The Weekend Hobby Thread (2/10/24)

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Happy Saturday afternoon Hobbyists. Welcome aboard the Hobby Train. What have you folks been up to lately? Please feel free to discuss the wonderful world of hobbies. And by all means, leave the politics and/or current events outside the front door.

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Many hobbyists use 1LB LP Gas bottles for their activities. Yours truly included. Before the Chinese Kung Flu Pandemic hit they were pretty affordable. Not now.

I'm not advocating anything hazardous or illegal, but you will find this video very interesting...............

For example the other day I exchanged my empty 20LB LP Gas cylinder for a full one and it cost me $20.42. Even with my bad math skills, that is about a dollar a 1LB for LP. Hmm, I saw them at the local sport shop for $8.99 plus tax.

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Those who follow the Hobby Thread on a regular basis know that I have talked about taking up oil painting. I haven't gotten there quite yet. I thought this past week was going to be the week. It wasn't but I did finish this Basswood Plank with my acrylics.

I call it 'Christmas In The Mountains'.

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My favorite Son-In-Law (Yes, he is the only one) has been making beer for a number of years. How can I put this delicately? He is really into it. And I've been told his home brews are very tasty. Unfortunately, he doesn't make NA for his favorite Father-In-Law.

Are any of you Morons brew masters? If you are we would like to hear about it.

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My late Father-In-Law (Yes, I was his favorite Son-In-Law) was an avid model railroader. I don't think he would approve of the following although we never spoke about it.

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That wraps up this week's Hobby Thread. What's going on in your world? I've been contacted by a couple of Morons about cars/trucks. Do you restore vehicles for your own enjoyment? Well that is a hobby. Changing oil not so much, you are just economical. If you pursue an activity that you think is a hobby, please submit your stories, photos, tips and loose change to petmorons at gmail dot com.

You can also send tubes of Jenkins Green, 20/0 fan brushes and dark roasted coffee to the address above. Until the next time, Keep On Hobbying!.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at 05:28 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Did you check out that link to Joony Art I sent you, MisHum?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:33 PM (Angsy)

2 You plan to traditional oil paint, or Ross/Alexander method?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:34 PM (Angsy)

3 Christmas in the Mountains is very nice, though Kinkade would have gone with a slightly more Nookular glow to the cabin. I think Nookular paint costs extra.

Posted by: Arts and Farces at February 10, 2024 05:35 PM (V5BDR)

4 Welcome Hobbiests
Working on priming my Napoleonic era armies as I write.
Bavarian and Hanoverian limbers.
One thing need soon is a good mid 70s dry day to clear coat what I have been working on all winter.

Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 05:36 PM (fwDg9)

5 I purchased a set of water soluble oils. And I'm debating between traditional and the Alexander/Ross wet on wet.

I'm a horrible sketcher. So this should be a challenge either way.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 05:38 PM (aA3+G)

6 I purchased a set of water soluble oils. And I'm debating between traditional and the Alexander/Ross wet on wet.

I'm a horrible sketcher. So this should be a challenge either way.
Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 05:38 PM (aA3+G)

Wet on wet needs really dry paint. If the ws ones are thin, it won't work. I don't know anything about ws oil paints.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:40 PM (Angsy)

7 I'm restringing and tuning up A Fender Strat that has not been touched in three years. It's something I have always enjoyed doing.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at February 10, 2024 05:41 PM (V8he0)

8 I've been changing a water pump on the Colorado today, numerous trips to AAP for bibs and bobs.

The biggest pain in the a** has been cleaning up the engine bay of all of the antifreeze splatter.

Believe it or not, leaking antifreeze and spinning fan blades can produce quite the mess in the confines of an engine bay.

Got a contractor bag full of shop towels.

I had been meaning to clean the engine bay, well, the universe intervened to accelerate what I had been putting off.

New favorite tool is the hose clamp removal tool I picked up.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 10, 2024 05:44 PM (XV/Pl)

9 I recall trying oil paints to repaint a couple of my Bachman "Animals of the World" model kits. Remember those and the "Birds of the World"? Plastic model assembly kits. They snapped together, and they came with a palette of paint, a brush, and thinner. I had the lion and the German shepherd among others.

