Hobby Thread - February 22, 2025 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread.

We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin. Turns out, the Wheel is always looking for a challenge. It said JIGSAW PUZZLES. Let's put the pieces together.

[Photo: Hobbies in the Jurassic Period]

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Jigsaw puzzling is a good indoor, winter activity. Puzzling can also be good brain food.

Are you a puzzler? Do you like always having a working puzzle on a table that you can tinker with from time to time? Are you a serious puzzler that must finish once you start a puzzle?

Do you have favorite themes? Do you attempt difficult puzzles with abstract patterns or a Where's Waldo style theme with pieces that look very similar? Have you ever attempted a puzzle without a picture? How about a two sided puzzle so you have to figure out which side of the puzzle piece belongs with which picture?

How many pieces do your puzzles usually have? 100? 500? 1000? 3000? (The interwebs say 1000 pieces is the most popular.)

Do you have a room with a perfect puzzle place? Do you have animals that wreak havoc on your assembly projects in process?

Have you ever framed a finished puzzle to preserve it?

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What are you hobbying these days? As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Your participation does not need to limited to the theme. All hobbying is welcome. However, politics, current events and religious debates can live in threads elsewhere. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls. Pants, as always, are optional.

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Nurse Ratched sent a photo of her present puzzling project:

Looks like a lot of pieces and a good puzzling place! Thank you!

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Five pieces of jigsaw puzzle trivia:

The first jigsaw puzzle was created in 1767 by a British mapmaker named John Spilsbury. He mounted a map on a piece of wood and cut it into pieces to help teach geography. The resulting puzzle was called a "dissected map."

While they started as educational tools, jigsaw puzzles became a popular form of entertainment in the 1930s.

During the Great Depression, people looked for affordable ways to pass the time and escape the difficulties of daily life. Puzzle makers produced puzzles with images of idyllic scenes, such as country farms and beach vacations to provided an escape.

The term "jigsaw" refers to the original tool used to cut the pieces, which resembled a hand held saw with fine teeth.

Early puzzle makers may have intentionally left out a piece to symbolize life's imperfection. Hard to find proof, so the rumor may be more lore from storytelling than fact.

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Looking for a gift idea? Transform a favorite photo into a jigsaw puzzle. There are many, many places online that provide such services. Here is one from a well-known puzzle maker but AoSHQ makes no formal recommendations or endorsements.

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Jigsaw puzzle championships!

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Science time. What do jigsaw puzzles do for your brain?

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Why limit puzzling to two dimensions? Let's go 3D!

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Impressive technology demonstration but completely beside the point of puzzling:

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Touring a jigsaw puzzle factory!

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Making a jigsaw puzzle from scrap wood:

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Struggling for space? Build a puzzling table with a rolltop style top that can be rolled out of the way for puzzling and rolled back for daily use.

"Ye Who Are About to Enter Here, Abandon All Hope." Watch on mute per Dr No.

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Horde Hobbying with paint:

Tankascribe did a lot of painting in the Fall and Winter.

Hans and Ciar (no relation) were King and Queen for a group that celebrates the best cultural and historical aspects of the Middle Ages. Tankascribe painted both from photos. Hans came first and Ciar was next. Sadly, Hans passed away, but his widow loves having the painting. Ciar was very pleased with hers.

20060324-Hans -- photo and finished painting.jpg

20250112-Ciar -- photo and finished painting.jpg

This 5x7 portrait in oil took 13 hours.

20241102-Portrait in Oils of Mistress Eliska z Jihlavy.jpg

These two scrolls for a husband and wife are each 11x14. The red circle represents the red wax seal that will be applied after the Royalty who gave out the awards have signed. This lets you see how the seal ties in with the recipients' names in red ink above. Both recipients have an early Irish persona, so the scenes are set off the coast of Northern Ireland. She likes castles and he likes ships. Her scroll took 11 hours and his took 12 hours. They are executed in india ink, gouache, and bordered with 23-karat gold leaf (hers) and palladium leaf (his).

Amazing. Beautiful. Thank you!

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Horde Hobbying Update:

From Patches who is making progress on his Porsche 936/78. In real life, this prototype raced on the world stage in the late 1970s, and early 1980s. This kit was purchased 21 years ago and is finally getting a chance at assembly. Final decals still to come, but worth sharing work in progress. Also worth the reminder that kits on the shelf are still kits worth building.

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More Horde Hobbying:

From last week:

Ham radio on the HF bands, what we used to call shortwave.
So far, I have made over 14000 contacts to 159 countries. My main antennas are EFHWs, which are wires hanging in trees. They work fine, but I am really chuffed about learning about these loop antennas.

Thank you, gp! Anyone else messing with home-built antennas to talk with space aliens?

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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week with a theme of bargain hunting? The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

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Notable comments from last week:

20250220-Screenshot 2025-02-20 181228.jpg

20250220-Screenshot 2025-02-20 180751.jpg

20250220-Screenshot 2025-02-20 180920.jpg

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Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

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If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different theme next time. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Welcome Hobbiests

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 05:31 PM (fwDg9)

2 We get them every once in awhile. Have seem to do them , lots more as a kid

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 05:32 PM (fwDg9)

3 Those 3D puzzles are amazing. Love the puzzles just don't have the space to designate.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:35 PM (mB6WH)

4 I have a 3d building puzzle my sister gave me once out on a shelf in my outbuilding

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 05:40 PM (fwDg9)

5 Those 3D puzzles are amazing. Love the puzzles just don't have the space to designate.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:35 PM (mB6WH)

They really are impressive. And tempting.

Aren't horses sort of 3D puzzles?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 22, 2025 05:40 PM (mWSu4)

6 Don't have much interest in puzzles, but I am trying to puzzle out the end of a story.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025 05:43 PM (0eaVi)

7 CBD, the horse is a puzzle that is never completed because there always a little something more.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:44 PM (mB6WH)

8 Question for the jigsaw puzzlers: my Mom mentioned a while back some brand of puzzles she wanted to try. I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Matrix perhaps? Or something like that. Her birthday is coming up and I'd like to buy her one.

Posted by: Scarymary at February 22, 2025 05:44 PM (FUagJ)

9 CBD, the horse is a puzzle that is never completed because there always a little something more.
Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:44 PM (mB6WH)

That's because Catherine keeps the last piece for her viewing pleasure.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025 05:45 PM (0eaVi)

10 First puzzle (Pre-K) was a map of the US with 50 pieces. State Capitals noted plus larger cities. I still own it 6{mumble} years later. Instilled in me a love of mas and geography.

