Hobbies

Re: Hobbies

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Originally Posted by Bennett Prescott

  • Posting pictures of cats on Facebook

Per Søvik said:
We have a winner :)~:-)~:smile:
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Exactly. Bennett, I've been thinking about getting into this. Got any pointers for someone just starting out?
 
Re: Hobbies

drew gandy said:
quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by Bennett Prescott

  • Posting pictures of cats on Facebook



Exactly. Bennett, I've been thinking about getting into this. Got any pointers for someone just starting out?
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1) Adopt one or more cats or kittens.

2) Wait for them to do something cute. Sleeping is cute, for example, and they do that for at least 18 hours a day.

3) Take pictures.

4) Post them.
 
Re: Hobbies

drew gandy said:
Exactly. Bennett, I've been thinking about getting into this. Got any pointers for someone just starting out?
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The trick is to do it without cats. Cats, like children, are only cute in photos and for limited periods of time. Actually living with them is a real pain in the ass. Therefore, when I waste time on the Internet (when you may be reading an article or something useful to give your brain a break) I do it by frequenting websites with cute pictures of cats.
 
Re: Hobbies

Ya know, I have, or have had, many hobbies, including many of the usual suspects (hiking, camping, photography, construction, aviation, and, of course, audio), but the one thing I've kept coming back to all my life is what I call "bench metal-work", or, sometimes, "petty bracketry".

Nothing puts me in a good mood -- especially starting from a low place -- like spending a few hours in the shop working with saws, drills, files, and the like. I've got some of the big toys like MIG, TIG, plasma, lathe, but the really good part usually involves just a vice and a set of files. I think it started in 8th grade with a really great shop teacher, from whom I learned practically everything I know about this. And it may have been a reaction to my upbringing, which was not big on the manual arts.

One observation about this, and related endeavors like hand woodworking, is that folks who don't do much of it imagine that working with hand tools takes for fucking ever, so why bother. But, as you get better at it, you find that it is not all that slow and very satisfying. Try it!

--Frank
 
Re: Hobbies

Frank Koenig said:
Ya know, I have, or have had, many hobbies, including many of the usual suspects (hiking, camping, photography, construction, aviation, and, of course, audio), but the one thing I've kept coming back to all my life is what I call "bench metal-work", or, sometimes, "petty bracketry".

Nothing puts me in a good mood -- especially starting from a low place -- like spending a few hours in the shop working with saws, drills, files, and the like. I've got some of the big toys like MIG, TIG, plasma, lathe, but the really good part usually involves just a vice and a set of files. I think it started in 8th grade with a really great shop teacher, from whom I learned practically everything I know about this. And it may have been a reaction to my upbringing, which was not big on the manual arts.

One observation about this, and related endeavors like hand woodworking, is that folks who don't do much of it imagine that working with hand tools takes for fucking ever, so why bother. But, as you get better at it, you find that it is not all that slow and very satisfying. Try it!

--Frank
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I resemble that remark... :-)

I worked in a machine shop (probably illegally at my tender age) during summer vacation after my junior and senior years of HS. As a HS senior I signed up for metal shop just to get access to the machines (so I could work on my mini-bike). I'd already been messing with metal for years, watching and learning from my two older brothers. The first shop class project involved a using a file to round off the corners and finish a small metal plate. I glanced over at the belt sander and grinding wheel and thought to myself WTF :-(. I got off to a bad early start with the shop teacher but eventually he let me loose on the machines after I proved to him I wasn't a danger to myself and others. One project was to mill the head on my 2 HP lawnmower engine to make more HP. :-), Another project was a crude beefed up dog type clutch for my minibike, that second project failed at final assembly when the pot metal housing (from a snow blower clutch) literally melted when I tried to braze the two part clutch together. :-( It was a good plan except for that fatal miscalculation about process.

The kinds of things that are better to learn when I'm 16 than later...

These days I use a hand file to sharpen my lawnmower blade because my neighbor with a grinder died over ten years ago.

JR
 
I do a bit of backpacking. I usually go on 3-4 trips each spring and fall (if my schedule permits). I'm one of those strange ultralight hikers. My pack with food and water weighs less than 20 lbs for a 5 day trip. Along with that is a bit of nature photography, though my camera and lens isn't included in that pack weight.
I also do some auto crossing in my project miata. Its currently not legal for hpde or scca events beyond solo1 without a rollbar, but that should be remedied by the end on the year. Currently working on a race head for the engine. Engine is running on a megasquirt hidden inside the factory ecu box (gotta love scca rules). I see a turbo in my future, but that is after a bottom end rebuild.
I had a Passat that I worked on, but a freak bit of construction trash in the road took out the serpentine belt which then bent every valve in the head. Gotta love German engineering.

