Workshop music.

Hi Retired
That induction heater looks great but as you say I don't know anything about it.
Don't know anything about technology that's hubby's place.
Have fun
Logan

 

Hi,

Thanks Logan; you could start a new hobby playing with electronics and lots of the circuits are safe being only low voltage direct current. My first venture into electronics was to put together a kit bought from Maplin's it being a dawn/dusk control for the new illuminated bungalow numbers; it lit as it became dark and went out as dawn appeared; it worked for years until I upgraded the numbers. I found the kit very easy to assemble.

Light Dark Activated Dusk Dawn Sensor Switch | 5A Mains Relay | Quasar AS3079v2BKT

I enjoy leaving my comfort zone to try something totally new to me. During Covid I've learned Tig welding aluminium and metal spinning both very difficult but I can now do both; my new project is to learn to play the violin and to also make a violin from scratch. When I retired in 2000 I adopted vintage valve radio restoring as a brand new hobby knowing nothing abut them; not recommended though these are lethal; I enjoyed this hobby for about ten years restoring over 100 sets plus a vintage TV I even had articles published. I like to encourage anyone to try something totally new as long as they remain safe.

I play some lovely music in my workshop especially on a good day when I can use all my assorted instruments; saw bench; radial arm saw; grinders; bandsaws and routers etc; music to my ears and with something to show for it too.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

That's great Retired
Can't do much close up work until I get my cataracts sorted out. Waiting for the appointment from the hospital.
But I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself with your hobbies and yes something to do when we had the lockdowns is needed, if it wasn't for our garden I don't know what we would have done, especially me.

 

Talking of which Colin, I spotted these at the Black Country Museum near Birmingham a few weeks back.....

 

Hi,

Thanks for the pictures Sheal. They sure take me back to my vintage radio restoring days. The round Bakelite radio in the first picture I once repaired one of these for a guy in Ireland; I restored over 100 sets during the ten years I enjoyed the hobby. At the height of the hobby I had over 70 sets but now only have a few remaining.


My chum David kindly gave me this Barker 88 to play around with; here it is as I received it.
Stripping the original finish to bare wood.
I then re-veneered in burr walnut with a plainer veneer for each side; hot hide glue was used. Finish is french polish (shellac).
Finished and although no longer original it looks better than when it left the factory. I became so good at these restorations I eventually lost interest because the challenge was no longer there. In 2009 I was honoured and humbled to receive top restoration award from The British Vintage Wireless Society which amazed me considering I didn't even know what a DMM was (digital multi meter) when I first started and I learned by mistakes; many of them.

During this period I learned french polishing and veneering; I also learned how to wind transformers; coils & chokes; I could completely strip a chassis and rebuild it; so many new skills all learnt by trial and error; these old radios though can be lethal so I don't recommend following my lead.

I like to leave my comfort zone trying new hobbies; once I become proficient I then move onto another hobby; violin is my new chosen hobby but at the moment I feel this could prove to be an extensive hobby with so much to learn but as usual I'm starting from scratch and I'll enjoy learning from my mistakes. I always take many digital images as work progresses.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

You made a lovely job of the restoration Colin. Like yourself I like to try new things - finding them a challenge. It's amazing how much we learn from hands on experience.

 

Hi,

Thanks Sheal. I think you'll agree an hobby keeps us young. With hands on experience we can make every mistake possible but if we stick at it we'll win in the end.

My lovely wife has her crafting studio to the rear room of the bungalow; I've just started to remodel it allowing it to be used for my violin making hobby too; it wil be cozy in winter with the CH radiator turned on; I'll install new benches and cupboards.

I'm having a clear out as well; in less than 24 hours I've just sold my petrol rotavator; very heavy concrete breaker and my Tig welder all through Gumtree returning £888 for the three so yesterday was hectic. I decided to let the concrete breaker and rotavator go; it's time I stopped being so silly tackling long hard jobs; if I haven't got these machines then I won't be tempted; I've worked hard for long enough and after 20 years grafting in retirement and previous 24 years in an highly stressful job time now to actually settle back and enjoy an hobby just for the pleasure of doing it. All the big heavy jobs are now completed around home and gardens.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Well hobbies certainly keep the brain ticking especially when they challenge us.

 

Hi,

Well said Sheal.

I've just ordered and paid £225 for timber and plywood having measured for new benches I'm installing in my wife's studio which will double up for crafting and my new violin making hobby. Just when I thought I'd caught up on all the big jobs; it'll be worth it when I'm cozy working in comfort with CH turned on. A small price to pay for workshop space these days.