Posted by: RS at February 22, 2025 05:45 PM (rk5vz)

11 Thanks for posting the pic of my antenna! After that pic was taken, I put an 8.5ft loop on it, tuned it for 12m, and operated with that one exclusively all week. I made 152 contacts in 33 countries. I'm building my second loop antenna now, which will be an improved 10m version.

I am having a blast working with these! As long as I can find low-priced HV variable capacitors, I'll keep building them.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 05:47 PM (ou6Ku)

12 Scarymary you could just try Google puzzles and brands will come up, maybe jog your memory

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 05:47 PM (fwDg9)

13 KTY is a beast at jigsaw puzzles. Very fast. But when she's done she's done.

KTE is the one who collects, finishes, then frames the puzzles sge does.

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:48 PM (WbaIk)

14 I tried, y'all ... really, I did. I can NOT get past that 'Valley Gurl's up-at-the-end voice flip where she raises her voice and almost makes it sound as if she's asking a question - but she's not. She has produced one of the MOST IRRITATING VIDEOS shown in the Hobby segment. Sorry, y'all ... I couldn't take it past about 3.5 minutes ... please burn that vid. Or: Preface its intro with "Ye Who Are About to Enter Here, Abandon All Hope" ...

Posted by: Dr_No at February 22, 2025 05:48 PM (ayRl+)

15 Thank you for the thread, T-Rex!

I love puzzles. You can actually feel another part of your brain waking up when you're concentrating on a puzzle.

I have another 1000 piece puzzle going. It's really hard. Lots of swirls and patterns. And yes, there's a cat in it.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 05:50 PM (w8VPD)

16 Oh, TRex, have we had a hobby thread on genealogy?

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:50 PM (WbaIk)

17 Thanks Skip, I'm trying and just come up with a blank. I think it's something she saw on Facebook. Getting ready to visit with her, so maybe can get some clues, fingers crossed.

Posted by: Scarymary at February 22, 2025 05:51 PM (FUagJ)

18 Plastic model assembly kits were, and are, a form of 3-D jigsaw puzzle.

I've never been into 2-D jigsaw puzzles. They just seem like something I'd get frustrated with very quickly. The more pieces, the worse it would be. Plus I can hardly have a partially-completed jigsaw puzzle in any room where my cats roam. I don't know how Nurse Ratched can do it with her cat Lucy in residence.

The same goes for any model kits I might want to build now. I have a more than-sixty-year-old Pyro figure kit of a cowpuncher with saddle on his shoulder that I bought in '05 from Ebay. It's complete, and I'd love to paint and modify it into a Quigley Down Under figure. But if I can't keep the cats out of the room, painting and assembling it without their interference would be impossible.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 22, 2025 05:52 PM (omVj0)

19 16 Oh, TRex, have we had a hobby thread on genealogy?

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:50 PM
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We have indeed. July 20, 2024. Happy to do another one if there is interest/demand.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 05:52 PM (5Qmz2)

20 I have been thinking of getting KTE a puzzle table but she insists she doesn't want one.
Very annoying

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:52 PM (WbaIk)

21 Starting a puzzle with no idea of the picture is would definitely up the difficulty level.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:53 PM (mB6WH)

22 gp - great job on the mag loop! I'm not much of a builder, but considering how much the average off-the-shelf mag loop costs it's definitely worth trying. Did you use someone else's plan or are you one of those annoying people who actually understands how these things work? :-)

Posted by: PabloD at February 22, 2025 05:53 PM (tDY2G)

23 We have indeed. July 20, 2024. Happy to do another one if there is interest/demand.
Posted by: TRex

I will go find it (unless you have a link?)
I just need some tips

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:53 PM (WbaIk)

24 We puzzle. We have a coupla other folks we swap puzzles with.
My DIL has a cat, and invariably we end up calling her... did this puzzle have all the pieces?
Always!
I think so.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 05:54 PM (cPGH3)

25 That puzzle championship was amazing.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at February 22, 2025 05:54 PM (mH6SG)

26 Don't have much interest in puzzles, but I am trying to puzzle out the end of a story.
Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025

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The advantage we have in what you and I do, OE, is that we can sometimes cut and file the pieces of our plot to make them fit better. The actual jigsaw puzzlers have to go with whatever is in the box.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 22, 2025 05:54 PM (omVj0)

27 A blonde went to her boyfriend and said, "Can you help me? I've been working on this jigsaw puzzle for hours and hours and haven't gotten even two pieces to fit together. It's supposed to make a rooster." The boyfriend replied, "First, you'll never make a rooster from these and, second, help me put the Corn Flakes back in the box."

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever! at February 22, 2025 05:55 PM (L/fGl)

28 Different kind of puzzle I do daily is Suduko

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 05:57 PM (fwDg9)

29 14 Preface its intro with "Ye Who Are About to Enter Here, Abandon All Hope" ...

Posted by: Dr_No at February 22, 2025 05:48 PM
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Done.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 05:57 PM (5Qmz2)

30 I love the wooden puzzles with "whimseys". Modern lasers have made them wonderful.
If you never have done any, it's not enough to find the right piece, it has to be dropped in precisely, too.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 05:58 PM (cPGH3)

31 Yay- jigsaws!
Does on-line count? I do several of those a week- while I love the tactile experience of handling the pieces, we have a cat and no place to put a puzzle mat.

So I can have the visual enjoyment with no aggravation.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 05:58 PM (f+FmA)

32 As for other hobbies, this morning I smoked some Luxury Bullseye Flake tobacco in the sandblasted pipe I call the "Antarctic explorer's pipe." It looks a lot like the pipe in pictures I've seen of explorer Tom Crean, who went with Shackleton on the famous "Endurance" mission.

It'll be raining and chilly tomorrow. A good day to settle into a favorite armchair or couch spot with a pipe, some coffee, a good book, and/or AoSHQ.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 22, 2025 05:59 PM (omVj0)

33 nurse, is there any particular place you start a puzzle? In the picture of the TRex, I would probably start with pieces with the two different colors that border each other.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 05:59 PM (mB6WH)

34 Wolfus,
Lucy is very good about not getting on the table! I do occasionally find a piece on the floor, but it was probably me being clumsy.

The thing she will not allow me to have is houseplants. She eats them, digs them up, throws dirt everywhere and poops in the hole.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 06:00 PM (1gqzP)

35 Found it

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 06:00 PM (WbaIk)

36 vmom
My oldest bro and I did serious genealogy for twenty years. I'm no expert, but I know what worked for us.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:00 PM (cPGH3)

37 I enjoy the occasional jigsaw puzzle. I have at least one puzzle app on my iPad that allows for variable piece sizes depending on my mood. One app only allows for puzzles up to 400 pieces. Another one goes up to 1,024.

