Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The Scooter Workshop

[Modern Jess]

Between me and my machinist buddy down the street, we were able to scrounge up enough hardware to mount this without going to the hardware store. Which might be a sign that we are both hoarders.

Here it is installed in place:

(And my apologies for using too wide of an aperture and pushing half of the field out of focus.)

So, the verdict: It's better. It stabilizes the table really well in one direction, but not the other. It can flex a bit in the short direction of the mounting plate. I think if I had a second one, and it was mounted 90 degrees out from this one (on a strut that was 90 degrees from this strut), it would be perfect. And at $35 apiece, I think that's completely reasonable.

 

[dhubbard422]

Workbench Update

...

I then managed to convince my wife to help me lift the torsion box -- all 260 pounds of it -- onto the frame. And here we have, at last, a mobile workbench:

...

Jess,

Nice workbench! Do you think it'd be possible (and desired) to latch the lift table to the workbench? Perhaps, some heavy duty over-center cam latches might allow you to quickly latch them together and roll them around as one - maybe...

Again, nice bench!
Don

 

[Modern Jess]

Nice workbench!

Thanks!

Do you think it'd be possible (and desired) to latch the lift table to the workbench? Perhaps, some heavy duty over-center cam latches might allow you to quickly latch them together and roll them around as one - maybe...

You know, that's an interesting idea, but not for the reasons you think. The lift is a monster -- something like 400 pounds. It's not very mobile, but then it generally doesn't need to be. It would almost certainly do more to plant the workbench in one place than the workbench could do to move the lift. And that is exactly why your idea is so interesting. I bet I could figure out a way to clamp the workbench to the lift, and therefore stabilize it and keep it from moving side to side on the casters.

Thanks for the idea! Now I have to go ruminate on how to accomplish this.

 

[dhubbard422]

Hoarders! With highly organized Sortimo boxes... the jig to cut the tea leaf bottles is a nice touch. The foot looks like a nice addition!

 

[dhubbard422]

I did wonder if the lift table rolled easily...

 

[Modern Jess]

I did wonder if the lift table rolled easily...

It does have wheels, sort of. Two retractable / deployable wheels that you have to lower into place with a socket driver. Then a special dolly-thingy called a "nose wheel" lifts the other end off the ground and steers it around. It's really not the kind of thing you'd want to do very often.

 

[jon_beer]

That bench/lift is badass!

 

[Modern Jess]

That bench/lift is badass!

Thanks! I got to use the bench as a bench for the first time last night -- for a project that wasn't the bench! It was a happy moment.

 

[skian_g]

And let's not even talk about this drawer:

But because you posted it, we now have to talk about this drawer, and the containers in it, that are not the Pure Leaf Tea bottles that are of course cut on a jig.

Oh that reminds me I have a question about the sharp edges that are now on the cut bottles, I'm sure you have a method of prepping those (flame, Sandpaper, file?) so that the webbing between your fingers doesn't get sliced open when you reach into the bottom, no?

Really enjoying this thread, keep up the story telling!

 

[Modern Jess]

But because you posted it, we now have to talk about this drawer, and the containers in it, that are not the Pure Leaf Tea bottles that are of course cut on a jig.

Oh that reminds me I have a question about the sharp edges that are now on the cut bottles, I'm sure you have a method of prepping those (flame, Sandpaper, file?) so that the webbing between your fingers doesn't get sliced open when you reach into the bottom, no?

I am ashamed to admit that I did not finish the edges of the tea bottles. I suppose the right thing to do would be to acquire a piece of flat reference granite and tape successively finer grit sandpaper to it, sanding the edges of the bottles completely flat and even. I supposed I'd start at about 180, and work my way up to 2000 or so.

 

[Modern Jess]

The brief absence from posting that most of you didn't actually notice is largely due to my focus being elsewhere. I'm preparing for a trip to Europe (vacation, not business) and I am neck-deep in obsessing (surprise!) over all the little details.

So while this post isn't strictly workshop related, it's still a maker-style DIY project, so I think it's fair game for this thread.

