How the ELEV-8 changed my weekend! (and workbench shots)
mindrobots
Posts: 6,506
I thought it would be fun to start building my ELEV-8 this weekend after I finished my chores. MY only problem is I had a bit of clutter on my chosen worktable that had to be squared away.
So, 5 or 6 hours later, 2 new storage shelves and lots of elbow grease later.......24sq ft of clean flat work surface on a handy roll-away base. Well, roll away if you're strong enough.
I think it needs some power outlets and an electronics safe covering of some sort.
In case you're wondering the original function behind this massive table? Underneath are 500-600 pounds of stained glass
More proof I have enough hobbies that I won't be bored if I ever quit my day job!!
As a counterpoint to Ken's wonderful, clean workshop, I'll share mine......in my defense, I REALLY haven't been able to do anything other than scrounge for tools and do quick repairs in my workshop since we adopted our daughter in 2005. But there's a lot of fun stuff down there when that spare time shows up!!
They say confession is good for the soul......and cleaning always makes the wife happy!!
So, 5 or 6 hours later, 2 new storage shelves and lots of elbow grease later.......24sq ft of clean flat work surface on a handy roll-away base. Well, roll away if you're strong enough.
I think it needs some power outlets and an electronics safe covering of some sort.
In case you're wondering the original function behind this massive table? Underneath are 500-600 pounds of stained glass
More proof I have enough hobbies that I won't be bored if I ever quit my day job!!
As a counterpoint to Ken's wonderful, clean workshop, I'll share mine......in my defense, I REALLY haven't been able to do anything other than scrounge for tools and do quick repairs in my workshop since we adopted our daughter in 2005. But there's a lot of fun stuff down there when that spare time shows up!!
They say confession is good for the soul......and cleaning always makes the wife happy!!
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Comments
and everything not moved to the back of the belt will drop into a waste basket.
That should go a long way to subjugate the "flat spot" hell some of us put ourselves through...
-Tommy
If I get it built by August and don't lose it in a crash, it will be at UPENE if I'm there!
As for additions....BLINKMs, PINGs? a NERF gun (don't tell Jeff)? I think autonomous flight would be fun.
"flat spot hell" YUP!! I've never met a horizontal surface I can't cover with stuff!!
The conveyor is a brilliant idea!
Nice planning and setup, Rick! This ensures a tidy assembly. Be sure to keep those 3.5mm bullet connectors covered with heat shrink so that when they butt to one another they're not showing any metal. I once had a strange problem with a short in the tube (or against a screw) that took me a few hours to figure out. Don't be like me.
Ken Gracey
Whole shop cleaned up?? OH NO, NO, NO......just the targeted work table. I'm not gung-ho enough to tackle the whole shop - I'd miss UPENE if I tried that!!!
Thanks for the assembly tip. I'm trying to collect all these tips together. There's a wealth of experience before me!
(we won't mention going out to buy a radio and receiver (DX6i) on Friday and the need for batteries........your fault too!
Ken Gracey
Great job on the shop! Once I finish getting the PC repair / GG shipping shop done, I'll probably tackle my basement shop next. (Timing may run just in time for UPENE.)
OBC
That's so counter to my nature. I KNOW I'll need that stuff as soon as I give it away... Probably.
Can you get a few photos of your collection for us? We know you have an interest in eBay, so please share.
How about this for comparison. When you've really wanted something - anything [except for a new bicycle] - you know that the chase is most of the fun, right? Doing the research, watching it on eBay and finally placing the order is very rewarding. But then you own it, and sometimes you realize that most of the fun was in the chase, right? If you've ever felt this way, then parting with excess goodies has the same effect. Chasing it out of your house can be more rewarding than actually storing it!
Or, if you want real therapy about collecting goods, take a trip to China. When you see how everything is created from raw materials you start to look at the finished product as something that just evolved from the components and raw material. Knowing how it's made and seeing the distribution process take it's piece of the pie was some kind of cure-all for me. Now I'm less of a shopper, and I only buy it if I'll keep it till I'm carbon.
...like my 600 pounds of glass....as soon as I give away my raw materials, I'm sure I'll have a glass project needing just that perfect shade of blue I collected....
...or the wood (you can't see the wood racks from these shots).....give away the Bubinga and you'll need Bubinga the next week!
...or the Lie Nielsen Low Angle Jack Plane....you know you'll run across that unruly piece of Bird's Eye Maple......
...it just can't be done!
You only keep what you give away?
A toy is never happy until it is loved (AKA, a part is never happy until it is used)?
I read these fairy tales to our twins, but they clearly fall into the category "do as I say, not as I do" !
If I'm not going to use it in the foreseeable future, I don't keep it. And if it has feelings then it's probably happier somewhere else if it can be put to use.
