hobby
“I’ll Buy That!”
I just had a minor epiphany thanks to a comment in an email from my friend Ed. He said, “…I focus on my project and not on the tools unless they impact the project.” What a profound statement. I have been preaching that concept since day one on my web sites.
I often get asked, “What machine should I buy to get started in the hobby.” My stock reply has always been, “First decide what you want to build.” “Second, how much can you spend?”
Ed is an outstanding builder of small scale live steam locomotives and has a wonderfully equipped home machine shop, all top notch machines and tools. His comment hit me so true I could hear the angles singing. Well, almost.
I have read most of Kozo’s books and have seen photos of his modest workshop. He shows his shop in at least the A3 book and several others. I know THAT master builder has a very modest workshop.
Wonderful works are not judged by the machines used to create them. It is the skill of the operator that makes it art, not the chisel and hammer. Are the workshop and tools of Michelangelo famous and on display? No, just what was produced by their use. It is the work that is remembered, not the tools in the shop.
Yes, yes, someday there may be a special on TV about the tools of Michelangelo because some people will be interested, but it is not the tools that have made him and his work immortal.
We all have to decide for ourselves, what is my hobby? Is it making miniature live steam locomotives or owning fabulous machine tools? Neither answer is wrong. Doing both is fine if there is the space and the money. But if my primary… Continue reading
Some Like It Hot.
Zowee! It’s 95 degrees F. in the shop this afternoon. I have been working in and out of the shop most of the day. Mostly drawing things in Vectric Software then running out to run them on the HB2. My biggest concern is proper cooling for the computer but it seems to be doing fine. They are short runs from 10 to 45 minutes. I am stopping now that we’ve hit the 95 temp in the shade. I don’t even want to think about working in the sun. The front porch also in the shade is showing 98. We have had over 3 weeks of near and over 100 degree days.
I grabbed some pictures with the cell phone so quality isn’t too great. The pictures are showing about 93 degrees at 3:15 in the afternoon. I also got the main bench cleared and am doing some surface work on it. Getting ready for new projects! You can see the new (old) computer under the HB2.
I have been doing some engravings in Corian and just basically getting the feel (yes hot) of how long I and the equipment can hold up in this weather.
A Change at THMStore
The change is THMS is going to manufacturer many of the products it sells. The Hobbyist’s Machine Shop will be refined and improved as necessary into a higher volume work shop in order to enable production runs of some finely crafted products we have long considered making. These products will then be offered for sale through our e-commerce store or perhaps regional sales representatives.
The Hobbyist Machine Store (THMS) is an Internet e-business. The initial mission statement of the business was to provide replacement steel gears for the popular Asian made mini lathe and mini mills. THMS next expanded its mission statement to include supplying small machine tools, accessories and powered hand tools to any hobbyist constructing precision projects in their personal workshops. THMS does not cater to just the machinist hobby, but to any kind of hobbyist who requires small high quality machine tools for their workshops.
The original plan put THMS into limited competition with other Internet and catalog based small tool providers. I have stated on these pages, it is not the intention of THMS to be yet another supplier of lookalike goods. We never intend to become a large discount supplier of common brand tools and machines, just competing on price.
I have been considering making this THMS mission statement “adjustment” for more than a year. I can’t call it a change of mission as this direction has always been a part of my long range strategy. A change in emphasis may be a better description. The emphasis to produce and market my own products.
THM Store will continue to offer, as long as there are orders, the high quality products that are not readily available through other channels. One example is the excellent Proxxon PD400 metric mini lathe and accessories, imported from Germany. We will… Continue reading
Traveling in a Different Style
I am in awe every time I go exploring the Internet to see what other home machinist are publishing. I am humbled by the effort and quality work that many machinists are willing to share. What a wonderful experience to sit in your own private space and see in detail what others have built or are doing. It is the ultimate resource for inspiration or just armchair voyaging into things mechanical. (Note! This is nothing to do with voyeur!)
I think the style I present is a bit different. I produce a lot more talk or writing… I suppose.
In Ramblin’ Dan I call it “Random Musings and Obscure Observations”. I figure a blog is intended for that sort of rather disjointed presentation, just thoughts of the moment. There is a date in the corner of the post of when posted. The topic can help the reader of a blog to follow the thread much easier than scanning through everything. Topics are listed in the right column.
The THMS web site is more old school formal presentation. I intend to maintain that presentation form for large projects and user reports. It is the place to put a lot of pictures with text. I mentioned awhile back I plan to do more video too.
I built TEDEX to be more of a readers share place. A registered user has free access to post their own projects, ask questions, or do most anything on topic. Even create new topics. It is a free communication resource for hobbyists who don’t want or have the time to produce their own space. I have been forced to make it hard to access (you have to ask) but once in, more things will work. No strings, just be real. I am sharing the ride.
Proxxon PD230/E
I am considering ordering a PD230/E Proxxon Precision Micro Lathe for sale in my store. The PD230/E is a very small lathe in the size range between the Taig micro lathe and the larger Proxxon PD400. The PD230/E is about ½ the cost of the PD400.
What makes the PD230/E a very nice lathe is the fact it has a powered lead screw as well as a variable speed drive motor. It is a micro lathe on steroids.
I don’t see a reason to own both Proxxon lathes. The PD400 being the machine of choice for me, but there are certainly many hobby machinists who don’t need the bigger machine and are attracted by the lower price of the PD230/E. The attached motor drive, power feed and the complete drive system put it way above the Taig micro lathe in functionality.
The street price for the main machine is $1225.00. Adding accessories will of course push the total price higher.
If I wanted a micro lathe I could modify and/or customize, then the Taig is a great choice. But if I want a micro lathe that is ready to make parts, then the PD230/E is the better choice.