The trip preparation actually started a good five months ago, as the first thing I started considering was what camera I would bring. On my last trip to Europe, I brought a very good (for the time) compact camera: my beloved Canon S90. I got some really great pictures, but I still occasionally wished I had a DSLR with me. Actually, strike that. I wished nothing of the sort. The last thing I wanted to do on a scooter trip across Tuscany was to lug a bag full of glass. If someone else had been carrying my camera for me, then I would have wished for a DSLR.



Fast forward a few years and the Micro Four Thirds format has come into its own. Full-frame aficionados will scoff, as the MFT sensor is only one quarter the size of a 35mm full-frame sensor. But here's the thing: the lenses are also only about a quarter of the size of their equivalent FF lenses, which makes for a substantially smaller bag of glass. Is it as good as a FF camera? No. Is it good enough? Yes. Abso-f-ing-lutely. And the lens selection is substantial, too.

Okay, so long story short: this is the camera I finally settled on. It's a Lumix (Panasonic) GM5. I've put a sharpie marker next to it for scale, but even then it's hard to tell from the picture how dinky this thing is. That's a Pany-Leica prime 15mm lens (30mm equivalent in old money) and is the lens I use 95% of the time.

So, having settled on a camera (and two additional small lenses to augment the 15mm prime) I turned my attention to how to carry it around and keep it at the ready for spontaneous shooting.

The first goal was to secure the camera to my wrist in such a way that makes it difficult for someone to grab it out of my hand on the street. I played around with making my own webbed straps, but along the way I discovered paracord bracelets and realized I could make something (surprise!) really custom.

So, I had the beginnings of a plan.

Starting with this lovely Black Rapid tripod mount loop:

I then knotted a simple (and short) cobra pattern from the Black Rapid loop to a standard webbing buckle, which gave me a quick-disconnect attachment point to the camera:

While watching paracord videos on Youtube, I stumbled on this excellent Mad Max-style paracord bracelet that cinches in on itself:

This would end up being the foundation of my wrist strap.

Like so:

Which ends up being pretty darn secure around my wrist:

But wait! How much would you pay now?!?

I'm also a big fan of the Black Rapid Metro Strap, which is a lightweight cross-body strap that keeps the camera at your side until you need it, at which point you slide it up the strap into position, pull it away from your body until the strap is taut (this stabilizes your hand) and shoot. Then you can just drop the camera and it will slide back down the strap to your side. Brilliant! And with a fairly small and lightweight camera, even better.

On my trip, though, I'm planning on carrying a bag around with me everywhere I go (lenses, travel documents, maps, water bottle, battery pack, etc) so the Metro Strap is probably just going to be ungainly.

But the bag has a strap, and I'll be wearing it cross body-style, and on the same side I would normally keep a camera. Hey, this sounds like another rabbit hole! I freaking love rabbit holes!

So after a massive hunt for just the right carabiner to attach to the bag strap, I made this:

Which attaches to the bag like so:

And then hangs from the bag a bit like this:

This gives me most of the functionality of the Black Rapid system, converts easily to a wrist strap, and doesn't add another strap to the mix. I think this might just work.

(That's actually a stunt bag above. The real bag is the subject of a whole 'nother post.)

ADDENDUM:

I did a lot of experimenting along the way. Here are just a few of the scraps and seconds that still exist:

I've also been considering the best way to carry a water bottle around. My bag is actually getting pretty full (I've been doing test-carries on and off) and I don't think a water bottle will fit inside the bag. So here's a rough prototype of something that might do the trick:

It makes more sense when you see it on the bottle:

I put a snap hook on it that I can clip to my bag. This one is a bit small, I've got larger ones on a UPS truck somewhere:

One downside to paracording that I should probably mention: it really doesn't present much of an opportunity for accumulating new tools. These are literally all the tools I needed, and the metal spatula (used to smear the ends of the singed paracord while still mushy) is almost certainly not actually necessary. A butter knife or even the metal end of the lighter would probably do just fine.