I recently saw a story on TED about a fellow who lives in a 10x20 box. Everything folds out of the wall and serves multiple purposes. Although a bit extreme, there was something interesting about the minimalism of his approach. Wouldn't work in my case, and I don't advocate the idea for anybody with a family, but it sure was interesting.
I used to horde up on stuff, but I've maxed out my 5-bedroom house, and over the last couple of years I've been in reduction mode (that also applies to adult-age children still living at home!). Now I only get what I need for a project.
It was good to see Rick's work table, though -- for once someone messier than I am!
Rick, all the boxes in the background look untouched between photos. So what did you do with all the stuff on the work table?
-- Gordon
Thanks! (I think!) I'm glad I could inspire and increase your self-image!!
The background boxes were untouched - they contain our Teddy Bear collection to the left and the remaining inventory from our Bear store to the right. We had enough of retail one day and just closed the doors! It's an endless supply of gifts and donations. There's a brand new storage shelf just out of the picture on the left. All of the stained glass tools and supplies ended up there. Lots of things ended up in the trash this morning. It was cathartic to come to a clean table top at the end of the day!
You're telling this to a guy who talked up and eventually purchased an original Ham Radio HeathKit for $777. I'm sure he can relate.
BTW, Ken, have you ever thought to flying down to the Eastern Expo? A little extra Parallax appearance would be nice.
@mindrobots: What do you make with stained glass? Windows, or is there some other use?
-Phil
"Save space for younger people," my butt! As long as AARP is around, those FAST dweebs won't stand a chance! Besides, my fort made from obsolete inventory and abandoned projects, armed with 12-shot, IR-activated rubber band guns, will be impregnable. Bring it on, punks!
-Phil
The Window by Rick Post Photography, on Flickr
However, this discussion has reminded me of something I wanted to bring up before UPENE. This isn't the right place for it, but it does follow where the thread has gone.
I have a lot of stuff around from projects that didn't pan out or weren't followed through with. I'm thinking mostly about final commercial products rather than parts. You know, the things you look at and say "That's cheap and I could make such and such out of the parts." These could be toys, small handheld devices (like Peeks), or something similar.
They are in perfect working order, but several years old and have not been used in the projects that I envisioned for them. I don't feel a need to recoup any of the money that I spent on them I could dump them on the freebie table at UPENE but I was wondering if there might be a better way to get rid of them. One possibility would be to add them to the charity auction but I think that can rapidly get out of hand and distract from the more directly Parallax-oriented stuff.
So, I was thinking maybe there should be another table - not part of the auction or freebies. Instead of the auction or giving them away, maybe a suggested donation could be assigned to each thing on the table (maybe they'd all be $5 or maybe it could vary by item). The money would just go straight into the same charitable donation as the auction. If it looked like stuff wasn't going away, the suggested donation could decrease as the day went on.
Even if there isn't an official way to do this, I guess I could just unofficially do this myself to get rid of my stuff.
-Matt
Just out of curiosity, how hard is it to cut the glass like that? What kind of tool do you use, a wet saw?
@matt: thanks! I really enjoy the glass work it's relaxing and satisfying. Like woodworking with hand tools.
@micro: I think the big panel came together over a five week class. Class was one night each week and then a lot of drawing, pattern making, glass cutting, grinding, foiling and soldering during the rest of the week.
It's surprisingly easy to cut glass once you learn a few tricks. You don't actually cut it, you score it and then bend it and it (usually) fractures along the score line. Some glass is easier to score and snap than others. You can actually cut rather complex curves with practice - s curves, deep arcs,etc. you also learn how to draw your design and the curves you need to cut to stay within your capabilities. I do have a wet grinder to clean up some difficult cuts and take the sharp edges off (they tend to damage the foil). It's fun to see howmgoodmyou can make the pieces fit without grinding. Of course, sometimes a piece of glass has hidden fractures in it and I breaks along those lines instead ofmyour score line.
All in all, a very satisfying and rewarding hobby!
A new toilet!
Bang for the buck, my best $150 and 3 hour investment lately. Sounds silly, but a nice new, water-efficient commode looks good and really jazzes up the joint. It replaced an original water guzzler from 1957.
'57 Chevy: Good!
'57 Toilet: Bad!
It was an unbelieveably easy swap (only had to saw one rusty bolt) and a quick feel-good experience. Sadly, it looked too easy to the wife. I should have struggled longer and more visibly and made 6 trips back to Home Depot (EVERYTHING was in box, dangit). Now the wife is in home improvement mode and wants to remodel the whole bathroom. Then a new kitchen sink... AAARRRGGGHH!
As to the rest of the house? 'Don't wanna touch it! Starting just one project would be like pulling a thread on a sweater.
-Phil