Hobby Thread - October 31, 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 sparkly and decided on a crystal and gem theme for this Halloween Hobby Thread.

Crystals and gems? Read on, fellow hobbyists...

[Top photo: why isn't there a picture of a crystal or diamond for a crystal or diamond theme? Answer - if you had a dinosaur Halloween photo, wouldn't you post it?]

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Disclaimer - I know next to nothing about crystals and gems. I barely survived chemistry and my earth sciences class did not include gemology. Like anything I don't know or understand, I respect geologists, miners, and people that understand how the science works. In addition, my small brain and short arms make mining and cutting problematic. All of that means I've gathered random content that caught my eye, but will need help from the Horde in the gray boxes to make this work.

Credit for the hobby thread theme comes from this post last week:

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The content may not be your favorite but give it a chance before you judge and bail out. More importantly, what are you hobbying? Jump in with your hobbying, interests, stories and questions.

Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. If nothing resonates, offer something else relating to hobbying or 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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Apparently you can grow crystals at home with fertilizer? Has anyone done this? I'm pretty sure I would cause an explosion rather than grow a crystal.

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Is faceting the same as grinding or cutting?

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Can experience overcome low end equipment? Can higher end equipment compensate for a lack of experience? Either way, this video likely proves that you don't need to spend huge dollars to get into this hobby:

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Crater of Diamonds state park in Arkansas (a little more than an hour north of Texarcana).

Anyone ever done this? If so, have any success?

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Very impressive:

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Do you know Destin? Of course you know Destin. Who better to show opal mining in Australia?

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I don't know anything about leather working but this project to make a maul (mini hammer) used a lot of different crafting skills. Then he uses it on a leather project.

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Remember this guy? Interesting test. Fascinating to see the measurements. These induction heaters are impressive. Anyone have one of these in your tool kit?

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Horde Hobbying:

From Semper Why:

I bought a couple of smart bird feeders last year. One for my parents and one for my house. They're pretty slick.
The downside is that the squirrels will climb the wooden pole and eat the feeder dry in a day. I could mount it higher and put in a squirrel guard, but my 70 year-old mother would need a ladder to refill the feeder. So like an idiot I got to designing.
I built a pulley & carriage system for 3/4" electrical conduit and connected it to a volleyball net tension winch. I 3D printed the pieces out of PLA and after 4 versions, I seem to have hit on a workable design. Now my mother can raise & lower the feeder with the winch and the squirrels can't get past the guard attached to the carriage.
So far, so good. The squirrels haven't been in either feeder in a month.

Looks clever! Anyone else have home built squirrel solutions? (Perfessor excepted of course...)

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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did a geocaching 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.

Boo! 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

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1 Happy Halloween everyone

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 05:30 PM (Ia/+0)

2 Lotsa gems on this here board.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 05:30 PM (1Ff7Z)

3 You can make crystal candy with string and sugar.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 05:32 PM (1Ff7Z)

4 Making my own D20s, hmmmmm

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 05:32 PM (Ia/+0)

5 Evening! I used to collect rocks, including crystals....

Posted by: RandomDave at October 31, 2026 05:34 PM (aJQbY)

6 Comments

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Name: *

SPONGE

Posted by: BifBewalski - at October 31, 2026 05:34 PM (QVmho)

7 My grandfather was a mining engineer. He had quite the collection of rare earth minerals, crystals and precious stones... and gold. I have an old pill vile with some uncut rubies, some sapphires, gold and other stuff.

Small... not nearly for jewelry. Just... cool to look at.

He also found many... many fossils. I have part of a Mastodon tusk, prehistoric shark teeth and some other stuff squirreled away somewhere.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2026 05:36 PM (RORbl)

8 Wife asked about my writing hobby this morning.... oops.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 05:36 PM (1Ff7Z)

9 My own hobby is continuing my journey in Lord of the Rings Online.

MMOs have a lot of holiday-related content.

