I want to thank the forum for having me as a new member. First, a little about me.
I am 60 years old, involuntarily retired due to health issues. I moved to Oregon from West Virginia about 9 years ago. While in WV I worked doing construction and maintenance for a small publishing company. They had a Hendey 12x30 lathe, a bridgeport clone milling machine, welders, a nicely stocked shop which I worked from. I also bought an Atlas 618 and restored it. When I and my wife moved to Oregon after the death of my employer I left most of my stuff, including my Atlas lathe and other tools, in storage in WV. I hope to get back there and retrieve it at some point.
We just bought the house we are now living in. It has a shop and room for more outbuildings if needed. It will take me awhile to get set up, my income is way short of what it was a few years ago. I just bought a MIG welder, a Hobart 190 with a spoolgun. I want to get a small milling machine, probably from Grizzley unless something nice shows up on the used market. Between that and my Atlas lathe from WV I will be set up well enough for some hobby work. I would also like to get one of the Chinese 12x36 lathes if I can come up with the money for it. Anyway, the bottom line is that I hope to get back into hobby machining as soon as I can.
I developed an interest in toy steam a couple years ago and have a half dozen or so engines. This is part of what motivated me to get back into hobby machining. I would like to try my hand at some of the kits from Stuart or PM Research, maybe even try my hand at casting my own stuff.
Enough of that. I don't have much to contribute right now. So I will probably just read and pester the board with newbie questions for awhile.
I am 60 years old, involuntarily retired due to health issues. I moved to Oregon from West Virginia about 9 years ago. While in WV I worked doing construction and maintenance for a small publishing company. They had a Hendey 12x30 lathe, a bridgeport clone milling machine, welders, a nicely stocked shop which I worked from. I also bought an Atlas 618 and restored it. When I and my wife moved to Oregon after the death of my employer I left most of my stuff, including my Atlas lathe and other tools, in storage in WV. I hope to get back there and retrieve it at some point.
We just bought the house we are now living in. It has a shop and room for more outbuildings if needed. It will take me awhile to get set up, my income is way short of what it was a few years ago. I just bought a MIG welder, a Hobart 190 with a spoolgun. I want to get a small milling machine, probably from Grizzley unless something nice shows up on the used market. Between that and my Atlas lathe from WV I will be set up well enough for some hobby work. I would also like to get one of the Chinese 12x36 lathes if I can come up with the money for it. Anyway, the bottom line is that I hope to get back into hobby machining as soon as I can.
I developed an interest in toy steam a couple years ago and have a half dozen or so engines. This is part of what motivated me to get back into hobby machining. I would like to try my hand at some of the kits from Stuart or PM Research, maybe even try my hand at casting my own stuff.
Enough of that. I don't have much to contribute right now. So I will probably just read and pester the board with newbie questions for awhile.
