Welcome. This forum is great place to help you going with your new hobby. Great lathe.
I have to warn you however.... you will not have as much leisure time in retirement as you though you would.
I expect time management will be just as important in retirement as it was when working since I have acquired many interests. The following are a few of my interests:
- in my twenties I started repairing and refinishing antique furniture after getting to know my wife's family who were once avid collectors of such items. That experience resulted in acquiring old and modern woodworking tools, joining the Saskatchewan Woodworkers Guild, and building furniture such as the oak crib that all 3 of my children used. I am no longer a guild member. Family life and work life left no time for membership. But I still have the tools and occasionally make use of them.
- I was planning on becoming a carpenter but took a left turn along the way and became an electrician. I still enjoy carpentry work and doing small projects.
- while in electrical school I became interested in electronics. After completing trade school I continued with my interest in electronics by acquiring various electronic test equipment, building various circuits, building electronic test equipment, and repairing electronics. Recently I built an FM transmitter after I began looking into radio communication.
- I have a strong interest in computers and just about anything that relates to a computer working with both Mac, Windows, and Linux software.
- the electronics and computer interest led to an interest in microcontrollers like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. I plan on taking an online computer programming course to further develop my programming abilities when working with microcontrollers.
- for the most part, I have been repairing my family's vehicles. But sometimes the repair is beyond my skill and tool selection.
- I believe in the
Right to Repair and there is not much I won't attempt to fix. Having said that, there are times when some repairs are better left for the pros, especially if safety is a major factor.
What fuels a lot of my interests is the joy that comes with solving a problem while learning something new.
Back to the lathe...
I have used my metal lathe to make some minor repairs but I know there is a lot more it can do than what I am currently capable of. Having an extra 40 hours a week of free time should help with acquiring a little more knowledge and skill.
So that's a little bit about me. I appreciate the welcoming comments. Thank-you