In LOTRO, you can go "trick or treating" in player-owned neighborhoods, collecting virtual candy while dressed up in virtual costumes.

I've made it to Western and Central Gondor. Tons of quests available in Dol Amroth, the other major city besides Minas Tirith (still a long way from there....)

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 31, 2026 05:39 PM (FZ29D)

10
Happy Halloween, Skip!

I've got my jack-o'-lantern carved, candle stuck in it for size. No idea who/how many trick-or-treaters I'll get, but I've done my part for tradition.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at October 31, 2026 05:40 PM (mmrXZ)

11 Work proceeds on the Honda generator. Realized that the last iteration of the wiring left the output of the voltage regulator hot to the battery, so that the little red LED in the regulator could run the battery flat over a long spell of disuse. Corrected that by using a double-pole switch for the ignition switch. In "off" position, both battery and regulator are disconnected from ignition module, and engine just stops.

Found the plastic welding I had done to the fuel tank had cracked, so redid that, and then plastered it over with a huge smear of gorilla snot, with a layer of toilet paper embedded in it. Composite material, yo! That may seal it OK. Will look for a good used fuel tank.

Gems? Have not had much to do with gems. I did run across a deposit of "noble" serpentine in Arizona. Pretty, mottled green, and decently hard. Could be made into cabochons. Friend here in Alberta is big into gem ammonite, and has a mining lease.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at October 31, 2026 05:45 PM (0kX4S)

12 T Minus 15 minutes.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at October 31, 2026 05:46 PM (r2Icn)

13 For some reason I have never been interested in rocks or gems or precious stones, except as they are used in mechanical watches (e.g., "17-jewel" watches). While I love the way sapphires and emeralds look, their creation or grinding or anything else is beyond my ken.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 05:52 PM (wzUl9)

14 For some reason I have never been interested in rocks or gems or precious stones, except as they are used in mechanical watches (e.g., "17-jewel" watches).

I've never understood what that means. The watch has a rock in it?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 05:54 PM (1Ff7Z)

15 Looks clever! Anyone else have home built squirrel solutions? (Perfessor excepted of course...)
_________________________

Well, I do believe I have the system above beat. When my parents were alive, they had a wealth of bird feeders behind the house, and as a result an all you can eat buffet for squirrels.

I bought a used fence charger (solar powered) and attached it to a metal pole. I then attached a large WOODEN bird feeder to the top. The fence charger cost me about $40. I built the bird feeder using scrap wood. So, a $40 bird feeder may sound a little steep. BUT, good grief, the entertainment factor alone on watching squirrels get shocked was hilarious and well worth it.

Posted by: Orson at October 31, 2026 05:54 PM (dIske)

16 I nominate the Squirrels for Congress..

They are smarter than the creatures that occupy the House presently.

Posted by: Jackson K. at October 31, 2026 05:58 PM (u322d)

17 Did any dogs ever pee on the metal pole?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at October 31, 2026 05:59 PM (Cqx++)

18 Orson, so long as the voltage was low enough you didn't have to scoop up squirrel carcasses weekly, sounds like a plan. Certainly you're either gonna pay for a setup like that or pay for a fancy feeder, or just give the food to the squirrels directly.

I've got an 'anti-squirrel' feeder. But. Little guys are so dextrous and such that, since my back yard has all sorts of climbable surfaces (such as fence, walls, posts, etc) the 'squirrel baffles' do no good, and they'll regularly slither up the pole, lean out and grab the feeder. If they put their weight on it, it will drop and close the feeder holes, but if they're careful, they might can get as much as a bird can. But mostly they just eat what the birds spill because birds are messy eaters. Re-filling the feeder every 1-3 weeks is fine. The old 'simple' feeder design the squirrels were dumping daily.

Posted by: RandomDave at October 31, 2026 06:01 PM (aJQbY)

19 For some reason I have never been interested in rocks or gems or precious stones, except as they are used in mechanical watches (e.g., "17-jewel" watches).