 

[Huxley]

Look up "fid". Your blue tools reminded me of one.

Wiki

Here is one being used on an aircraft carrier. Feel free to read up on those - Oooh, is that a hookah smoking caterpillar!?

 

[Modern Jess]

Look up "fid". Your blue tools reminded me of one.

That is, in fact, exactly what the paracord crowd calls those. The ones I have are threaded inside the back end, and you can screw a singed end of paracord into it and use it as a kind of needle as well. But "fid" is the proper term for them.

 

[Balor]

So MJ which bag did you go with? rngr1

 

[Modern Jess]

So MJ which bag did you go with? rngr1

All of them.

I've been looking primarily at nondescript canvas bags (not dedicated camera bags). I have looked at literally hundreds of bags on Amazon (and elsewhere), trying to find the perfect bag with the right features. One critical detail that most people wouldn't care about is the orientation of the strap: which side is sewn to the d-ring, and which side has the loop and adjustable slide. Even better is if the non-looped end of the strap is sewn directly to the bag, instead of to a d-ring, as this works better with the sliding carabiner I'm attaching. The bag pictured above is oriented the right way, and has the strap sewn on, so it was a candidate.

Generally, these kinds of bags are pretty inexpensive (sub $25) and so I've acquired a few of them to try them out. The one above didn't make the cut, primarily due to lacking structured storage -- the pockets are just big caverns, without much sub-organization within. This make the bag lightweight, but also makes the stuff inside of it just a jumble of **** bouncing around against each other.

But I'm getting ahead of myself -- I'm going to shoot some photos of the bags today and explain that subject in more detail. Stay tuned.

 

[Denwood]

That rabbit needs a carrot! Very nice work on your camera gear! I've been a fan of the Sony Rx100 on the tiny camera side as it has a big chip...and does a very impressive job of video with full manual controls if required.

The LUMIX looks great and certainly pushes the envelope in terms of size with interchangeable lenses. Even with two Canon 5ds, L series lenses and an RX100II, I still end up lazing out and using the iPhone. The 7s with the dual lenses does some interesting shallow DOF tricks so will be interesting to see where that takes us.

The best camera is the one in your hand, so those straps should serve you quite well

 

[Modern Jess]

This post will veer pretty far off of the workshop topic, aside from the fact that all the pictures were taken in the workshop, on my new workbench. There is some DIY here, but if you're looking for workshop updates, I won't be the least bit offended if you skip right over this post.

Let's talk about camera bags!

Like probably every other photography buff on the planet, I have too many camera bags. I have owned a staggering number of them over the course of the last 25 years, and I have never been completely happy with most of them.

Here are just a few of the recent ones in my collection, all attempts to find a smaller bag more suited to mirrorless camera systems:

All of the bags above are unsuitable for my upcoming trip. While all of them do a decent-to-fantastic job of carrying camera gear, none of them (with one notable exception) are are very good at carrying anything else.

This one bag actually bears special mention, though:

That is the Peak Design Everyday Messenger Bag (specifically, the 13" model). It is, as far as I'm concerned, the best camera bag ever made, and it might even be the best messenger bag ever made. I will leave it as an exercise for the reader to understand why, as the nuances of it are well outside of the scope of this post. Suffice it to say that design -- specifically iterative design -- makes this bag (and the process by which it came into existence) stand head and shoulders above every other bag on the market.

So why aren't I bringing it to Italy? It's just too big. Even though it is the smaller of the two Everyday Messenger Bags, it won't fit under the seat of a scooter, and it would largely prevent me from carrying a passenger on the back (my wife, natch) if I was wearing it while riding. Believe me, if I thought I could make this bag work on this trip, I would. But scooters impose unique challenges.

Also, all of the above bags scream "Camera bag, get your camera bag here, this one is loaded with fancy equipment!". And while not absolutely a deal breaker, I think I would probably prefer to have the option of flying further under the radar.

