Retirement Projects
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Made a little progress setting up my smithy. Mostly buying parts online to help with construction.
Pulled the trigger on a torch circle cutting jig. (This will make cutting round flanges easy.)
Also spent some time cleaning my 'new' post vise.
Behind the vise on the ground to the right you'll note a tractor front wheel weight. Bought that 20 yrs ago for my '56 WD-45 but the guy only had one. I never found a mate so this 200 lb wheel weight will become the base of my vise stand.
Also been looking for a service cart to mount my brake rotor forge in without much luck. This morning had an epiphany... an old gas grill! Prefect, and includes a matching hood! Craig's List has loads for under $50.4 -
Found an old Brinkmann four burner gas grill for $10. Kinda rickety but it is a starting point.
Had a false start making casting sand (also called greensand) using cheap kitty litter. It never hydrated as it should even after soaking for two weeks. So started over with the slightly more expensive clumping kitty litter we currently use. Hydrated perfectly.
Eight cups of the new litter mixed with 15 cups of water. Hit with a drill style paint mixer until it reached the consistency of warm cake frosting. Mixed about two cups of that with about two pounds of fine masonry sand using same drill paint mixer. Repeat. Had enough clay to mix with a 5 gal bucket of sand. A bit too wet to cast with but time will fix that.
Now I need to make a couple of wood casting flasks. I'll be recycling pine boards broken during martial arts testing.
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Such a neat project! Thanks for continued updates!!1
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Well, so much for being a gentleman of leisure. I've returned to the workforce. It started as a day helping with the electrical portion of an industrial job, then being asked to be lead hand on a couple upcoming industrial projects, a few weeks duration. Then, the guy who had contracted me decided to leave the company for a teaching position, and now I'm the Operations Manager for Nova Millwrights Contracting. www.novamc.ca It will be two or three days a week in periods of normal demand, more when bidding on big jobs or lots of work on. We provide skilled tradesmen to light industries in the province, a work force of around 35 people, many of whom I've worked with when I was with Michelin Tires.
Looking forward to being back in the game with still having lots of free time.6 -
You are all making such great stuff in your retirement. You could probably sell a lot of this stuff for good money. But then, it might seem like a job and that would ruin it all.5
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Nothing much happening on the hobby projects these last two weeks. Working 6 days a week, 10 hours a day (yes, I am retired) doesn't leave much time for fun. One more week of pushing hard and then things should slow down, particularly after the time change on 11/5.
"Two weeks, tops."2 -
You retired guys tire me out! lol4
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I am in awe of each of you who do things beautifully in retirement. I have skills, but they are not useful or transferrable outside the semiconductor design industry.
I plan to die on the job. In this industry, there is no forced retirement age. There are a lot of people who die on the job, too.
I heard that the lead layout guy for the Pentium chip collapsed and died in the midst of tape out.
I have a new plan. Actually, a new plan was given me last week in the form of a 2-week notice of contract non-renewal.
I will make my living by trading stock option calendar spreads in my IRA, and withdraw proceeds each week. I'll have one day per week of work, but it's closer to half a day, and all the rest of the time free to engage in actually living. I'm not sure I know how to do that. I've only ever been really good at working.
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I am in awe of each of you who do things beautifully in retirement. I have skills, but they are not useful or transferrable outside the semiconductor design industry.
I plan to die on the job. In this industry, there is no forced retirement age. There are a lot of people who die on the job, too.
I heard that the lead layout guy for the Pentium chip collapsed and died in the midst of tape out.
I have a new plan. Actually, a new plan was given me last week in the form of a 2-week notice of contract non-renewal.
I will make my living by trading stock option calendar spreads in my IRA, and withdraw proceeds each week. I'll have one day per week of work, but it's closer to half a day, and all the rest of the time free to engage in actually living. I'm not sure I know how to do that. I've only ever been really good at working.
Prediction: You're going to love it!
And I hope you do.
Obligatory on-topic: Below is my most recent project. It's very small, and not very well done, but I'm unnaturally and disproportionately pleased with myself because 1) I learned how from a book; (2) anything like this involving saws and measuring and stuff invariably takes me an absurdly long time and includes many errors; and (3) I've been procrastinating it for a very long time, often stepping out of my garage into a mud puddle meantime. It will serve, I think.
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It looks great Ann.1
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I did get some free time Firday afternoon after work to run up to the steel yard and get the materials I needed for both the brake rotor forge and the vise stand. Also got gas for the oxy-acetylene cutting torch on the way home.
First hard freeze Saturday morning ends our growing season. Also first two day weekend I've had in a while so decided on some R&R.