Well, you also recall the Paint-By-Numbers kits. I had the Dracula one, and my rendering was terrible, but a lot of the paint was left over. I tried redoing my lion in the oils. Took forever to dry. Looked okay if you didn't mind glossy paint (I didn't discover matte paints for some years).

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 10, 2024 05:46 PM (omVj0)

10 How does water soluble oil paints work?
Seems counter productive

Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (fwDg9)

11 Re: my 9 -- that Bachman company is the same one who still produces model railroad supplies. They gave up on assembly kits by the mid-'60s, I think.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (omVj0)

12 I've been meaning to build some equipment racks so I can set all my ham radio equipment up at once. To that end, I've been 3d printing some corner clamps and trying to imagine how it will all turn out.

If there's any interest, I might send along some pictures of the end result.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (iZEhM)

13 Some good progress on Corvair this week. Started the engine for the first time in about 7 years. Roared to life with some clattery sounds and smoke, then smoothed out pretty quickly. Both front wheels are stuck from sitting, so I popped the clutch to try to break them free-no dice. I really needed to inspect and repack wheel bearings anyway, so not really a problem. Can't get drums off using any of my usual cheats, so off to Advance or O'Reilly's tomorrow to hopefully borrow a drum puller. I may just buy one. Bled brakes after installing master cylinder, have good pedal. Installed new voltage regulator, too.

Posted by: Air-cooled Al at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (V5BDR)

14 Mis Hum, did you get the pic of an airplane, sent a few weeks ago, I made out of sickle mower parts and a large barn hinge?
Maybe the pic wasn't big enough. I don't know. Like a dumb ass I forgot to add my nic.

Posted by: Ronster at February 10, 2024 05:48 PM (JTTfX)

15 Well, you also recall the Paint-By-Numbers kits.
------

Heck, that's all that I use!

Posted by: Hunter Biden at February 10, 2024 05:49 PM (XeU6L)

16 I sewed some handkerchiefs out of old sheets that I had used to press apple juice last fall. The apple juice stains the cloth a lovely beige color, and by the time I am willing to sacrifice them for making juice they are worn soft.

Nowadays handkerchiefs are expensive and tend to be a cotton blend. This way I can have large cotton ones.

Posted by: Kindltot - Erehwon is closed for re-formatting at February 10, 2024 05:50 PM (D7oie)

17 10 How does water soluble oil paints work?
Seems counter productive
Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (fwDg9)

Once I get into it Skip, I'll share with the Horde. The set i purchased is from a well known paint producer. So we will see.

I've tried oils in the past but the aroma and fumes from the thinners, etc were overpowering for my small place at the time. Now my space is smaller with an open flame wall furnace. So I don't need any splodeys to happen.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 05:50 PM (aA3+G)

18 What size is Christmas in the Mountains?

Posted by: Ars Gratia Artis at February 10, 2024 05:51 PM (V5BDR)

19 Well, you also recall the Paint-By-Numbers kits.
------

Heck, that's all that I use!
Posted by: Hunter Biden at February 10, 2024 05:49 PM (XeU6L)

The numbers are all that matters, Hunter.

10% to the Big Guy

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:51 PM (Angsy)

20 I started my miniatures 40 years ago used what I had as a kid enamel paints, somewhere in mid 80s started acrylics.
I remember paint thinner well.

Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (fwDg9)

21 I found something disturbing on the oil strainer today on the engine I'm prepping. I'm not sure if it's a foreign object or what. It's not like anything else in the engine that I am aware of. I'm currently perplexed and don't need a setback like this. Bah.