So I spent some time hunting through Amazon listings of random canvas bags. I had some specific requirements: the strap needed to terminate on the right side of the bag (when facing it head-on) so that my DIY carabiner slide will work right. And it has to hold my camera.

My camera, of course, is pretty small:

And my first attempt at a bag was pretty well suited to that tiny camera kit. It's just a cheap (sub-$20) bag, made in China, and relatively nondescript.

So I got busy modifying the bag to make it even better. Specifically, I wanted the bottom of the bag to be tougher, both to protect the equipment, but also to keep the bag from getting too worn on the bottom.

Time to teach myself how to sew leather! Fortunately, I've watched enough Diresta videos to have a pretty good idea:

Voila! It looks great, and I'm definitely chuffed about how it came out.

The only problem is that, if I'm truthful with myself, the camera kit isn't the only thing that needs to go in this bag:

Everything mostly fits. But it's not very pleasant:

Okay, so on to the next candidate bag. A bit more surfing on Amazon, and I had found the big brother to this one. This is it, fully packed with all that stuff from above:

I actually like this one quite a bit -- it's got a lot of structure and plenty of pockets to organize things:

As a bonus, it even has room on the back side for my beloved Toscana street map that I carried with me on my last trip through Italy, highlighting each bit of road we covered at the end of every riding day:

It also has the strap termination on the correct side:

The only real problem with this one is that the zipper is oriented the wrong way, which means I can't tuck the camera into the main compartment while still attached to the carabiner slider:

Also, I still have to carry water. There's probably not enough room in there for a water bottle on top of everything else:

So, one more pass through Amazon, and I found yet a bigger version. Similar construction, but some of the details are ever so slightly different:

Specifically, the zipper is oriented such that I can tuck the camera into the main compartment while it's still connected to the strap. Score!

Like the previous bag, there's lots of structured storage, and everything has its place:

I just need to sew some leather on the bottom. Which will only take me 8 hours.


And finally, here are all the bags together for a group photo. Say cheese!

 

[Modern Jess]

That rabbit needs a carrot!

Or possibly muscle relaxants and a stiff drink.

Very nice work on your camera gear! I've been a fan of the Sony Rx100 on the tiny camera side as it has a big chip...and does a very impressive job of video with full manual controls if required.

Yep. The RX100 (in all its various permutations) is a lovely camera. I own the Canon G7X, which allegedly has the same sensor. The processing on the Canon is a little weaker, but the lens is a little more versatile.

But I missed really, really good lenses, and a variety of lenses.

The 7s with the dual lenses does some interesting shallow DOF tricks so will be interesting to see where that takes us.

I am eagerly looking forward to that. It won't be here in time for my trip, though. And even then, it's only on the Plus, which I think might be a bit too big for me.

The best camera is the one in your hand, so those straps should serve you quite well

Yes it is! And I certainly hope so.

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

Conclusion: you sure do have a lot of purses. And you've got problems. Can't you e-mail your list to Gregor and dive into making a costum one?

 

[sakurama]

Conclusion: you sure do have a lot of purses. And you've got problems. Can't you e-mail your list to Gregor and dive into making a costum one?

Very funny

More so that I've been weaving paracord off and on for a while and just last week bought those fids. I consider paracord like guy knitting. It's relaxing.

Love the leather bottom. I am not nearly as picky on bags as I am loyal to a brand. All my bags are ThinkTank so I have a copious amount of inserts and dividers.

Nice post.

Gregor

PS I'm not thrilled with the new GJ thing of randomly linking keywords to advertisers. I hot linked the Thinktank but the "dividers" is a link GJ has done.

 

[Modern Jess]

More so that I've been weaving paracord off and on for a while and just last week bought those fids. I consider paracord like guy knitting. It's relaxing.

Absolutely.

I am not nearly as picky on bags as I am loyal to a brand. All my bags are ThinkTank so I have a copious amount of inserts and dividers.

I do like the Retrospective series. It's very much the aesthetic I was looking for. I wish they made a Retrospective 4, or even 3.