Took wife to movies Saturday (Geostorm) and split a big bucket of popcorn, which we finished during the previews so I went for a free refill and finished that off pretty much by myself in the first 30 minutes.
Today I had a nice drive through country roads enjoying the cool autumn air... on my way to look at a 9" Champion 400 hand-crank blower for the blacksmith forge. Fortunately (?) we couldn't agree on a price so I have $125 to spend on a new angle grinder (7" maybe) for the smithy.
Casting sand has dried nicely and is ready to use. Still need to make wood flasks.
Next weekend should be more productive.
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Annpt77. I can relate to feeling that your work doesn't compare to these guys, but I think that you did great and should be proud. These guys are pros. I have a friend a few years older than me who bought a house a few miles away that overlooks streams coming off the James river. He owns a brick company. In a few short years he has transformed this property from a forest to a ranch for their three horses. He built a dock he can fish from and I could name a whole bunch of stuff he did to this property, but the point is, he has projects. I am in awe of his creativity. His property and the retirement projects on this thread are an inspiration. We can still do stuff. But what caught my attention was the popcorn. My wife and I will eat two buckets when we go to a movie. If she goes with her friends, she brings a bucket home for me. Not sure what they put in it, but I don't stop eating until it is gone.2
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Spent some time in the smithy this weekend.
Here is the before image of the scrap I picked up last week. The rounds are 3/8" and 3/4". The large plate is 1/4". (Both not free.) The pipe, which I had, is already cut and welded for the air inlet for the forge. And the brake rotor I picked up for free.
Had to temporary mount my post vise so I could use it to hold the pieces I was cutting. (Duct tape solves many problems.)
After a few hours of work, my small oxy-acetylene tanks are empty and I've used up one 36 grit flap wheel and half of one cutting wheel for my 4.5" angle grinder, but my parts are ready for welding. Two projects shown here. The brake rotor forge on the left, and the vise stand in the center. On the right are the cutoffs, waiting for some other future project.
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Wow! So about all I do in retirement is run when I feel like it.3
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Drizzly days Monday and Tuesday combined with a couple of frost delays has slowed down our efforts at leaf cleanups causing us to have to work today (Saturday).
Any free time I have Sunday will be spent cleaning up leaves in my own yard (an hour, tops) and at my in-laws... half a day there, if I'm lucky.2 -
Nice seeing your metal projects d_thomas02
Some wood working I understand. Your photos show me a new world.
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Well, my return to industry isn't going to work for me. Life is too short to be in factorys in my golden years. This job turned into way too much time, stress and responsibility. I'll be done in three weeks. I might do some safety training for them, but no more project control and business development. Here's the message I sent my adult kids. (Language warning). Their replies were very supporting, as was my wife. She knew I wasn't happy.
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Career change time again!
I decided yesterday after a lot of thought to enter my notice with Nova Millwrights. I broke the news to my employer and had my first good nights sleep in weeks. I’ve had misgivings for weeks on this company’s ability to provide the work planned at Michelin throughout December and beyond. The workload was way more than the couple days a week I signed on for, and the calls and emails never stop. I was not enjoying being back in the plants.
The last trigger was yesterday. I got to the Bridgewater plant early and parked near the gate. I watched many people walking in for their shift, and every one looked like someone had just shot their dog. I then spent a couple hours in an unpleasant industry where you can’t see the outdoors.
On the way home I stopped for a coffee in New Germany while enjoying the sunshine and scenery, and decided ‘*kitten* this’ I’ll find something else to do in the time I have left. I’m done at the end of the month.3 -
Those who know me likely understand the thought in my head was not
this.....
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Farback, I'm so glad you recognized and are putting your wellbeing ahead of the $$$... Nice kitten by the way...
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Thanks UncleMac1
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Nice letter to the kids. So very happy to hear that you dropped what stunk.
Stay true to what feeds your spirit.
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Two rainouts at work in a row. Got to play in the smithy instead.
Spent Tuesday morning running around looking for steel. Had to buy 5' of 3/4" x 2" flat bar for my I-beam anvil make ($25) as well as $5 of various size scrap which included about 2' of 3/8" round stainless steel.
Then picked up a broken roll of commercial garage door spring. 11/32" round spring steel, guessing 195' in the roll... for free! Thank you Overhead Door!
After lunch, knocked together a wooden casting flask for the aluminum foundry using salvaged boards broken during belt testings at my old martial arts school.
Wednesday morning made small wooden hook patterns for casting alminum hooks to replace the cheap plastic ones on the baggers at work. Just need another sanding and a last coat of glossy paint. I have two larger hooks that also need replaced.
