From Manual to CNC - Sherlines

[zeeprogrammer]

Well it's March. Last post was July.

First, an update on my wife.
Surgery was a no go. Cancer had spread to a couple of lymph glands and lungs.
Proton radiation and chemotherapy didn't work.
She's now undergoing immunotherapy. She's had 3 treatments.
A 4th treatment a week from tomorrow and then a scan a few weeks after that to see how it's going.
She's been on a feeding tube since last summer and takes everything through the tube.
She can only swallow about a 1/2 cup of liquid a day.
Every 4 hours I give her meds and water through the tube. About 9 large syringes worth.
She's generally always in pain even with methadone and oxycodone.
She's better than she was a few months ago and comes out of the bedroom once in a while.

It's been grueling and I've had no shop time.
Lately though I've been giving a lot of thought to the shop, machining, and hobbies in general.
I've realized that I'm not a hobbyist. I'm a dabbler. Always have been.
I've come to accept that my joy comes from putzing around, always starting things and never finishing them.
Be it machining engines, playing with electronics, programming, model making, the list goes on and on.
It's been a release to accept myself.
I'm thinking of naming my shop "Das FurzHaus". There are 3 meanings behind that (no pun intended) and I'll leave it to you all to figure them out.

I've also realized that getting the bigger machines was a mistake.
So I plan on selling them off and going back to the minis. I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed them.
I'm thinking of the LMS HiTorque machines. I'll probably have many questions for you all as I go along.

It'll be slow going as I'm facing an interesting summer.
Besides the pandemic and caring for my wife, I've got two daughters...
Youngest is due March 18. Eldest is due May 1.
They both live nearby so I'm sure I'll be busy helping them.

I apologize if this is all a bit personal but I consider many of you friends and thought you'd like to know what's going on.

I can make no promises as to how often I can make it on the forum.
You all take care and keep making and posting.
And don't forget pictures!
Keep those 'happy dances' going.

[steamer]

Thinking of you Zee, as you know the steamer household has had a visit from the C monster as well...were doing well and it looks.like my daughter beat it...again...thoughts and prayers my friend...

[scc]

Zee, I did wonder why we hadn't heard from you.  Sad to hear about your wife and the consequent stress and heavy workload for you. I can only hope and pray for a good outcome. Do not apologise for your post.....you ARE among friends.  Stay positive if you can.

Steamer, Good to hear y'all beating this horrible virus.      Best Wishes       Terry

[steamer]

Zee, I did wonder why we hadn't heard from you.  Sad to hear about your wife and the consequent stress and heavy workload for you. I can only hope and pray for a good outcome. Do not apologise for your post.....you ARE among friends.  Stay positive if you can.

Steamer, Good to hear y'all beating this horrible virus.      Best Wishes       Terry

Well...no quite    my daughter beat Cancer for a second time.   6 rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant....been a hell of a year.     Agin   thoughts and prayers to you zee...

[scc]

My apologies steamer.   I miss understood the "C Monster"..        Best Wishes       Terry

[crueby]

Nice to hear from you again Zee, sorry it has been such a lousy year or so for you. You are missed around here, whether it be as a big project'er or a dabbler, defintely stop in when you can. Best wishes on the future developments, we are all behind you!
  Chris

[Kim]

Thanks for the post, Zee.  Thanks for sharing with us.  I have been thinking about you and wondering how it was going, so nice to get an update.  Though the news doesn't sound so good.  I'm very sorry to hear that the disease has been so hard on your wife, you, and the whole family.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

As for the machines?  Get what you want and do what you want with them.  It's all about enjoying your time and if dabbling is your thing, then dabble away!  But share your dabblings with us when you're able to.

Take care of your wife and kids.  We'll be here when you have time.
Kim 

[MJM460]

Hi Zee, I am so sorry to hear about T and the year you have been through.  Your devotion to her through all this definitely makes you a hero in my view.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.  You have many friends on the forum and are definitely missed when other priorities call you away.

As for your joy in dabbling, there is so much that strikes a chord there.  Many of us feel the excitement of starting a new project, but also have unfinished projects on the shelf for one day that we imagine will come.  Enjoy what you enjoy, and keep the best unfinished ones for some future day.

And do look forward with joy to those two new grandchildren whose arrival is fast approaching.



MJM460

[Admiral_dk]

No apology needed Zee.

Sorry to hear about T's pain and tribulations - I really hope she gets well again, from that 'Damned disease' as we call it in my family.

So you are going to be a GrandPa twice over soon, eh -> some joy coming to you and your family soon then 

While I do finish some projects - you have now told me (indirectly) that I'm a dabler too 

Best wishes to you and your family

Per

[steamer]

".....As for the machines?  Get what you want and do what you want with them.  It's all about enjoying your time and dabbling is your thing, then dabble away!  But share your dabblings with us when you're able to........"


Best advice I've heard this year!......

[gary.a.ayres]

Very sorry to read about your wife being ill, Zee.

I wish you all strength and courage in your support of her.

gary

[zeeprogrammer]

Thank you all. It really means a lot.

Although I haven't done anything in the shop, I'm getting enjoyment out of drawing up a new shop layout, making lists of goodies I want to get, and working on converting the Sherline mill to CNC.
I'm thinking of using the mill for engraving.

Probably won't be until late spring or early summer before I can do anything more meaningful.

Thanks again!

[steamer]

You just keep being Zee...youll be by eventually...we'll  be here then and in between....

Thinking of ya man

Dave

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Dave.

Well finally had a bit of time in the shop. (Not for a good reason, wife was in hospital. Home now and doing better.)

Wired up three steppers to D-subs.
Tested with Mach3.
Mounted X and Y.
Couldn't get one bolt removed from the carriage when taking off the manual stuff. So drilled it off. Unless I can get the stub out, it won't be a manual system again.
Now for the Z axis.
Crud. They had sent the wrong leadscrew.
Asked Sherline what I should do and they said they're sending the correct one.

Yay!

I won't name names but someone pointed out my 3rd signature line "Zee - Another Thread Trasher".
Time for a change.

I'm thinking of "I'd like to see the great Leslie try that!".
It's also a quote from "The Great Race" as is "To work. To work.".

I just saw the movie again the other night for the umpteenth time. Pretty silly.
I was 12 when I first saw it. It's been a huge influence in my life.
The cars, the airplane, the submarine.
"The Absent Minded Professor" and his basement lab was another.
Or "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines".
There were more.

I'd be interested in hearing what movies influenced you all when you were a kid. I mean a real kid in age. Not now. 
I'll let you be today's thread trasher. 

I digress.

[crueby]

Bummer about the wrong part, but in my experience Sherline is very good about fixing things.




As for movies from kid-dom, also loved Magnificent Men And Their Flying Machines. Animated movies like Robin Hood (the one with animal characters), but my real favorites were Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner, Daffy Duck cartoons. My front hall has a Roadrunner/Coyote animation cel on the wall, guess I am still a fan!  Somehow I bet you liked Foghorn Leghorn too...