PS I'm not thrilled with the new GJ thing of randomly linking keywords to advertisers. I hot linked the Thinktank but the "dividers" is a link GJ has done.

I've seen that -- as far as I can tell, it only happens on your own posts, immediately after posting (or editing), and then only to the person who posted or edited. I don't see any extra linking on your post, just the link to ThinkTank.

 

[Modern Jess]

Conclusion: you sure do have a lot of purses. And you've got problems. Can't you e-mail your list to Gregor and dive into making a costum one?

You laugh, but I considered getting an industrial sewing machine and making my own.

But problems? No. These are not problems. These are opportunities for learning new skills.

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

You laugh, but I considered getting an industrial sewing machine and making my own.

But problems? No. These are not problems. These are opportunities for learning new skills.

Very funny

More so that I've been weaving paracord off and on for a while and just last week bought those fids. I consider paracord like guy knitting. It's relaxing.

Love the leather bottom. I am not nearly as picky on bags as I am loyal to a brand. All my bags are ThinkTank so I have a copious amount of inserts and dividers.

Nice post.

Gregor

I get the feeling I offended both of you? Guess it's a cultural thing. Just to make sure: my post was most certainly not to ridicule any of you. I was thinking about how your attention to detail and practical useage of a camera bag would be perfectly inline with Gregors knowledge and earlier project what led to the Velomacchi product line. I'm thinking that you might represent a user not being a professional but a very involved "amateur" photographer. I'd love to see your talents combined. Just like I'm still waiting to see what will happen when Gregor gets into mountainbikes with his other friend from the journal. Now contact Gregor after your holiday, share your findings and engineer a new market best camera bag under the Velomacchi flag!

Again, I've nothing than respect and admiration of both your accomplishments. If I come accross differently blame it on culture or that english is not my native language, or whatever else.

 

[Modern Jess]

I get the feeling I offended both of you?

Oh, I wasn't offended. And I can't speak for Gregor, but I doubt he was either. For me, my response was just an affirmation that what some people could legitimately view as a problem, I try to view as an opportunity.

Or maybe I'm just in denial.

I was thinking about how your attention to detail and practical useage of a camera bag would be perfectly inline with Gregors knowledge and earlier project what led to the Velomacchi product line.

You know, I hadn't seen that. I believe I was largely absent from GJ during that time period, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. I've built more than a couple of toolkits over the years (and used the hell out of them on the side of the road) and so I have had a chance to form some specific opinions about tool rolls in the process. The Velomacchi roll looks like it's right up my alley.

 

[jon_beer]

I'm a fan of Chrome bags. I'm traveling in Copenhagen now and I always take my Chrome bag. Its the original messenger style that is basically a huge compartment inside another. It also has several small pockets and gear holders, etc. Its simple and comfortable and it holds a lot. Like a 12 back of beer with ice a lot. Its super durable - i think cordura and lined with the same rubber material truck tarps are made from. Waterproof inside and out.

I've rode countless miles in NYC with it and walked many more. Love it.

Where are you traveling in Europe?

 

[Modern Jess]

I'm a fan of Chrome bags. I'm traveling in Copenhagen now and I always take my Chrome bag. Its the original messenger style that is basically a huge compartment inside another. It also has several small pockets and gear holders, etc. Its simple and comfortable and it holds a lot. Like a 12 back of beer with ice a lot. Its super durable - i think cordura and lined with the same rubber material truck tarps are made from. Waterproof inside and out.

The Chrome bags are nice. They're favored by a subset of the scooter crowd, so I've seen a lot of them. I generally prefer messenger-style bags, too. It's a shame that I won't be able to fit one under the seat of the scooter.

Where are you traveling in Europe?

Italy, specifically Tuscany. We'll start the trip in Pontedera (the home of Vespa) and then ride rented scooters to a new hotel every couple of days. It'll be in a group of about 30, though since we're all on separate scooters, there's no real requirement that we stick together as a group.