Posted by: fd at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (vFG9F)

22 I've tried oils in the past but the aroma and fumes from the thinners, etc were overpowering for my small place at the time. Now my space is smaller with an open flame wall furnace. So I don't need any splodeys to happen.
Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 05:50 PM (aA3+G)

Ross Inc has odorless thinners, MisHum. That's all he/Alexander used.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (Angsy)

23 18 What size is Christmas in the Mountains?
Posted by: Ars Gratia Artis at February 10, 2024 05:51 PM (V5BDR)

Approximately 11" x 13"

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 05:54 PM (aA3+G)

24 Lovely oil painting! I'd bought some nice thick watercolor paper and did a painting of Jake at the lake, with an interesting cloud formation in the sky. It's not all that good, especially the drawing of Jake, but I like it. I had a cheap frame from Dollar General so I framed it and put it on my table. I should try another landscape rhis weekend.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 10, 2024 05:55 PM (dfztv)

25 Gotta go. Back for the ONT.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:56 PM (Angsy)

26 21 I found something disturbing on the oil strainer today on the engine I'm prepping. I'm not sure if it's a foreign object or what. It's not like anything else in the engine that I am aware of. I'm currently perplexed and don't need a setback like this. Bah.
Posted by: fd at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (vFG9F)

It's a foreign car, so a foreign object makes sense.

Posted by: Of Little Import at February 10, 2024 05:57 PM (V5BDR)

27 Christmas in the Mountains is very nice, though Kinkade would have gone with a slightly more Nookular glow to the cabin. I think Nookular paint costs extra.
Posted by: Arts and Farces at February 10, 2024 05:35 PM (V5BDR)

I wish people would look at some of Kinkade’s early landscapes before he found his marketing hook.

He was a very talented artist that I have no doubt would have been considered a museum quality top American artist if he hadn’t gone for the millions .

Posted by: Naples Yellow at February 10, 2024 05:57 PM (MNhXM)

28 Nice painting, MisHum. Good use of color and light.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at February 10, 2024 05:58 PM (CHHv1)

29 I like "Christmas in the Mountains". Looks like it would be nice on saw blade as well.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at February 10, 2024 05:59 PM (R4t5M)

30 Mis Hum,
I really like your painting. The many shades of blue suggest the cold and how it effects the parts of the landscape. Then the light in the cabin and the Christmas tree make a nice, and cozy, counterpoint to the gelid conditions. I also like the depth of greens you achieved on the evergreens on the left.

What you were able to do with combining colors is one of the things I hope to learn some day.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 06:00 PM (zudum)

31 Ross Inc has odorless thinners, MisHum. That's all he/Alexander used.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (Angsy)

Odorless doesn’t mean non flammable or non harmful. Still have to take all the same precautions as regular thinners.

Posted by: Naples Yellow at February 10, 2024 06:02 PM (MNhXM)

32 MisHum I like it, the plank gives it a winter feeling as well.

Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 06:02 PM (fwDg9)

33 Well, MrTea and JrTea loved the Addams family clips.
Weird, just plain weird.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 10, 2024 06:04 PM (JrYM1)

34 I finally got around to mounting the Official Ace of Spades wall shelf that I won as a door prize at a NovaMoMe a couple years ago.

No, not that kind of mounting.....

It will be a treasured feature of my shop building.

Posted by: Jinx the Cat at February 10, 2024 06:04 PM (TaZJk)

35 yo wut sup

Posted by: rhennigantx at February 10, 2024 06:05 PM (ENQN6)

36 Bleeping Computer has Visual Studio on sale this weekend. Perhaps I can Learn to Code.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at February 10, 2024 06:06 PM (CHHv1)

37 29 I like "Christmas in the Mountains". Looks like it would be nice on saw blade as well.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at February 10, 2024 05:59 PM (R4t5M)

Funny that you mentioned that.

A friend of mine gave me approximately 10 saw blades, including a 24" diameter blade.
They need to have a wire brush and sand paper applied. Then to prime. However, that will have to wait until it is warm outside.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 06:07 PM (aA3+G)

38 MisHum, my favorite part of your painting is the trees. So well rendered. Pines are beautiful, and you did a great job, as somebody already said, with the colors. Really pretty.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 10, 2024 06:11 PM (JrYM1)

39 I did homebrew in HS. Beer, wine, and real root beer.

Well, for the most part I brewed, "monitored", bottled it, and tasted it.
The adults guzzled it.

But I did the root beer from start to finish. I think it came out about 3.2.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 10, 2024 06:15 PM (cOq4q)

40 i've seen several of the YT videos that demonstrate how to refill the 1 lb. propane bottles. What I've concluded is that the legal and civil liability issues far exceed the savings. I'd strongly suggest purchasing the Flame King canisters because they are approved for refilling and for transportation on public roads. They cost considerably more than the disposables, but they are built better and are safer than the one-use bottles.