I've never understood what that means. The watch has a rock in it?

Sapphire is a low friction bearing.

Posted by: Archimedes at October 31, 2026 06:02 PM (Riz8t)

20 Tried again this afternoon making a flaming grenade medallion for my cartridge pouch. The air dry clay mold is holding up, just outside edges didn't take so carved the flames in deeper. Will try again tomorrow. Using plumbing solder as it heats easily.

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 06:02 PM (Ia/+0)

21 Skip, have you tried cuttlefish bone? That was the traditional negative mold for carving.

Posted by: Kindltot at October 31, 2026 06:04 PM (rbvCR)

22 We visited and took pictures of the historic home on St. charles Avenue that every year decorates their yard for Halloween with all sorts of skeletons with pun title cards. For instance, a huge dog skeleton labeled "Scooby-BOO"; "skELON Musk"; "Napoleon BONE APART"; "PELVIS Presley" and "PELVIS Costello, Pinned at the HIP"; "(No) Fats DOOMino," "DERMA Thomas," and "Harry Con-NECK", "Bryan BAT", "Mayor Skelena Moreno," etc. "SKULLett O'Scara" in "Gone With the Skin"; "Walter I-SICK-Son," "SCARY Matalin," and "James Carve-ILL."

Atop the roof was a Grim Reaper with a sign, "I've Got Shingles!" And on a table at the curb was a skeleton in pieces with signs like "I Was Just Coffin" and "Where's My Life Coach?"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:05 PM (wzUl9)

23 >>I've never understood what that means. The watch has a rock in it?

Jewels, often synthetic, are used as bearings to reduce wear in the winding movement.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:05 PM (viF8m)

24 So far tried plaster paris, and now air dry clay.

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 06:10 PM (Ia/+0)

25 18 Orson, so long as the voltage was low enough you didn't have to scoop up squirrel carcasses weekly, sounds like a plan. Certainly you're either gonna pay for a setup like that or pay for a fancy feeder, or just give the food to the squirrels directly.
Posted by: RandomDave at October 31, 2026 06:01 PM (aJQbY)
______________________

I first tried it with one of those tiny solar panels on the back of a sidewalk light. But, those things don't hold enough power. The squirrels were not deterred. So, GO BIG, or go home. I knew a fence charger would work. Hell, my brother and I used to place bets on who could last longest holding onto the electrified wire that kept the neighbor's cows in.

Posted by: Orson at October 31, 2026 06:10 PM (dIske)

26 Sapphire is a low friction bearing.
Posted by: Archimedes at October 31, 2026 06:02 PM (Riz8t)

Last time I saw Miss Sapphire, she wasn't low friction.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 06:10 PM (1Ff7Z)

27 See lots of videos in casting metals which looks like a sand.
Would be neat to move up to brass casting.

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 06:11 PM (Ia/+0)

28 Jewels, often synthetic, are used as bearings to reduce wear in the winding movement.
Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:05 PM (viF8m)

Instead of some lubricant?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 06:12 PM (1Ff7Z)

29 When my daughter was young, I bought a rock polisher and polished her some rocks. Nothing of value, just pretty polished rocks.

Posted by: Ronster at October 31, 2026 06:12 PM (QQf1O)

30
We made a bird feeder out of a collapsible clothes line pole. Built a cross tree out of 1x4 pine and suspended a feeder on the outter ends. Raise it up high and the squirrels cannot get in the feeders.

Posted by: BifBewalski - at October 31, 2026 06:13 PM (QVmho)

31 @24, Sid, you're going to be first against the wall, and then they're going to dynamite your carcass to get rid of it, the way they do other beached whales.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at October 31, 2026 06:14 PM (PLy7M)

32 Jewels, often synthetic, are used as bearings to reduce wear in the winding movement.
Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:05 PM (viF8m)
*
Instead of some lubricant?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026

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There's lubricant in there as well. It gets replaced when the watch is serviced. I expect some of the jewels do too.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:14 PM (wzUl9)

33 My hobby tonight is lying in wait for the little candysnatchers. 🧙‍♀️

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at October 31, 2026 06:14 PM (kpS4V)

34 >>Instead of some lubricant?

