hanging around the school yard I always heard about when I was a kid





NCjeeper said:


> Just when you think "I am good right now" Something else comes along.



You must be talking about Mikey and Will .


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## DavidR8 (Feb 20, 2020)

Just to confirm I have the sickness, today after looking at vises I then commenced salivating over surface grinders. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Lo-Fi (Feb 21, 2020)

That's a lotta (expensive) truth right there...  

Shall we all say it together? 

My name is _______ and I'm a tool addict.


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## Aukai (Feb 21, 2020)

If you gotta ask, get out now


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## darkzero (Feb 21, 2020)

Lo-Fi said:


> That's a lotta (expensive) truth right there...
> 
> Shall we all say it together?
> 
> My name is _______ and I'm a tool addict.



Nope, not me. I'm not an addict cause I know I have a problem. If you are not in denial & know you have a problem then it's not a problem.


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## NortonDommi (Feb 21, 2020)

Likewise Darkzero,
                              I am addicted to tools and know it therefore I don't have a problem except how to accumulate said tools.  Fortunately I am a Mollyhawke, an accomplished scrounger and there is always somebody who wants something done who has or knows someone who has what I need,(or think I might need), speaking nicely to the universe at large helps.
  The VERY worse thing is ever listening to somebody who thinks you need to "get rid of some of that junk".


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 21, 2020)

jcp said:


> Supposedly owning a boat is the biggest money pit....as a machinist I'm not so sure.


I've heard it said that a boat is a hole in the water for putting money in, I guess a machine shop is shop that you cant fill with money.


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## higgite (Feb 21, 2020)

> *When is this gonna END??*



What is this "end" that you speak of? I'm having trouble grasping the concept.

Tom


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## Reddinr (Feb 21, 2020)

I don't have a problem!  You all have the problem.  Look, I need all this stuff.  It's not like I've bought tools I've never once used or anything.  It's not like I have to crab walk through parts of my shop to get to a far corner.  It's not like I'm forgoing social interaction to spend more time with the equipment.

Wait...  I think I need a meeting.

"Bridget"   Love that!


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## graham-xrf (Feb 21, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Just to confirm I have the sickness, today after looking at vises I then commenced salivating over surface grinders.


When the vises are the sort with precision right angles and slides and T-Nut anchors all ready to clamp onto the mill table, or under the drill press, and provoke salivation symptoms, we adopt the convention to miss-spell "vises" as "vices".

Lacking a mill, and also sans surface grinder, I am giving serious consideration to using a saw, and a file, and eventually a ghetto scraper to carve up a pair of V-Blocks! I think those who call this syndrome an addiction are probably right!


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## middle.road (Feb 21, 2020)

Das Boat has been sitting in a corner of the lower driveway for (6) years now. Bellows gave out, outdrive filled with water, drained it, still had enough left that the lower end froze and cracked at the drain plug. (A smart man would have left the drain plug out...)
It's a 30+yo bowrider that we had some great times in, back when I could afford a boat.
And at least I knew when to hang it up. Now I'm trying to dispose of it... That's a whole 'nother adventure.

As far as the shop goes, I refer to it as Honey's 'Rome' fund. It's an investment. (OK so maybe not the best of investments but it keeps me out of trouble.)
I figure she can sell it off after I'm gone and take a first class Roman Holiday.



MontanaLon said:


> ....clipped
> _It also applies to work benches in spades, when the top of one gets full with "stuff" and there is no room left to work,  it really is easier just to buy another one._


Ain't that the truth?
FSS. Flat Surface Syndrome.


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## graham-xrf (Feb 21, 2020)

Downunder Bob said:


> I've heard it said that a boat is a hole in the water for putting money in, I guess a machine shop is shop that you cant fill with money.


I think it has been established in another thread by @Martin W that , for Canadians at least, it is known as "standing in a cold shower while tearing up Mackenzie Kings and Robert Bordens",

I  wonder there are maybe some coastal folk here who have a machine shop near, or on, a boat, dedicated to fixing up bits for said boat. Double whammy that!


