A new place to browse and post

[Clipper]

Willum 47 asked me to create a board where we can discuss our hobbies and leisure activity. Well, here it is. We will see how it goes and grows. I took down the NASCAR section under "sports" because it had not been posted to since February.

I see no harm, and lots of good, in creating a new section when requested by a member, as long as the subject matter is something that the Admin and moderators feel will generate sufficient interest to make it worthwhile having as part of the Board.

I personally, do woodworking, and crafts in a beautiful 28x36 shop in my garage. I am lucky to be retired and to live where we don't need to keep our cars in the garage (we have a carport to protect them from the weather).

I am also an avid fisherman when time has allowed. I have not been able to participate in ANY hobby activity or go fishing lately, with my Dad's health issues, and work to be done around the property.

My latest hobby was writing short stories. I don't know if I am any good at it or not, and I need a lot of refinement in that area, but I enjoy writing and when I have the time, I will also take that back off of the back burner and give it another try.

Please feel free to jump on here and tell us all about your hobbies and activities. I hope we see everything from skydiving to basket weaving on here! Have fun!

[dgriffin]

Radio has been my life consuming hobby. Anyone else?

[wilum47]

Clipper and gang, thanks allot.

All tough my emphasis is woodworking, Clipper is right when you consider the plethora of hobbies people have in the local area. I also like jig saw puzzles, models, fishing, and driving the wife nuts!

One of the things I think a sight like this could help with is locating services and hobby related locations in the local area rather than having to depend on out-of area services.

For instance, I have been trying to locate where I can get my carbide tip table saw blades re-sharpened. My life-source, Puleo Brothers on South St. retired a while back. Used to bring my ice skates there when I was a kid.

One blade is an old Craftsman I use for ripping. I bought a couple of replacements and I just don't like their results.

Allot of times you don't need an expert, just someone familiar enough to know how or where to go and who to ask. And it may surprise us who may have an answer.

Hey, a great sight to show off more than our ability to create verbal methane!

So let's go shriners! ;D

[wilum47]

Dave,

As you may recall on my arrival, there was a lot of talk about CB around here and most of us were there because we couldn't break the 20 wpm (?) barrier from CW Class. A great hobby I left to pursue the table saw.

[Clipper]

I have a neighbor here in Bristol that used to run a small engine repair shop. He also sharpened blades of all sorts. He uses a "Foley Belsaw" sharpening machine, with different fixtures for different types of blades, including carbide tipped saw blades. I have a craftsman 10inch radial arm mitre saw. I did not like the quality of results I got with a replacement blade, so I ended up having the old blade sharpened.

I am not sure, and have not researched it Wilum, but you might try a Foley Belsaw webpage, and see if they have any list of local shops using their equipment.

I also don't know if it is still in existence, but there used to be a place called Burrell Saw and Tool Works between Ilion and Mohawk, that did that sort of sharpening. Hell, it may not even be there anymore. I haven't lived up there since 2002.

Here in our area, you can sometimes learn of such things by talking to the folks at the local "Woodworker's Warehouse" store. We have one in Johnson City Tn, that sells all the cutting tools and stuff pertinent to our hobby. I don't know if there is one of those up there either.

[wilum47]

Jul 20, 2008 11:33:13 GMT -5 Clipper said:

I am not sure, and have not researched it Wilum, but you might try a Foley Belsaw webpage, and see if they have any list of local shops using their equipment.

I also don't know if it is still in existence, but there used to be a place called Burrell Saw and Tool Works between Ilion and Mohawk, that did that sort of sharpening. Hell, it may not even be there anymore. I haven't lived up there since 2002.

Here in our area, you can sometimes learn of such things by talking to the folks at the local "Woodworker's Warehouse" store. We have one in Johnson City Tn, that sells all the cutting tools and stuff pertinent to our hobby. I don't know if there is one of those up there either.

Thanks Clipper,

I'll check out the Foley sight and the Burrell Saw and Tool Works lead but what you said about woodworker's, we lost ours several years ago and I know of anyplace similar less than driving to Syracuse. Most hardware places have a throw-away attitude about saws now days. They're looking at the carpenter side rather than the woodworker's side where a blade may be replaceable cost wise, but at the loss of effective action.

[Clipper]

The observation that they lean toward the "carpenter more than the woodworker" is an understatement. Most of the blades you buy now are "throw away", and they don't cut for crap. They are not even good for "finish carpentry" much less woodworking. Most are only good for framing with 2x4's and such.