Hopefully I'll not endure as many soakings this coming winter as I've suffered for the last 34 years going down to my big workshop; I must be getting soft.

I've also bought a second car radio which will allow me to play my favourite 60's songs; life's good.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Just a quick update because I'm tired having worked modifying the studio yesterday and today.


New benches being made and installed; here's the frame for the longest 8' section.
I'm using any sheet material I already had to hand for shelves these being hidden once the doors are made and hung. It's been a nightmare cutting around the wall framing and bench legs taking ages and lots of patience; these benches will be robust and will have double thickness tops of hardwood 18mm plywood.
The first layer of ply installed for the top.
Here's the other end where I'm going to create an area for my wife's crafting forming it into a desk but I'll expand on this as it progresses; I ache with all the trips down to the workshop and the bending involved but steady progress is being made; it will look much neater and tidier once completed with the doors painted etc.

This is one of the rear extension rooms; the extension was already added when we moved in. I framed the walls then infilled with plaster the main wall was the original bungalow exterior wall of random stone; it took a lot of plaster to finish it.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Looking good Retired.

 

Hi,

Thanks Logan; for a change I'm looking forward to being comfortable and cozy this coming winter.



The young fella is amazing in the video but at the cost of his childhood? Some of the audience were in tears.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Just a quick update. The second hand violin arrived as arranged with the books and what a bargain; inside the violin is a label stating the Rainbow violin company and the violin is finished in metalic green which certainly is different; I'd seen this violin on Gumtree at £30 but let it go after dithering whether to buy it; the following morning it had been reduced to £10 so I stopped dithering the books five of them were an additional £5; two strings are broken but I've already bought a full set of new Hidersine strings and will restring it; the violin has hardly a mark on it and is much better than I expected so I'm delighted; I handed over £25 otherwise I'd always think I've been unfair so the seller and I are happy.

I've made lots of progress with the studio too;


I was struggling to install this very heavy 12" woodworking vice playing around with lots of measurements but finally gave up and used my Kaizen training taking the problem back to basics; as seen I created a paper template giving greater accuracy whilst avoiding silly measuring mistakes.
Neatly fitted with the top edge of the vice 1/8" below the top of the bench surface.
I recessed the vice into the bench and it's now ready for work.
This is where my wife will do her crafting hobby; yesterday we visited The Range in Barnsley to buy four plastic baskets; they only had three so my luck was normal; yesterday afternoon we visited The Range in Huddersfield and bought another three so as shown my wife now has four and I have two. These should neatly hold lots of crafting materials without opening a cupboard door to have them spill from shelves.
My area of the studio showing the two plastic baskets; sorry about picture quality. I still need to set up the car radio and speaker allowing me to play my favourite 60's songs from a memory stick (MP3).

I've also ordered wood for the violin I plan to attempt making it costing almost £100 from;

https://www.drewbas-tonewood.com/master

The peg hole reamer has arrived as have 144 spring wooden pegs and a book showing how to make a violin; things are moving forward quickly but as usual I'm broken off and have a welding job to sort out this morning which is unexpected but normal whenever I want to do something I'd like to do. I'd better get off my backside and get the welding done before another day slips quietly by; I was out of bed at 6 o'clock this morning and have done the supermarket shopping.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

It's all coming together nicely Colin. Is it my eyes or is that bottom right basket a different colour?

 

Hi,

Thanks Sheal. I'm unsure about the colour of the bottom basket because I'm hopelessly colour blind but it might just be the light in the studio; I need to install better lighting because taking normal images they turn out poor and if I use the flash it often washes out the image; I'll ask my wife though because she's not colour blind.

I'm still struggling to completely relax because every time I think I'm on top another unexpected job pops up to bite me. Last year I needed to punch fence post holes through three feet thick stone so bought a concrete breaker; the chisels weren't long enough so I cut one of the chisels and welded an extension in allowing me to complete the job.

A week ago I sold the big heavy concrete breaker thinking I'd seen the last of it but no; I received an email from the buyer saying he'd broken the chisel and could I please help. I was brought up to do the decent thing at all times so this cost me a days work yesterday. It took ages to grind away sections of the welds using an angle grinder then I welded in two pairs of splints; if he breaks it this time I'll be very surprised but having already now spent a full day helping him out I won't do it again; I think I've been more than fair and generous.

Kind regards, Colin.


Not pretty but very strong.
After grinding.

New heavy duty splints welded on.
The chisel as I extended it last year adding lots of weld at the joints. I wonder what's in store for me today.