Other hobbies/passions

[Xraywolf]

I know there are alot of talented, interesting folks here who, like me, have a variety of "hobbies" that are more like passions.

Besides metal detecting which for sure I would rank as a passion, am a long time guitar player, am into military/LE comms [scanner/shortwave], muscle cars [have a 68 Firebird 400]. I am a union carpenter by trade but I have a side gig making things on a CNC machine, here are a few of my recent works including 1911 pistol grips, plexiglas edge lit pistol, religious model, SOA Repear and Stones tongue.

Also do many kinds of signs, some like the grips I actually sell, Stones tongue ect just make for fun. Sold a few of the SOA Reapers, real popular still but ran into copyright issues on ebay and they shut me down.
Between all of that and having a life/job ect eats up alot of time but I try to devote as much time to MD as possible.
Am trying to think of something useful I could make for metal detecting but so far have drawn a blank.

[Sorry if some of the pics are sideways]

 

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[Xraywolf]

I'm guessing there are other "what other things are you into" threads, maybe should have looked into that before posting.

 

[hvacker]

Your are obviously very talented.
I, my self are involved in woodworking and photography and of course rocks.
Unfortunately for people like me, we are easily sidelined by so many interests.
Too many, it's like there is too little time.
I want to build a forge and blacksmith metals for years.
I bought my first lathe at about 15 years. I would stare at it not knowing what to do.
I just knew I wanted to make something.
I once met a guy that didn't want to get his hands dirty. I asked him about and he admitted he didn't
want to. I just thought, what an experience he was missing. I guess he wouldn't think so.

 

[Xraywolf]

I'm a 2 decade union carpenter by trade, alot of my creations come naturally, but then again I do mostly industrial stuff on my jobs like forms, scaffolding, metal studs, locks & hardware, trade show displays ect that have nothing to do with wood, or making things in general.

With CNC, most of the learning curve is the software, machine itself is just a glorified power tool that will faithfully execute all your commands, both good and bad. Had quite a scrap pile going there for a while before i became pro-efficient, and am still learning every day. Something I really enjoy, and something to maybe fall back on in my old age down the road.

I love the things you can do with lathes, I fear them though, plus no room in my garage for one, so I doubt if I'll ever get one. I have top of the line bandsaw, tablesaw, planer, polisher and drum sander, between those I can do most of what I can dream up with ease with a variety of materials. A guy cannot possibly have too many tools, I am living proof of that.

 

[hvacker]

I was a union sheet metal worker for 20 years then a signatory contractor for another 15.
Even though I went through the apprentice program I had a knack for fixing equipment
so most of my time wasn't spent working with the metal. I did controls, test & balance, trouble shooting.
One exception was when Intel expanded operations here. I couldn't resist leaving my job
to work on a project that large.

I've seen the You Tube videos on taking a Harbor Freight mini lathe and adding CNC programming.
to operate it. I'm always surprised what some can do with an idea.

My wife tells me she never saw me buy a tool I didn't use. One day there was a multi-tool on sale
and she insisted I buy it. I thought it was useless except for a couple things I could see. Well I was
wrong. That tool is one of my go-to tools for things I couldn't imagine.

I'm fortunate that I have an out building for my shop but I did know a guy that had a full machine shop
in his home. One large bedroom. The shop was spotless. He would build steam engines from scratch.
Big ones that would be mounted to trains large enough to ride. Had a track system in his yard (large)
and he would give kids rides. Interesting guy.

 

[Xraywolf]

Yeah I like lathes but I think I'll stay away.N

Not only the danger and lack of room for one, alls I'd probably do is turn bowls and pens, which would get old after a few dozen.

 

[Escape]

I just started taking up computer coding 4 months ago. It's my new passion. Proves an old dog can learn new tricks.

 

[Xraywolf]

A couple of new projects i squeezed in for the coming holidays.

Wood one is poplar and features praying hands and crucifix, other one is a backlit corian lithophane.

 

[Xraywolf]

Made this last week, 14x10" edge lit acrylic

 

[sprailroad]

There are hobbies/passions OTHER then metal detecting?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have done some painting, I am a certified Bob Ross instructor although I no longer teach. Here are a few of my Bob Ross style paintings, all are on a 16x20" canvas or larger. I use to sell at craft shows, sold a lot of paintings on saw blades, iron frying pans, barn wood and bricks.




Below are a couple of my traditional oils.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I know there are alot of talented, interesting folks here who, like me, have a variety of "hobbies" that are more like passions.

Besides metal detecting which for sure I would rank as a passion, am a long time guitar player, am into military/LE comms [scanner/shortwave], muscle cars [have a 68 Firebird 400]. I am a union carpenter by trade but I have a side gig making things on a CNC machine, here are a few of my recent works including 1911 pistol grips, plexiglas edge lit pistol, religious model, SOA Repear and Stones tongue.

Also do many kinds of signs, some like the grips I actually sell, Stones tongue ect just make for fun. Sold a few of the SOA Reapers, real popular still but ran into copyright issues on ebay and they shut me down.
Between all of that and having a life/job ect eats up alot of time but I try to devote as much time to MD as possible.
Am trying to think of something useful I could make for metal detecting but so far have drawn a blank.

[Sorry if some of the pics are sideways]

Nice, I love the pistol grip.

 

[Xraywolf]

Holy crap TH, those are superb.
I think I'd be happy if I could paint 1/10th that good. My moms a great artist, I just can't wrap my head around how its done.
I am highly artistic, just not with painting/drawing. When I was in my teens I decided to try and drew some portraits, I did pencil drawings of historic figures like Churchill, JFK, Al Capone, Hitler, Einstein [what a grouping, I know]. Surprised that they all turned out real nice, but unfortunately lost interest.
So I may well have latent talent, unknown if it will ever manifest.

I remember Ross, class act, made it look soooo easy.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thanks, I can't draw a straight line with a ruler, but I found I can paint landscapes, I taught Bob Ross classes for about 5 years.

On the traditional oils since I couldn't draw I would take a picture I liked blow it up to size I wanted, transfer it to tracing paper then use it with a large piece of carbon paper to trace the outline on the canvas, the detail and the back ground was done free hand. I sold quite a few so I don't have all my paintings any longer. I do still have a large bear and some lions I painted but would have to find the pictures of them..

 

[Tpmetal]

Im a glass artist, i also do wood working and metal working, I make maple syrup, have large gardens and orchard, starting bee keeping, fishing, hunting. I'm all over The place.

 

[against the wind]

Well, , I also ride a Harley,, oh yeah,, and I like girls

 

[fish1on]

Dirt fish and water fish

 

[Deft Tones]

I also do stone sculpture, furniture restoration, fishing (including lure craft and fly tying), cartooning, pen and ink line drawing, and recently been into watercolor painting again.

Since picking up metal detecting most of those hobbies have suffered.

 

[Xraywolf]

Edge lit clock made out of .25 mirrored plexiglas.

Has a custom made base with multi color LED's which allow you to select various colors or flashing/fading patters via remote control.

 

[Xraywolf]

Large SOA design I did the other day, spalted maple inlaid into a block of walnut cut to the shape of a shield.