Yep. Unlike liquid lubricant jewels don't dry or evaporate. It's a really old practice.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:15 PM (viF8m)

35 Anyone else have home built squirrel solutions?

Dad had no problems with squirrels around until he 1) Wanted to put out a bird feeder and 2) Grow his own tomatoes in a patch in the backyard.

1) He eventually gave up that battle and moved on to putting out hummingbird feeders.

2) The squirrels had him so angry after eating all of his tomatoes he took to trapping them, putting the cage in the truck-bed, and driving them about two miles away to release them in the woods. That didn't work well as other squirrels moved into the open territory. That lasted a few months after he'd moved about 40 squirrels.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at October 31, 2026 06:15 PM (6ydKt)

36 Halloween, and it's dreary outside, but not cold. A mist is hanging in the air. It's so damp the sidewalks pick up some of the moisture, but you can't say it's raining.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:15 PM (wzUl9)

37 Never done anything with gems or stones but I enjoy looking at the results. There used to be a gem and stone show near our apartment at the time. It was worth going just to see what rock tumbling and polishing could achieve. The show was even advertised on the local mega watt radio station. Haven't heard about it for many years so I assume it was discontinued.

Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2026 06:15 PM (yTvNw)

38 I have a rock tumbler, haven't tried it for rocks

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 06:16 PM (Ia/+0)

39 > Did any dogs ever pee on the metal pole?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr
---------
There was a squirrel, who somehow managed to arc hizself on some powerlines when I worked in Menlo Park, CA. He roached power to several dozen businesses and homes... including my PoW which did some pretty important earthquake monitoring.

FWIW... smoked squirrel don't smell good.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at October 31, 2026 06:16 PM (RORbl)

40 I've made it to Western and Central Gondor. Tons of quests available in Dol Amroth, the other major city besides Minas Tirith (still a long way from there....)
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 31, 2026 05:39 PM (FZ29D)
----

Mirkwood is a more challenging neighborhood. 🕷️

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at October 31, 2026 06:17 PM (kpS4V)

41 There's lubricant in there as well. It gets replaced when the watch is serviced. I expect some of the jewels do too.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:14 PM (wzUl9)

Learn something new every day here at AoS.* Thanks Wolfus, Arch, and Jack.

*Except for loser trolls. They never learn.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 06:19 PM (1Ff7Z)

42 >>There's lubricant in there as well. It gets replaced when the watch is serviced. I expect some of the jewels do too.

My Submariner is coming up on 40 years. 31 jewels. I've had it serviced twice and both time were because the crystal, see what I did there, was beaten up.

To the best of my knowledge none of the jewels have been changed and this watch has been through a lot.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:19 PM (viF8m)

43 Haven't heard about it for many years so I assume it was discontinued.
Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2026 06:15 PM (yTvNw)

I probably killed it.

Posted by: Fraudvid at October 31, 2026 06:20 PM (1Ff7Z)

44 Gonna set up in the driveway and see if tykes come around. Maybe burn a cigar if they don't...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at October 31, 2026 06:20 PM (08OqX)

45 My Submariner is coming up on 40 years. 31 jewels. I've had it serviced twice and both time were because the crystal, see what I did there, was beaten up.

To the best of my knowledge none of the jewels have been changed and this watch has been through a lot.
Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026

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My Sub is a 1978, and while I've had it serviced several times since I bought it in 1998, I too am unsure whether any of the jewels are replacements. It still keeps fantastic time.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:21 PM (wzUl9)

46 I do have a rock tumbler but I use it for cleaning and polishing cartridge cases for reloading. The brass comes out looking like new and I'm not getting the dies all gummed up when I size and load the cases.They probably aren't more accurate but they sure look pretty. And clean brass fits easier in tight chambers like with my single shot 45-70 rifles.

Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2026 06:22 PM (yTvNw)

47 It's supposed to stop raining here after 4p.

(looks outside)

Hasn't rained all day. Funny. They can't get the weather for the day right, but they know what it will be like in a hundred years and we must give up stuff to avoid it.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 06:22 PM (1Ff7Z)

48 Speaking of amethysts ... near Thunder Bay, Ontario is a commercial amethyst mine. Not gem quality, they use it for decorative slabs or such and so they blast it out of the ground. They also let the general public in (on non-blasting days) to pick up the chunks of amethyst on the ground for a very nominal fee. You *can* polish them if you want but they tend to have shock fractures.

What I absolutely loved about this place was they of course had lots of waste rock from the blasting and used it ... for the gravel driveway up to the mine surface. It was LAVENDER and sparkled in the sunshine! When I win the lottery I am going to get a dump truck of amethyst gravel and have the prettiest gravel driveway ever....

Posted by: Sabrina Chase at October 31, 2026 06:25 PM (ee9bx)

49 Mention of watches reminds me that we need to set the clocks back tonight. I usually forget one of the crowd of timepieces until Sunday morning -- most often the clock in the car. The TV, DVD, and computers reset themselves. I have to do the coffeemaker, microwave, a bedside clock radio and an alarm clock, the new radio with a clock display (I think), plus various watches. And my "atomic" clock, the one that gets its time from WWV? I need to put it in the bedroom window facing west so it can pick up the signal and adjust itself.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:27 PM (wzUl9)

50 Already have 15 kids visiting...football players and supers are the current winning costumes (of course, 12 boys and 3 girls will skew that)...

My boys are Dr Doom and Superman as a pair, so they are adding to the neighborhood superheroes...

Posted by: Nova Local at October 31, 2026 06:27 PM (Gb7+b)

51 And clean brass fits easier in tight chambers like with my single shot 45-70 rifles.
Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2026

***
". . . a single-shot rifle and a one-eyed dog. . . ."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:28 PM (wzUl9)

52 That video on growing the puff ball crystal was fascinating. That would be a great project for a late grade school or later classroom chemistry class. I wonder if there is a way to encase it in an acrylic or glass enclosure without damaging the spikes. That would be an interesting paperweight. (Yes, I still use paperweights.)

Posted by: JTB at October 31, 2026 06:29 PM (yTvNw)

53 It's been a damp day, but it's dry now for trick or treaters. I'm about to eat supper, then in about an hour I'll turn on the porch light.

Posted by: RandomDave at October 31, 2026 06:30 PM (aJQbY)

54 My grandpa used to send me tumbled rocks from his beach every year for Christmas. Not a lot. But a few small ones. There was jade and jasper and basalt.

I wish I still had my rocks.

I should get a rock tumbler and continue the gift for my granddaughter.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:32 PM (TQc0R)

55 Movies! has The Haunting, the original 1963 adaptation of the Shirley Jackson novel, at 7 Central. Except for Curse of the Demon, they could hardly do better as a prime-time H'ween choice. Svengoolie has Wizard of Oz at 6, and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark at 9.

We'll see if anything worth watching is on streaming.

Before I go to bed, I want to reread a couple of my favorite terror stories: "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" by M.R. James, and Richard Matheson's "Crickets."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:34 PM (wzUl9)

56 45 My Submariner is coming up on 40 years. 31 jewels. I've had it serviced twice and both time were because the crystal, see what I did there, was beaten up.

To the best of my knowledge none of the jewels have been changed and this watch has been through a lot.
Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026
____________________

I had a jeweler friend tell me that you should ALWAYS go to a professional to have something as simple as the battery replaced (even on a moderately priced watch...significantly below a Submariner). He told me that the gasket always has to be checked, properly lubricated and have a vacuum test run. Otherwise, your water resistance or water proofing is blown.