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## higgite (Feb 21, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> Ya'll are going to scare us beginners off....  I already have more model airplane engines, kits, servos than I will ever need so well aware of these 'rabbit holes'.


Au contraire! Don't be scared off. There are no rabbit holes here. Trust me. Step into my shop (said the spider to....) Which reminds me, if you have a lathe, you need a spider for it. Even if you don't have a lathe, you're going to get one and what better time to shop ahead?

Tom


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## Dhal22 (Feb 21, 2020)

Now you're making it worse.  I bought a Unimat mini lathe for my small model airplane parts with full intention of buying a bigger lathe 'eventually'.  You are saying I should start accumulating bigger lathe accessories before I buy it?


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## higgite (Feb 21, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> Now you're making it worse.  I bought a Unimat mini lathe for my small model airplane parts with full intention of buying a bigger lathe 'eventually'.  You are saying I should start accumulating bigger lathe accessories before I buy it?


Yes, for 2 reasons. First, when you do "eventually" get the bigger lathe, you'll be ready to roll. Second, as insurance against changing your mind about getting a bigger lathe, you should buy the bigger lathe accessories now. Then if you don't buy a bigger lathe later, that would be a colossal, possibly illegal, waste of large lathe accessories. And borderline unpatriotic. Do the right thing and buy the accessories. You'll thank me "eventually".

Tom

P.S. How much do we have to spend?


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## Dhal22 (Feb 21, 2020)

higgite said:


> Yes, for 2 reasons. First, when you do "eventually" get the bigger lathe, you'll be ready to roll. Second, as insurance against changing your mind about getting a bigger lathe, you should buy the bigger lathe accessories now. Then if you don't buy a bigger lathe later, that would be a colossal, possibly illegal, waste of large lathe accessories. And borderline unpatriotic. Do the right thing and buy the accessories. You'll thank me "eventually".
> 
> Tom
> 
> P.S. How much do we have to spend?




Grrrrr.  Stop, I'm in no hurry.  Stop.  

Ok.  Most likely a PM1030 lathe and PM25 mill.  Again, I build balsa radio control airplanes religiously (approaching 40 years building).  I do NOT need another hobby (I think).  I just want to make small metal parts.  What do I need to buy?


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## westerner (Feb 21, 2020)

middle.road said:


> FSS. Flat Surface Syndrome.


I believe I have addressed this particular affliction previously-









						Messy work bench....
					

Dave I would have blast rooting through your shop! I see tons of places gold is hiding! :grin big:  I always knew we had a lot in common---both have Atlas mills and shapers also---Dave




					www.hobby-machinist.com
				




I have learned to deal with this, uh, "situation" in the past. 
The issue presented by Mr. Montana-


MontanaLon said:


> Terminal stage is when you look at all the attachments and say to yourself, "If I had another mill, it sure would be easier to leave the dividing head, rotary table, vise, angle vise, attached to it so I didn't have to go through all this setup all the time."


is gonna be the next hurdle. I don't know if I have the strength left...


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## Aaron_W (Feb 21, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> Grrrrr.  Stop, I'm in no hurry.  Stop.
> 
> Ok.  Most likely a PM1030 lathe and PM25 mill.  Again, I build balsa radio control airplanes religiously (approaching 40 years building).  I do NOT need another hobby (I think).  I just want to make small metal parts.  What do I need to buy?



That was my plan too, I bought the Sherline lathe and mill to do model stuff and they did and still do work great for that. 

It also turns out that they were gateway drugs...


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## mmcmdl (Feb 21, 2020)

It seems my problem must be I have too large a gate !


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 22, 2020)

Well yes, A friend of mine who is a fellow marine engineer, also owns a fishing boat personal use size, not commercial, but still a fine boat, 

He also owns and operates, on a commercial basis, a very decent machine shop, which is down on the wharf where the fishing fleet of Port Lincoln tie up. It is here that he does some very fine work for the commercial boats in the fishing fleet. 