Pleasant way to pass the time...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 06:01 PM (BpYfr)

38 I always start with perimeter frame, then colors gathering

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 06:01 PM (fwDg9)

39 eldest?
Where's Wesley when you need him?

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:02 PM (cPGH3)

40 > Starting a puzzle with no idea of the picture is would definitely up the difficulty level.
Posted by: Ben Had
----------
My wife got one like that. The pieces in the box were not what was on the box.

Difficult when you've no idea what the puzzle is supposed to be.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 22, 2025 06:02 PM (Q4IgG)

41 sal, the online jigsaw puzzles are fun. I enjoy regular puzzles, but don't have a dedicated space. Could move stuff off the art desk I reckon. But there is the cat factor, for sure.

Posted by: Scarymary at February 22, 2025 06:02 PM (FUagJ)

42 We're pn our way home I can take a pic of a cool wooden puzzle

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 06:02 PM (WbaIk)

43 One of my favorite jigsaw puzzle is a puzzle-within-a-puzzle.

You have to connect the links in a chain according to a pattern. But you only get to see PART of the pattern on the cover of the box and you have to figure out the rest of it.

That one was a lot of fun.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 06:03 PM (BpYfr)

44 Thanks MkY

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 06:03 PM (WbaIk)

45 23 I will go find it (unless you have a link?)
I just need some tips

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 05:53 PM
***

Here you go:
https://tinyurl.com/8tsxz9vr

Come back if you have questions. Lots of people here have done research.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:03 PM (5Qmz2)

46 22 PabloD: My design strategy was this:
1) I saw a ridiculously cheap capacitor online and snapped it up, not even knowing the capacitance range.
2) I had exactly 6.2 ft of 6AWG solid copper wire in my junkbox.
3) I put them together and analyzed it with a NanoVNA.
4) It resonated where I needed it to, so I hooked it up to the rig, and very cautiously, beginning at 3W, began transmitting, and worked up my power from there. I got a 1:3:1 SWR on the first day without a tuner.

That's literally all there was to it. Since then I've gone down the small magloop theory rabbit hole, and even started to write an article about it. But seat of the pants design and test seems to work too. Do see the magloop calculator at 66pacific.com.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:03 PM (ou6Ku)

47 Hi Ben Had!

I do the outer edge first and then try to find similar patterns and colors and group those together.

The first third is always the most frustrating and slowest. Towards the end it goes really fast and the dopamine hits are amazing as you get closer and closer.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 06:04 PM (ohhgC)

48 I always start with perimeter frame, then colors gathering
Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 06:01 PM (fwDg9)
---
I do the same.

However, they have puzzles that don't have an obvious rectangular frame (no "edge" pieces), which ups the challenge quite a bit.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 06:04 PM (BpYfr)

49 35 Found it
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 06:00 PM (WbaIk)

Vmom, Mr. S is a master genealogist. He would probably know the answer to a gen question.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:05 PM (f+FmA)

50 Always enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. My parents found a couple of hand cut puzzles, looked like Victorian era, at a second hand store and we assembled them once a year when the network showed The Wizard of Oz. (No idea why that evening.) This was circa 1960. The pieces were much more complex in shape than typically seen these days. Wish I knew what happened to them.

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 06:05 PM (yTvNw)

51 Yay! Puzzles!!!

Posted by: Pleistocene Megafauna at February 22, 2025 06:06 PM (MB784)

52 https://tinyurl.com/5c8r49nj

Bits & Pieces puzzle mat. When we do a 1500 or 2000 piece, I've cut out 1/4" boards that fit on the side panels.
Cat proof. Can store away.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:06 PM (cPGH3)

53 Wolfus,
Lucy is very good about not getting on the table! I do occasionally find a piece on the floor, but it was probably me being clumsy.

The thing she will not allow me to have is houseplants. She eats them, digs them up, throws dirt everywhere and poops in the hole.
Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025

***
My boyhood cat, Rusty, always knew when he was allowed on the dining/model building/homework table. If there was stuff spread out all over it, such as newspaper for my model kit work or the dinner tablecloth, he would not leap up there. Any other time, it was fair game.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 22, 2025 06:06 PM (omVj0)

54 My late business partner got into the metal puzzles that had all the inter connect pieces. I forget what they were called but they were real.mind twisters.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:08 PM (mB6WH)

55 https://tinyurl.com/yakhhbm4

Serious money, but gorgeous puzzles, and I think collector items.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:09 PM (cPGH3)

56 I use Jigsaw Planet for my puzzles to solve and have a collection of posters whose puzzles I like.

The nice thing about on-line is the amazing variety in puzzle subjects and the options for personalizing the play.

You can choose your puzzle to suit your mood, or do a batch of the same subject 'til you're tired of them.
I'm currently doing a run of antique maps.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:10 PM (f+FmA)

57 The advantage we have in what you and I do, OE, is that we can sometimes cut and file the pieces of our plot to make them fit better. The actual jigsaw puzzlers have to go with whatever is in the box.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at February 22, 2025 05:54 PM (omVj0)

What? You mean you've never tried to cut and fit puzzle pieces?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025 06:10 PM (0eaVi)

58 What? You mean you've never tried to cut and fit puzzle pieces?
Posted by: OrangeEnt

Our favorite "slam" is, you want the rubber mallet?

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:12 PM (cPGH3)

59 One app only allows for puzzles up to 400 pieces. Another one goes up to 1,024.

Pleasant way to pass the time...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 06:01 PM (BpYfr)

The Elizabeth Warren puzzle, right?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025 06:12 PM (0eaVi)

60 I'm currently doing a run of antique maps.
Posted by: sal

Those would be fun. Any favorites?

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:13 PM (cPGH3)

61 I like jigsaw puzzles with birthday themes.

Posted by: HappyFun at February 22, 2025 06:13 PM (rELun)

62 You'll need a vacuum variable for any appreciable power.
55 watts is good though. Has the cap arced over yet?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 22, 2025 06:15 PM (63Dwl)

63 I haven't done a jigsaw puzzle in a while but we have a number of them we never started picked up on sales. If I can set up a space for them, not an easy thing, I would like to try them. With my cataract surgery last year that also corrected the astigmatism I'm curious if assembling them would be easier with less eye strain.

