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View Full Version : What's the opposite of "The Dark Side" ??



arose62
20th Sep 2005, 04:05 PM
I've been helping a mate out for a few days at his engineering business, and having a ball!!

Talk about big boys' toys !!

I've been turning 100+kg lumps of steel (can't do that on my MC-1100 :rolleyes: ) for excavator axle blocks, milling chamfers, drilling and tapping holes, watching his profiler slice-n-dice plate steel with its plasma head. All the stuff that's probably boring as, to folks who actually did apprenticships and/or work with the tools every day.

I noticed that:
1) he doesn't coat the cut ends of steel to stop it splitting or warping
2) he does have a stack of steel outside, but doesn't have to wait for it to dry for several years before he uses it
3) if he cuts a piece too short, he can weld it longer again
4) the bits that fly off the lathe can (and do) burn if they hit you!

Cheers,
Andrew

Termite
20th Sep 2005, 04:20 PM
Don't be corrupted, you'll rust. :D

rod1949
20th Sep 2005, 05:40 PM
Oh the advantages of working with steel.

Auld Bassoon
20th Sep 2005, 07:21 PM
Blerry hard to hand cut a dovetail in carbon steel though - and, yes, I know it can be done, but not with my little LNs it can't....

Cheers!

Skew ChiDAMN!!
20th Sep 2005, 11:32 PM
And on the flipside?

If you plant a paddock with nuts they won't grow into gan-trees no matter how long you wait.

If you can see the grain or any figuring, it's f***in' useless.

When cutting, hitting a bit of wood embedded in the steel just doesn't have the same excitement.

Can't heat the shop with off-cuts...

vsquizz
21st Sep 2005, 12:23 AM
The metal splinters fester up and pop out easier;) .

The metal shop shavings can be sold to recyclers for beer money.:D

When you hit a wooden bearing housing with a sledge hammer it doesn't shatter and send shrapnel through your arteries which causes blood to spurt across the workshop:o .

Not that I have any personal experiences in these matters....:rolleyes:

Cheers

Driver
21st Sep 2005, 01:01 AM
Before you blokes get too carried away with the comparisons between timber and various forms of metal as a raw material, I would remind you of the Code of Practice requirements.

Irrespective of the raw material or the working methods under consideration, it is a primary requirement that a bloke engaged in shed activity should - indeed must (!) - spend a significant proportion of shed time in:-

Standing, leaning, staring mindlessly and (this is optional) drinking (tea, coffee, beer, wine are all acceptable blokes' drinks - special dispensation can be granted for chaps' drinks like gin and tonic if special dietary constraints are evidenced).

Failure to observe the above will result in a code violation with serious consequences for the violator.

You have been warned!

Slavo
21st Sep 2005, 09:51 AM
Opposite to "The Dark Side" would be "The Spark Side" :D

Mungo Park
12th Oct 2005, 12:00 PM
When working in a metal shop rember to never pet a burning dog.
Cheers Ron.

Ashore
12th Oct 2005, 03:03 PM
Nothing like using a ceramic tool and watching that 3mm thick shaving peel off in one run turning blue as it leaves the job , turning a complex shaht to exact diamensions,, measuring with a micrometer and seeing your within .0001 of a mm
Cutting steel with oxy , Using oxy to braze, having the power over that liquid metal, making it do what you want, the satisfaction of running a great weld with the slag peeling off as you go. Feeling that raw power over metal.

Metaland fun fun place

But for me after nearly 30 years of that I now go to the shed , take all day trying to turn a piece of wood into something else, there's no raw power just a gentel coaxing , small precise cuts with a chisel , a little more off here with the plane
Sand to a mirror finish gently rub in the wax, and end up with an item I have made.
It's never perfect and no two are ever the same, but they are crafted to suit the wood and how I feel, and come the end of the day and you run your hands over the finished item it has character and depth and a wamth you can never find in steel work.



The trouble with life is there's no background music.


Russell

E. maculata
18th Oct 2005, 12:09 AM
I now go to the shed , take all day trying to turn a piece of wood into something else, there's no raw power just a gentel coaxing , small precise cuts with a chisel , a little more off here with the plane
Sand to a mirror finish gently rub in the wax, and end up with an item I have made.
It's never perfect and no two are ever the same, but they are crafted to suit the wood and how I feel, and come the end of the day and you run your hands over the finished item it has character and depth and a wamth you can never find in steel work.