Unfortunately I don't have any photos and his shop is about 400 m away, i haven't seen him for about 8 years, we used to work together, but now only catch up via emails etc.


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## graham-xrf (Feb 22, 2020)

Downunder Bob said:


> Well yes, A friend of mine who is a fellow marine engineer, also owns a fishing boat personal use size, not commercial, but still a fine boat,
> 
> He also owns and operates, on a commercial basis, a very decent machine shop, which is down on the wharf where the fishing fleet of Port Lincoln tie up. It is here that he does some very fine work for the commercial boats in the fishing fleet.
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have any photos and his shop is about 400 m away, i haven't seen him for about 8 years, we used to work together, but now only catch up via emails etc.


Eh? Oh - OK, I got it now.
For me 400m is a little walk down the road. I think you meant 400k's, or maybe miles?
All the rest of my family live "downunder". Here, for some reason I cannot quite get, is also called "The Antipodes".
I think you meant somewhere near --> HERE

Easy to get curious nearby. A bit like Fort Lauderdale, you have these places where the driveway is on one side of the house, and the boat tie-up is on the other. --> Port Lincoln Marina.

My apologies - this topic is so "way off driftable".


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 22, 2020)

Yes Pt Lincoln S. Aust. where the fishing fleet tie up, Your arrow is almost spot on. Perhaps I should have said 640 Km. but in deference to the majority of folk on here I used miles. When I was a kid It was 400 miles Having grown up on miles and converting to Km as an adult I'm now fairly ambidextrous

"The Antipodes" funny we usually only get that term from the British And it is rather more accurate for NZ than Australia, then we call you guys POMS and that is not really very accurate either.


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## Suzuki4evr (Feb 22, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I am so screwed.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Like the rest of us


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## Suzuki4evr (Feb 22, 2020)

MontanaLon said:


> Or that this forum is full of enablers. They are just like the pusher hanging around the school yard I always heard about when I was a kid.


What are you implying? Be careful of what you are saying.........and are part of.............soooooon.


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## Suzuki4evr (Feb 22, 2020)

Y


Reddinr said:


> I don't have a problem!  You all have the problem.  Look, I need all this stuff.  It's not like I've bought tools I've never once used or anything.  It's not like I have to crab walk through parts of my shop to get to a far corner.  It's not like I'm forgoing social interaction to spend more time with the equipment.
> 
> Wait...  I think I need a meeting.
> 
> "Bridget"   Love that!


You are at one now


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## Suzuki4evr (Feb 22, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> Now you're making it worse.  I bought a Unimat mini lathe for my small model airplane parts with full intention of buying a bigger lathe 'eventually'.  You are saying I should start accumulating bigger lathe accessories before I buy it?


You are spot on


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## 38super (Feb 22, 2020)

If you're in a flood plain, you could drown in the shop.


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## middle.road (Feb 22, 2020)

Downunder Bob said:


> Well yes, A friend of mine who is a fellow marine engineer, also owns a fishing boat personal use size, not commercial, but still a fine boat,
> 
> He also owns and operates, on a commercial basis, a very decent machine shop, which is down on the wharf where the fishing fleet of Port Lincoln tie up. It is here that he does some very fine work for the commercial boats in the fishing fleet.
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have any photos and his shop is about 400 m away, i haven't seen him for about 8 years, we used to work together, but now only catch up via emails etc.


Sounds like you need to make a road trip. Make sure you have plenty of batteries or charging capability for photos.
Don't forget views of the water from the shop.   

Damn that sounds so fine - a machine shop on a wharf with paying customers...


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## Aukai (Feb 22, 2020)

Salt water atmosphere, great location, sucks for keeping rust away.


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## middle.road (Feb 22, 2020)

Aukai said:


> Salt water atmosphere, great location, sucks for keeping rust away.