There is no theme to the puzzles we chose, just ones that appealed to us. Some are art pieces, some are like cluttered country stores or book shops. No abstracts or monocolors. I want the finished image to be pleasant not simply a challenge.

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 06:15 PM (yTvNw)

64 KTE bought one of these wooden puzzles
The cool thing is each piece is also shaped like an animal or leaf etc
Pricey though

https://tinyurl.com/dmyu6vb9

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 06:15 PM (7gFa4)

65 Election Night, 2016, I was working on a puzzle while watching the elections returns. It kept me awake until the very end.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:16 PM (f+FmA)

66 I hate puzzles, of any kind. Today is puzzle enough.

Posted by: javems at February 22, 2025 06:16 PM (8I4hW)

67 61 I like jigsaw puzzles with birthday themes.

Posted by: HappyFun at February 22, 2025 06:13 PM
***
Ha!

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:16 PM (5Qmz2)

68 >>Difficult when you've no idea what the puzzle is supposed to be.

Years ago I gave puzzle to my dad that was all white. No picture, just a white background.

Took him a while but he did it.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 22, 2025 06:16 PM (LkLld)

69 Most of our puzzles are 500 or 1,000 pieces because that is all we have room for. But I have seen some really interesting larger puzzles.

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 06:17 PM (yTvNw)

70 Our favorite "slam" is, you want the rubber mallet?
Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:12 PM (cPGH3)

Just tried to push them, but they never fit right.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at February 22, 2025 06:18 PM (0eaVi)

71 gp - ah, you fell ass-backwards into success. This phenomenon explains my entire professional career.

I bought a Chelegance MC-750 around Christmas but have yet to hook it up. I have managed to do 2 relatively easy SOTA hikes this year, but my options are limited until the spring thaw. In the meantime, I need to up my CW speed. I'm good up to around 18 wpm, but would like to be fluent at 25.

Posted by: PabloD at February 22, 2025 06:18 PM (tDY2G)

72 Jack

The Blueshirts are still on break

Posted by: browndog in shock at February 22, 2025 06:19 PM (TTAGa)

73 I had a set of Tango wooden puzzles. They were difficult.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:19 PM (mB6WH)

74 I've been 3D printing so many movie posters that I have the majority of the wall behind my desk covered.

TRex, I'm going to send you a picture of it to post in a future hobby thread.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at February 22, 2025 06:21 PM (XV/Pl)

75 Late to the thread as usual. One of my "hobbies" is keeping my family feed. Why they think they need to eat three meals a day is anyone's guess. And while MrTea does many tasks around the house, he does not cook.
So, guess I'll read the thread later.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:21 PM (Eo96p)

76 This team is really disappointing, browndog.

Posted by: JackStraw at February 22, 2025 06:22 PM (LkLld)

77 Worst puzzle ever invented was the Chinese finger puzzle.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:22 PM (mB6WH)

78 62 I only run barefoot anyway. I'm running it at 65W as we speak. The peak voltage on this 12m loop is under 1KVRMS, (because I'm using a small dia loop conductor,) so no worry arcing a 4.5KV capacitor. Any cap with 1/8 inch plate spacing is good enough.

Vacuum variables are way out of my price range. Even the damn mounting clamps for those things cost $70 ea. I could buy a really Big Scary air variable for the price of one of those clamps.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:23 PM (ou6Ku)

79 Interesting topic. A few years ago I was looking up info about jigsaw puzzles: reviews of the best made ones, what kind of images, etc. I was amazed. People take jigsaw puzzles VERY seriously. How carefully the cuts are made, any missing pieces and can they be replaced, how well the finished puzzle is shown for color and detail, even how much paper dust is in the box.

And I thought gun collectors could be picky. Sheesh!

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 06:23 PM (yTvNw)

80 Those would be fun. Any favorites?
Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:13 PM (cPGH3)

Jean B is the poster I'm using right now. You can enter a poster's name in the search engine and pull their site up.

His site is organized by time periods- the 1400s are good for maps.
https://tinyurl.com/2s3a7bhn
is a fun celestial map.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:24 PM (f+FmA)

81 Tankascribe, that is some fantastic work you do. What a gift you have. Thank you for sharing that.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:26 PM (Eo96p)

82 One of my "hobbies" is keeping my family feed. Why they think they need to eat three meals a day is anyone's guess. And while MrTea does many tasks around the house, he does not cook.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:21 PM (Eo96p)

----

Yes. Cooking is both a necessity and a hobby for me. Mr. Scary doesn't cook, either. But is a good and handy man. Thankfully, he enjoys my cooking and doesn't complain. He is well-fed and happy.

Posted by: Scarymary at February 22, 2025 06:26 PM (FUagJ)

83 79 any missing pieces and can they be replaced, how well the finished puzzle is shown for color and detail, even how much paper dust is in the box.

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 06:23 PM
***
In doing the prep for this thread, I found several YT videos about how to make your own replacement pieces. I also found one that showed running a new batch of pieces through a kitchen colander to separate the paper dust. Only so much content can go in the thread...

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:27 PM (5Qmz2)

84 76 This team is really disappointing, browndog.
Posted by: JackStraw at February 22, 2025 06:22 PM (LkLld)

I forgot how many retired Sabres with the Rangers:
Drury
Peca
Housley

Drury’s gotta be spitting mad at the way they’ve come out of the break

Posted by: browndog in shock at February 22, 2025 06:28 PM (TTAGa)

85 gp, I know very little about what you're doing, but I always love it when people build their own equipment.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:29 PM (f+FmA)

86 ‘Mom! Bobby’s t-rex ate some of my puzzle!’

Posted by: Eromero at February 22, 2025 06:30 PM (jgmnb)

87 so hubby is really good at jigsaw puzzles. When we were younger I enjoyed them more, and we used to do up to 2500 piece puzzles.
Our mentally impaired son is very good at jigsaw puzzles, he and MrTea do them regularly, up to 500 pieces now. For a kid with not great vision, he is so good at the puzzles. We have found he likes to do the same puzzle a couple times in a row, and then he has parts of them memorized. It's a gift, lol. He has an excellent memory, and a built in GPS, too.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:32 PM (Eo96p)

88 Thanks, Sal!
They seem to be already oriented?

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM (cPGH3)

89 62 I never had much interest in QRO. All I ask from my station is that it lets me work a constant flow of new international DX traffic with stations I've never worked before. 50W is plenty for that, at least while Solar Cycle 25 is cooking; in a few years, 12m and 10m will go back to being dead again, and then I'll try loops for the lower bands.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM (ou6Ku)

90 TRex, the depth you go to to provide content for these threads. More information than you would ever thought you would ever need.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM (mB6WH)

91 TRex, the depth you go to to provide content for these threads. More information than you would ever thought you would ever need.
Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM (mB6WH)
---
Seconded!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 06:34 PM (BpYfr)

92 85 Thank you, Sal!

