Hobby Thread - October 3, 2026 [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. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) is feeling spooky and decided on a Halloween hobbying theme for this Hobby Thread.

Halloween hobbying?! Yes! Tell me more!

[Top photo: Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Village]

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Fall is a big time for hobbying. Halloween is a big time for hobbying.

Crafting, decorating, carving, costumes, pumpkin patches, and more. Now that we're in October, are you busy hobbying for the fall? Are you working on Halloween projects? If not, why not!? Get planning and building and crafting!

Are you planning fall outings? If not, why not?! Get planning and traveling!

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What are you hobbying?

The theme may not be your favorite but give it a chance before you judge and bail out. Any adjacent hobbying is in scope, so jump in with your interests, stories and questions.

In any event, the thread is not limited to to the theme. Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. Even if the theme does not speak to you, you might learn something or be entertained. If not, offer something else relating to hobbying. If all of that fails, just check in and say hello.

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere (unless your hobby is building or restoring churches). Pants? Nope. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.

Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.

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The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, Croton-on-Hudson, NY

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Part I.

Part II.

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This isn't the gardening thread but I couldn't resist a pumpkin video titled "I Tried Growing a Giant Pumpkin Using a Chicken"

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Bandsaw Halloween hobbying:

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Splat.

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Won't let me embed but click to see a home made pumpkin chunkin trebuchet.

Seems like the kind of thing a dinosaur needs, right?

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Walt knows hand tools:

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Interesting scale model project:

This channel is going to be in an upcoming Wednesday ONT as a niche YouTube channel feature for reasons, so stay tuned.

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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a fall scenic drives theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

Notable comments from last week:

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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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Reminder: if you put links in the comments, use a URL shortener and describe what you're linking to. Failing to do either or both makes you barrel-eligible. Don't make people click to find out what you're linking.

Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Or just email to say hello. Do mighty things.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Just decor for the season indoor and outdoor. No crafts.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 03, 2026 05:30 PM (1Ff7Z)

2 We have ceramic pumpkins. They need painting about every 5 years.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 03, 2026 05:31 PM (RORbl)

3 We have inflatable pumpkins. They go back in the box every year.

Posted by: fd at October 03, 2026 05:34 PM (MWfyi)

4 Welcome Hobbiests
Well if you remember my mentioning to make a medallion for my cartridge box for my musket I tried today. Some good things, first the air dry clay held up. Also was worried I didn't have enough plumbing solder, I have plenty. But the details didn't come out well. Unperturbed have started a simpler on, a single flamed grenade, more appropriate for 1812 anyway.

Posted by: Skip at October 03, 2026 05:36 PM (Ia/+0)

5 Evenin', hobby folk! It's raining here and I hope the partly-outdoor event Linda wants to drag me to is canceled or postponed. I hate to drive in that area in the dry, let alone with street flooding possible in those low-lying areas.

Hallowe'en? Miss Linda keeps saying October is black cat Stirling's month. I say, "Yes, and so are the other eleven."

I haven't decorated for H'ween, or worn a costume for that matter, in many years. This year the big day is a Saturday. I imagine there will be quite a bit of partying around the country.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:38 PM (wzUl9)

6
We don't decorate for Hallowen.

Last year we bought lots of candy from the dollar store and dumped it all in a big bin and put up a sign that said take what you want or take it all. Most candy gets tossed anyways so why spend big bucks.

Posted by: four seasons at October 03, 2026 05:38 PM (/QHx4)

7 Good topic and timely. We looked across the street at our neighbor's house. They have a HUGE skeleton supposedly coming up from the ground as if rising from the grave. You can sure tell who has young kids on this street. It wouldn't surprise me if it glows in the dark. (Too soon to tell.) This family decorates for each season and it is fun to see but the skeleton was a surprise.

Posted by: JTB at October 03, 2026 05:39 PM (yTvNw)

8 As to accord with my expression "Nothing is as easy as it looks like it's going to be", the replacement of the RV toilet today went well until I turned on the water to test it and found the pressure accumulator tank had rusted thru, thereby spraying water everywhere under the sink.

I knew it was going too easy. Something was bound to happen.

Posted by: fd at October 03, 2026 05:40 PM (MWfyi)

9 The guy down the street has one of those giant skeleton riding in the back of an old pickup truck.

Posted by: fd at October 03, 2026 05:41 PM (MWfyi)

10 Also as have some air dry clay left over, thinking of some scenery, bridge or bildings. I made fortifications out of quick set spackle.