Lanolin brew! lots of lanolin...


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## Mike_Mac (Feb 28, 2020)

"*Bridget*"  I also love that! 

Just joined this forum and have also recently bought a 'Bridget' and 'Sally'. My love affair is just starting! Being ill since around Christmas time, with very poor breathing, has been a big problem. Not being capable of doing much work in my hobby workshop, I've spent far too much time on the internet, bidding on things that I think are a bargain! Bidding is no problem, the problem comes when you win!

To cut a long story short. I looked at Jones and Shipman surface grinder that had all the 'bells and whistles' with it, including a dust extract and the grinding wheel balancing gear: I decided to bid on it and to my surprise I won the auction. I contacted the seller and asked them if they knew a company near them that could move the machine for me, I also found out they were a large company that was 'downsizing' and moving to smaller premises. They suggested I contacted the machinery moving company that they were using. This company quoted half the price of another company I got a price from. 

I thought I might as well have a look to see what else they were selling, as it would cost more or less the same price to transport one or two machines, that's when I saw Bridget! Amongst the photos of the Bridgeport was one showing the rotary table that went with the mill. Around the edges of this photo were a vise, and large angle plate. (see the numbers and arrows on the photo below)




I enquired if these would be with the Bridgeport. The guy said "Anything not shown in the photos was going for scrap". I replied - saying that I hated seeing good stuff go for scrap adding, that if I won the Bridgeport, could I have some of tooling that would be useful with the Bridgeport, he agreed.

Anyway I won the Bridgeport and transferred the money for the Bridgeport and surface grinder.

What arrived with the machines was 3-pallets of tooling. Oh boy am I a happy bunny! 




I then had the problem of making room for the machines and needed to sell my Archdale milling machine and Eagle surface grinder. They both sold quickly and easily, as luck would have it, the guy who bought the Archdale milling machine lived 20 miles away from the machinery transport company. So he got a good delivery price, as the transport company took the Archdale back with them, when they delivered Bridget and Sally to me.




I'm the one on the left, leaning on the gate, 'puffing and panting' watching them unloading! I look forward to getting a lot more 'intimate' with Bridget and Sally when my breathing improves a bit!


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## M.T. Pockets (Feb 28, 2020)

My solution is to overwhelm myself with so many projects I don't have the time so spend money on new equipment. At this point I only spend money on tooling/machines/etc when I need it to complete a project. Otherwise, all the "nice to haves" sit in my amazon shopping cart.


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## Lo-Fi (Feb 28, 2020)

That's a fantastic score on all that tooling, @Mike_Mac! I'm sure you'll have loads of fun with "the girls"  

I'd love to be able to let tools sit "in the basket"... I'm only just getting to the stage where I can happily tackle a project knowing I'll not hey frustrated that I'm lacking this of that to get the job done and have to wait for it to arrive. Its a nice place to be.


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## Janderso (Feb 28, 2020)

Once you've invested $70,000 or so, you will begin to feel like you are closing in on the basics.


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## DavidR8 (Feb 28, 2020)

Janderso said:


> Once you've invested $70,000 or so, you will begin to feel like you are closing in on the basics.


Are those two things causal or coincident?


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## erikmannie (Feb 29, 2020)

I spend very nearly 100% of my discretionary income on tools, tuition and materials. I think it is great because it almost forces you to push forward. Spend $100 on a boring head and bars & ya gotta think that you will become adept at boring in the near future.

Have no need for a taper attachment? So what. Make a huge investment in yourself (which may very well call for a larger lathe which accommodates a taper attachment) and add one more skill to your skill set. Keep at this for years or decades, and you will look up one day and realize that you are a pretty good machinist.

There may never come a day when paying customers are bringing me drawings, but if that day comes I may well be in a position to make some good money using equipment that  is all paid for. Even if I never earn a single dollar off of my toys, believe me I have had a very fun time playing with them.

