Change of persecptive -

dvideo · Jul 7, 2005

I got an old boat just recently. Looking through the catalog to compile a list of parts to get has totally changed perspective from what it used to be. Now I say - "I can make this, and this, and this...." - and not spend much money. It's a long way off from "I will have to spend a painfully large amount for this tiny pile of parts".....

Made the whole repair and restore experience into something fun and enjoyable: Not a chore. I can see the allure for 'rodders and 'bikers better now..... I sure am grateful to all here for sharing their machining knowledge and opinions. Thanks......

--jerry

Imakechips · Jul 7, 2005

It is a great feeling ain't it? The pride in pointing out a part and saying "I made that" can't be replaced by anything else.

johnoder · Jul 7, 2005

First felt it 1955 basement of Waco High - they let me take an old rusty round bar and turn it into a little (non vented) cannon - I was hooked - even though the ancient 9" South Bend was tired. Never knew such beauty lurked in such ugly raw material.

John

John in MA · Jul 7, 2005

I got my first decent lathe less than a year ago, so notice the new perspective every day. Terrific feeling to look at something and wonder how long it'll take, instead of how much it'll cost. Been making lots of flashlight parts right now.

Now I just need a milling machine so I can start thinking in new ways about non-round parts.

matt_isserstedt · Jul 7, 2005

Ha ha. Once you start thinking like that it's purely amazing what follows you back home.

HEY I CAN FIX THAT!

I've got a good 2-3 years of projects stacked up and that timeline is measured as if I was on permanent vacation

-Matt

precisionworks · Jul 7, 2005

Boats & Harleys both need machining/welding on a regular basis... the older the machine, the more money you save. With marinas & dealerships at seventy-five to one hundred dollars per hour, you can buy the tooling you need and still save money.

Weirsdale George · Jul 7, 2005

Good thread. I realize that no matter how much stuff I make or repair, I will never save the money I have invested in my tools, but I like the sense of freedom and power the tools give me -- I now have the choice to make or repair something when I need it and not have to rely on the UPS guy to eventually deliver it at some inflated price. I couldn't imagine not having a mill or lathe at my fingertips even if it is to do something simple like polishing a shaft or some such thing. Sometimes the machines might sit for a couple weeks without me getting within five feet of them, but I have comfort knowing they are there if I need them.

scojen · Jul 7, 2005

George,
Listen carefully can't you hear that machine screaming "USE ME" and all the peripheral tools said "Hey you bought me to accomplish a specific task for a given job, I feel like I have paid for myself the rest is gravy I'm yours forever."

Scott

Michael Moore · Jul 7, 2005

There don't seem to be many commercial machine shops open late in the evening before race day. Having your own tools is ever so much more convenient.

cheers,
Michael

Halcohead · Jul 7, 2005

Once you have tools, it's hard to understand how to live without them. I don't look at expensive custom unicycle parts and say "Man I wish I had the cash for that." I say, "Oooo, how will I hold this on my mill to get a satisfactory shape?"

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