Posted by: Skip at October 03, 2026 05:41 PM (Ia/+0)

11 Pipe smokers: I ordered a new Zippo pipe lighter, a brushed-brass "armor" model, and it arrived this week. Works great, as does my old one from 2021. I also ordered some more Burlier Morning Pipe from Ken Byron Ventures in TN, and for some mini-cigarillos from another online vendor. I was hoping the BMP would get here today, but I doubt it will.

The last order had free shipping with a promo code, but that means it takes 8-12 business days to get here. I'll be lucky if I see it by next Saturday.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:42 PM (wzUl9)

12 I haven't done more than hand candies to the kiddies for Halloween, and the number of kiddies has dropped precipitously over the last decade. I think last year there were maybe 5 visits to my door.
As for pumpkins, I haven't carved one in years...they go mushy and moldy too fast, so only carved the day of.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 03, 2026 05:42 PM (l3cgK)

13 We're so far off the road, anyone coming up here unannounced, get met with the shotgun.

Unless it's a van with FedEx, UPS, Amazon or USPS.

Or, if I'm feeling charitable, the kids.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (RORbl)

14 Hey Skip did you see somebody used AI to break one of Napoleon's codes he used for writing letters?

Posted by: fd at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (MWfyi)

15 Back when I lived in the CA bay area, there was a scuba shop in Monterey that sponsored an underwater pumpkin carving contest each October. The rules were that you could only use your dive knife and you couldn't puncture the pumpkin until you were below the surface. My dive buddy and I wanted to try it but never got around to it.

Posted by: Oddbob at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (vTZFs)

16 What a magnificent pumpkin village! Thanks, T Rex!

Folks sure do some fascinating things with gourds.

Posted by: Legally Sufficient at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (D/6p1)

17 Calvin and Hobbes.

Pure bottled-lightning genius. I love that I have the entire catalog in a hardbound set. I am looking at it right now.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Sounding the Carnyx at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (0aYVJ)

18 Afternoon, Horde...how goes it?

My only hobby right now is continuing my ongoing adventures in Middle-Earth in Lord of the Rings Online.

I finally caught up with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf in time to watch Gandalf's confrontation with King Theoden in Edoras.

Now Theoden has led his men off to Helm's Deep while I stay behind and prepare his folk for their journey to Dunharrow.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (FZ29D)

19 "Folks sure do some fascinating things with gourds."

Come on out and we will show you a thing or two!

Posted by: The Sex Toy Workshop at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (MWfyi)

20 17 Calvin and Hobbes.

Pure bottled-lightning genius. I love that I have the entire catalog in a hardbound set. I am looking at it right now.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Sounding the Carnyx at October 03, 2026 05:43 PM (0aYVJ)

I bought that and "The Far Side" books as gifts for friends many years ago...never thought of buying it for myself...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (l3cgK)

21 There is a big house on St. Charles Avenue in the university district that makes a major production of Halloween every year. Oct. 1 the display goes up, occupying their large front yard and attracting pedestrians galore, and Nov. 1 it's gone. It features the usual trappings such as skeletons, tombstones, bats, and witches; but each item has a label on it, often funny or satirical, mentioning local or national celebrities. I need to drive over there one day this month and take a few pics. Then I can give examples of the homeowners' clever wit.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:46 PM (wzUl9)

22 Heh, I missed last week's scenic thread because I was up in the mountains off Co-6. We did Loveland pass and saw beautiful mountain views, golden aspen, rain and rainbows.

Posted by: Lizzy at October 03, 2026 05:46 PM (rOKnE)

23 fd saw a post on the forum I go to, but also was mentioned on one of the Napoleonic podcasts I listen to.

Posted by: Skip at October 03, 2026 05:46 PM (Ia/+0)

24 19 "Folks sure do some fascinating things with gourds."

Come on out and we will show you a thing or two!

Posted by: The Sex Toy Workshop at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (MWfyi)

We know how to wear gourds.

