Here I ahhmmm. New Forum Member.

**SmokDog** · Nov 1, 2014, 11:21 AM

Steve from Cleveland Here.

Basically retired 68 year old Electrical/Millwright contractor and Consultant. Degree is in Welding Engineering, but most of my life was spent in heavy industry (Steel Mills, Heat treat shops etc) and special machine building, and naturally machine moving and maintenance and upgrading.

Went back to playing Music professionally after years off the stage, but still have a complete machine and fab shop that mostly just sits there. (let me know if anyone needs a small part made - No Charge)

Spend most of my play time anymore trying to become a competent wood worker and luthier without loosing any fingers or eyes. Love to get good enough some day to make a guitar.

The things like wooden gears and surface drum sanders made by forum members really turn me on. You guys are making things at home that are functionally every bit as good or better then a lot of stuff that was designed by a battery of engineers and then made using the talents of 3 or 4 professional machinery building shops. You do it with one guy and mot even a lathe. Unbelievably great work! God bless all of you.

Way too go guys, Proud to be a member here.

Later Alligators

S

**Jon** · Nov 1, 2014, 12:29 PM

Hi SmokDog; welcome to HomemadeTools.net

. Nice to have you on board.

Sounds like you have a wide range of abilities. I think you'll find yourself in the company of plenty of other polymaths.

**Hotz** · Nov 1, 2014, 12:38 PM

Welcome to HomemadeTools.net

**SmokDog** · Nov 1, 2014, 12:55 PM

Thanx bro.

I think I'll have a hard time keeping up with you guys!

S

**Altair** · Nov 1, 2014, 11:22 PM

Hello and welcome to HT SmokDog.

Al

**SmokDog** · Nov 2, 2014, 06:51 AM

Well, Thank you for the welcome. Hope hope I can be of some help to someone, sometime. I know I'll get a lot of good tips here.

**DIYer** · Nov 3, 2014, 06:14 AM

A musician and a welder. That's one of the more unusual talent combinations I've seen, but I've learned that it's those varying influences that make each person truly unique. Welcome!

**SmokDog** · Nov 3, 2014, 06:59 AM

Actually I have played with a couple of guys that worked in the Welding/Fabrication Industry and lots of machinests. In fact I'm auditioning for an Electrical Contractor Wednesday and the Drummer in one of the bands I was in was a union Electrician. I played with a few Excavators in the past too. - More skilled trades guys and engineers playing music then you might think.

In the upper levels of the music biz we have to do a lot of Set construction and tons of lighting and effects "things" too that we either assemble from components or design and build from scratch. We use a lot of DMX lighting equipment and MIDI devices that are quite similar to CNC equipment I have worked on. Rigging is of paramount importance too. That is to say nothing of the sound equipment that always seems to need service.

More things that are connected then you might think.

Here is a link to my BandMix page with a few MP3s and a Video if anybody wants to hurt their ears. DaRealSmokeDog - Musician in Mentor OH - BandMix.com

Afterwhile Crocodile.

Later, Alligator.

**kbalch** · Nov 3, 2014, 10:31 AM

Hi Steve,

Welcome!

What an interesting and eclectic background; you're sure to find yourself in good company here. Lots of neat luthiery-related tools on our Guitar tag page.

When you're ready to share some of your own homemade tools, we'd love to see them. Please post them directly in the Homemade Tools subforum. We'll add each one to the database, as well as to your builder page on the site.

Non-tool items should be shared in the Not a Tool, but Homemade subforum.

Ken