Are there much more economical ways to have just as much fun? Certainly, but I will never pursue them because I am too busy doing this!

I get asked so often why I spend all this time & money when there is no plan in place to get a return on my investment. I try to explain that “the journey is the destination”, but almost all of them have no idea what I am talking about. I am talking about playing and having fun.


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## 7milesup (Feb 29, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> Grrrrr.  Stop, I'm in no hurry.  Stop.
> 
> Ok.  Most likely a PM1030 lathe and PM25 mill.  Again, I build balsa radio control airplanes religiously (approaching 40 years building).  I do NOT need another hobby (I think).  I just want to make small metal parts.  What do I need to buy?



I just realized how I got into this hobby.  
Have been flying models for 40+ years.  Got into scale helicopters a few years ago, mostly 800 size stuff.  Decided I needed a mini mill to make parts for them.  Found other uses for the mill so had to upgrade to a PM833T.  Bought a PM1022 lathe, which is way too small now. Am building a Beaufighter and need to make landing gear so had to get a TIG welder (Lincoln TIG 200).   Just bought a surface grinder. Why, I don't know, but it is cool. This is in addition to all of the bits and bobs for all the other equipment. 
This is in addition to my complete woodworking shop of 30+ years where I have built custom furniture. 
Oh, and I decided that a 3D printer would be better for making scale parts for the helicopters so I went down that rabbit h...I mean path.  You know. learning CAD, better printer, more and better filament...

What rabbit hole.
Did you say something, I can't hear youuuuuuu....


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

7milesup said:


> I just realized how I got into this hobby.
> Have been flying models for 40+ years.  Got into scale helicopters a few years ago, mostly 800 size stuff.  Decided I needed a mini mill to make parts for them.  Found other uses for the mill so had to upgrade to a PM833T.  Bought a PM1022 lathe, which is way too small now. Am building a Beaufighter and need to make landing gear so had to get a TIG welder (Lincoln TIG 200).   Just bought a surface grinder. Why, I don't know, but it is cool. This is in addition to all of the bits and bobs for all the other equipment.
> This is in addition to my complete woodworking shop of 30+ years where I have built custom furniture.
> Oh, and I decided that a 3D printer would be better for making scale parts for the helicopters so I went down that rabbit h...I mean path.  You know. learning CAD, better printer, more and better filament...
> ...



You would be a great neighbor.......


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## 7milesup (Feb 29, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> You would be a great neighbor.......



I appreciate that.

Come on up!   We would get along great!


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## middle.road (Feb 29, 2020)

/me tosses a supply bag down the wabbit hole... 

RC modeling is a deep enough hole in and of itself, then add machining equipment, and a welder, and now a 3D printer...



7milesup said:


> I just realized how I got into this hobby.
> Have been flying models for 40+ years.  Got into scale helicopters a few years ago, mostly 800 size stuff.  Decided I needed a mini mill to make parts for them.  Found other uses for the mill so had to upgrade to a PM833T.  Bought a PM1022 lathe, which is way too small now. Am building a Beaufighter and need to make landing gear so had to get a TIG welder (Lincoln TIG 200).   Just bought a surface grinder. Why, I don't know, but it is cool. This is in addition to all of the bits and bobs for all the other equipment.
> This is in addition to my complete woodworking shop of 30+ years where I have built custom furniture.
> Oh, and I decided that a 3D printer would be better for making scale parts for the helicopters so I went down that rabbit h...I mean path.  You know. learning CAD, better printer, more and better filament...
> ...


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

7milesup said:


> I appreciate that.
> 
> Come on up!   We would get along great!




I think you have too much of that white powdery stuff up there that I don't like.


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

middle.road said:


> /me tosses a supply bag down the wabbit hole...
> 
> RC modeling is a deep enough hole in and of itself, then add machining equipment, and a welder, and now a 3D printer...




I have dozens of airplanes, engines, servos, etc.   More than I will ever use.   Or that's the excuse I'm using getting into this hobby..........


