Must...stay...amused...
Stuff I build
Sometimes, I get around to making stuff where the sole purpose is not just for making other stuff.
Usually there is an ulterior motive such as fixing the plumbing or pimping science.
Oftentimes it's Astronomy
related, as
I like building novel telescope mounts, and have ground a few mirrors.
Stuff I build with
I have a penchant for "Old Iron", home shop scale, hand operated metalworking tools from the WWII era.
Find worn out rusted scrap and get it running making stuff again.
Not surprisingly, most often to make new parts for itself. Tooling mostly comes from dead guys.
Currently in the stable:
| Logan 10" lathe |
Logan 8" shaper |
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Emco Maximat 10" inch lathe and vertical mill |
Diamond miller |
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Emco Unimat SL1000 ~3" inch (watchmakers) lathe |
Emco Unimat SL1000 as a vertical mill |
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and more...
This means I end up with more metalworking tools than strictly necessary
so I donate my overflow to the Eugene Maker Space
and try show up for their "Open Hack Nights" to help people learn to use them.
Recently I have been cultivating a ... differently precise hobby.
Much of what I do involves allot of planing, measurement and math
down to a fraction of the wavelength of visibility light.
Forging on the other hand involves getting iron orange hot
then hitting it with a hammer till it is done.
(no measuring devises are harmed in the process)
Began with a coal forge; it was romantic but hard on the lungs.
So we built a hotter cleaner propane burners and a modular enclosed forge on wheels.
Spring 2017
we have first light
A few of us show up nearly every week teaching ourselves as we go
and there is a larger pool of occasional attendees.
Hopefully with the new forge we will be able to accommodate more folks.
(note: a year or so later; the forge did work out very well,
so well thinking of building another)
Winter 2018
Put together a fairly sturdy, re-positionable base for a (Colombian?) Blacksmith's leg-vise.
Where forge night happens is called the "Art Barn"
and is under the umbrella of the nascent "Dodeca Art Farm" in Veneta, Oregon.
And is arguably a spin off of the Oegon Country Fair".
Where forge night happens is called the "Art Barn"