Posted by: Natives of New Guinea at October 03, 2026 05:46 PM (l3cgK)

25 Where I live the kids don't bother with going around to peoples' doors, and that's good. You have to be careful opening the door even in daylight, let alone at night.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:48 PM (wzUl9)

26 Here's a link to an article about deciphering one of his letters:

tinyurl.com/3dy8etkf

Posted by: fd at October 03, 2026 05:49 PM (MWfyi)

27 I bought that and "The Far Side" books as gifts for friends many years ago...never thought of buying it for myself...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (l3cgK)
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They are both totally worth it!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:49 PM (FZ29D)

28 There is a big house on St. Charles Avenue in the university district that makes a major production of Halloween every year. Oct. 1 the display goes up, occupying their large front yard and attracting pedestrians galore, and Nov. 1 it's gone. It features the usual trappings such as skeletons, tombstones, bats, and witches; but each item has a label on it, often funny or satirical, mentioning local or national celebrities. I need to drive over there one day this month and take a few pics. Then I can give examples of the homeowners' clever wit.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:46 PM (wzUl9)
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We have a "Haunted Mine" at the university where I work. It's a charitable event where people bring canned goods, pay a small fee, and get to go through our experimental mine that's dressed up for Halloween. I hear it's really quite cool (I've never gone.)

A lot of the local fraternities have similar events.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:52 PM (FZ29D)

29 I haven't decorated for H'ween, or worn a costume for that matter, in many years. This year the big day is a Saturday. I imagine there will be quite a bit of partying around the country.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:38 PM (wzUl9)

I haven't either, but until the kid is finished with that kind of stuff, I might stop decorating outdoors and handing out candy. Not too many kids around anymore anyway.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 03, 2026 05:53 PM (1Ff7Z)

30
In two weeks Hubby and I will be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary. Some days we look at each other and try to figure how that happened.

Time passes fast. Celebrate what you want to.

Posted by: four seasons at October 03, 2026 05:53 PM (/QHx4)

31 > bought that and "The Far Side" books as gifts for friends many years ago...never thought of buying it for myself...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)
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The "Calvin and Hobbs" 3 book set is totally worth it.

I still sit in our den during the winter and go through them at my leisure.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 03, 2026 05:53 PM (RORbl)

32 I bought that and "The Far Side" books as gifts for friends many years ago...never thought of buying it for myself...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (l3cgK)
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They are both totally worth it!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:49 PM (FZ29D)

I also have the Bloom County set. Berke Breathed walked a line; Doonesbury or not. He mostly did a great job, but not always. Opus will always be my favorite comic strip character ever.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026 05:54 PM (0aYVJ)

33 For the whittlers and wood carvers. I came across a fairly new YT channel called "Pocket Woodcraft". These are rather short videos, usually under 10 minutes, of whittling simple figures from 1" x 1" basswood using just a knife and sometimes a small gouge to provide simple textures. No talking, just the sound of the knife and the wood. (I think that's called ASMR.) These are demonstrations, not tutorials, and assume you know basic knife cuts, safety and how to maintain the blade. The whittler wears a kevlar glove for protection. I'm finding them very informative and restful. In keeping with today's theme, a recent video was 'carving a scared little ghost'. One inch square basswood sticks are very cheap and easy to find. It's an inexpensive way to get started in the hobby.

Doug Linker has another carving channel on YT that I enjoy. He also has a series of videos using 1" x 1" sticks of various lengths. His videos are 'talkies' and he provides more advice but take the same relaxed approach.

Posted by: JTB at October 03, 2026 05:54 PM (yTvNw)

34 I bought that and "The Far Side" books as gifts for friends many years ago...never thought of buying it for myself...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at October 03, 2026 05:44 PM (l3cgK)
----
They are both totally worth it!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:49 PM (FZ29D)

I also have the Bloom County set. Berke Breathed walked a line; Doonesbury or not. He mostly did a great job, but not always. Opus will always be my favorite comic strip character ever.
Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026 05:54 PM (0aYVJ)
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Yep. Got those, too. Also the Outland collection.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026 05:55 PM (FZ29D)

35 We have a "Haunted Mine" at the university where I work. It's a charitable event where people bring canned goods, pay a small fee, and get to go through our experimental mine that's dressed up for Halloween. I hear it's really quite cool (I've never gone.)