Posted by: Orson at October 31, 2026 06:34 PM (dIske)

57 Sabrina,

That sounds so awesome.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:35 PM (TQc0R)

58 And if you line the driveway with lavender, then cherry trees it will be a freaking fairy tale.

How fun.

I’d surrounded the place with a moat. And alligators.

Can I man a turret for you? Please?

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:37 PM (TQc0R)

59 Have watched on Halloween on YouTube Nosferatu last few years. Still might

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 06:38 PM (Ia/+0)

60 I had a jeweler friend tell me that you should ALWAYS go to a professional to have something as simple as the battery replaced (even on a moderately priced watch...significantly below a Submariner). He told me that the gasket always has to be checked, properly lubricated and have a vacuum test run. Otherwise, your water resistance or water proofing is blown.
Posted by: Orson at October 31, 2026

***
My first "electric" (not electronic) watch was a 1966 Timex without a date. The battery compartment was on the back. You could pop the lid off with a nail file, put in the new battery, and snap the lid back all by yourself, and I did. Now, I suppose, the shop has to do it.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:39 PM (wzUl9)

61 Have watched on Halloween on YouTube Nosferatu last few years. Still might
Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026

***
That might be available. I keep hoping for Curse of the Demon, which is also based on an M.R. James story called "Casting the Runes."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:40 PM (wzUl9)

62 We have a burn ban even though it was raining last night and today, so we took a truckload of trash to the landfill. $75. That's three quarts of decent bourbon. Re-thinking the yard work hobby.

Posted by: Eromero at October 31, 2026 06:40 PM (LHPAg)

63 Have watched on Halloween on YouTube Nosferatu last few years. Still might
Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026

***
That might be available. I keep hoping for Curse of the Demon, which is also based on an M.R. James story called "Casting the Runes."
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:40 PM (wzUl9)
---
"The Lost Boys" was mentioned by ace yesterday, so I'm watching that right now.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 31, 2026 06:41 PM (FZ29D)

64 >>I had a jeweler friend tell me that you should ALWAYS go to a professional to have something as simple as the battery replaced (even on a moderately priced watch...significantly below a Submariner). He told me that the gasket always has to be checked, properly lubricated and have a vacuum test run. Otherwise, your water resistance or water proofing is blown.

Yea, a Submariner has to go to Rolex for service if you want it to work right. Requires some sort of specialized tools to insure the waterproofing is intact. Fortunately, unlike a car it doesn't need to go in very often.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:41 PM (viF8m)

65 I went to a local gem & mineral show a couple of weekends ago, since the TxMoMe was unpossible for me... Figured I was due for some retail therapy.

Bought a few strands of polished garnet chips and round beads, for a future multistrand necklace. Found some b&w quartz cabochons that someday will become matching pendant and earrings. Someday. Someday.

Posted by: JQ at October 31, 2026 06:42 PM (rdVOm)

66 I have a small, maybe 8inches high amethyst geode on my mantle. It’s so pretty. I’d love to have the 2-3 foot tall ones. They give off the greatest energy.

I have found small clear crystals in the mountains. They are very special. Sometimes you can hear them.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:42 PM (TQc0R)

67
Inherited an Elgin, pocket watch from my grandfather. The stem was broken, so Smash researched repair shops and verified reliability and sent it off for repair. $350 for the repair, general cleaning and polishing. It has a closing lid, gold case and (to me) very attractive and plain block numerals on the face. Repairman put a note in the pack thanking us for letting him service it, and told us it was worth $10k.

Posted by: BifBewalski - at October 31, 2026 06:42 PM (QVmho)

68 All these horror movies! Doesn't anyone else but me and the kid watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" anymore?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at October 31, 2026 06:44 PM (1Ff7Z)

69 The Lost Boys" was mentioned by ace yesterday, so I'm watching that right now.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

Turn up the volume. The soundtrack is awesome.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:45 PM (TQc0R)

70 My first "electric" (not electronic) watch was a 1966 Timex without a date. The battery compartment was on the back. You could pop the lid off with a nail file, put in the new battery, and snap the lid back all by yourself, and I did. Now, I suppose, the shop has to do it.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at October 31, 2026 06:39 PM (wzUl9)

Found a kid's watch in a school parking lot one year. Band was missing, and it looked pretty beat up. Noticed it was running though. Hmm...