Russell

That's the best I've heard for a long time Russell, your own or pinched, What the heck it's bleedin brilliant

Ashore
18th Oct 2005, 12:20 AM
My own mate and thats why I have a woddie's shed
Though I still have an oxy set and stick welder in the corner and a jar of personally ground tool steel tool bits.

barnsey
18th Oct 2005, 01:43 AM
I find I still need that metalworkin' stuff to build the shelving to put the timber on, work it on, support it on, support the machines on, bolt it together on, store the tools and equipment on.

But there's nothin better than creating a timber thingy :D

Bodgy
18th Oct 2005, 01:00 PM
Not as satisfying as wood I grant you. However making lots of sparks and bright electric flashes is pretty good too. Most of my woodwork jigs comprise some metal work, ie sharpening guides etc., so their is no absolute dichotomy.

If you could weld wood, you wouldn't have to bugger about with all these different joints.

Ashore - Almost lyrical man! Well done, must have been all those lonely nights at sea.

graemet
18th Oct 2005, 09:12 PM
I find that working with metal is just another way of enjoying making things. It has been very handy over the years to use a gas welder to make shelf brackets or jigs etc, and I'm finding new skills learning how to turn and machine metal with my new lathe. But I still enjoy turning wood, planing and sawing it, producing furniture and boats, toys for the grandkids and beautiful things to give away. Everything has a place in the overall scheme of life, and the more skills we can develop, the more fun and satisfaction we can have.
My problem is having more interests than I can afford time or cash for! http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif
Cheers
Graeme

echnidna
19th Oct 2005, 12:37 AM
Dark Side acronym must be, Enlightened Woodies

Ticky
19th Oct 2005, 12:57 AM
Every summer, my arms brown up all over except for the white spots from burn scars. I was a BM/Welder for years & the best thing about it is that it is a trade. When you have a trade like boilermaking etc, you can use your skills to lay out a floor for tiling, build a veranda or pergoder, or adapt to building fine wood furniture. I will never be as good at woodwork as a lot of you fellow wood workers, but I will be your equal in trying to improve my wood working skills & fanging in my shed.

Thats worth a few white spots any day.

steve

zenwood
19th Oct 2005, 01:22 AM
I now go to the shed , take all day trying to turn a piece of wood into something else, there's no raw power just a gentel coaxing ... and you run your hands over the finished item it has character and depth and a wamth ... That's the best I've heard for a long time Russell, your own or pinched, What the heck it's bleedin brilliant
Agreed. The zen of wood down to a 'T'.:)

Hobbyhorse
19th Oct 2005, 05:45 AM
[QUOTE=Ashore]
But for me after nearly 30 years of that I now go to the shed , take all day trying to turn a piece of wood into something else, there's no raw power just a gentel coaxing , small precise cuts with a chisel , a little more off here with the plane
Sand to a mirror finish gently rub in the wax, and end up with an item I have made.
It's never perfect and no two are ever the same, but they are crafted to suit the wood and how I feel, and come the end of the day and you run your hands over the finished item it has character and depth and a wamth you can never find in steel work.

Ashore,
I too spent many years at sea as a Master on salvage tugs and also in yachting. ( yeah I know an odd mix) During night watches I did a lot of planning for my workshop at home and now enjoy a house, a tree and a dog coupled with my woodies workshop. Can't be bad!!

Rhys H.

Bodgy
19th Oct 2005, 10:47 AM
During night watches I did a lot of planning for my workshop at home and now enjoy a house, a tree and a dog coupled with my woodies workshop. Can't be bad!!

Rhys H.







Yes, night watches will turn almost anyone into a philosopher. I've done a lot of sailing, the last 10 years predominately in the 'Short Handed Racing Association' where only two crew are allowed. Lots of watches, 4 on 4 off.

The thing that really gets me is looking at the sky on a moonless night. Where does the Universe end and what's on the other side? Makes one realise how totally insigniificant we (and our anxieties, pretensions and aspirations) really are.

Ashore
19th Oct 2005, 11:51 AM
I know where you are from guys , even though I was an Engineer I have spent many hours on the bridge at night , one tanker even had the engine control room on the bridge, it was built when the push for Dual Cert Officers was on.

