Hi all. Good to see 'some' of you.
Some of you know me. Tough.
For you wonderful people who don't...
A couple of years ago I realized I was facing retirement (still some years off) with the prospect of sitting on the porch watching the world go by. I've seen people do that. It makes for a boring and shortened life.
So I set about making lists of interests, dreams I've had when I was a kid, web browsing...looking for the 'common' element. Machining popped out. No real surprise when I look back over my life. As a kid I was fortunate to be an army brat stationed in France and Germany. Spent a lot of time at science museums and with my German grandfather who was a super of an apartment complex and had a machine shop. He had built me a go-kart (sans engine) out of an old-style baby carriage. The bug had bit...I just didn't know it then.
Then I found HMEM and you wonderful and helpful guys. Most of you.
That pretty much cinched the idea and I got a mini-lathe and mini-mill. I'd never machined before but with all your help I managed a couple of small engines and odds-n-ends. Had great fun with mini-zeepster and costumes.
Remember?
Mini-zeepster moved to another state but I hear he's having a grand time and enjoying many casseroles. (Some of you know what I'm referring to.)
I haven't been able to work much in the shop for a while. Busy with work, family, and other issues. I've managed to make two parts in a year and half. That will change some day unless the kids are eventually successful in making me lose my mind.
I've lived in Pennsylvania for the last 17 years. The mid-west before that, and overseas before that. Born in south-west Missouri and somehow ended up in high school there. At heart I'm an Ozark boy with strong ties to Germany (mother is German).
I'm an embedded software engineer working for a company that produces coin mechanisms and bill acceptors. The mechanical engineers worry about me
Again, good to see you all. Given the talent on this forum, my experience with the great help everyone provided in the past, the friendliness and respect shown, I have no doubt this will be a successful adventure.
I hope to be more active but for a while it's going to be limited.
I will have a drink to you all tonight. Yes...my little jelly jar with crushed ice, cocktail onions, onion juice, and whatever vodka I can lay my hands on. The kids call it a 'Stinking Hoppie'. (Hoppie is my grand-daugher's name for me. It was supposed to be 'Poppie' but she couldn't pronounce it right and it stuck.)
When I get a chance I'll post some pics here of my
art work stuff. But it ain't junk.