Posted by: mrp at February 10, 2024 06:16 PM (rj6Yv)

41 I came across a number of videos on YT that deal with pen and ink (mostly) and are aimed at the beginner. They reignited my interest in drawing and sketching, which I had let languish for the last few months. It was nice to see that I hadn't lost all the technique I worked on last year. I was able to do better on the first tries than I expected. (Better means it is recognizable earlier in the process. A definite step up.)

At this point, I have tried a number of art pens and have found Sakura Pigma Micron pens to work best and most comfortably for me. I'll take any edge I can get. Once I've got my desk cleared off, a major task, I'm getting out my dip pens, nibs, and bottles of India ink. The results could prove 'interesting'.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 06:17 PM (zudum)

42 Neede to try winemaking again. IF I can get the 5 gal glass carboys s cheap I will get the rest of the gear and make a go of it.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at February 10, 2024 06:17 PM (cOq4q)

43 It seems you've been around more lately MisHum. Even if that's not true I'm happy.

Posted by: Northernlurker at February 10, 2024 06:18 PM (zssUw)

44 I started my miniatures 40 years ago used what I had as a kid enamel paints, somewhere in mid 80s started acrylics.
I remember paint thinner well.
Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024

***
The thinner Bachman supplied only seemed to work on their little paint tablets. I tried to dissolve Pactra's and Testor's enamels with it, and no go. I always had trouble with thinner -- the moment you dunked a dark color into it, it turned slate gray and contaminated other colors use don that brush, especially white.

Years later a friend told me his trick; he painted military figurines. Lighter fluid! You'd drip it past the brush onto a paper towel and wipe, and the brush cleaned right up. A shower as opposed to a bath.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 10, 2024 06:18 PM (omVj0)

45 Still working on some pen and pencil projects here. I finished the Esterbrook fountain pen I was working on last week, and now I'm (hopefully) restoring an old Havalite pencil. It's a mechanical pencil with a built-in cigarette lighter, made from the 30's until the 50's or so. I'm hoping a Zippo wick will fit.

Other than that, I had my first watercolor class this past week at the local community college. Once a week for five weeks. I've always wanted to paint, so I've been looking forward to it for months. Our first task was to paint a picture of a lemon. Mine looks more like a tumor, but it's a start, and hey, maybe I have a future in illustrating med school textbooks.

Posted by: Pennsyltucky at February 10, 2024 06:19 PM (Npnb7)

46 Thanks for the Hobby Thread, Mis Hum!

Great painting of Christmas in the Mountains. Love the snowman!

Today's hobbies are laundry and reading. One is a necessity, the other more enjoyable and thus a hobby.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at February 10, 2024 06:21 PM (a8Rgt)

47 If there's any interest, I might send along some pictures of the end result.

Yes, please.

Posted by: Oddbob at February 10, 2024 06:22 PM (sNc8Y)

48 43 It seems you've been around more lately MisHum. Even if that's not true I'm happy.
Posted by: Northernlurker at February 10, 2024 06:18 PM (zssUw)

Thanks.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 06:22 PM (aA3+G)

49 Progress was made on the truck camping conversion. The CIGS solar panels are installed on the topper's roof and they now charge the house battery stored inside the topper. Now I can tootle down the road with a fully-charged battery. This setup is completely independent from my Bluetti power station, but I can charge the AC200 MAX from the same solar panels (but not at the same time as the house battery).

Next week, I'm tackling the DC-DC battery charger. The main power cables (2 AWG) have already been run to the topper, but the engine bay fixtures for the fuses and the breaker switch need to be installed before I can complete the cable work.

Posted by: mrp at February 10, 2024 06:22 PM (rj6Yv)

50 MisHum you are so talented!
Love the mountains

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at February 10, 2024 06:22 PM (L4her)

51 I did a lemon. I was trying to get texture of the skin so it looks pock marked. I tried califlower today. I would not recomend that. It's hard.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 10, 2024 06:23 PM (dfztv)

52 45 Still working on some pen and pencil projects here. I finished the Esterbrook fountain pen I was working on last week, and now I'm (hopefully) restoring an old Havalite pencil. It's a mechanical pencil with a built-in cigarette lighter, made from the 30's until the 50's or so. I'm hoping a Zippo wick will fit.