I did this same trip (or same format, different locations in Tuscany) back in 2010, and it was easily the best time I've ever had on vacation. A few of us (who largely knew each other) broke off from the main group and we spent a lot of time deliberately getting lost in the Italian countryside. We would be on the most awesome riding road we had ever experienced, but then we would turn onto another road and it would be even better.

 

[TwoBytes]

Hi Jess,

I've just read your whole thread in a few days.

Very enjoyable and impressive.

I've concluded, very recently, that the unstated factor that I optimize for the most is interest. I am optimizing my projects by what I am interested in learning or doing or seeing.

That really hit home for me! I agree completely and that explanation actually helped me understand why I do the things I do sometimes.

I often get to the end of a project, or even halfway through, and feel bad that I've spent far more on materials than I would've if I'd just bought a commercial product instead of trying to build it myself, not to mention the time I've put in. But if I'm enjoying myself and learning things, and I'm happy with the end result, then it's worth it to me and I shouldn't need to justify that to anybody.

Like other threads where I tried to post something thoughtful, that thread became infested with assholes.

That *****. I love to hear about people thinking, and doing things, differently. People who get offended because others aren't exactly like them are missing out ("asshats" sums it up nicely).

BTW... The chickens are in the coop

 

[wasfast]

Oh, I wasn't offended. And I can't speak for Gregor, but I doubt he was either. For me, my response was just an affirmation that what some people could legitimately view as a problem, I try to view as an opportunity.

Or maybe I'm just in denial.

You're not in denial if you're not aware its a problem

 

[Modern Jess]

I've just read your whole thread in a few days. Very enjoyable and impressive.

This is, I think, the quintessential comment on a build thread, the kind of comment that really keeps us going and makes it worthwhile. To be able to engage someone to the point that they'll sit down and read it over the course of hours or days or even weeks -- that really makes it all worthwhile. Sincerely. And thanks.

That really hit home for me! I agree completely and that explanation actually helped me understand why I do the things I do sometimes.

I've had others tell me, privately, that that statement really resonated. It's funny, I think, because when I wrote those words I was so frustrated, I really wasn't trying to write anything special or deep. I was just venting. But people really seem to get it, as if I wrote what they had felt all along but were never able to articulate. In fact, before I wrote that, I myself only had the dimmest glimmer of an idea of why I did such ridiculous things, spending far more time and effort on something than just buying something made in a factory or hiring out the job. If you had asked me why a month ago, I would have given you what I thought were all my reasons for doing XYZ, and they would have been good reasons. But that wouldn't be the whole story, or even the most important part of the story.

So now, emboldened by my own words, I will henceforth have trouble navigating my large head through my 48" door.

I often get to the end of a project, or even halfway through, and feel bad that I've spent far more on materials than I would've if I'd just bought a commercial product instead of trying to build it myself, not to mention the time I've put in. But if I'm enjoying myself and learning things, and I'm happy with the end result, then it's worth it to me and I shouldn't need to justify that to anybody.

I'll give you one more reason for putting yourself through that kind of thing: it won't be the way you want it until you've (a) done it with your own hands, and (b) figured out exactly what you were after in the first place, which you can only discover by (a) doing it with your own hands.

Often, I don't have an exact picture of how something will end up when I start a project, or if I do, I was ridiculously wrong. By getting in there and actually doing it, I discover what I really wanted, or the way it really should be, regardless of what I thought when I started. How would I ever explain that to someone I hire to do the job for me?

That *****. I love to hear about people thinking, and doing things, differently. People who get offended because others aren't exactly like them are missing out ("asshats" sums it up nicely).

It happens. Because internet. Honestly, I shouldn't let **** like that get to me. And I usually don't.

BTW... The chickens are in the coop

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Oh, wait...

 

[Modern Jess]

You're not in denial if you're not aware its a problem

I deny that I'm aware. [rimshot].

 

[Bunk]

Awesome job on the bench Jess.

 

[Modern Jess]

Awesome job on the bench Jess.

Thanks! I am enjoying it so far. It'll be even cooler when I get the storage cabinet built and mounted.

