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Antman

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
255
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9
Hey Guys (and Ladies, if any),
I have never posted in the “Welcome” section before. When I found this site I went straight to the builds etc, registered within a few minutes, and began asking questions. I think my posts have been newsy enough that you have gotten to know me some.
Sorry I haven’t posted for so long, been lurking though, seeing all your great models, tools and techniques and feeling a little down about my attempts in the workshop. I have always loved model engineering and have always thought, “I want to do something like that and I’m sure that I can.” I bought LBSC’s book about building Tich way back in ‘72 or ’73 always believing that some day I would have a workshop and get to building model thingies. That book has faithfully followed me around and I still have it to fuel my fantasies. Some small Nicholson files, bought about the same time in Chambers Street, Lower Manhattan have also been good enough to come with me and the Tich book. Is Chambers Street still the tinkerer’s heaven it was in the 70’s ? I haven’t been outside South Africa since 1981 except to Lesotho, a small landlocked state, totally within SA, so that hardly counts.
So now I have my workshop and reality has started to displace my fantasy of “I could do that.” Don’t get me wrong, I spend lots of time in the workshop and love every minute of it, but my success there is very limited and everything takes me so long, like 4 days to make 3 thumbscrews, knurled one end, threaded M6 the other. The first took 2 days the next 2, all identical, a day each, so I guess there is progress. I feel sometimes it is impertinent of me to want to join the community of machinists. It will take me forever to build something with 100 or even 30 components that work together and I don’t have that long.
I haven’t been able to post pics as we are on a sloooow dialup connection and our connection usually crashes on anything bigger than a Word document we try to upload. The pix of my Atlas 7 were some fluke. However there is hope on the horizon. A local computer shop owner is trying to get a broadcast licence for an internet wireless station and we will be among his first customers, if ever.
Please no sympathy, a pat on the back would be great.
Ant
 
Ant keep on keepin' on I started my first engine Fall of 2001 while on active duty for 9-11. Tat engine was not finished until IIRC January of 2004 . I did start ad finish three other engines in between . and have more than I want to count started but not finished.
Tin
 
Heya Ant, I was wondering where abouts you have been. The inability to upload pics through no fault of your own, only makes it a bit more challenging but allows for the mental images to be formed through the careful crafting of words in an effort to describe the action. I find it refreshing sometimes, that is the story lines and the blow-by-blow details give my old beaner some exercise as I try to imagine what is happening. As far as the length of time it takes to do something, it really doesn't matter as long as the finished product meets the makers needs and personal standards of workmanship. The journey isn't about getting there so much as it is all of the points of interest along the way. Good to hear from you again and I do hope that the fellow developing the local networking hotspot is successful.

Regards

BC1
Jim
 
Gee Tin and BC, thanks for your kind words.
Ant
 
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