Other than that, I had my first watercolor class this past week at the local community college. Once a week for five weeks. I've always wanted to paint, so I've been looking forward to it for months. Our first task was to paint a picture of a lemon. Mine looks more like a tumor, but it's a start, and hey, maybe I have a future in illustrating med school textbooks.
Posted by: Pennsyltucky at February 10, 2024 06:19 PM (Npnb7)

Hey thats awesome you are trying water colors. 2 of my daughters love water colors.

And I really want to see your completed Havalite pencil

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 06:23 PM (aA3+G)

53 12 I've been meaning to build some equipment racks so I can set all my ham radio equipment up at once. To that end, I've been 3d printing some corner clamps and trying to imagine how it will all turn out.

If there's any interest, I might send along some pictures of the end result.
Posted by: Cybersmythe at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (iZEhM)
---------------

Please do. My radio gear lives on an ugly hardware-store shelf on the wall above my desk.

Posted by: Pennsyltucky at February 10, 2024 06:24 PM (Npnb7)

54 45 ... "Our first task was to paint a picture of a lemon. Mine looks more like a tumor, but it's a start,"

I had to smile at the 'tumor'. One advantage of using pencil or black ink is I can always claim it's an abstract. LOL.

Please keep us apprised of how you are doing in the classes.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 06:25 PM (zudum)

55 Boy F. is also a big train wreck "fan" I think there's a YouTube channel for them

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 10, 2024 06:27 PM (RIvkX)

56 Can't get drums off using any of my usual cheats, so off to Advance or O'Reilly's tomorrow to hopefully borrow a drum puller. I may just buy one. Bled brakes after installing master cylinder, have good pedal. Installed new voltage regulator, too.
Posted by: Air-cooled Al at February 10, 2024 05:47 PM (V5BDR)

Can I suggest that you uncouple the hose from the wheel cylinder, which will probably entail separating the joint where the flex line meets the hard line, first. Then, undo the screws that retain the wheel cylinder to the backing plate, and try to pry the drum free. This usually works for me when removing stuck drums. Would also recommend replacing hard lines and flex hoses, unless they are known to be less than 10 years old. Having reliable brakes is important.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 10, 2024 06:28 PM (tkR6S)

57 mh I like your painting it has depth.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 10, 2024 06:29 PM (RIvkX)

58 I found something disturbing on the oil strainer today on the engine I'm prepping. I'm not sure if it's a foreign object or what. It's not like anything else in the engine that I am aware of. I'm currently perplexed and don't need a setback like this. Bah.
Posted by: fd at February 10, 2024 05:53 PM (vFG9F)

What does it look like? Hard rubber with arc-shaped edges could be crumbled umbrella valve seals.
What model engine?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 10, 2024 06:30 PM (tkR6S)

59 How to go over to your son's house and help start a batch of beer:

Get a pot of water heating

Play with the granddaughter

Site something vaguely resembling caramel into the water

Resume playing with the granddaughter

"Hey Dad, it's time to put this into the bucket I'm gonna deal up. Dad? Dad!@@@"

And then watch him do a couple more things and then carry a big pail into the basement.

I think there was a step in there what we added a big block of ice.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at February 10, 2024 06:31 PM (8AONa)

60 I like the colorful little graphic at the top. What is the hobby associated with the thing underneath the cactus/plant thing on the right. Looks like needlework. I like your acrylic painting,. MisHum. FenSpouse does acrylic painting. He takes pictures and then does a painting from that. He submitted his name and is supposed to have a show at the local library in April. Me? I continue with the Bible word searches.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 10, 2024 06:32 PM (Ki//m)

61 ack! I missed the snowman! Must have just gotten stuck at the trees.