The thing that really gets me is looking at the sky on a moonless night. Where does the Universe end and what's on the other side? Makes one realise how totally insigniificant we (and our anxieties, pretensions and aspirations) really are.
The other times I liked was when the sky was full of stars or during a good thunderstorm.

The trouble with life is there's no background music.



Ashore

Bodgy
19th Oct 2005, 12:07 PM
The other times I liked was when the sky was full of stars or during a good thunderstorm.

Ashore


You can keep the thunderstorms thanks Ashore.

Shaken out of your bunk in the middle of the night by an ugly, stubbled, smelly, wet shipmate, erotic dreams interrupted, on with wet weathers, harness, stumble on deck, wind gone from 12 knots to 50, raining so hard you have to slit your eyes to protect them, out to foredeck for sail change (we now have roller reefing thank God), up and down 30 feet in the seas, up to waist in water at the nadir, smacked upside of the head by flapping clew, get boat snugged down, back in bunk, 2 hours later squalls gone, repeat process to make sail again. Your watch begins!

Wonder why it always happens when you're below and not on watch.

Ashore
19th Oct 2005, 12:39 PM
Shaken out of your bunk in the middle of the night by an ugly, stubbled, smelly, wet shipmate, erotic dreams interrupted, on with wet weathers, harness, stumble on deck, wind gone from 12 knots to 50, raining so hard you have to slit your eyes to protect them, out to foredeck for sail change (we now have roller reefing thank God), up and down 30 feet in the seas, up to waist in water at the nadir, smacked upside of the head by flapping clew, get boat snugged down, back in bunk, 2 hours later squalls gone, repeat process to make sail again. Your watch begins!.

Well your promlem was size , anything under 50,000 tons is just way too small http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif


The trouble with life is there's no background music.


Russell

Al Burdon
19th Oct 2005, 08:16 PM
Ashore what were you doing on the bridge. The oxygen is way to thin up there.
Get back in the hole to the warmth of the machinery and the smell of sulphur fumes. And Bodgy what about being dragged from the farter to flash up and proceed to sea and go find the intrepid sailor enjoying playing in his boat.(why is it they always call for help in the middle of the night on a the only weekend you have in port). Ah I thinks woodworkin be safer.

Nico
22nd Oct 2005, 12:50 AM
I find I still need that metalworkin' stuff to build the shelving to put the timber on, work it on, support it on, support the machines on, bolt it together on, store the tools and equipment on.

But there's nothin better than creating a timber thingy :D

Hi guys,
I'm new on the forum but this thread has struck a cord with not only me but a lot of others as well by the reading. It seems that deep down us shed people just have to be making something. I've been fortunate enough to work in a number of areas over the years within my trade and out, from hobbies building R/C model planes to FA18 Hornets for the RAAF, from stoneware pottery at home and there is nothing like watching a glaze melt at 1300 deg white heat in your kiln. From my lathe to my bandsaw.
It doesn't matter if it's wood, stone, steel or clay, you just gotta make somthing.
I think I get as much enjoyment out of others appreciation of something I've made as I do in making it in the first place, and it looks like I'm not alone there.

Nico.

Bodgy
24th Oct 2005, 10:02 AM
Ashore what were you doing on the bridge. The oxygen is way to thin up there.
Get back in the hole to the warmth of the machinery and the smell of sulphur fumes. And Bodgy what about being dragged from the farter to flash up and proceed to sea and go find the intrepid sailor enjoying playing in his boat.(why is it they always call for help in the middle of the night on a the only weekend you have in port). Ah I thinks woodworkin be safer.

Al, you guys do a great job. The 'interpid sailors' who need rescuing should pay for their salvation, I think. It's only wind and water out there and a well prepared boat and experienced crew should never have to wake you from your slumber ashore.

There are exceptions to every rule tho, hit a 'lost' container just awash at night, run down by a Liberian registered ship whilst the bridge is asleep, perfect storm etc.

Take the example of that pommie prat who insisted on taking a completely unseaworthy big sufboard, with a keel, around the bottom of the world. We rescue him at great expense. No recompense, he then sells his 'heroic' story for $millions. What's worse, it was the third time he needed free rescue.

We'll never trouble you mate, unless your area of responsibility extends to Japan, NZ, Lord Howe etc.

Woodwork is possibly not safer. Actuaries usually manage to get the risk factor correct, without emotional skews. Insurance for a yacht is a fraction that of a comparable $ motor car.