zeepster's here

[zeeprogrammer]

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.

[lazylathe]

Welcome Zee!!!

I tried to PM you on HMEM about this site but your PM box was full....
Bogs did not either know how to get a hold of you.
Just as luck would have it John PM'd me to let me know you had just signed up!!!

Fantastic to have you aboard!!

Andrew

[ksouers]

Hey Zee!

Welcome to the asylum!
It feels just like home.



Kevin

[arnoldb]

Hi Zee 

Welcome! - did you bring your tutu and heads-on-a stick ? 

Really good to have you here Carl!

Kind regards, Arnold

[Dean W]

Hi Carl.  Oh man, I'm glad you're here!  Now my day is complete.   

[Bearcar1]

Good to see you back again Ze, been kind of wondering what happened to you. Let the games begin!!!


BC1
Jim

[steamer]

Hey Zee!
Welcome!

Dave

[Dan Rowe]

Hi Zee,
Nice to see you here.

Dan

[90LX_Notch]

Oh crap who told Zee about the new club! Elvis has entered the building. 

Glad you found this place Carl; however it may have happened .

Bob

[fcheslop]

Hi Zee,nice to see you
best wishes frazer

[mklotz]

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'.

I just flashed a disturbing vision of Hopalong Cassidy in a pink tutu.  Damn, onion juice and vodka - that sounds really awful.  Wazzamatter, don't you have a garlic press?  I tried a bit of garlic in gin once to see if it would bring out the olive taste.  Count it as one of my mortally flawed ideas.

It's really good to see you here, Carl.  I've missed your special brand of humor.  You'll be a real addition to the tenor of this sanit refuge for the crotchety.

[SandCam]

Hi Zee,

Great to see you here.

It seems like all the wanderers have answered the call.

Best regards.

Sandy

[tel]

Onya Carl, glad you made it.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. Seems like Deja Vu 

Yes Arnold. I still have the pics-on-a-stick and the tu-tu. I'd been thinking about a change of costume but seeing how everyone seems to have scared fond memories of it...I'll hang onto it. One advantage is that it catches small parts when I drop them. (There are other advantages but I did read the forum rules.)

Marv! I do love garlic. Not that it's helped keep any of you folks away. I don't like olives (even if packed in garlic). Anchovies are an excellent alternative but not as easy. And I'm all about making it easy and quick when it comes to preparing to relax. Truth be, if you knew me better, you'd wonder why I even take the time to put onions in...or ice...or bother with a jelly jar.

This is great guys. Thanks again. Makes me break out in song...yeah...a little Ozark Mountain Daredevils...Chicken Train. 

[Dean W]

'

Hey Carl, forgot to mention this earlier....
An old friend says "Hello"!

[Troutsqueezer]

Glad to see my ol' buddy Zeepster is alive and kickin'! Greetings old friend.

-Dennis

[Pete49]

greeting Zeepster and welcome home
Pete

[Ken I]

Hi Zee and welcome - nice to see you here.

My the curious drinking habits of some folk.

Marv, fatally flawed - maybe - but the very idea of garlic and cocktail shows creative thinking beyond Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.

Ken

[Stilldrillin]

Hi Zee!
You don't know me. I'm one of the quiet ones on here.......

But, I've followed you, and your sense of humour for some time.

I was hoping you'd join in, soon. So pleased to see you made it! 

David D

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks all. Very much appreciated.

[zeeprogrammer]

So I promised some pics of past, er, stuff...

It was an interesting journey going through my pics. I had joined HMEM Mar 14, 2009 just after I got my mini-lathe. 3 and 1/4 years and I have 9 projects under my belt. Wow, 9. And all of that done in the first two years. Five engines, a hammer, a machinist clamp, two machinist jacks, and some clampie things I forget the proper name for.

What memories...

There was the guy who, after I showed the first time I used a slitting saw, pointed out I had it mounted upside down. I had rubbed that part apart.

There was the time some of you kept needling me to shorten my reamers and I worried I'd have too little cutting surface left. No one told me to shorten from the shaft end.

There was the guy that owed me a beer forever. (Who has sadly left this earth since.)

And the admonishments from Marv! Well...that was a an honor actually. Usually. 

And who can forget the videos! Not from me...but from those of you who really enjoy ballet.

Most importantly, it reminded me of all the help I've gotten and the enjoyment this hobby and forum provides.