The art class my granddaughter and I have been taking at the Y is disappointing. It's taught by an actual art teacher, so I was hopeful. We've done collage 3 of the 4 weeks. The kind you make by ripping photos out of old magazines and glue onto paper using a glue stick. Not what I had hoped for. And it isn't a kids class, there are people in there older than me, and I'm officially old now, according to the gov't.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 10, 2024 06:32 PM (JrYM1)

62 Notsothoreau , for the bird dander issue, maybe some kind of swiffer will work? They have a few options

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at February 10, 2024 06:35 PM (L4her)

63 I am just concluding my coffee break from working on the kitchen cabinets. Got 4 shelves (i.e. all of them) cut from a 4X8 sheet of radiata pine plywood purchased yesterday. Nice smooth knot-free, paintable wood. Will paint interiors of cabinets white. Exteriors will be "golden oak". Oak veneer plywood, and some solid oak, where necessary.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 10, 2024 06:38 PM (tkR6S)

64 Previous owner was working on this car when he bought a more desirable Corvair Turbo and had replaced metal brake lines, rubber brake lines, wheel cylinders, etc. Also installed a new gas tank. I just did all that on my VW bus last year, too. When you have a single cylinder braking system, what's there better work and not leak.

Posted by: Air-cooled Al at February 10, 2024 06:39 PM (V5BDR)

65 Thanks, Vmom. I'm thinking about using that shop vac but might check Dollar General for some ideas first.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 10, 2024 06:44 PM (dfztv)

66 A nice adjunct to my pipe smoking hobby (and it is a hobby, not a habit) is discovering limited run tobacco blends. Some are based on a theme, others might use a certain tobacco or vintage leaf that are in short supply. Extra care is used to get the most flavor out of the blends. Makes a nice treat to enjoy once in a while. I save the blends for special pipes, like my churchwardens, since once they are gone, they can't be replaced.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 06:46 PM (zudum)

67 Had been learning watercolor last year but kinda dropped off. Bought some metallic watercolors last week on a lark, gotta figure out what to do with them now.

Posted by: She Hobbit at February 10, 2024 06:55 PM (ftFVW)

68 60 I like the colorful little graphic at the top. What is the hobby associated with the thing underneath the cactus/plant thing on the right. Looks like needlework. I like your acrylic painting,. MisHum. FenSpouse does acrylic painting. He takes pictures and then does a painting from that. He submitted his name and is supposed to have a show at the local library in April. Me? I continue with the Bible word searches.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 10, 2024 06:32 PM (Ki//m)

Have FenSpouse submit a piece or two of his work.

I didn't mean to have the only art up there today, but the In-Box was empty regarding The Hobby Thread.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian Who Lives In The Thawed Out Tundra at February 10, 2024 06:56 PM (aA3+G)

69 If you want to look up some of today’s relatively younger artists to watch their videos of them painting which are very interesting even if you’re not a painter I would recommend

The Paint Coach , Chris Fornataro
Andrew Tischler
Chuck Black
Michael James Smith

They are all unique in how they approach painting.

Posted by: Naples Yellow at February 10, 2024 06:58 PM (MNhXM)

70 Well then come on and send in your hobby projects.
I have been on a solder gathering to do another medallions soon.

Posted by: Skip at February 10, 2024 07:01 PM (fwDg9)

71 I was inspired by AOP so I tuned and cleaned Mrs. F's silverware drawer. Without injury.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at February 10, 2024 07:07 PM (RIvkX)

72 New hobby: making beef jerky. Just tried it for the first time a couple of days ago ( experimented using the dehydration feature on a toaster oven, and a separate batch in an Instant Pot that also has a dehydration function). Absolutely delicious!

Posted by: Paco at February 10, 2024 07:16 PM (njExo)

73 Worked five new Japanese stations at sunset today. Logged a new Falkland Islands contact VP8WA with strong signal rpts both ways on 12m. Brazil, Azores, Balearic Islands. 50 watts and wires in trees.

We had a big X-class flare a couple days ago. Don't know if it was the biggest in cycle 25 so far, but big.

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:20 PM (MvF+J)

74 “Have FenSpouse submit a piece or two of his work.”

Thanks; That’s very nice of you, MisHum. I will ask him.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at February 10, 2024 07:26 PM (50/41)

75 Met a very cute young lady today at (and I'm still having trouble believing this myself) a Ham club meeting. And when I say cute, I mean in the sense of small. Like in the 4 ft 6 inch range. OK, maybe not that short, but I tower over this girl and I'm only average height.