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:34 PM (ou6Ku)

93 I have two SIFO wooden children's puzzles from my own childhood. They are actually quite challenging for their intended age group.
The kids and then the grandkids enjoyed them.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:35 PM (f+FmA)

94 90 TRex, the depth you go to to provide content for these threads. More information than you would ever thought you would ever need.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM
***
Thanks! Trying to uphold the honor of the HT. I also end up learning a lot along the way. Some of it I even remember!

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:36 PM (5Qmz2)

95 No, TeeJ. A guy can’t have too many pocket knives. It starts when you’re about three years old watching your elder relatives whittlin’ or cleaning out from under their fingernails.

Posted by: Eromero at February 22, 2025 06:36 PM (jgmnb)

96 *looks at Nurse's puzzle*

*shudders*

*pours more bier*

Posted by: Diogenes at February 22, 2025 06:36 PM (W/lyH)

97 We have found he likes to do the same puzzle a couple times in a row, and then he has parts of them memorized. It's a gift, lol. He has an excellent memory, and a built in GPS, too.
Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:32 PM (Eo96p)

My older brother and I used to have timed "puzzle races" when we were kids, taking turns putting the same puzzle together. And by 'timed', I mean counting while your opponent did their turn.
One was a Wild Bill Hickok puzzle- the cardboard type in a frame.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:39 PM (f+FmA)

98 Worked 5 new Japanese stations so far just sitting here with you guys tonite. This time of season, they start flooding into my longitude (Illinois) around 4:30PM local time. There are so many hams in Japan, you never have to worry about finding new ones on any given evening.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:41 PM (ou6Ku)

99 I’ve been collecting hospital wristbands past few years.

Posted by: Eromero at February 22, 2025 06:42 PM (jgmnb)

100 Mostly ECC.

Posted by: Eromero at February 22, 2025 06:42 PM (jgmnb)

101 And just like that!

Posted by: Eromero at February 22, 2025 06:43 PM (jgmnb)

102 88 Thanks, Sal!
They seem to be already oriented?
Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 06:33 PM (cPGH3)

You can choose oriented or not in the custom menu.
I usually switch out odd piece shapes- I'm a classicist- and up the number to the upper 200s.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:43 PM (f+FmA)

103 Probably a scrub.

SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink 15-1
SLC-4E - Vandenberg SFB - Space Affairs Live
Launch Date: February 22, 2025 (PT)
New T-Zero: February 22, 5:38 p.m. PT - February 23, 0138 UTC, 02:38 CET
Launch Window: Open until 6:24 p.m. PT

https://www.youtube.com/live/qAuCnc1WrPI

Posted by: Ciampino - I have Loki keeping my leg warm. at February 22, 2025 06:43 PM (KjLnc)

104 Yes, Mr. TRex does a wonderful job putting these threads together.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at February 22, 2025 06:45 PM (mH6SG)

105 104 Yes, Mr. TRex does a wonderful job putting these threads together.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at February 22, 2025 06:45 PM
***
Thank you, Captain Deal!

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:46 PM (5Qmz2)

106 Regarding gp's loop antenna. The pill bottle mount suggests age of 29+

Posted by: Mike Hammer, vanity call supressed at February 22, 2025 06:49 PM (XeU6L)

107 You can't do jigsaw puzzles with a cat in the house. They always try to make the wrong pieces fit together and sometimes they break them. And they're not sorry about that at all.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at February 22, 2025 06:50 PM (CHHv1)

108 Posted by: Ciampino - I have Loki keeping my leg warm. at February 22, 2025 06:43 PM (KjLnc)

We had three separate long rumbles, of a couple of minutes yesterday.
We sometimes get engine testing noise from Crawford even though we're twenty miles away.
It must be unbearably loud there.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:50 PM (f+FmA)

109 I have a nighttime scene of Manhattan. Big puzzle. Sat on the dining room table for a year. Lots of dark blue sky. We used that stuff that I cannot remember to name of to seal it. Got a custom frame for it at Aaron Bros. One day I am looking at it and I realize there is an aircraft carrier at a dock. LOL. The Intrepid Museum.

A couple of years ago, I took a friend to her niece's birthday party weekend. We were working on an Univ. of Alabama puzzle. I was looking at the box top and a lady shouts "CHEATER!"

She said you're no supposed to look at the box top. LOL I still laugh about it today.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 22, 2025 06:51 PM (ZmEVT)

110 In other past Hobby threads, been putting together a co-workers train buildings and was using my superglue. But bought plastic model glue so now thinking to look for a plastic model, probably a plane or tank

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 06:51 PM (fwDg9)

111 We have cats, and we have a dedicated table in the living room. We have a sheet that we cover the puzzle with when we aren't working on it. That works for us.
Before we covered it the one cat would play with the pieces.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 06:51 PM (Eo96p)

112 In one of my doctor's waiting rooms, thay have a table against one wall, and always have a jigsaw puzzle underway there. It's kind neat, in that it is a distraction, and no one has more than 10-15 minutes of time to work on it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, vanity call supressed at February 22, 2025 06:52 PM (XeU6L)

113 106 Yeah, I'm older than water. The proof is: it took me two hours to figure out what to use for that top insulator/holder. Even FJB could have thought that up sooner than I did

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 06:53 PM (ou6Ku)

114 Does Mod Poge sound right?

Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (ZmEVT)

115 In my house the cat would knock the puzzle piece off on to the floor and then the dog would take it outside and bury it.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (mB6WH)

116 112 In one of my doctor's waiting rooms, thay have a table against one wall, and always have a jigsaw puzzle underway there. It's kind neat, in that it is a distraction, and no one has more than 10-15 minutes of time to work on it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, vanity call supressed at February 22, 2025 06:52 PM
***
Smart idea.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (5Qmz2)

117 This is a freeware app ( and it can be portable too ) that can turn any photo into a variety of artwork, such as a pencil drawing, a watercolor, or an oil painting. Lots of possibilities.

https://fotosketcher.com/

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (PiwSw)

118 The thing she will not allow me to have is houseplants. She eats them, digs them up, throws dirt everywhere and poops in the hole.

"Look, there's only going to be one lifeform in this house that is basically immobile and contributes nothing except prettiness, and that's me!"

