OK, Tin Falcon, I can do that.
My background is in aircraft engine overhaul and maintenance, but I have been retired for more than twelve years. My main hobbies are classic motorcycle and car restoration, but have recently shifted somewhat to the smaller end of mechanical component restoration, such as instruments, measuring devices and so on. These interests are, primarily, for personal enjoyment; albeit, at times, there are some commercial exchanges for some of the restorations I perform and sell, the proceeds of which are reinvested to keep my shop supplied with goodies for which it has a boundless appetite.
My shop, though modest, has very extensive capabilities for a hobbyist, namely: Bridgeport J head mill, Hardinge HLV B lathe, South Bend 10K lathe and a supporting cast of shop machines i.e., tool grinder, belt sander, band saw, polishers and so on, in addition to TIG, MIG and Oxy-Acetylene welding. It is somewhat of a chore just to keep all of this running, tools sharpened, belts adjusted and and ways clean and lubricated. This means, more than half of my time is performing these sorts of functions and the other seemingly in pursuit of materials and parts for more projects to sink myself in deeper. Bottom line is: I'm not about to run out of anything to do anytime soon!
It is one thing to be a machinist engineer on larger, shall we say, conventional parts. It is entirely another to try to do this at one sixth or smaller scale. For this reason, in my case, it is better to learn from those of you who have been at it for a longer than I have.
I live in the Central Valley of California, near the hub of the Western cultural capital of the world: Modesto. If you didn't fall of your rocker on that one, just give it time ... there's more to come! ;D
Thank you all for your kind greetings and remarks, I look forward to engaging with all of you in the near future.
Cheers,
Norman