Anyways, I gave her my email and offered to answer any questions she might have. Which I guess means I've volunteered to be an Elmer.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at February 10, 2024 07:26 PM (dZVON)

76 For shortwave listeners, there's a guy on X called @Shortwave78 who digs out all kinds of fascinating signals, like numbers stations and military comms.

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:31 PM (MvF+J)

77 75 Met a very cute young lady today at (and I'm still having trouble believing this myself) a Ham club meeting. And when I say cute, I mean in the sense of small. Like in the 4 ft 6 inch range. OK, maybe not that short, but I tower over this girl and I'm only average height.

Anyways, I gave her my email and offered to answer any questions she might have. Which I guess means I've volunteered to be an Elmer.
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at February 10, 2024 07:26 PM (dZVON)
---------------------------

Just the fact that you witnessed a ham radio club meeting that was not an absolute sausage party qualifies as a minor miracle. You should buy a Powerball ticket stat.

Posted by: Pennsyltucky at February 10, 2024 07:32 PM (Npnb7)

78 Paco,

If you get Falklands again, ask if he knows Rosemary Wilkinson. I've met her. She raises sheep and is a spinner. She used to export wool. I've lost track of her and don't know if she's still on the islands. I have some pamphlets she wrote about life in the Falklands.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at February 10, 2024 07:32 PM (dfztv)

79 Sounds like a good day for Moron hams. gp logged some good DX, and Blanco found a unicorn in the wild!

Posted by: PabloD at February 10, 2024 07:32 PM (bBWBE)

80 Mis Hum,
Thanks to you and J.J. for the thread. I look forward to it each week. So many interesting and pleasant topics.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 07:38 PM (zudum)

81 Let's see, that's Cybersmyte, Pennsltucky,gp and Blanco Basura as hams. And me! Kenwood TS-440S/AT, 100 W with a 40M dipole up in the trees, got my Amateur Extra a few years ago.

Posted by: RonF at February 10, 2024 07:38 PM (l8nW6)

82 78 I work FT8 mode. We only throw tones at each other, don't converse. VP8WA is Walker Creek Farm, if that helps. Only time I work phone mode is Fri nite VHF net. I come here to AoSHQ to do most of my ragchewing.

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:39 PM (MvF+J)

83 Heidi and I finally finished our workshop, hobby, crafts room. Stripping and refinishing a beautiful antique table. I love the fumes. Wheeeee.......reminds me of the 60's.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at February 10, 2024 07:41 PM (OIFPS)

84 81 Main rig Flex 5000a barefoot, two EFHW antennas, cover all HF bands. When I'm just listening, I use RTL-SDR dongles, and gqrx and other software tools and decoders.

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:42 PM (MvF+J)

85 nood

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:45 PM (MvF+J)

86 75 ... "Which I guess means I've volunteered to be an Elmer."

That's great. In my limited way I've helped a few folks get started in ham radio. It's enjoyable to let people know about the hobby. My own Elmer (who started in radio before WW II) got me through all the license classes. I think he was amused that I used a slide rule for the test formulas.

Posted by: JTB at February 10, 2024 07:45 PM (zudum)

87 New hobby: making beef jerky. Just tried it for the first time a couple of days ago ( experimented using the dehydration feature on a toaster oven, and a separate batch in an Instant Pot that also has a dehydration function). Absolutely delicious!

Posted by: Paco at February 10, 2024 07:16 PM (njExo)

My go too for a snack. Just bought a meat grinder for our Kitchen Aide so be can make our own I ground beef. I like it for jerky. What meat did you use?

Posted by: Joey the fish at February 10, 2024 07:48 PM (OIFPS)

88 Brewed in a brewery 3 times with the new brew master. It was great fun, especially tasting all the beer on tap so that if one was 'off' the brewery could run a special to move it along. (Most people can't taste the subtle flavors of a beer going off, we had been judging beers for years and knew what we were looking for.)

Home brewed and taught a number of people all grain brewing. Fun times.