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## 7milesup (Feb 29, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> I think you have too much of that white powdery stuff up there that I don't like.



That is only for 7 months... LOL.   
I will agree that that part of it kinda sucks but winter is my build time.  Just built our last dream house on 22 acres with 1200 feet of frontage on the Red Cedar river.  Also built a 36x36 shop, which is too small.  LOL


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

I've got some southern rock on Pandora playing,  a cold IPA to sip on and 1/3 scale Cub build ongoing today.   Winter is build time for me as well.


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## 7milesup (Feb 29, 2020)

holy crap.... that's awesome!


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

My hobby only requires very small metal parts but the urge to buy a bigger lathe is a lot stronger since joining this forum.


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## Janderso (Feb 29, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Are those two things causal or coincident?


I’m going to assume many of us have been acquiring tools and machinery over our lifetime.
Hobbies and interests change, homeowners acquire all sorts of project leftovers and tools as we make our houses into homes. We work on cars so you have to have tools. You do home repairs, you have to have tools. You buy a compressor, you have to have all the air tools.
In my case, I’ve been buying tools and machine tools since I was 15 years old. I’m 63.
Roughly $1,500 a year for a passion doesn’t seem out of line.
Unfortunately in my case, my wife and I lost our home and my shop in the Camp Fire, in November of 2018.
I gave Myself a budget of $50,000 to rebuild my garage/shop. I’m over budget, but that’s ok, I don’t do woodwork or work on cars anymore.
Its pretty easy to spend $20,000 on a lathe, mill and tooling right? 
When is it gonna end?


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## Dhal22 (Feb 29, 2020)

All heavily insured?


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## bobl (Feb 29, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> The time comes when you have 5 of everything , and don't need any of it .



At my age and just found out I have Parkinson so will still go into the shop and finding ways to do what I love after 50+years in the trade and my hobby but can’t give up my addiction 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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## middle.road (Feb 29, 2020)

bobl said:


> At my age and just found out I have Parkinson so will still go into the shop and finding ways to do what I love after 50+years in the trade and my hobby but can’t give up my addiction
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


So sorry to hear this. Please be safe when out in the shop.


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## Janderso (Mar 1, 2020)

Dhal22 said:


> All heavily insured?


I had my insurance agent add $150,000 to the contents coverage of our policy.
Unless you have a separate clause or rider? To the policy to cover that $10,000 diamond ring or the $12,000 Monarch lathe, the loss comes out of your content coverage.
In our case, a town of 25,000 people was destroyed. All of a sudden that house for sale due to demand went up 30% or more. We had to take money from our content coverage to pay cash for our replacement home.
Fortunately we had good insurance and good coverage.


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## bobl (Mar 1, 2020)

middle.road said:


> So sorry to hear this. Please be safe when out in the shop.



Thanks I’m very lucky only have problems with my left hand but pleased to say no shaking got it very early so hope meds will work for me


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 1, 2020)

Just got a call from my best friend Chris. We recently lost another friend to cancer and Chris inherited some of his stuff. Now Chris is losing the house I first rented in '74 and he has lived in since '76. Needless to say he has accumulated a lot of stuff. I will be inheriting an oxy-acetylene torch set with bottles, welding table with 1/2 x 34 x 41 blanchard ground top, 2 large steel sawhorses, a(nother) 4x6 saw, a lifetime accumulation of fasteners and fittings, and God only knows what else. Even when you can't afford to buy the stuff just keeps coming, and I'm just a boy who can't say no.


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## middle.road (Mar 1, 2020)

How are the insurance companies in CA handling Oxy/Acetylene equipment if it's in the garage/shop?


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 1, 2020)

middle.road said:


> How are the insurance companies in CA handling Oxy/Acetylene equipment if it's in the garage/shop?