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (CHHv1)

119 My team at work has at least one 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle under construction at all times. It is a good 10 minute break or simple task to do while catching up on just about any topic.

Posted by: Bang-a-gong at February 22, 2025 06:55 PM (SRiFu)

120 I liked puzzles when I was a kid. But kind of gave up on them after moving away from home. Real life intruded.

The craziest ones were a series of square puzzles that had the same picture on both sides. And rotated 90 degrees on one side, IIRC.

And cut in a way that they didn't have that obvious "ridge" on the "bottom" side of the pieces.

Posted by: mikeski at February 22, 2025 06:55 PM (DgGvY)

121 Oh, and the scrolls are beautiful! Real works of art.

The portraits are not too shabby, either.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:56 PM (f+FmA)

122 gp, how high up do you have that mounted?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at February 22, 2025 06:56 PM (PiwSw)

123 I’ve been collecting hospital wristbands past few years.
Posted by: Eromero
------

Pfft. My collection is of hospital socks.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, vanity call supressed at February 22, 2025 06:58 PM (XeU6L)

124 114 Does Mod Poge sound right?
Posted by: no one of any consequence at February 22, 2025 06:54 PM (ZmEVT)

For the sealer? Yes, that's probably it.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 06:59 PM (f+FmA)

125 Just got an alert on my phone that orcas are in the area.

Ran upstairs and grabbed my binoculars. And yes! 4-5 beautiful black dorsal fins against the silver water! They are so cool to see! What a privilege.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:00 PM (LMddI)

126 82 Scarymary

There isn't anything my hubby can't fix, and he washes dishes and vacuums. And he always thanks me for whatever meal I put on the table, even when it was mac and cheese and hot dogs in the early years.
Sounds like you have a similar guy. Aren't we blessed?

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:01 PM (Eo96p)

127 Pfft. My collection is of hospital socks.
Posted by: Mike Hammer,

Heh. Sad, ain't it? We have quite the collection, and it's growing.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 07:01 PM (cPGH3)

128 125 Just got an alert on my phone that orcas are in the area.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:00 PM
***
You have an orca tracker on your phone?

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:01 PM (5Qmz2)

129 MkY, my first question is pretty basic.
I have some data, some leads, that's good for now.
How do I organize the data?
The goal is to share a report (pdf?) with far flung relatives

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at February 22, 2025 07:04 PM (0JWOm)

130
Just got an alert on my phone that orcas are in the area.

Ran upstairs and grabbed my binoculars. And yes! 4-5 beautiful black dorsal fins against the silver water! They are so cool to see! What a privilege.
Posted by: nurse ratched

Do orcas eat otters?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at February 22, 2025 07:04 PM (63Dwl)

131 All Morons should submit an email each week describing their hobbying activities. If you have nothing to report, you will need to increase your hobbying.

Posted by: E Musk at February 22, 2025 07:04 PM (5Qmz2)

132 Just got an alert on my phone that orcas are in the area.
Posted by: nurse ratched

You have an orca tracker on your phone?
Posted by: TRex

So she can warn the sea otters. They don't have phones.

Posted by: mikeski at February 22, 2025 07:05 PM (DgGvY)

133 127 Pfft. My collection is of hospital socks.
Posted by: Mike Hammer,

Heh. Sad, ain't it? We have quite the collection, and it's growing.
Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 07:01 PM (cPGH3)

Hospital wash basins have a variety of uses.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at February 22, 2025 07:05 PM (PiwSw)

134 You have an orca tracker on your phone?
Posted by: TRex at February

Yep!!!!

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:05 PM (rDeS1)

135 "You have an orca tracker on your phone?
Posted by: TRex"

You bet!

Posted by: A penguin at February 22, 2025 07:05 PM (vFG9F)

136 127 Pfft. My collection is of hospital socks.
Posted by: Mike Hammer,

Heh. Sad, ain't it? We have quite the collection, and it's growing.
Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 07:01 PM (cPGH3)

How 'bout those semi-thermal plastic drinking cups with the bendy straws?

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 22, 2025 07:07 PM (OX9vb)

137 No sea otters in Puget Sound. There may be some north in the San Juan Islands, but I've never seen them. You have to go out to the coast, and still, there are very few. I've never seen one in the wild.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:07 PM (rDeS1)

138 I'd also like to thank you, TRex, for this thread. I look forward to it every weekend.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:07 PM (Eo96p)

139 134 You have an orca tracker on your phone?
Posted by: TRex at February

Yep!!!!

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:05 PM
***
Cool. The orecas must have gps. Does it alert for other marine activity?

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:08 PM (5Qmz2)

140 138 I'd also like to thank you, TRex, for this thread. I look forward to it every weekend.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:07 PM
***
Thank YOU for being here!

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:08 PM (5Qmz2)

141 138 I'd also like to thank you, TRex, for this thread. I look forward to it every weekend.
Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:07 PM (Eo96p)

Same. I usually don't get to see it until it's long over, but I always read it.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 22, 2025 07:08 PM (OX9vb)

142 Votermom, if you have an account on Ancestry you can give your password to the people you want to be able to look at your work. I know of families that work on their genealogy stuff together.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:09 PM (Eo96p)

143

Hobbiests hate Monty Python

Posted by: _ _ at February 22, 2025 07:10 PM (MscVD)

144 Trump's not fooling around this time.
-------------

Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Consistent with President
@realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.

Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 22, 2025 07:11 PM (Q4IgG)

145 Cool. The orecas must have gps. Does it alert for other marine activity?
Posted by: TRex

Not that I've signed up for. We have a few resident pods that stuck around all year and a few transient pods that travel through. The residents eat mostly salmon and the transients eat mostly seals. We also get grey whales and humpbacks in the summertime.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:12 PM (rDeS1)

146 Wondering if I should have a Orca App on my phone

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 07:13 PM (fwDg9)

147 I like jigsaw puzzles and I'm working on a 1,000 piece one now. It's called "Starfield" and it's taking forever: https://bluekazoo.games/products/starfield-jigsaw-puzzle

My favorite jigsaw puzzles are wooden ones made by Artifact puzzles. Yes, they're expensive but they're so very cool with lots of special pieces. https://www.artifactpuzzles.com/

Posted by: Blast Hardcheese at February 22, 2025 07:14 PM (V362x)

148 146 Wondering if I should have a Orca App on my phone

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 07:13 PM
***
Maybe a Moron alert app?