A watch my brother had given me needed a new battery. Opened it and the kids' one up. Same battery. Bro's watch has been running ever since..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at October 31, 2026 06:46 PM (08OqX)

71 The Lost Boys" was mentioned by ace yesterday, so I'm watching that right now.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

Turn up the volume. The soundtrack is awesome.
Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 06:45 PM (TQc0R)
---
Yep! I have it on CD!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at October 31, 2026 06:47 PM (FZ29D)

72 TRex, I'd really like to learn wire-wrapping! Seems a great way to use some pretty, polished rocks without needing to drill them.

Posted by: JQ at October 31, 2026 06:47 PM (rdVOm)

73 I made 82 HF contacts this week. Only three countries outside the US, with the most distant being CE3TO in Santiago. (The solar cycle is waning, with the SFI now under 100, and low sunspot numbers, so HF DX is more difficult than it was only a year ago, and it will stay that way for a few years. Bummer.) I worked 5 POTA stations, and confirmed six new US county contacts, bringing my county total so far to 1960. I should reach 20K total contacts before EOY 2026.

Posted by: gp at October 31, 2026 06:49 PM (Jr5Lq)

74 Went to the Diamond park in Arkansas in the early1970s. Interesting place. Found stones 1 level up from diamond dust. Some seriously large stones have been found there. Tough on shoes. Pre-teen brother loved it.

Posted by: Mrs JTB at October 31, 2026 06:49 PM (yTvNw)

75 Mirkwood is a more challenging neighborhood. 🕷️
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at October 31, 2026 06:17 PM
'Lazy Lob, and Crazy Cob...'

Posted by: Eromero at October 31, 2026 06:50 PM (LHPAg)

76 Found a kid's watch in a school parking lot one year. Band was missing, and it looked pretty beat up. Noticed it was running though. Hmm...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at October 31, 2026 06:46 PM (08OqX)

It must have been a Timex! "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

Posted by: John Cameron Swayze at October 31, 2026 06:52 PM (1Ff7Z)

77 Supposedly there is Moonstone found in the area around our farm. It's really just feldspar and there is plenty of that. I have found some moonstone-like specimens that maybe could polish up nicely.

Posted by: fd at October 31, 2026 06:53 PM (MWfyi)

78 If you ever get to Perth AU hunt for the gov store. They yake 50% of what the Aussies dig up and sell it to us without the VAT tax. I paid $25USD per Oz for pretty unfinished opals.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at October 31, 2026 06:54 PM (NnhvP)

79 >>Inherited an Elgin, pocket watch from my grandfather.

I inherited my grandfather's Black Starr and Frost pocket watch. Thing still runs like, well, a clock.

I'm not fancy enough to use it but one of these days I want to take it in and have it cleaned up and give it to one of cousins kids. Little works of art.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 06:55 PM (viF8m)

80 It must have been a Timex! "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."
Posted by: John Cameron Swayze at October 31, 2026 06:52 PM (1Ff7Z)

Heh. To be honest, it looked like something that came out of a Chucky Cheese claw machine. Battery was probably the most expensive component...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at October 31, 2026 07:00 PM (08OqX)

81 Hey, TRex! Happy Halloween!

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2026 07:02 PM (77rzZ)

82 'I inherited my grandfather's Black Starr and Frost pocket watch. Thing still runs like, well, a clock.'
-Jack Straw
Black Starr and Frost, a movie about a disgraced football player who blew an eleven figure salary on gambling. He and Frost his white lab are trying to stay one step ahead of 'those guys'.

