Share a Hobby?

[Jager]

Could be my progressive bifocals messing things up a bit. But you could be right about the new-fangled components too. If you are a bench rest shooter, and been around this stuff for a while, then you probably remember the old Hodgdon 4831 powder (WWII surplus, I think). It was much better then the new 4831 variants.

I still have some 7mm mags loaded with the old stuff.

Aye, I've still got a pound and a quarter left of the old 4831. Good stuff, indeed! I still have a dozen-odd .270 hunting rounds left from the batch I cooked up one afternoon (just the loading, actually developing the load took many hours of testing, measurement, loading, and shooting) in the mid-eighties. At one round a year, that batch of 40 rounds has lasted awhile!

Nice to see some other shooters on the forum.

Nice to see the other interesting hobbies, too. RC model airplanes and amateur radio are two things I'd like to try.

So many wonderful ways to spend one's time. So little time!

 

[Ronstar]

I have "normal" hobbies of photography, hiking, biking, woodworking, kayaking, boating, with brewing beer maybe being a little less than normal. I want to get into drones to use with my go pro, build my own DIY CNC router, and build my own cedar strip kayak.

 

[robnplunder]

Collecting lost golf balls became a minor hobby of mine. As a beginner golfer 5 years ago, I was losing balls faster than I can buy. Finding lost golf balls were necessary and became a habit, then a hobby over time. It's like collecting stamp which I used to do when I was a kid. Balls come in all brands, condition, age, logos, ball marks, sizes (yes, a few balls are smaller and a few are larger).

 

[Car-Guy]

Aye, I've still got a pound and a quarter left of the old 4831. Good stuff, indeed! I still have a dozen-odd .270 hunting rounds left from the batch I cooked up one afternoon (just the loading, actually developing the load took many hours of testing, measurement, loading, and shooting) in the mid-eighties. At one round a year, that batch of 40 rounds has lasted awhile!

Nice to see some other shooters on the forum.

Nice to see the other interesting hobbies, too. RC model airplanes and amateur radio are two things I'd like to try.

So many wonderful ways to spend one's time. So little time!

Amazing, ~70 year old powder and it's still good. I wish I had some for my 300 Weatherby. Hum, this got me thinking. Since I sold my 7 mag (burned the barrel out) maybe I'll pull the bullets from my old 7mm ammo loaded with the old 4831, recover the powder and reuse it for 300 reloads. Should have enough for 35 to 40 rounds. Unfortunately, I'll probably need to use 10 to 12 rounds working up a good load but I've got a good starting point. I hate to use up the last of it but then again, I can't take it with me and it's not doing me any good in 7mm cases anymore.

 

[rodi]

I guess I have activities more than hobbies.

I coach a team of 11 year old boys on a FIRST Lego League robotics team. This is their 3rd year at this level (vs Jr.), plus another 2 years for my older son's old team. It's less about robotics than it is about trying to keep pre-teen kids on task, managing their time, and staying focused on the end goals. But it is kind of fun to see them figure out engineering problems. That is a big time hit for 4 months a year.

I'm taking a 5 unit Italian class. I've learned that I have a terrible ear, and my italian accent is terrible - but I'm doing well in the class through brute force. I'm spending a tremendious amount of time on this because I really want to learn to speak passably when we go to Europe next summer and visit DH's second cousins.

 

[splitwdw]

Hypertufa! It's a cement mix that's suppose to mimic the old stone water troughs. Gardeners started using the stone troughs for planters when wood or metal troughs replaced the stone. The stone planters became scarce and hypertufa was born. There are many different recipes but all use Portland Cement. These are small pieces in the picture. I've made up to 2 1/2' X 4' trough. I also make cement jewelry.

 

[brewer12345]

cement jewelry.

Now there is a phrase I never thought I would see/hear.

The pieces in the pic are really pretty.

 

[Jager]

Amazing, ~70 year old powder and it's still good. I wish I had some for my 300 Weatherby. Hum, this got me thinking. Since I sold my 7 mag (burned the barrel out) maybe I'll pull the bullets from my old 7mm ammo loaded with the old 4831, recover the powder and reuse it for 300 reloads. Should have enough for 35 to 40 rounds. Unfortunately, I'll probably need to use 10 to 12 rounds working up a good load but I've got a good starting point. I hate to use up the last of it but then again, I can't take it with me and it's not doing me any good in 7mm cases anymore.

I think that's a great plan!

 

[Jager]

Another off-the-beaten-path pleasure of mine is fountain pens. I love the slightly more measured process of writing with one, the tactile feel as it bleeds its essence onto the paper, and the beautiful, multi-dimensional line shapes it leaves behind.

The incredible variety of inks, in all kinds of colors and compositions, is the desert. My latest to try is a beautiful, pale blue named 'kon-peki,' made by Iroshizuku in Japan. How can you not love that name?!

 

[Sarah in SC]

Jäger, what would be a good choice for someone who has never tried the fountain pen before? Something inexpensive to try it out?

My weirdest hobbies have included being part of a hula hooping troupe, pole dancing (for exercise, mind you, not $), and driving a school bus around the world.

 

[splitwdw]

I also do metal working. These are my two stumps with forming stakes and vise mounted on top. Some of my frequently used hammers are hanging from the sides of the stump. Don't know how I ended up with 2 of the same photos in my post.

 

[Free To Canoe]

I also do metal working. These are my two stumps with forming stakes and vise mounted on top. Some of my frequently used hammers are hanging from the sides of the stump. Don't know how I ended up with 2 of the same photos in my post.