It is *really* difficult to brew NA beer as alcohol is totally miscible hence impossible to separate completely. You have really control your temps to make sure you're not ruining the beer with high temps while evaporating the alcohol at 68F (IIRC).

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 10, 2024 07:49 PM (XdIKT)

89 nood

Posted by: gp, Burdened By The Feck That Is at February 10, 2024 07:45 PM (MvF+J)

Shit. Late to thread.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at February 10, 2024 07:50 PM (OIFPS)

90 BIL has a 1lb propane tank filler, I need to bring 2 empties to his house and let him show me how to fill them. (Did you note I'll let him fill them so I'll scam him out of 2lbs of propane? Yeah, he'll notice...)

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 10, 2024 07:50 PM (XdIKT)

91 Im considering building a forge to make knives.

Posted by: Cannibal Bob at February 10, 2024 07:51 PM (OIFPS)

92 Homebrewer here - just brewed a biere de garde for the first time today. I'll brew a few times a year - beers these days, but started years back with meads. Even took a silver in the Great AZ Homebrew Contest around 2008-2009 - just a tradtional mead I hadn't gotten around to brewing, just kept the airlock with liquid, racked the mead off the sediment every few months, then finally decided to bottle - notes said it was four years old, so decided to find a contest - think it was the aging - smooth and crystal clear - that won the medal.

Beers - I'll run the gamut between ales and lagers - I haven't done an IPA (wife won't drink them), and never been into the sours, but other than that, got a pretty good variety of recipes. All time favorites is an English Mild at 3.8% - perfect session beer, the other is a Maibock at ~6.8%, but you wouldn't know it by drinking it - turns out very smooth.

Posted by: MD_Mike at February 10, 2024 07:55 PM (BouEL)

93
Shit. Late to thread.
Posted by: Cannibal Bob

You and me both!

Cool, a knife forge... good luck!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 10, 2024 07:58 PM (XdIKT)

94 I haven't done an IPA (wife won't drink them), and never been into the sours, but other than that, got a pretty good variety of recipes. All time favorites is an English Mild at 3.8% - perfect session beer, the other is a Maibock at ~6.8%, but you wouldn't know it by drinking it - turns out very smooth.
Posted by: MD_Mike

Yup, fun times; but, I gained weight!
Pales, IPAs, Bitters, Tripel @11%, Porter, Stouts, and Barleywines. I once had 11 of my own beers on tap at one time.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 10, 2024 08:03 PM (XdIKT)

95 Thіs excellent webѕite definitely has all of the information and facts I needed concerning thiѕ
subject and didn't know who to ask.

Posted by: m at February 10, 2024 08:06 PM (DErKd)

96 87. Joey the fish

I bought a tray of thin-cut eye of round steaks, trimmed what little fat there was, and then cut each steak into three or four strips (the thickness was perfect). Used a marinade consisting of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, a little pineapple juice, some salt, black pepper, onion salt and garlic salt. There are lots of recipes on YouTube for jerky made out of almost everything (beef, deer, chicken, salmon, etc.)

Posted by: Paco at February 10, 2024 08:14 PM (njExo)

97 You're trading in propane tanks?
Compare weights- one you've watched being filled vs a freshly "bought" trade-in.
Rhino brand trade-ins (at least) are about 10-12% shy of full.

Posted by: buddhaha at February 10, 2024 11:09 PM (y9iQg)

98 I've been homebrewing for almost 50 years now. This is one of those hobbies where you can get as elaborate (and expensive) as you want. I am decidedly more on the dilettante end of the scale (e.g., a couple of the posters above obviously have a hell of a lot more expertise than I ever possessed) but I have found a couple of homebrewing truths. First, if you follow some basic sterilization procedures it's very hard to ruin a batch of beer. (There's a saying in home brewing, "Homebrew is like sex. When it's good, it's great; when it's bad, it's still pretty good.") In all the years I've been doing it I only had one batch that was undrinkable (came out sour). Second, most beers improve considerably with aging -- at least a couple of months, in my experience. Don't believe those beer commercials that talk about "fresh" beer. Patience is rewarding!

Posted by: JKS at February 11, 2024 03:05 PM (7YsdX)

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