Posted by: Eromero at October 31, 2026 07:03 PM (LHPAg)

83 Halloween

Posted by: polynikes at October 31, 2026 07:03 PM (Ti9vn)

84 Anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome.

Hmm. I’m thinking that after the Fall (of civilization), there may be a demand for herbs.
I know it’s ‘legal’ in some states.

May not be a good hobby choice.

Posted by: RI Red at October 31, 2026 07:04 PM (HdjQ+)

85 Watched that amethyst dice video, it's a piece of art

Posted by: Skip at October 31, 2026 07:06 PM (Ia/+0)

86 >>Black Starr and Frost, a movie about a disgraced football player who blew an eleven figure salary on gambling. He and Frost his white lab are trying to stay one step ahead of 'those guys'.

Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.

-William Wallace

Boy howdy could I have fun blowing through an 11 million dollar salary.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 07:07 PM (viF8m)

87 Hmm. I’m thinking that after the Fall (of civilization), there may be a demand for herbs.
I know it’s ‘legal’ in some states.

May not be a good hobby choice.
Posted by: RI Red
=======
Learn to distill booze. Too easy to grow the Devil's Lettuce,lot harder to distill. Takes skill. Plus antiseptic.

The other is figure out how to build a Wood gasifier system and make it work.

Posted by: whig at October 31, 2026 07:10 PM (E4rtv)

88 Brewing beer is a choice for after a fall. Good beer sells and barters well.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at October 31, 2026 07:12 PM (NnhvP)

89 Buy ammo

Posted by: nurse ratched. at October 31, 2026 07:12 PM (AATb+)

90 Whig, when I was a young teenager, I experimented with fermentation of apples in my closet.
My mother asked what I was doing; I told her it was a science experiment.

Posted by: RI Red at October 31, 2026 07:13 PM (HdjQ+)

91 I took a lapidary class in High School. That''s when I learned to use a dop stick. Made my mom a pendant from obsidian. The same teacher taught astronomy. And fixed watches. And never gave me the Omega I gave him to fix back to me.

Posted by: fd at October 31, 2026 07:14 PM (MWfyi)

92 Situation is getting dire. 7:15 and I've had a grand total of 2 trick or treaters.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 31, 2026 07:14 PM (viF8m)

93 The diamond mine at Murfreesboro, Arkansas is a big open dirt field where it is best to go after a rain. They provide basic tools you can rent but a shovel, screening pan, and perhaps a garden rake, is about all you need along with patience.

Garnets are also pretty common along with other minerals you find around former volcano pipes. They also sell minerals at the state park gift shop.

If you are interested in minerals, you can go up to Magnet Cove in about 90 minutes or so away from Murfreesboro and find a whole host of other fairly rare formed minerals including natural magnets (magnetite). Hot Springs to the West is also a remnant of the volcanoes that erupted in this area millions of years ago.

Posted by: whig at October 31, 2026 07:16 PM (E4rtv)

94 72 TRex, I'd really like to learn wire-wrapping!

Posted by: JQ at October 31, 2026 06:47 PM
***
I read this too quickly and thought it said "wire tapping." That's a very different sort of hobby.

Posted by: TRex - listening dino at October 31, 2026 07:17 PM (cCn4/)

95 90 Whig, when I was a young teenager, I experimented with fermentation of apples in my closet.
My mother asked what I was doing; I told her it was a science experiment.
Posted by: RI Red
=====
Distilling and fermenting were a major way to pass time in WWII POW camps. Nasty hooch was better than no hooch and prisoners figured out how to use all sorts of materials to make bootleg booze. Colditz Story among other accounts allude to it.

But hard cider was a drink of choice of many Americans until the prohibition ended that.

Posted by: whig at October 31, 2026 07:18 PM (E4rtv)

96 81 Hey, TRex! Happy Halloween!

Posted by: Bulg at October 31, 2026 07:02 PM
***
Hello Bulg!

Posted by: TRex - scary dino at October 31, 2026 07:18 PM (cCn4/)

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