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:15 PM (5Qmz2)

149 The goal is to share a report (pdf?) with far flung relatives
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

Oh, Lord. I remember that question, and I believe I answered you that a large, abandoned parking lot, and lots of white chalk might do... but virtually nothing else.
The pyramids work, but they get unwieldy. Ma and Pa Kettle and the top... their kids, below, and you begin to get wider.

It's much easier, in my mind, to tell the story, and fill it out, as well as you can document, in a linear fashion. Mention siblings, but don't dwell on them.
E.g. "Chesney was born in 1802, to (as near as we can tell) to William and Mary X, in Kentucky. He had 3 brothers, and two sister, the latter being from Williams' second wife, X"
You can't chase every damned cousin, and frankly, no one cares, except the cousins. And if they're that interested, have them do the documentation.
I found (WE found) so many errors in our oral histories... people like a good story. Old folks get confused, and for the most part, it's old folks that compile histories.

Posted by: MkY at February 22, 2025 07:16 PM (cPGH3)

150 "Wondering if I should have a Orca App on my phone
Posted by: Skip "

Big Orca is actually using the app to track you.

Posted by: fd at February 22, 2025 07:16 PM (vFG9F)

151 impressive, Blast. Cool picture but looks quite challenging.

My role in jigsaw puzzling is to separate pieces by color.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:18 PM (Eo96p)

152 Wondering if I should have a Orca App on my phone
Posted by: Skip

Maybe a Moron alert app?
Posted by: TRex

Plus: early notice for the good ammo sales!

Minus: your phone yells "NOOD!!" several times a day.

Posted by: mikeski at February 22, 2025 07:19 PM (DgGvY)

153 Y'all make fun, but it's really cool to see these creatures from my bedroom window.

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:19 PM (rDeS1)

154 fd, thank you for making it possible for JT to comment today.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 07:20 PM (mB6WH)

155 What? Where? When?

Posted by: fd at February 22, 2025 07:21 PM (vFG9F)

156 149 The goal is to share a report (pdf?) with far flung relatives
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport
***
We laid out trees on brown butcher paper and used sticky notes for each person. That allowed us to edit or move around as needed. We also tried very hard to use primary written sources and avoided relying on trees done by others. (Lots of people on Ancestry build their trees on trees from others and just repeat errors.) Oral history helped point in the right direction, but we tried to validate with other info. If we couldn't, we marked so we knew the source might not be solid.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:21 PM (5Qmz2)

157 It was mostly you Ben Had. I'm just tech support.

Posted by: fd at February 22, 2025 07:22 PM (vFG9F)

158 Thank you, gp! Anyone else messing with home-built antennas to talk with space aliens?

Well, actually, yeah. A while ago (AO-51 was still working--which tells you how long ago it was) I built a contraption out of PVC and wire and a wooden dowel to do the ham satellite thing. For many years, I had a trap dipole in my attic that kind-of worked. I've made quite a few antennas for MF, HF, VHF, and UHF, although lately I've been using commercial antennas for, well, everything.

Antennas are pretty easy to build, but sometimes you just don't want to mess with it.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at February 22, 2025 07:22 PM (iZEhM)

159 "gp, how high up do you have that mounted?"

It's in my second floor dining room, right behind me. That's one of the advantages of the magloop: no extraordinary height needed.

Posted by: gp at February 22, 2025 07:22 PM (ou6Ku)

160 fd, on the coffee thread this morning. Your setting up the tablet made it work.

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 07:23 PM (mB6WH)

161 TRex, Thanks for choosing such an interesting topic. Now I'm going to look at our pile of unopened jigsaw puzzles and wonder how I'm going to clear enough table space to do them. Clearing space in this house crowded because of my other hobbies would be a hobby in itself.

Posted by: JTB at February 22, 2025 07:23 PM (yTvNw)

162 Last one we did the dining table half got taken over.

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 07:24 PM (fwDg9)

163 Time to say good night and thank you before the next act takes the AoS stage. Thanks for being here. Come back next week for another Hobby Thread theme. The emailbox is always open.

Posted by: TRex at February 22, 2025 07:25 PM (5Qmz2)

164 153 Y'all make fun, but it's really cool to see these creatures from my bedroom window.
Posted by: nurse watched

Ding Dong!

Posted by: Land Shark at February 22, 2025 07:26 PM (MscVD)

165 161 TRex, Thanks for choosing such an interesting topic. Now I'm going to look at our pile of unopened jigsaw puzzles and wonder how I'm going to clear enough table space to do them. Clearing space in this house crowded because of my other hobbies would be a hobby in itself.
Posted by: JTB at

Do it! It is so fun to actually feel your brain working differently. And the dopamine hits as you put it together and see more and more of it!

Posted by: nurse ratched at February 22, 2025 07:26 PM (xIWND)

166 Nurse, I love that flower puzzle. I haven't done a jigsaw in some years--maybe I should get one. I have a large dining table that is used primarily for collecting mail and library books. I could do puzzles on it instead.

I could also turn this machine off once in a while and try again to learn to knit.

But I probably won't. You Morons are fascinating people, and I can't live without you.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 22, 2025 07:26 PM (OX9vb)

167 I used to have a puzzle on top of the bookshelf up there (waves vaguely south) that I bought to give to my father for Christmas. He was an avid puzzler.

Unfortunately, he didn't make it to Christmas. Eventually, I donated it.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at February 22, 2025 07:26 PM (iZEhM)

168 The things I learned on AoS is now a 10 volume set

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 07:30 PM (mB6WH)

169 I'm always saying "I read on Ace . . ." and my grandkids roll their eyes.
I have learned many helpful things, some odd things, and met many nice people.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:32 PM (Eo96p)

170 That's great Ben Had. Thanks for making it happen.

Posted by: fd at February 22, 2025 07:33 PM (vFG9F)

171 144 Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Consistent with President
@realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.

Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.
Posted by: Martini Farmer at February 22, 2025 07:11 PM (Q4IgG)

If I'm terminated while on approved leave after having invoked FMLA to take care of my ailing parents then I'll be suing.

Posted by: antisocial justice beatnik at February 22, 2025 07:35 PM (NuKV1)

172 Friend of mine is an amazing western oil artist. His greatest project depicted the Lewis and Clark expedition start to finish. Something like 84 paintings. Many of them are on displayed at the L&C museum. He also painted the Battle of Little Big Horn, which is featured in the Custer Museum..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at February 22, 2025 07:36 PM (bA75n)

173 I could also turn this machine off once in a while and try again to learn to knit.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at February 22, 2025 07:26 PM (OX9vb)

Knitting allows you to watch TV guilt free, if you're working on a project at the same time.

