What's your distractions ..

[roddy1960]

G'day all ..During today on a pretty chilly windy autumn Tassie day and on the first of three RDO's we were asked to take I decided to start running and soldering wiring on my 15 ft x 5 ft HO Scale (1:87) modern era model railway . Haven't really done much on it for a few weeks now .. Even mentioned on another thread that might be something to fill in a few hours .. Loved every second of it and worked through a few jobs I wanted to do and I lost myself for about four hours . Before I knew it the time was well after lunch .

Started me thinking (that's dangerous) with all this virus stuff going on around us what do fellow AFFers really find helps redirect your attention to things that are just plain enjoyable to do ? I asked via PM one of our moderators and he said it might be worth a try so here goes ......

Anybody into any form of modelling too including Lego, Radio Control , Scalextric , restoring old stuff , making new things , collecting things,sports stuff , wildlife rescue or pet foster caring , ancestry research , video gaming , robotics etc etc..would you like to tell us about it and how you got started ? .

Camping , 4WD , outdoors topics , photography , boating/fishing already are pretty well covered in The Bar topics so that's pretty good already but anything else really ..

If it's okay I'll start with model rail . I visited an exhibition in 2007 in our Institute Hall one Sunday morning as I was returning from collecting the papers . Two hours I was there...The main exhibitor was a truck driver that had started 30 years before . It was a modular set up that took up about a third of the hall . It was also analog N Scale which is 1:160 size ..I didn't go straight into it , took about a year but in 2008 when I finally hooked up the internet and also joined EBAY I suddenly realised that model rail wasn't too expensive to give it a burl .

I speculated $89 on a starter set in N Scale and mucked around with it and soon discovered how much fun it was especially recalling Rob Mathews exhibit layout . Bought another set , bought some additional track , made a baseboard and was hooked . Telling a friend one Friday night soon after at the Golf Club and he told me I'd better come and look at his then . That next day I called in and was confronted by a layout that took up a fair chunk of his garage under the house . Paul's layout was in HO though which is the single most popular scale of several scales approximately twice the size of N at 1:87 .. I stuck with N for a bit longer but eventually succumbed before I'd spent much and switched to HO . The rest as they say is history .

Probably spent way too much time and money on it but love it to bits and building scenery , sorting out issues , hunting for loco's or rolling stock , collecting magazines on it is just fun . Good thing though nobody else here to deal with my addiction ...

Built one layout but about a year ago I dismantled much of it to head down the new tech path properly which is DCC . The even newer tech via wi fi is incredible so the future is pretty bright

By the way if and when you have time this video on a demonstration layout in the USA in HO shows how far you can take sound and detail in the hobby .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt430GmLTRA&t=239s

So lets see what fellow AFFers are in to these days.. Cheers all ..

[Tonz]

dabble in woodworking have done for years, but never anything serious, tried wood turning but was on a cheapie Ryobi lathe, few weeks ago bought a pkt load of S/H woodwork machinery, only wanted 1 item but figured I could sell the rest and come out sweat.
Well there was included a state art electronic speed controlled lathe that tweaked my interest.

Since then the shed has been gutted, 150mm pipe dust extraction system fitted ...not yet completed and everything being changed position.
Plus turned 70 last year, retired and collected the age pension and now have 2 part time jobs, both in essential services, well Ive convinced myself they are. So barely time to stop and enjoy a fart.

[Citroënbender]

I sleep for a hobby.

That’s said on the basis that a hobby is something people talk up, but don’t find themselves able to put so much time into, as they’d like.

[oldel]

My kid comes around on the weekends, my parents kept most of my childhood lego which I got back a few years ago and I spent a lot to buy all the missing pieces from my old sets from s/h lego parts stores in order to let my kid give it a second life.
It was fun rebuilding the sets but my kid doesn't care much - just likes pulling heads and arms off minifigs when I tell him to play with the lego. Probably my fault being so attached to it and he's being passive aggressive.
He just wants to play video games and watch youtube now we can't go out anywhere much :(

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Tonz

dabble in woodworking have done for years, but never anything serious, tried wood turning but was on a cheapie Ryobi lathe, few weeks ago bought a pkt load of S/H woodwork machinery, only wanted 1 item but figured I could sell the rest and come out sweat.
Well there was included a state art electronic speed controlled lathe that tweaked my interest.