A lot of the local fraternities have similar events.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 03, 2026

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The "Haunted Houses" I used to hear about here are either gone or I'm just not up to date on them. The king of them is, or was, one called The Mortuary. It's located near actual cemeteries -- and in fact the building used to house a real funeral home itself; I attended the service for a friend's father there in about '72.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:55 PM (wzUl9)

36 I also have the Bloom County set. Berke Breathed walked a line; Doonesbury or not. He mostly did a great job, but not always. Opus will always be my favorite comic strip character ever.
Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026

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When the TV series Soap was new, I didn't "get it." Not until years later, watching it in syndication, did I see: It was a comic strip! If you replaced Burt with a penguin, not much would have changed in the dialog!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:57 PM (wzUl9)

37 On topic as a hobby, I'm working on getting an Alliance for the Horde set up in No Man's Sky. The star system is now called Ace of Spades Headquarters and has appropriately theme named planets with the base of Camp Corsicana on the planet Infinite MoMee. I'm considering calling the alliance "Rons and Ettes Together" if that many characters are allowed, but am open to suggestions.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at October 03, 2026 05:58 PM (lFFaq)

38 You need to experience…a nice morning drive.

Posted by: Richard S, Foster at October 03, 2026 05:59 PM (6jna9)

39 The "Haunted Houses" I used to hear about here are either gone or I'm just not up to date on them.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 05:55 PM (wzUl9)

There are a couple in my area. They take a section of a mall parking lot every year. It looks like a company runs them as a business, not a group thing like a school or social service would.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 03, 2026 06:00 PM (1Ff7Z)

40 My skill set as an artist does not include being able to draw the same person the same way every time. I would be a terrible cartoonist.

Editor: Wait, is this Walt or Jenny?

Me: Gimme that! I'll work on it!

Editor: You have 90 minutes.

Me: Gets in car, goes to bar.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026 06:00 PM (0aYVJ)

41 Nothing for Halloween. It has meant nothing for decades now.

Posted by: Cow Demon at October 03, 2026 06:01 PM (6jna9)

42 Fed amusement haunted houses around hete

Posted by: Skip at October 03, 2026 06:01 PM (Ia/+0)

43 Nice gourds.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at October 03, 2026 06:02 PM (wpRMV)

44

My favorite thing about Halloween is carving pumpkins.
So many cool designs.

Posted by: four seasons at October 03, 2026 06:02 PM (/QHx4)

45 Heh, I missed last week's scenic thread because I was up in the mountains off Co-6. We did Loveland pass and saw beautiful mountain views, golden aspen, rain and rainbows.
Posted by: Lizzy at October 03, 2026

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Is that the U.S. Route 6 I wrote about last week? The 'Net says there was a CO 6 from Grand Junction to the Kansas border, overlapping with U.S. 50, but not any longer.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 06:02 PM (wzUl9)

46 I also have the Bloom County set. Berke Breathed walked a line; Doonesbury or not. He mostly did a great job, but not always. Opus will always be my favorite comic strip character ever.
Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026 05:54 PM (0aYVJ)

Bloom County was alright. Breathed took himself WAY too seriously though.

Posted by: Cow Demon at October 03, 2026 06:03 PM (6jna9)

47 Howdy Horde!

Posted by: TRex - fall hobbying dino at October 03, 2026 06:03 PM (XfIK1)

48 The betterHalf decided pumpkins don't make it in the desert. We have a selection of 5gal propane tanks spray painted to resemble Jacko lanterns. She uses spot lights no candles! to light them.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at October 03, 2026 06:05 PM (NnhvP)

49 Bloom County was alright. Breathed took himself WAY too seriously though.
Posted by: Cow Demon at October 03, 2026

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His style is immediately recognizable. The "Jasmine" cartoons visible at the end of the movie Secondhand Lions were obviously his.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 03, 2026 06:05 PM (wzUl9)

50 "Interesting scale model project:"

This YouTube video is coming up as a black rectangle for me using Firefox.

Had to right click on it, >This Frame >Open Frame in New Tab to get it open.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at October 03, 2026 06:07 PM (6ydKt)

51 Bloom County was alright. Breathed took himself WAY too seriously though.
Posted by: Cow Demon at October 03, 2026 06:03 PM (6jna9)

One of the cool side things about Secondhand Lions is that Berke Breathed did the artwork for the comic strip. Wonderful work.

Posted by: Pug Mahon, Wearing a Bill the Cat T-shirt at October 03, 2026 06:07 PM (0aYVJ)

52 ...and then the page refreshed and it showed up.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at October 03, 2026 06:07 PM (6ydKt)

53 There are a few amusement haunted houses around here

Posted by: Skip at October 03, 2026 06:09 PM (Ia/+0)

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