Sunday, October 7, 2012

What's been going on lately and BITCHIN' NEW TOOLZ!!!

What's been going on is that due to a reshuffling at my office recently, they decided to give my ass the old heave ho. Which is fine since I hate doing that shit anyways, but it kinda bums me out since I was getting close to gathering all the tools I need for the shop. Few more months and an xmas bonus later I would've been set. Oh well. Aside from the Anvil mitering jigs and Park frame finishing tools, I've got most everything else I need. In the meantime:

YAY TONS OF FREE TIME TO DO COOL SHIT GET BLAZED COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT AND MAKE ARTSY JUNK NO ONE WILL EVER CARE ABOUT BUT ME!!!

Tho to be honest there's a good chance that I'll score some freelance work here and there. Still waiting on hearing back from various colleagues. The next few months are usually pretty busy in the magazine world..

In the meantime, I put a bunch of stuff up for auction on the bay. Please scope it all out and forward/reblog if you don't mind since I could use some extra cash right now:





Along with a bunch of other random stuff so be sure to check out my ebay seller list..

Aside from what I've listed there I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what else to part with. Still have a few tid bits lying around but I'm hoping I won't have to part with them quite yet. Unless of course there's a eccentric couple out there that just couldn't live without their very own Mutandem, hehe..

Anyways, some of the procede's from the sales will go towards paying the balance off on my recent purchase of a JET JMD-18 mill/drill:


There's THE most wicked tool place by my house called A.W. Meyer. It's MASSIVE and they only sell contractor grade tools. None of that low end Home Depot/Loews consumer grade crap..

This past weekend was their annual oct-tool-ber fest sale. Which sounds silly but all the vendors show up and offer 10% off their gear. Which when spending 2gs is not so silly anymore. After chatting with the Jet rep a bit, I ended up getting a $300 discount which was pretty fucking amazing of them! 

Granted I could've gotten one of those huge used Bridgeports etc, but the JET comes pre wired for household use, is small and light enough to fit through regular doors and I'll likely never have to tinker with it and search for old parts because it's been slaving in some guys machine shop for 30-40 years already. Not too worried about doing much heavier work than mitering tubes and the occasional mini tall drop out. Plus I won't have to deal with spending additional funds on a drill press which would just end up taking additional space..

Anyways, it's on back order so should be here next week. All I need now is an adjustable angle vise and a clue as to how to use it properly, hehe. Haven't touched one since high school..

Since we're on the topic of sweet new tools, I suppose I can post this horrible POS video I shot a little while back showcasing the custom anvil frame jig rolling stand I made along with a few other tools I've acquired. mmmMAN does the color ever look bad! I somehow managed to totally space out on compensating for the super bright yellow overhead light. I wanted to re-shoot it but I had THE WORST time getting a decent take for some reason. That and I'm in the middle of working on a frame now and have no desire to reset everything for it. Anyways, point and laugh all you like:


uggh.. so bad..

The stand is pretty bitchin' tho right?!

Anyways.. Here's some before and after snaps of the steel surface plate when I first got it:


While I most certainly don't recommend using the above unconscionably sketch balls method of transporting a 750lbs plate by yourself through a standard size door, it was the only way I could come up with to squeeze it through..

As you can see in the first photo it was pretty damn rusty. This is after the first wire brushing by hand:

..and after a real proper power brushing and chemical de-rusting: 

Not the prettiest but it does the job just fine..

I have to say, looking at it now I can't help but notice that it bear's a striking resemblance to this..

Then here's a couple of snaps from the day I shot that dumb video:


Good shit huh? 

Pretty amped to get that mill in and set up so I don't have to spend quite as many hours on miters as I do now. There's sure to be a decent learning curve with getting used to all the new tools but I'm super stoked to have em now! Plus I know some good people who can give me the advice I need here and there to get started..

So what else does the future hold?

A visit to Colorado for NAHBS maybe? Another trip to Croatia to help harvest this season's olives?? An Austin Winter get away???

Not sure about any of that shit but the one good thing about being unemployed during the winter months is that it'll force me to stay inside and get some work done. I was really bummed about the lymes completely fucking up my summer. It definitely made a mess of things and pushed my goal to get some frames out on the streets by now way back. With any luck I'll have em out there by the start of next season. Which will no doubt make quite a few of my buddies real happy :-)  

So yeah, more soon. Now get busy sending those ebay auctions around wouldja?!


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