I haven't asked. They've just doubled my HO insurance because I live in a rural, fire-prone area. They probably would have cancelled me, but the state instituted a 1 year moratorium on cancellations. They're probably hoping we'll self cancel.


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## Janderso (Mar 1, 2020)

Mr. Whoopee, I am very sad to hear those bstrds did that to you.
Insurance companies are taking advantage of homeowners living in the fire zones.
Do you think you will be able to find coverage?
What are your neighbors doing?


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## Janderso (Mar 1, 2020)

MrWhoopee said:


> I haven't asked. They've just doubled my HO insurance because I live in a rural, fire-prone area. They probably would have cancelled me, but the state instituted a 1 year moratorium on cancellations. They're probably hoping we'll self cancel.


Many people in Paradise on fixed incomes cancelled their insurance.
You have a free and clear home you have lived in for 40 years, you are retired and money is tight. What could happen?


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 1, 2020)

Janderso said:


> Mr. Whoopee, I am very sad to hear those bstrds did that to you.
> Insurance companies are taking advantage of homeowners living in the fire zones.
> Do you think you will be able to find coverage?
> What are your neighbors doing?



I'm hearing that Farmer's is still writing policies. And there is always Cal Fair, insurer of last resort. The numbers I've been hearing are just about what I'm paying now, a little over $4k/yr.

I'm in that situation, home is paid for and it's all I have. Can't afford to be uninsured.


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## Janderso (Mar 1, 2020)

middle.road said:


> How are the insurance companies in CA handling Oxy/Acetylene equipment if it's in the garage/shop?


Sometimes I try to imagine the shop on fire. Oxygen tanks, acetylene, inert gasses, several pounds of reloading powder, propane tanks, my wife’s car with a full tank, thousands of rounds of ammunition, black powder.
When I got home to pick up my wife, it was 9:00 AM, it was pitch dark, gusty winds, explosions very close, burning embers in the wind with extremely dry fuel. Leaving my home of 34 years, I locked the door. That was silly.
It didn’t stop the fire.


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## middle.road (Mar 1, 2020)

Farmer's has, IMO, over the years been pretty decent.
Back in the '90s there was major flooding of the DuPage river in the far southwest suburbs of Chicago.
My Buddie's house with a full basement, was moved off it's foundation by 18".
He had State Farm and thought he was fully covered. Nope. They didn't pay out anything. Total loss.
We went down to help him immediately after and Farmers was there in a BA motor home cutting checks to their customers, right there on the spot.
His agent claimed that my Buddy never request 'water' coverage.
Two years of legal wrangling and no joy. The company holding the mortgage didn't even offer any assistance.

A couple of years later - I moved into my new house I had a similar run in with State Farm.
The company that came out to install a new water softener had unplugged our sumps and flooded the crawlspace and damaged all the stuff in there.
They claimed ignorance and State Farm said no coverage on such an occurrence.
One round with the lawyers and a couple of grand and I gave up. . . 
Switched to Farmers after that.


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## Janderso (Mar 2, 2020)

middle.road said:


> Farmer's has, IMO, over the years been pretty decent.
> Back in the '90s there was major flooding of the DuPage river in the far southwest suburbs of Chicago.
> My Buddie's house with a full basement, was moved off it's foundation by 18".
> He had State Farm and thought he was fully covered. Nope. They didn't pay out anything. Total loss.
> ...