I recently bought a Disston (sp) fine tooth plywood blade for my table saw. It left a ragged looking cut edge in furniture grade finish plywood, and if you cut a board with it, it showed striations and swirls. I put it on the saw table, and took a hammer, and took SOME (not all) of the "set" out of the teeth. I have now got a blade that cuts decent. Even feeding the stock slowly and carefully, the kerf was ragged looking and way too wide for the small teeth, and EXPECTED result. I think that the problem was that it was "set" to hog too wide of a kerf, and too agressively for finish work.

I am often still found using one of my grandfather's high quality hand saws to cut things for finish projects. I get much more precise and clean cuts, and have more control over the saw for fine work. I sharpen those myself. I have his saw sharpening files, and the hand tools (two different sizes) to put the set back into the teeth after sharpening. It is like a pliers, that sets each tooth individually and according to how much pressure you apply to the tool's handles.

As for the carbide circular blades, I pay about $6 to get them sharpened, but I bet some one with a little ingenuity could fabricate a jig of some sort to do it yourself with a diamond wheel and your dremel tool.

[corner]

great i got alll sorts of tools supplies and since i retired not enough time any body but me make fishing lures?

[dgriffin]

Jul 20, 2008 11:25:50 GMT -5 wilum47 said:

Dave,

As you may recall on my arrival, there was a lot of talk about CB around here and most of us were there because we couldn't break the 20 wpm (?) barrier from CW Class. A great hobby I left to pursue the table saw.

Wilum, the entry code speed was 13 words per minute until the novice class was invented in the 1950's with a code requirement of 5 wpm. 20 wpm was the rate for Extra Class. General class remained 13.
Just last year or the year before, the Morse code requirement was dropped. Only the technical, operating and legal exams remain.

[dgriffin]

Wilum, if you're willing to mail them, I used a place in Massachusetts that sharpens everything, including my paper cutter blade. (Not a regular artist's paper cutter, but a big hummer that cuts through a full ream as if it were Velveeta.) I actually had to send it in through a business in Schenectady that's located in a lousy neighborhood, so I figured the next time I'd take it over to Springfield or mail it. Do you want me to look up the name in Springfield?

[dgriffin]

Jul 20, 2008 16:45:00 GMT -5 corner said:

great i got alll sorts of tools supplies and since i retired not enough time any body but me make fishing lures?

Corner, I tie flies. But I'd like to start tying lures for bass fishing, which I figure I'll have to "retire" to when my knees go and I can't jump in the streams anymore.

[corner]

imake spinners and plugs carve my own when i get the time my buddy and i are catching fish like crazy this year me on artificials and he with nite crawlers, got to start bending more wire soon... i hoping eventually to produce stufff for sale someday..

[Clipper]

I used to tie jigs and spinner baits a few years ago Dave. I actually used to cast the jigheads myself, with lead that was left over from lead splice cases we salvaged during my days with the communications command, and the 485th EIG at Griffiss. Those days are gone and so is the lead. I gave the last of what I had to a guy that was casting his own bullets for black powder hunting.

If you tie flies, you already have a vise to hold the hooks and jigheads and a bobbin to hold the thread. You can buy everything else you need in the form of supplies through Cabella's and Bass Pro Shops.

Tying jigs is no different than tying flies, except for the fact that old farts like us don't need magnification to achieve the desired wrapping.Same principles, larger scale.

If I am not mistaken, you can buy jigheads and much of what you need at Walmart now. Spinner bait wires and spinner blades most likely will still have to be ordered from the catalog.

[wilum47]

Jul 20, 2008 16:45:00 GMT -5 corner said:

great i got all sorts of tools supplies and since i retired not enough time any body but me make fishing lures?

Corner

Do you carve or turn them? I saw a video of a guy turning one and thought some day I would like to try it.

[wilum47]

Jul 20, 2008 17:28:18 GMT -5 @dgriffin said:

Wilum, the entry code speed was 13 words per minute until the novice class was invented in the 1950's with a code requirement of 5 wpm. 20 wpm was the rate for Extra Class. General class remained 13.
Just last year or the year before, the Morse code requirement was dropped. Only the technical, operating and legal exams remain.

Dave,

Yes, I passed the 13, KA2FYD. I didn't mention it earlier because I had an AARP moment on the call letters.
Do you recall a HAM operator, Jerry Choven from North Utica, a W2 number I think. He has since passed away. He was big in the 5-watt site contests back then. He tried to get me up to 20 but I just couldn't bust through.