So what's your other hobbies or interests?

[0liverr]

I playing guitar and like fishing.

 

[BrianK]

Product brand or source? Thanks!

Cubic Mini Grizzly, made in Canada

CB-1210 GRIZZLY Cubic Mini Wood Stove

Build your order The Grizzly Wood Stove was created with small spaces in mind; it removes the humidity, warms the bones and dries the toes. The Grizzly creates a charming focal point for your build… a tiny home on wheels or even a boat - any space can be filled with this stove's dry heat. Relax...

cubicminiwoodstoves.com

 

[Deleted member 57338]

One other hobby / interest of mine - is fantasizing about retiring. I have completed 60 revolutions around the sun, 38 of those in corporate America.
Dreaming of affording to be able to have a minimum wage job in a restaurant and tell corporate America to shove. Have had enough.

 

[AHicks]

I retired at 60. Even then, the hardest part of those later years was keeping my head down and my mouth shut. I knew there would be no way of
re-establishing myself in a company to make anywhere near what I was currently making any time soon. At 55+, companies would much rather invest in somebody half that age.....

 

[PedalUma]

companies would much rather invest in somebody half that age

That is one reason I went solo. Now I am teaming up with other younger partners. We are now renting my bikes.

 

[BrianK]

I’ve taken up wood turning on a wood lathe. I just started in October. I’m making stuff that hopefully will actually get used.

This photo is a traditional dry goods kitchen scoop on the left, and one I created by a two axis turning on the lathe on the right. I like the ergonomics of the higher handle axis better than the traditional design:

And this is a cigar ashtray I designed for some of my traditional Catholic friends for several Christmas and wedding gifts, made of poplar laminated on walnut and lined with a 3” stone puck:

And a dual megaphone iPhone stand, from a piece of ash firewood that turned out to be nicely spalted:

 

[Jim1348]

I retired at 60. Even then, the hardest part of those later years was keeping my head down and my mouth shut. I knew there would be no way of
re-establishing myself in a company to make anywhere near what I was currently making any time soon. At 55+, companies would much rather invest in somebody half that age.....

While that may be true for you, that is not true for everybody, at least not for me.

I retired the first time at age 50 with 29 years of service with a defined-benefit pension.

I knew I wasn't ready for the rocking chair, yet, so I did another 6 years of service in a different organization with a defined-benefit pension.

I started working for the state on third defined-benefit pension.

I was "recruited", at age 61, for a job that pays way more than either of the jobs I retired from.

I am vested in this third defined-benefit pension and I love what I am doing.

So, while many, perhaps most, companies would much rather invest in somebody half that age, that isn't always the case.

I am now making more than I did from either job that I retired from.

 

[Roamers]

So, while many, perhaps most, companies would much rather invest in somebody half that age, that isn't always the case.

I agree it depends on your skill set. My brother was in sales in technology, retired at 55, wanted to work again at 60 and couldn't find anything; got stale. I retired at 59 and continue to get contacts from recruiters 7 years later, but have no desire or need to work. Area of expertise where "the knowledge used" isn't effected by technolgy.

 

[AHicks]

I agree it depends on your skill set. My brother was in sales in technology, retired at 55, wanted to work again at 60 and couldn't find anything; got stale. I retired at 59 and continue to get contacts from recruiters 7 years later, but have no desire or need to work. Area of expertise where "the knowledge used" isn't effected by technolgy.

Geez, that hits the nail on the head for me. I was in data management, development, and IT. Staying on top of that mountain of evolving tech was becoming a real challenge. Caused an immense pressure. One slip up could cost the company a LOT of down time. Sure there's back up for the backups, including off site storage, but once restored, you STILL need to figure out why it went down so it doesn't do an instant replay as soon as you go live again..... risking data that's been piling up the whole time you were down.

I was glad to put that behind me!!!

 

[Viking1]

I am another one (general class). Currently we are in 5 land in Texas.

 

[Viking1]

I'm insane, so I bought ANOTHER guitar!

A 2021 PRS 594 Hollowbody.
Bought it 2 hours before beating it up at practice tonight.
So light!

