Your machinist personality

chris.trotter said:
As humans, self-control under our own power and will, yes, I agree with that. As for 'covet' - I would debate the use of that word here. That implies unbridled selfishness, and something that is in control of us. Perhaps I am in the weeds here, but if I'm ensuring my commitments are met, social responsibilities covered, and am still free for generosity - does covet come into the picture? I'm not a drug addict pawning my children here...
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Don't take things too seriously, Chris. While my posts here are tongue in cheek, there is enough truth in it that most of us recognize it. You will, too, one day ...
 
Wow! An annual budget for a hobby. With an attitude like that, you could find yourself in business making play in work. With plenty of work on my plate: I choose to turn work into play. To that end, I do try to only buy what is needed for the next project with an eye toward future needs. The 31" lathe where a 6" would only work for a short time is a good example. When I dove into machining, I knew I needed a tight little mill to make the bass guitar bridges I want (but nobody makes). Within my ability at the time, & based purely on not knowing anything about specific machines, I bought a combination lathe / mill from Grizzly. Once sufficiently outfitted to make my 1st bass bridge, I couldn't help but show off my shiny new bridge. The answer to viewers question of how long did it take to make it???? So, I bought a real mill. This story is only just beginning!

Back on topic: I save for what I need - but, when I have extra....I get what I want!!! (Hey that is for future projects right).
 
mikey said:
Don't take things too seriously, Chris. While my posts here are tongue in cheek, there is enough truth in it that most of us recognize it. You will, too, one day ...
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+1 Mikey. I think I can see what Chris was getting at, but Mikey and so many others here are nailing it. This surprises me because I got into this because it was the next step in the 30yr evolution of what I do and am surprised at the similar experience.

I tried to get by with what I had but it was either evolve or bail. It did help I had a lot of tools from being a mechanic, but machining is another bag. I've always loved making more than fixing. So I did a somewhat parallel to the original criteria and thought about the parts I needed to make. A mini mill and 7x12 lathe could do it. So I went the next one up, RF30 mill and 9x20 lathe. Both used and a little less for both than a HF MILL/Drill new.

This has opened up whole new horizons that no amount of research, forum crawling, and strategizing could have foretold. In some ways it's filled in the gaps in my skills as I learned just what was needed to be a mech, engine machinist and a fabricator/welder. But it's taken down those barriers that only being a machinist could get through. I'm also stunned by the amount of creativity it takes to figure out everything from the design, material, layout, metrology, setup and execution. Some would call it an addiction but the satisfaction of I couldn't make that before, and now I can is pretty powerful. And it drives me to the next level.
 
Hobby? Budget? Self-control? All in the same sentence?? Muwahahahaha!! :grin big:

Yes, I have a budget. It's in the bookcase alongside other works of fiction. ;)

Tom
 
C-Bag said:
+1 Mikey. I think I can see what Chris was getting at, but Mikey and so many others here are nailing it. This surprises me because I got into this because it was the next step in the 30yr evolution of what I do and am surprised at the similar experience.

I tried to get by with what I had but it was either evolve or bail. It did help I had a lot of tools from being a mechanic, but machining is another bag. I've always loved making more than fixing. So I did a somewhat parallel to the original criteria and thought about the parts I needed to make. A mini mill and 7x12 lathe could do it. So I went the next one up, RF30 mill and 9x20 lathe. Both used and a little less for both than a HF MILL/Drill new.

This has opened up whole new horizons that no amount of research, forum crawling, and strategizing could have foretold. In some ways it's filled in the gaps in my skills as I learned just what was needed to be a mech, engine machinist and a fabricator/welder. But it's taken down those barriers that only being a machinist could get through. I'm also stunned by the amount of creativity it takes to figure out everything from the design, material, layout, metrology, setup and execution. Some would call it an addiction but the satisfaction of I couldn't make that before, and now I can is pretty powerful. And it drives me to the next level.
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Very well said, C-Bag!
 
Thanks guys, I understand your position. Mikey, I'll take you up on that 5-year thing. :)

The key really is how we take fulfillment out of this life, and for me, hobbies are just avenues to express my curiosity/awe of creation - but they do not own me or master me. I know the position of 'through Jesus, I have hope' is unpopular these days - but it is the rock on which my self-control stands.

The thread's intent was not to force people to stick to one thing forever, or trap people into a locked persona. It was to provide a framework for establishing boundaries, plus a guide map for said boundaries. And as with all frameworks - they are helpful, but not the last word. They are a means for orienting oneself - and who only ever looks at a map once? We must orient ourselves periodically - we change, the world changes around us - and so must our boundaries change. Perhaps today I am a pure hobbyist. Perhaps next year my vocation's industry collapses and manufacturing/production is something I will move into. I do not know! But now that I have established boundaries for 2018 at least, I can effectively use the resources I have to maximize that curiosity/awe!

Hope that helps clarify...
 
This is an amazing discussion. I think I have an evolving peronality, or is that revovling. I started out as a Fitter & Turner / Toolmaker apprentice some 57 years ago. I'm now retired for the third time about 7 years ago I quiot the trade about a year fater I qualified, why? I loved the work, but the pay was not good. so I became a long Haul truck driver. Sydney to Perth, 4000km about 2,500m, good pay about 3 times as much. After a couple of years I got fed up with that, and began training as a Marine Engineer, which got me back on the tools and also paid quite well.

Some of my greatest acheivements on a lathe or milling machine were while the ship was at sea and some vital component had failed and we didn't have a spare so I made a new one.

Yes I do have the skill to make very accurate and detailed pieces, but sadly, most of the time, I'm a good enough will do, kind of guy, as that was how it had to be for most of my working life. It has become a habit. And yes, I'm lazy. i'm also getting tired.

After a few years of retirement I bagan to get bored, and I finally decided to get a lathe. So, here I am another Hobby Machinist who often has the conlict of can I afford it, do I need it is it good enough or should I get a better one. The result is thus far I have a fairly decent 12 x 16 Taiwanese lathe and a nice taiwanese horizontal band saw 5"x5", which I'm modifying to also operate in the vertical mode, A cheap rubbish Chinese bench drill press. and abunch of cordless drills etc. A treasured Moore & Write 1" mic, from my apprenticeship days reads in 0.0001", a set of chinese mics to 6" not bad quality and they will do. 2 x 6" electronic vernier calipers both chinese unbranded, one is over 20 years old and the other is about a year old they both work quite well and with auto off do not chew up batteries. I also have a collection of carbide insert lathe tools some milling cutters and arbors, in anticipation of the right job. Recently aquired an Alotris BXA QCTP and finished machining the head for the T bolt today, but haven't had time to give it a test run.
 
My tool buying philosophy is: If you can't make the tool, buy what you need to do complete the project. If you'll think that you'll only use it once or twice, inexpensive tools are usually good enough.

When it comes to tooling, I usually buy mid-quality like Hertel or sometimes Interstate. You don't need a top quality end mill unless you're running a real job shop where you spend days on end punching out a parts order and use flood coolant. Then, once they get a little dull, you send them out to be sharpened by a professional.
 
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