Since then the shed has been gutted, 150mm pipe dust extraction system fitted ...not yet completed and everything being changed position.
Plus turned 70 last year, retired and collected the age pension and now have 2 part time jobs, both in essential services, well Ive convinced myself they are. So barely time to stop and enjoy a fart.

Bit of a lost art these days is wood turning and metal. Old bloke (Jack Wines) that passed on about five years ago had his home workshop in the town's old cheese factory and he regularly turned stuff in wood and even made parts for people . If Jack couldn't make it , it couldn't be done . Pure genius sometimes . I saw him do it often .. Woodcraft Guild here , same thing that works with the Men's Shed . They are a fantastic bunch ..

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by oldel

My kid comes around on the weekends, my parents kept most of my childhood lego which I got back a few years ago and I spent a lot to buy all the missing pieces from my old sets from s/h lego parts stores in order to let my kid give it a second life.
It was fun rebuilding the sets but my kid doesn't care much - just likes pulling heads and arms off minifigs when I tell him to play with the lego. Probably my fault being so attached to it and he's being passive aggressive.
He just wants to play video games and watch youtube now we can't go out anywhere much :(

I can't believe the Lego things that get done . It's a huge hobby for all ages now . Meccano nowhere near to that level but same type of involvement if you're into it ..I do have a meccano set stored and have used it . Lego I've never tried but see it every day at school where I work ..

Watched Lego Masters the other night ..That was good .

[roddy1960]

For anybody interested in purely Aussie stuff involved with my hobby this gives an idea what can be done these days..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ANsPfcP0pM.. and a Victorian one as well ...Note some scale Aussie cars here and there too .

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l08d5SC5DTM


There was a time when making an authentic Australian layout was more difficult and expensive but companies like AUSTRAINS , AUSCISION, EUREKA and SOUTHERN RAIL MODELS just to name some and are making more items every year . Not as cheap and as vast a range yet as North American and European companies but certainly greatly improved in the past few years . Includes , locomotives , rolling stock , signals , buildings , road and excavation vehicles and even some tree and ground packs ..

[Captain Stubing]

I've got a few distractions, apart from playing with cars and renovating the yacht.

Building racing drones takes up a bit of time, but since all my parts come from China I've shied off that for a bit.

I've been building kit guitars for a few years, I'm on my fourth at the moment, I've stalled partway through the build while I was painting the yacht.

How the kit starts...



and finished products...







and the current work in progress...

[Citroënbender]

Are you using standard nitro or precat?

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Are you using standard nitro or precat?

The blue 12 string is automotive acrylic clear through a spray gun, the red one is True Oil (a gun stock oil) which is wiped on with a cloth, and the last is a Feast and Watson wipe-on Poly. It hasn’t been buffed or polished yet, while I work on the neck.

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

I've got a few distractions, apart from playing with cars and renovating the yacht.

Building racing drones takes up a bit of time, but since all my parts come from China I've shied off that for a bit.

I've been building kit guitars for a few years, I'm on my fourth at the moment, I've stalled partway through the build while I was painting the yacht.

How the kit starts...

image

and finished products...

image

image

image

and the current work in progress...

image

Excellent ....That's something I wasn't expecting but how cool is this ? I didn't even know that you can make guitars especially to a standard like yours .. Truly impressed...Thanks ..

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

The blue 12 string is automotive acrylic clear through a spray gun, the red one is True Oil (a gun stock oil) which is wiped on with a cloth, and the last is a Feast and Watson wipe-on Poly. It hasn’t been buffed or polished yet, while I work on the neck.

Love the last one stubing - where are you getting your kits from?

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Excellent ....That's something I wasn't expecting but how cool is this ? I didn't even know that you can make guitars especially to a standard like yours .. Truly impressed...Thanks ..

Thanks Rod, I didn't know either, until I was Googling on how to repair a broken support inside my old Maton. I did a solid body electric for my son to shred on as well... I'm not so proud of that one.

Originally Posted by CJR09

Love the last one stubing - where are you getting your kits from?

The last one is based on a Fender Starcaster. I found a Perth based business who has the kits made overseas, they have bass guitars, Fender, Gibson and Ibanez style kits, a very helpful bunch to deal with.