Nice! PRS is good stuff!

 

[Viking1]

Lots of hobbies for me. Playing bass, photography, electronics repair, ham radio, bicycling of course, fishing, Minnesota Vikings Football! SKOL!

 

[Viking1]

My latest endeavor is getting certified as an RV Repair Technician. I start school this Week for the next 8 weeks.

 

[Viking1]

As you can see I am a Gibson and Martin guy. I sold all my other basses and amps when we sold our house to RV full time. Only so much room to carry things……

 

[chunk]

I’ve taken up wood turning on a wood lathe. I just started in October. I’m making stuff that hopefully will actually get used.

This photo is a traditional dry goods kitchen scoop on the left, and one I created by a two axis turning on the lathe on the right. I like the ergonomics of the higher handle axis better than the traditional design:
View attachment 150054

And this is a cigar ashtray I designed for some of my traditional Catholic friends for several Christmas and wedding gifts, made of poplar laminated on walnut and lined with a 3” stone puck:
View attachment 150055View attachment 150056

And a dual megaphone iPhone stand, from a piece of ash firewood that turned out to be nicely spalted:
View attachment 150057View attachment 150058

How about a pic of your lathe? I have a Powermatic model 90.

 

[Slaphappygamer]

I like to fix things. Waterheater, furnace, vacuum, dishwasher, dryer, cotton candy machine, headphones, and various low voltage systems. I’ll do some research before attempting a repair. There is so much good info out there and it’s available any time of day.

 

[AHicks]

My latest endeavor is getting certified as an RV Repair Technician. I start school this Week for the next 8 weeks.

That was my first career, prior to going into IT. 20 years working with RV's, most spent as a service manager at a large dealership. Wore a LOT of hats!! I could be writing an estimate for a motor home collision with a deer one day, replacing the riveted skin on an Airstream the next, troubleshooting the self leveling system on a diesel pusher ....geez, the list goes on and on. That's actually why I lasted as long as I did. Never a dull moment. What took me down? Dealing with ungrateful dissatisfied customers who likely couldn't afford their purchase. We retired in a 38' Holiday Rambler DP. Traveled all over for a couple of years. If I can help, holler! Best of luck! -Al

 

[Viking1]

That was my first career, prior to going into IT. 20 years working with RV's, most spent as a service manager at a large dealership. Wore a LOT of hats!! I could be writing an estimate for a motor home collision with a deer one day, replacing the riveted skin on an Airstream the next, troubleshooting the self leveling system on a diesel pusher ....geez, the list goes on and on. That's actually why I lasted as long as I did. Never a dull moment. What took me down? Dealing with ungrateful dissatisfied customers who likely couldn't afford their purchase. We retired in a 38' Holiday Rambler DP. Traveled all over for a couple of years. If I can help, holler! Best of luck! -Al

Thanks!! We went the 5th wheel route with a 3500 Ram 3500 Dually High Output Cummins turbo diesel and a Riverstone Legacy 37FLTH. Wife is happy, so as they say “ Happy wife…….

 

[BrianK]

How about a pic of your lathe? I have a Powermatic model 90.
View attachment 150166

THAT’S a lathe!

I’m just working on a midi Rikon 70-1217vs.

I’ve always been fascinated by foot powered lathes which were used prior to electricity. I just picked up a Barnes 4 1/2 velocipede lathe on Tuesday that is operated by food pedals, not a treadle, which ironically kinda goes with the topic of this forum in general:

This is a metal lathe but Barnes sold a tool rest for it to use if for wood turning also. I’ve spoken with several guys who use one for wood turning now online.

I spent a couple hours cleaning it up last night. I’ve never in my life owned such a highly engineered and precisely machined piece of equipment.

A 125 year old machine, and everything on it turns freely and nothing is rusted tight. The only rust is some surface rust that was on the flat belt pulleys. I’ve never been so impressed with a piece of tooling as this one.

 

[chunk]

I’ve always been fascinated by foot powered lathes which were used prior to electricity.

I used to watch this program on PBS. He used non powered tools, except human power.

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