It was interesting to watch how all the big name insurance companies handled or did not handle their clients losses.
Of our four closest neighbors we have known for decades, we watched them struggle through the process where my wife and I received policy limits checks within two weeks of the loss. On top of that, we kept thinking of items left in dwelling B coverage like our spa for example. We purchased a new spa a few months ago. My wife asked, I wonder if our insurance will pick up the $7,200 for it? I contacted our agent, I was asked if we could prove we had a spa at the property? I said I had records but they were lost in the fire. I contacted the contractor who built the spa into our back deck. He wrote a letter to the agent. Two weeks later we had a check for $7,600. More than we asked. She said it was for installation and taxes. This is another example of finding the right company.
Back to our neighbors, Nationwide, AAA, Geico and Mercury were represented.
Jetti, who is a widow and is in her mid 80's had AAA. She is still fighting with them, she has not received full payment and is building a new home in another city. They had her in a small hotel for 9 months. She had to go out for every meal, finally she moved in with her daughter in Seattle.  We were put up in an apartment until we purchased a home.
No fault to Mercury, one of our neighbors was way under insured. We assume our agents provide enough coverage? When there is no mortgage and you are shopping for a low bid = watch out. Get informed.
The other two finally got their policy limits but it took months.
We have Horace Mann. Insurance for Educators. They were fantastic!


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## middle.road (Mar 2, 2020)

And double check your agent. That's where my Buddy got screwed over. He physically stopped in the person's office long before the flood, and told them what he wanted. Agent did not put his requests in. . .   

Messing with widow in her 80s? *GADS*. . .


Janderso said:


> It was interesting to watch how all the big name insurance companies handled or did not handle their clients losses.
> Of our four closest neighbors we have known for decades, we watched them struggle through the process where my wife and I received policy limits checks within two weeks of the loss. On top of that, we kept thinking of items left in dwelling B coverage like our spa for example. We purchased a new spa a few months ago. My wife asked, I wonder if our insurance will pick up the $7,200 for it? I contacted our agent, I was asked if we could prove we had a spa at the property? I said I had records but they were lost in the fire. I contacted the contractor who built the spa into our back deck. He wrote a letter to the agent. Two weeks later we had a check for $7,600. More than we asked. She said it was for installation and taxes. This is another example of finding the right company.
> Back to our neighbors, Nationwide, AAA, Geico and Mercury were represented.
> Jetti, who is a widow and is in her mid 80's had AAA. She is still fighting with them, she has not received full payment and is building a new home in another city. They had her in a small hotel for 9 months. She had to go out for every meal, finally she moved in with her daughter in Seattle.  We were put up in an apartment until we purchased a home.
> ...


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## Dhal22 (Mar 2, 2020)

Get your own (public) adjuster instead of agreeing with theirs.


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## 7milesup (Mar 3, 2020)

Man, you guys have been through hell out there.  Could not imagine losing my home to fire.  One of biggest fears actually.
Where I live, its the damn tornadoes.  The weather patterns are changing.  We had two major tornadoes go through almost the same spot two years in a row now.  The devastation is unreal.  The longest tornado path ever to hit WI went about 1/2 mile south of my house.  One poor guy lost his life.  I was one of the first ones down there and I had a hard time keeping it together...


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## Janderso (Mar 3, 2020)

You can keep the tornadoes, that scares the bujeeez out of me.
No way to get out, you don't even know it's coming, no way to protect your family....
Nah, we'll keep our earthquakes and fire storms any day.


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## middle.road (Mar 3, 2020)

Having been through both I will take - neither.
In CA in the mid '80s a 'tiny' 3.5 hit east of LA, we were living up near Palmdale.
I was in the shower, with sliding glass doors no less. went to crawl out an got tossed to the floor.
Looked at the closet doors which were full mirrors and they were like waving(?) or bending, not quite sure how to describe it.
I know it was only a half minute or so, by yeowser it seemed like minutes.
Took down the doors the following weekend and installed a curtain.
As for 'nados, been lucky and was always able to shelter properly.
I can't even begin to imagine being in a fire. . . 

Then last night there was the one that tore through middle TN. So many lost their lives.


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## Dhal22 (Mar 3, 2020)

Tornadoes are easy if you have a basement.   A couple of my basement bedrooms are niches in the poured wall layout and would give excellent protection.


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## Pescadora (Mar 21, 2020)

We have a boat shop. Which meant we needed a machine shop. You know ... to make all those things needed by boats?

Now I'm kind of confused. Which is more fun? Working on boats ... or working on making stuff to work on boats?


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