 

[TwoBytes]

... people really seem to get it, as if I wrote what they had felt all along but were never able to articulate.

Absolutely spot on! It's like you clearly articulated something that I was only subconsciously aware of. It's a strange feeling to have your own thoughts clearly crystallise as you read somebody else's words.

...If you had asked me why a month ago, I would have given you what I thought were all my reasons for doing XYZ, and they would have been good reasons. But that wouldn't be the whole story, or even the most important part of the story.

I've got "good" reasons for doing things, and "real" reasons, and sometimes I don't even know the difference!

I'll give you one more reason for putting yourself through that kind of thing: it won't be the way you want it until you've (a) done it with your own hands, and (b) figured out exactly what you were after in the first place, which you can only discover by (a) doing it with your own hands.

Yes!

Often, I don't have an exact picture of how something will end up when I start a project, or if I do, I was ridiculously wrong. By getting in there and actually doing it, I discover what I really wanted, or the way it really should be, regardless of what I thought when I started. How would I ever explain that to someone I hire to do the job for me?

and yes!

It happens. Because internet. Honestly, I shouldn't let **** like that get to me. And I usually don't.

Yeah, it's hard not to let idiots get you down, but hopefully the positivity here outweighs the badness by a significant margin.

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Just out of interest, have you ever read "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance"? Based on these discussions I think you'd like it.

We talked about it quite a bit on 1/2 Cups thread and a bit on mine too....
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336332&page=2&postid=5958737

Two key relevant messages... The journey is often more enjoyable than the destination. Machine parts are a manifestation of ideas, you're not working on lumps of steel, you're working on concepts.

 

[gsloan]

When you create something that is different from other things that have been done before, it could be a form of art. An artist will typically just identify something that simply has to be done to satisfy some internal instinct. You are an artist Jess. Thanks for all you share with us.

 

[bj383ss]

I don't come in here for a week or so and now the workbench is done and projects are taking place on it. Well done. I need one of those straps for my camera!

Bret

 

[sakurama]

Oh, I wasn't offended. And I can't speak for Gregor, but I doubt he was either.

Nope. I recognize my OCD and just try to keep it focused in a useful way. It's often helpful when it's embraced - such as when J told me to look for a house and unleash my OCD to find a good place. Nailed it.

Gregor

PS I think I may need to change my subscription updates from weekly to daily to keep up here. Oh, and sadly, Velomacchi has not worked out for me. No longer involved.

 

[bowtiguy]

And let's not even talk about this drawer:

Just found two of these cabinets locally (asking $200ea)'tempting, but I'm really loving my Lista cabinets. How are they holding up loaded down?

 

[E12-535iTurbo]

Nope. I recognize my OCD and just try to keep it focused in a useful way. It's often helpful when it's embraced - such as when J told me to look for a house and unleash my OCD to find a good place. Nailed it.

Gregor

PS I think I may need to change my subscription updates from weekly to daily to keep up here. Oh, and sadly, Velomacchi has not worked out for me. No longer involved.

Sorry to hear about Velomacchi, then again it leaves room to work on other things.

 

[peelman]

It is so nice to stumble across established threads like this one with so many ideas, tips, and kindred spirits.

I have been tooling around on GJ for years now but this thread eluded me until a couple of weeks ago.

I am an IT geek, (currently running IT for a data center, and which presents all kinds of challenges and bits of hell) with software dev and engineering tendencies, the son of a jack of all trades welder, shade tree mechanic, wood worker, etc. So much like you Jess, my interests are varied, and that is putting it mildly.

Thanks for sharing so much of your process. Looking forward to any and all future posts!

 

[Modern Jess]

Just a quick note to say I'm back from Italy. Pictures to follow.

Nope. I recognize my OCD and just try to keep it focused in a useful way. It's often helpful when it's embraced - such as when J told me to look for a house and unleash my OCD to find a good place. Nailed it.

Aye, she's a smart one.

Oh, and sadly, Velomacchi has not worked out for me. No longer involved.

Bummer. Well, onward and upward.