Hello Group,
There have been numerous references to the age of members of this forum, and a few to the age of machines in our workshops. It is machines that I believe are of greater concern - my lathe was made in 1910. On its hundredth birthday I sat down in the workshop with it and we shared a few beers, I told it how much I appreciated the work and pleasure it gave me (and it told me a few stories too).
But:
My wife and I have two sons and a son-in-law, they are fit healthy young men and they all play "sport of the season" - cricket in the summer, football and rugby in the winter. If we need to move something heavy we simply invite the whole family (children, children-in-law and grandchildren) round for Sunday lunch and just before the food gets served I say "Oh, by the way, we need to move that piano up three flights of stairs" - the lads reply "No problem Dad" and the job is done in no time
Whenever we move house, the lads help me move my workshop. The last time we moved, after moving the lathe and mill, my youngest son took me to one side and said "Dad, when you 'go', please don't leave those machines to me in your will".
We have a duty to keep and care for these machines, they are part of history. I do not "own" my lathe and mill, I am just looking after them until I pass them on to a new custodian. It worries me that my children do not seem interested, but on the bright side, two of our grandsons and one granddaughter are most enthusiastic when they "play" on the machines in Grandad's workshop.......
All the best,
Ian
(currently building a Stuart S50 with my 6 year old grandson and an orrery with my 7 year old granddaughter)