Always Random
Just worth saying
How to Cure a GAS Problem
I ran across an interesting read in a Photography blog called F/8 (f-stopeight.com) written by Olivier Duong. I had an immediate impression about his style of high contrast B&W photography. I think it is interesting but just not my bag. It works for him and that is all that matters. What I do like is what he has to SAY in his blog about photography and his case of GAS, and that is spot on.
His story is a line about Gear Acquisition Syndrome he acronyms to G.A.S. and having G.A.S. attacks. What he writes about is using “Self Talk” as a justification and it sure hit home with me. I experience self talk all the time, but I almost always talk myself out of the mistake.
I haven’t gone overboard on camera gear, but I easily could. I may be close to the addiction edge on machine tools, computers and other hobbies. In fact I see where what Oliver has to say reaches far beyond his world of photography to many other acquisition addictions.
I like that Oliver doesn’t knock gear acquisition per se, but only when it conflicts with his intention of becoming a great photographer. It’s a confession of a camera gear addict that has found a way back to sanity, like a recovering alcoholic.
His words ring true. GAS is an addiction and like all bad habits, can’t be erased, but they can be replaced with a different response. Go read what he has written. Ignore he is writing about camera gear. You may as I did, see a part of yourself.
Model Engine Builder
I have always looked forward to getting my copy of M.E.B. I just received notice Issue #28 is “Finished and Ready for Download” which is a new term due to digital publishing.
If you want to build model engines this is the publication to get. There is also a free Newsletter:
Go check out their website listed above or click on the logo and start your subscription today.
The Hobbyist’s Machine Studio?
I have been wondering if I should call my workshop a “studio”. Sounds more “artsy” doesn’t it? Since I am not working like a production shop just making one thing over and over, maybe the new description is more accurate. However, it doesn’t seem as hard core and “man cave” sounding like “workshop” or “machine shop” so maybe I should leave it as is. Is there an image to protect?
I’m just funning of course as I don’t really have an image I am concerned about. I just do what I do because it is stuff I like to do. I don’t care what the place is called where I do it. If you want to know the truth, it is a garage. The Aussie’s (and probably others) call it a shed or shedding. Go figure, but I kind of like their term. Another example; I call the location of my ham radio station my “shack”, but it really isn’t.
As far as the number of projects, I do have more than one under way. I am guilty about jumping around between them because there are so many things I want to try and so many things I can do. I just don’t seem to have enough time to do everything one at a time. I have to have something else to do when the glue is drying or parts are on order.
So maybe I need to be more “studious” with my projects? That infers more attention to detail and higher quality, right? I am thinking a studio is where you are more studious with your work and therefore your work is of higher quality. A workshop is where you simply pound things together with a hammer until they fit – more caveman style.… Continue reading
The Keys to TEDEX
I re-enabled TEDEX for open self-registration about a week ago. It has been closed for over a year. Note, this registration does not include automatic approval.
After several hours of being open the registrations started coming in again. There must be some sort of search engine discovering new open registration on line.
Approximately 99.99524 percent are from the Ukraine, Russia, China and other non English countries half way around the globe from the USA. Yes, I can trace every IP address. I allowed the first dozen access to the BBS to see what would happen. It only took a day for the first garbage post to be placed.
I blew away those first “dirty dozen” and have rejected hundreds of applications since. Some one failed the test and spoiled it for everyone.
All of them choose some mambo-jumbo user name mostly just a series of random looking letters. I don’t know who they are but I imagine they are kiddies playing with their computers and like to see if they can pass the “entrance examine”. Some are real spammers.
Mostly they just join, but the spam is what sets up the security fence. If they all look like a duck, walk like a duck, quack like a duck, swim like a duck and smell like a duck… well guess what… I am a firm believer in profiling.
I welcome real interested on-topic members from any country/nationality to join. However, I am not providing a blank wall for any internet hoodlum anywhere to display graffiti. There is no internet “right” for anyone to post whatever they please, only the opportunity. I control that opportunity.
There is a way into TEDEX and I provide keys in the welcome message, but it will remain difficult for the ducks. So if you wonder… Continue reading
Resting on an Obsession
I suspect that creative work is never finished as almost any design engineer, graphic artist or programmer will admit they usually come to a stopping point rather than a finish. There is always that one more little tweak that can be added. At least I find that is true for me. What it becomes is a point of diminishing return and a decision is made that the mission (project) has been accomplished. There is no obsession to keep going.
I think I am at that stopping point in updating my blogs and website displays. Well, maybe it is more of a resting point. I am satisfied with design at the moment. I hope that for my sake it is a rather long rest. Ha! Now I can just need to train myself to just add content material and stop playing with design of the box.
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There is an aura of obsessive perfection about a machine shop and the people who enjoy machining. It stems from the general knowledge we work in the realm of one thousandths of an inch (or 0.0254mm). Not so well known is we sometimes get into one ten-thousandths of an inch, thankfully not often.
Some machinists, especially the newer untrained hobbyist types have an overwhelming creative desire or obsession for dimensional (± 0.000) precision. That is not the meaning of my THMS slogan, “One Perfect Part at a Time”.
I know there are times to be critical of exact dimension but that most of the time there is an important thing called tolerance. Good design includes and specifies tolerance.… Continue reading