It was good to go through the pics. But while it gave me the motivation...I lack the time. Still...I'm thinking I'll start something, no matter how long it takes me to update.

But first here's some pics. Apologies if the format isn't right...I'll work on that...eventually.

My first engine. We all remember our first experience. I said engine.



The second engine...



The third engine (possibly my favorite)...



Who can forget this one?...



And my last one...yes it runs on air...never could get it to run on steam...




Here's my shop...







And finally...this is me from a couple of years ago when I visited my wife who was stationed in Belgium at the time...(I'm rather relaxed. We're in the square in Brussels. At a cafe. You get the picture.)...





Slightly edited at Carl's request - Arnold

[dsquire]

Carl

Welcome to Model Engine Maker Carl. I Know that you will find a lot of familiar friendly faces here and we look forward to your participation in the various forums again. I know that sometimes work get in the way of fun but I have confidence that you will find a bit of time to make a few chips in the near future.

Cheers   

Don

[mklotz]

...and some clampie things I forget the proper name for.

Sigh.  We'll have to work on your vocabulary.  Real machinists don't use words like "clampie".  (And they never, ever say "thingie".) 

And the admonishments from Marv! Well...that was a an honor actually. Usually.

I must be slipping.  Note to self: sharpen tongue more carefully.

Still...I'm thinking I'll start something, no matter how long it takes me to update.

Excellent idea.  Keeping in touch with the craft is key to success.  This is an intellectual hobby and its currency is information.  Acquiring knowledge from the work of others is as important as actually building something.

[Dave G]

Welcome Carl. A very nice group of engines I say, I really like the loco. Dave

[zeeprogrammer]

Sigh.  We'll have to work on your vocabulary.  Real machinists don't use words like "clampie".  (And they never, ever say "thingie".) 

 
You thought I was a 'real machinist'.
 

Yeah yeah. You're talking about 'real machinists'. Not me. I get it.

As for 'thingie'...yeah I use that too. Ever since I gave the name 'mini-zeepster' away. 

On a more serious note...I'll take the opportunity to say...

My goodness it's hard to keep up with all the postings!!!
I hope people don't measure themselves by replies. I'm trying to see everything but either can't reply or don't know what to say. (Not that I have much to contribute anyway...but I'm sure the more talented ones have the same problem.)
Keep posting people!!!

And yes Marv. I'll be starting a thread. I've actually been drawing for a while and made a couple of parts. It may not go anywhere but I think about it everyday.

Question: The project is a finger-treadle engine. Where to put it?

[mklotz]

Question: The project is a finger-treadle engine. Where to put it?

Gotta admit you have nerve.  Anyone who would ask "Where to put it?" in this colony of Klugschei?er has really deep, if unwarranted, trust in human nature.

[zeeprogrammer]

I trust you Marv 

On an entirely different topic...

Prior to introducing myself, I organized my Photobucket pictures...forgetting that it would break every link in my old threads back on HMEM. I didn't want to do that. Those were fun threads with lots of history that I still like to reference on occasion. Besides, other machinists hobbyists may come across them and I'd like them to be able to enjoy.

So I moved them back (in hopes I got everything repaired - but probably not all) and broke the links here 

I don't see a way to modify my previous post so I can repair the links. What am I missing?

Or, does anyone know of a way to duplicate a photo in Photobucket? I suppose I can try uploading again (if I can find them), or perhaps download and then upload?

Thanks.

[zeeprogrammer]

Ah...I see I can modify my last post.
Seems like I read somewhere that there's a time limit?

[steamer]

Zee

There is a way to move things around in PB.   Bogs did a primer on it here...

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,177.0.html

.it worked for me.

PS it seems spell check doesn't work here.......good lord I know I need it......there's a nice sweet meatball for ya Marv.......

Dave

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Dave.

I had tried something like that. I downloaded from PB to a folder and then uploaded back to the original folder. Didn't work...no idea why.

Arnold has been kind enough to help me though. I've sent him the URLs to the pics and he'll try to restore them.

Your post reminded me of that program Bogs suggested. I'm going to play with that today.

Thanks again! And thanks Arnold.

[mklotz]

PS it seems spell check doesn't work here.......good lord I know I need it......there's a nice sweet meatball for ya Marv.......

My guess is that one of your posts broke it. 

[steamer]

 
There's the Marv I know and Love

How ya doin friend?
Dave