I also do some freelance industrial PFC work, but that has dried up recently.

[url]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8227/8537992411_afc456bb6c.jpg[/url][IMG]

Sent from my neural implant
 
Re: Hobbies

  • Following Formula 1. Qualifying and races usually start at 10pm on weekend evenings here in Aus so I loose a lot of sleep.
  • Live sound is a big hobby (away from my audio day job).
  • Building loudspeakers. CAD'ing designs, getting them CNC routed, then assembling, wiring, painting....
  • Hiking: usually only 1 night away from the family at a time with some mates. I have light gear but most places we go, water isn't guaranteed so we each carry ~10 pounds + the gear.
  • Photography, on and off. I love Lightroom.
  • A few years ago I got my HAM license, installed a tri-band dipole on the roof and bought an old Yeasu FT767GX but I've barely used it. VK2VEY
 
Re: Hobbies

Bennett Prescott said:
The trick is to do it without cats. Cats, like children, are only cute in photos and for limited periods of time. Actually living with them is a real pain in the ass. .
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My boss says that his biggest job is "herding cats". Ever try that? Or try to take a cat for a walk-on a leash? I have-it doesn't work-the DO NOT give in and eventually walk.

Yes I am one of the "cats".
 
Re: Hobbies

I especially enjoy areas of the USA where cell phone service is limited or non-existent and the trees are so dense that you can't see too far ahead. Canoeing down rivers and streams and campfire cooking are great, along with some relaxing in hammocks.

Haven't had much time for any of that recently, but some downtime is coming...
 
Re: Hobbies

When I'm not out on a gig I spend lots of quality time with my wife. We enjoy traveling so I'm in airports often on my down time as well. Outside of that I fly RC planes... a lot. That's something I've always wanted to do but never had the space or patience to deal with the old school balsa and gas models but now with the foam electrics I can. Talk about an addiction... our spare bedroom now resembles a hangar. When I'm not doing that I'm probably playing hockey (one of these days I'll get onto the ice against Rob O), driving and working on my 1974 Datsun 260Z, practicing my Ninjutsu or rockin' out with my Kubicki X-Factor basses.
 
Re: Hobbies

Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
... driving and working on my 1974 Datsun 260Z...
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Jealous! Would love to find a good 240Z for a great price some day, and see about dropping in an RB26DETT or newer Nissan V8. I helped my brother buy a 240SX, saw a similar one online with the VH45DE V8 engine in it.

I like hockey as well, spent 5 winters in Canada for college; wish liking hockey was the same as being a great skater ...
 
Re: Hobbies

Robert "VOiD" Caprio said:
driving and working on my 1974 Datsun 260Z
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I had 3 of those while I was in college and around that time. Two of them had the 240Z carburetors and one had a Holly 4bbl 390cfm and later a Fish Carburetor (I will bet no one here knows what that is). All of them were very dependable and fun. I swapped a 5 speed out of a 280Z for the 4 speed in the last one with the various American carburetors. I only sold it because a friend of mine kept asking me for it and I finally was able to buy a 1980 Corvette. Is yours the 1974 and 1/2 with the fat 280Z style bumpers or the earlier one with skinny 240Z bumpers? Great cars if they aren't rusted and you get a good fuel system on them.
 
Re: Hobbies

Eric Cagle said:
I had 3 of those while I was in college and around that time. Two of them had the 240Z carburetors and one had a Holly 4bbl 390cfm and later a Fish Carburetor (I will bet no one here knows what that is). All of them were very dependable and fun. I swapped a 5 speed out of a 280Z for the 4 speed in the last one with the various American carburetors. I only sold it because a friend of mine kept asking me for it and I finally was able to buy a 1980 Corvette. Is yours the 1974 and 1/2 with the fat 280Z style bumpers or the earlier one with skinny 240Z bumpers? Great cars if they aren't rusted and you get a good fuel system on them.
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Eric, mine is the early '74 model with the thin, 240Z style bumpers. Right now she has carbs from a '72 on her but soon to be switched out to Mikuni Solex 40s. I bought it from the original owner with 140,000 (+/-) miles on it when I lived in Nashville. Got her up to triple digit speeds the other day (shhhhh... keep that on the down low) and she just sings. She got a repaint in 2002 and looked fantastic! She's in a garage now so she's safe from the elements but she did get a bit of rust here and there when I had to keep her outside upon moving back to NY.

Caleb, be patient and you will find a good one for a good price. They come up fairly often. The only other model I'd want besides the one I've already got is a Series 1 240Z, only made up until the early part of '71. I'm still looking...

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Re: Hobbies

Wow Robert! That one looks better than all three of the ones I had. The '72 carbs are good, it was the '74 carbs that vapor locked and were jetted a little lean for emissions.
 
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