Interesting. Half stump will travel?

 

[Free To Canoe]

Hypertufa! It's a cement mix that's suppose to mimic the old stone water troughs. Gardeners started using the stone troughs for planters when wood or metal troughs replaced the stone. The stone planters became scarce and hypertufa was born. There are many different recipes but all use Portland Cement. These are small pieces in the picture. I've made up to 2 1/2' X 4' trough. I also make cement jewelry.

This sounds like something I would like to try.

 

[VaCollector]

My weirdest hobbies have included being part of a hula hooping troupe, pole dancing (for exercise, mind you, not $), and driving a school bus around the world.

….seems this is just another post that is useless without pictures!

 

[Sarah in SC]

….seems this is just another post that is useless without pictures!

C'mon, you know I've posted pics of my school bus around here before...
...but some of the girls in my pole classes could have def turned pro...

 

[splitwdw]

Interesting. Half stump will travel?

I know it's a joke but even though the stumps are dried out they are really heavy. Add the weight from the stakes, vise and hammers and they aren't going anywhere.

This sounds like something I would like to try.

This is so much fun. You can make planters, troughs, leaf castings for stepping stones or birdbaths or jewelry, fountains. One drawback in our area is the weight of the Portland cement. It comes in 47 & 94 lb. bags but they only carry the 94 pounders. They weight almost as much as me and I have to struggle to move them. The bags of builders sand weight about 50 lbs. Helps keep me in shape.
These leaves are cement. I use them for necklace pendants. I paint them and some like these I seal in resin.

 

[splitwdw]

Free to Canoe, These are small planters made from hypertufa.

 

[Walt34]

Another off-the-beaten-path pleasure of mine is fountain pens.

I liked them in jr. high and HS, but stopped carrying them when one leaked in my shirt pocket. There is definitely a different feel to them, even the ordinary cheap ones that I used then.

 

[Jager]

Jäger, what would be a good choice for someone who has never tried the fountain pen before? Something inexpensive to try it out?

My weirdest hobbies have included being part of a hula hooping troupe, pole dancing (for exercise, mind you, not $), and driving a school bus around the world.

Hi Sarah,

One of the quick disadvantages of fountain pens is that they often are quite expensive. Before becoming interested in them I thought a $25 Cross pen was an expensive (too expensive!) pen. Alas.

I can heartily recommend something like a Pelikan M200. That's a hundred dollar pen (!) and is considered moderately priced in the fountain pen world. There are some less expensive models out there - Lamy has several models that have generally been received well - but I don't have any personal experience with them.

The Pelikan M200 was my first fountain pen and I instantly fell in love with it. Enough that I eventually bought two more for myself, and one for my DW.

A few links that might be helpful:

Goulet Pens is a family-owned operation that has lots of information (including videos) for the fountain pen novice. I haven't ordered anything other than inks from them, but they have an excellent reputation in the fountain pen community. Good people.

Fountain Pens, Fountain Pen Ink, Fountain Pen Paper | GouletPens.com


Just like this is the internet forum for retirement-related issues, The Fountain Pen Network is the place for serious fountain pen aficionados. Very highly recommended.

The Fountain Pen Network


Should you buy a Pelikan, I'd recommend you consider purchasing from Richard Binder. Richard is probably the foremost tuner/repairer of fountain pen nibs and he also sells several lines of pens. He checks out (and tweaks, if necessary) the function of the new pens he sells (at no additional charge).

RichardsPens.com • Pens That Write Right!


Finally, there are a couple of stories on my website that talk about my entree into Montblanc - yes, that first Pelikan sent me deep down the rabbit hole - that perhaps give a glimmer of what the fountain pen world is like for someone new to it.

 

[CCdaCE]

Another reloader here, prior to that I dabbled in model railroading.

-CC

 

[brewer12345]

Quick question to the reloaders: I am going to start fooling with centerfire reloading this winter. Is 38 special a good place to start in terms of being relatively simple/easy? My other choices from stuff I have on hand are 357 mag, 44 mag, and 35 Remington.

 

[Dreamer]

Hypertufa! It's a cement mix that's suppose to mimic the old stone water troughs. Gardeners started using the stone troughs for planters when wood or metal troughs replaced the stone. The stone planters became scarce and hypertufa was born. There are many different recipes but all use Portland Cement. These are small pieces in the picture. I've made up to 2 1/2' X 4' trough. I also make cement jewelry.

I have never heard of this. I love your pieces!

 

[splitwdw]

Thanks, Dreamer. These are a lot of fun and a cheap hobby. For molds, you can use plastic ware from the dollar store, cardboard boxes lined with dry cleaner bags, damp sand mold.

 

[CCdaCE]

Quick question to the reloaders: I am going to start fooling with centerfire reloading this winter. Is 38 special a good place to start in terms of being relatively simple/easy? My other choices from stuff I have on hand are 357 mag, 44 mag, and 35 Remington.

Yep, should be pretty easy. See my PM.

 

[Jager]

Quick question to the reloaders: I am going to start fooling with centerfire reloading this winter. Is 38 special a good place to start in terms of being relatively simple/easy? My other choices from stuff I have on hand are 357 mag, 44 mag, and 35 Remington.

Reloading straight-wall pistol cartridges is about the easiest reloading there is. And .38 Special is a great round to start with. The same die set will let you do those, plus your .357 Mag.

The one piece of advice I'd offer is to buy a carbide die set rather than the standard steel dies. The carbide die allows you to resize your cases without first lubricating them, a benefit you'll come to deeply appreciate.