You can find them here: Pit Bull Guitars

[DFB FGXR6]

Hobbies and distractions? Um, well, not really....................

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...469805&page=16

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

I can't believe the Lego things that get done . It's a huge hobby for all ages now . Meccano nowhere near to that level but same type of involvement if you're into it ..I do have a meccano set stored and have used it . Lego I've never tried but see it every day at school where I work ..

Watched Lego Masters the other night ..That was good .

Lego's come a long way since we were kids Roddy, I recently bought this to pass the time

7 motors 2 smarthubs and you drive it via a Bluetooth phone app.

[Citroënbender]

I’m definitely an outlier. My eye went to the kettle first.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’m definitely an outlier. My eye went to the kettle first.

.............

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Lego's come a long way since we were kids Roddy, I recently bought this to pass the time

7 motors 2 smarthubs and you drive it via a Bluetooth phone app.

image

image

That'll make the gardening easier!

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

That'll make the gardening easier!

Agreed, I've seen your 'garden'.

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Agreed, I've seen your 'garden'.

Hence why I decided on a slightly larger version

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

Hence why I decided on a slightly larger version

Good job Stubing. LOVE your work...........

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Good job Stubing. LOVE your work...........

Leggo diggers are good for getting bamboo out of ponds.






But they're not strong enough to lift the Love Boat when I painted the hull. I tried...

[buggerlugs]

It's time to go bigger Stubing.....................

https://www.graysonline.com/lot/0001...la-sa?spr=true

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

Leggo diggers are good for getting bamboo out of ponds.

image

image


But they're not strong enough to lift the Love Boat when I painted the hull. I tried...


image

One of the guys at work who does relief groundsman duties bought one a couple of years ago brand new . Cost him a bit over 30K I think . Uses it on his farm for no end of jobs . I see most plumbing contractors have the littlies hooked up to their work buses these days too ..Cool ..

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Lego's come a long way since we were kids Roddy, I recently bought this to pass the time

7 motors 2 smarthubs and you drive it via a Bluetooth phone app.

image

image

You could vary the most famous Croc Dundee line with the knife ." That's not a Lego kit , this is a Lego kit" ..STRUTH..Yours is substantial to say the least .

Lego certainly just keeps getting better and better . Has become a very integrated deal but I guess it covers all ages and skill levels at the same time.
.Amazing kit there of yours .

National Geographic from 2011..Imagine now another 9 years on

https://www.nationalgeographic.com.a...ego-facts.aspx .

[roddy1960]

Gasolane , Once you get the Excavator done ......

Lego eh ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mip9G0_rUTk

Just amazing .

[russellw]

I'm slowly restoring a vintage Martin guitar that had not had much use but which had been poorly stored for a long period of time.

The finish correction is done and I'm now (slowly) repairing the 3-layer binding.

[.:4:.]

I took this week off due to family reasons. When not on the phone to either work or concerned family, my kid has been really bored being stuck at nanas house with nothing to do. So most days he hits me up on house party for lack of anything better to do and we just talk for ages. So thats a clear sign how boored the kid is, wanting to talk to his old man. Although i do get enjoyment out of finding semi embarrasing photos of the boy to use as profile pictures. And i have quite a few.

[Feathers]

I signed up for one of the free TAFE courses, so I'm working on that.
Dragged out the Wii and did some "exercise" playing games.
Finally finished one of the books I'd had sitting in my "to read" pile for a few years.

Also stitching an epic tapestry, though I'm running out of supplies for that, and the shop I get my wools from are so busy, they've forgotten my order. I'd drive down there and pick it up (assuming I didn't get stopped), but the car has been sitting so long now the battery is cactus, and I can't find the trickle charger.

Beyond all that I have plenty of Finnish language textbooks to work through, and friends that are native speakers to practice with online. I usually listen to Finnish radio or news while doing other things for immersion practice.

And I would love to pull out my violin, cello, flute, or finally get into learning to play my gorgeous silverburst guitar. I could also pull apart and refurbish the cheap bass that Dad bought a few years back.

But I live with people who sleep through the day, either for work or illness, so I generally have to be pretty quiet.

[roKWiz]

Well done, that looks just like what's on the box cover.