Which Homemade Tools Interest You?

[kbalch]

I couldn't agree more about the joys of repurposing old 'stuff'. Beside the satisfaction of not being wasteful, I like to think of old things as having had interesting lives and I enjoy doing whatever I can to extend those lives.

Now, take that poor Triumph down off the shelf and ride it - it's getting dusty up there!!

Ken

[trophyman]

I couldn't agree more about the joys of repurposing old 'stuff'. Beside the satisfaction of not being wasteful, I like to think of old things as having had interesting lives and I enjoy doing whatever I can to extend those lives.

Now, take that poor Triumph down off the shelf and ride it - it's getting dusty up there!!

Ken

Naaa I rebuilt the Triumph, started it up and shut it down and lifted it up on the shelf. It'll stay them till I'm gone now. I have plans, somewhere behind all the other projects currently going, to get my 51 AJS out and put it back together. Tore it down 8 years ago, had to frame powder coated and it's in 5 boxes on the top of the shop. Just never enough time

[kbalch]

That'll be a neat project and a great bike to get running again.

I'm nearly there with a concours restoration of a '69 T120R. If I could find a '38 Speed Twin project with its original tin, I'd jump on it.

I keep telling my wife that it's cheaper than airplanes!! Another old hobby of mine...

Ken

[trophyman]

I just love the British bikes. When I was younger, hehe some time ago, all my friends were jumping on the new HONDA'S, not me. When a buddy of mine wanted to buy a new 75 Honda CB 750, I bought his Triumph X75. I loved that bike but eventually had to sell it to finance a house purchase. Had BSA, AJS, Ariel, Matchless. I don't ride anymore, lost too many friends on the 2 wheelers. Still own a 85 Honda Goldwing. 4 of us rode our new Goldwings from Bowie, Maryland to Anchorage, AK. Sounded like a good plan at the time but I would NEVER attempt it again! When we got home I parked my bike and didn't even look at it for a month.

[kbalch]

Sorry to hear about you not riding anymore, but I completely understand. I stopped flying (on an extended 'temporary' hiatus, anyway) for the same reason. Having spent so much time in the higher-risk world of sport aviation (homebuilts, warbirds, and acro), the body count, in conjunction with my evolving risk/reward calculation as I got older, just got to be too much.

That cross-country trip sounds like a blast. The last time I did it on the ground (as opposed to flying) was in an '87 Hyundai Excel. At journey's end, I remember not wanting to ever drive that car again.

Ken

[trophyman]

I've never been a fan of flying. BUT! I always thought that if I could actually fly the plane, I would probably love it!. My father in law had a pilots cert. He hadn't flown in years before he passed, but still talked about it everyday. I friend of mine rebuilt a 1941 Stearman. When he got done he tried to persuade me to fly to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for some kind of airplane show. Told him he must have bumped his head! No way am I getting into an airplane that YOU rebuilt and fly a couple of thousand miles.

Turns out he had engine problems and had to land the plane and leave it for a few days in some farmers field in Indiana. By the time he got back with assistance, some cows had eaten most of the bottom wings off of the plane! Guess I made the right decision.

[kbalch]

After 20+ years as a private and commercial pilot, flight instructor, homebuilder, warbird instructor pilot, and airline guy, if I haven't seen it all, I've seen enough. I've personally declared an emergency six times and had them 'roll the trucks' on four of those occasions. Nobody hurt and no tin bent ever.

Oshkosh is fun, but not the grassroots show that it used to be. I used to go to Sun'nFun in Lakeland, FL every year, but even that event isn't what it was. Guess I'm getting crotchety and demanding in my 'old' age.

A couple of pics for you:

The RV-8 I built:


A T-6 (actually a Navy SNJ-4) in which I used to instruct:


Ken

[trophyman]

WOW! I have to say, as much as I'm not a fan of flaying, I am ALWAYS intrigued by the planes themselves. The feeling of sheer power and freedom must be exhilarating. I build hot rods but can imagine putting an airplane together and then actually taking it up in the air! I have to say though, seeing that yellow plane, i am jealous.

[Robert Tutsky]

Hi Ken. I would like to say that I am glad I found this site as there are quite a few interesting home brewed projects shown. Some very talented folks here. What I am most interested in is anything woodworking related. Some metal working also interests me, especially if it applies in any way to woodworking tools. Again thanks for setting up this site, I know it's really going to "take off"!

[romac]

1. Our business is Industrial Automation & Industrial Electronic Repairs. I do R&D in a number of industries and often need to make prototypes, so any tools that would make life easyer.

2. Mostly for special purpose and cannot be purchased or for one of my hobby intersts or just maybe because I think I can.

3. I could live for ten life times and not get to all the things I would like to do but I would like to see and maybe even attempt one of the projects you have up your sleve.