Plenty of time after lunch to work on my I-beam anvil make. I cut four vertical web stiffeners from the 3/4x2 flat bar. Also cut the four 5 1/2"x5 1/2" corner triangles off the base to use as four buttresses between the bottom plate and the web.
Now I have three projects waiting on the welder; anvil make, vise stand, and forge, and another one for the aluminum foundry with a second one (large hooks) waiting.
I'll post pics over the weekend.
Downside of two rainouts in a row (and possibly more rain on Friday), we will be working Saturday for sure, and maybe even Sunday... we'll see. Rain has stripped almost all the remaining leaves off the trees and people are anxious to get them cleaned up before Thanksgiving.2 -
Having a blast working in the smithy these last two days. Progress photos to follow:
Anvil-Like-Object
(Obviously I'm not a professional welder nor even a good amateur.) Still have end caps to add to the top skirt, and playing around with the idea of adding an upsetting block to bottom flange and then filling the open spaces between the vertical web stabilizers and bottom triangular buttresses with recovered aluminum (from soda cans) via the foundary.
Vise Stand
Square table top will not be welded on, just bolted down via the vise mounting bolts. Still need to drill the mounting holes for the vise and then add a tool rail on the back of the table for hammers and tongs.
Casting Flask and Patterns
The bottom box is the drag and the top is the cope which is secured to the drag with a screw on either side. The red objects are the patterns, doubled hooks for the smaller latches on my mower's bagging system. The larger hook is for another bagging system (I'll be working on that doubled pattern today). Last image is the latch that goes with the larger hook. Been patching it together without much luck. Working on an idea to cast it in aluminum with replaceable rubber straps. Still thinking on that one.
And another project added to the list, a side draft hood for the forge (loving called a "super sucker").4 -
Hey, @d_thomas02, guess what? I have an anvil, too . . . it fits on the palm of my hand (I make jewelry ).
All kidding aside, that's a great shop you're building there. Glad you're sharing the progress.
I'm continuing on my dogged pursuit of lame amateur home projects that take me nearly infinity to accomplish, most recently putting up heavy-duty adjustable shelf brackets on my North garage wall (above and at either end of the canoe). Not much on them yet, but it made a place above the canoe for a bit of assorted lumber that used to be cluttering the basement (now cluttering the garage ). If I keep practicing, maybe someday I'll develop skills!
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Didn't get as much time to work on my projects as I would have liked (bossman wanted to work on a project Saturday for the shop that we've been planning for over a year, a trommel compost sifter made out of mostly scrap and I had to replace my mailbox Sunday as someone did a number on my old one with a bat Saturday night) and next weekend I'll really need to start working on my wood pile again. Wood is my primary (read cheapest) heat source for the winter.
ALO
Got the end caps welded in and played around with a CV joint of the front axle of a Ford 4x4 with the idea of using it as an upsetting block (no pics of that yet).
Vise Stand
All most done with this one. Just need to tweak a couple of things. Weighed the base before assembly at 138 lbs. Vise is 98 lbs. Post and table not weighed but guessing the whole thing is in the 250+ lb range.
Casting Flask and Patterns
Completed the pattern for the doubled large hooks. This was large enough I used a split pattern, half in the drag and half in the cope. My son is planning to come home from college to help with the casting next Saturday so guess I'll have to take time away for the wood pile to do that.
Forge
Drilled one flange to fit the brake rotor. Also started deconstruction of that $10 gas grill I picked up a while back. Got everything stripped off I won't be using, tightened up all the loose screws in the frame, and took some time to get an idea of where to go from here. (No pics yet.)2 -
Work canceled last two days due to cold weather. Spent Thursday binge watching Netflix but actually got some work done on my projects yesterday.
ALO
Couple of shots of the CV joint. (Forgot to take a before shot so first image is a recreation from the second.) Last image is the working surface of the new upsetting block.
Forge
Again, forgot to take a shot of the original condition of the gas grill. First image is after stripping everything I didn't need that would come off with a screw driver. After that, cutting disks on an angle grinder and oxy-acetylene torch.
(ETA: Forgot to mention, the rusty sheet metal I'm using for the forge table came from the end of a farm fuel tank that we are using for the tummel compost sifter at the shop. Gotta love repurposing scrap.)
Foundry
My son is suppose to be out today and we'll work on casting those doubled hooks.3 -
First foundry project using recovered aluminum from soda cans.
Not bad at all for our first time. Only took us six hours
Still have a couple of hours of finishing work to do, but not today.
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It might take me that long to take the pictures and upload them! lold_thomas02 wrote: »Not bad at all for our first time. Only took us six hours
Still have a couple of hours of finishing work to do, but not today.1 -
Amazing. And well documented for us. 1