Just sayin'

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 07:36 PM (f+FmA)

174 Youngest son and wife are the puzzlers in the family. He is pretty good at it

Posted by: A dude in MI at February 22, 2025 07:37 PM (/6GbT)

175 fd, no. We made it happen. Never would have gotten it done without you

Posted by: Ben Had at February 22, 2025 07:38 PM (mB6WH)

176 Jigsaw puzzle ? Took apart a Mauser C96 broom handle. Had to take it to an old school gunsmith to put together. No screws other than grip. Everything just fits together.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at February 22, 2025 07:39 PM (RqJVU)

177 @131 My hobby was already covered.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at February 22, 2025 07:41 PM (CHHv1)

178 I solve chess puzzles on lichess.org and chessclub.com. That's the full extent of both my puzzling, and my video gaming.

Posted by: Peel gp A Jackfruit at February 22, 2025 07:41 PM (ou6Ku)

179 176 Jigsaw puzzle ? Took apart a Mauser C96 broom handle. Had to take it to an old school gunsmith to put together. No screws other than grip. Everything just fits together.
Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at February 22, 2025 07:39 PM (RqJVU)

Heh. Remember those mystery boxes? You slid one piece a little bit, then another piece a little bit and then that allowed you to move yet another piece? Repeat and eventually it would open?

Like that?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at February 22, 2025 07:42 PM (bss/y)

180 Hiya TRex, and Hobby Horde! Sometimes one's "hobbies" turn into millstones. Batteries (2 of them!) went flat in the Suburban 2 days ago. I attributed it to having left the end gate open all afternoon, and put one of those little "battery maintainers" on the truck to charge 'em back up. Went out this morning to try it, and batteries were dead flat, flatter than piss on a plate at the surface of Jupiter. And the little charge was quite hot. So I boosted the truck off the battery in the project Studebaker, and it started right up, and voltmeter indicated a charge. So I drove around the neighborhood for about an hour, and went to a couple of yard sales, and got some small tools. Let the truck idle each time. I got back to the house, shut it down, and noticed a strong stench of battery acid fumes. The auxiliary battery was spewing fumes out the vent. I took it out, tested both batteries; main one good, aux is weak. I think one cell shorted and got reversed, and that drained the main bettery, too.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at February 22, 2025 07:42 PM (8zz6B)

181 JoeKidd
The Lewis & Clark Museum in Iowa?

We've been there and it was so good. I think it was Iowa. South Dakota? Dang, it's been awhile.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:42 PM (Eo96p)

182 72 Friend of mine is an amazing western oil artist. His greatest project depicted the Lewis and Clark expedition start to finish. Something like 84 paintings. Many of them are on displayed at the L&C museum. He also painted the Battle of Little Big Horn, which is featured in the Custer Museum..
Posted by: Joe Kidd at February 22, 2025 07:36 PM (bA75n)

We are a big Western Art town here, with a lovely museum in the Arts Center, and a room in the history museum. And paintings displayed in the bank and the hospital.

Posted by: sal at February 22, 2025 07:43 PM (f+FmA)

183 I finally have something to thank a Nazi for... I've been wracking my brain for a new hobby, and gave myself a budget of about $1500 to get started. I've been researching all kinds of stuff, and not finding anything I really like.

Anyway, I was reading Albert Speer's memoirs, and he was talking about how when he was young and broke in Weimar times, he and his wife would take faltboots out to mountain lakes in southern Germany for their vacations. He made it sound pretty fucking awesome.

I started thinking "I live next to a beautiful mountain lake, and I could afford the bigger, cooler modern version of a faltboot, which is an inflatable pontoon boat."

I think I'm gonna get one, and go float around with my wife in Appalachia, and drink margaritas, and not catch any fish.

If it's good enough for Albert Speer, it's good enough for me.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at February 22, 2025 07:44 PM (BI5O2)

184 Lot of puzzle apps you can do on your I-Pad.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 22, 2025 07:44 PM (VofaG)

185 Heh. Remember those mystery boxes? You slid one piece a little bit, then another piece a little bit and then that allowed you to move yet another piece? Repeat and eventually it would open?

Like that?
Posted by: Aetius451AD at February 22, 2025 07:42 PM (bss/y)
----
I've seen that movie. It doesn't end well.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at February 22, 2025 07:45 PM (BpYfr)

186 WE HAVE A MOVIE MARQUE

Posted by: Skip at February 22, 2025 07:46 PM (fwDg9)

187 Bob Rickards is the artist's name. He's a local celebrity around these parts. Designed a lot of the buildings here. He's 88 and probably in his last lap around the sun. Coming into his orbit recently has been a great blessing..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at February 22, 2025 07:46 PM (bA75n)

188 Like that?

Yeah. The Mauser pistol is unusual because it has no screws. All parts are coupled or seated by bayonet-joint assembling or mutual interlocking.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle for festive little hats at February 22, 2025 07:47 PM (RqJVU)

189 I feel bad because my mom did a 24 x 36 inch Walgreens Pharmacy puzzle ( she retired from Walgreens) and had it framed . I threw it away when I moved.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at February 22, 2025 07:50 PM (VofaG)

190 The one we were at was in North Dakota.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:51 PM (Eo96p)

191 We've been there and it was so good. I think it was Iowa. South Dakota? Dang, it's been awhile.
Posted by: TecumsehTea at February 22, 2025 07:42 PM (Eo96p)

St Louis. Bob is a great Lewis and Clark historian. Get him talking about Meriweather Lewis's mysterious death and buckle in for a ride. The man has opinions...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at February 22, 2025 07:59 PM (bA75n)

192
The Last Emperor - The scope and execution of this work recalls the grand 1960s epics. The sets are breathtaking. The acting is first rate. The direction juggles all the balls with skill. If there is nick here is there is so much to tell that sometimes you are lost a bit in the events. I would recommend reading up before watching.

10 Cloverfield Lane. I hit this cold knowing nothing about the cast or the plots. John Goodman is John Goodman which is a good thing here. Totally enjoyed it.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. All the Ardman movies are masterpieces of stop animation. Minutes in these imamate clay blobs become real characters where you cheer for the heroes and boo the villains. Sappy? Yeah. Dopey? Yeah? But who cares? The are gloriously charming. Totally recommend it.

Posted by: Altaria Pilgram - My President has convictions at February 22, 2025 08:48 PM (Q8Bj8)

193 My Grandfather's favorite puzzle was called:
Snow White without the Seven Dwarves
It was round and completely white

Posted by: Gouverneur Morris at February 22, 2025 08:49 PM (J8OCH)

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