had a quiet night

[wasserretter]

The reasons why I don't post a lot are 1.) I have to work whole day and afterwards there is a family I have to interact with.
2.) I have to help my wife in the house.
3.) I started engaging myself in DRK (german red cross). Some more time that's fixed.
4.) I had one year of work at home so I couldn't carve while I was waiting for the train.

But all in all this forum is a great place to be and to read.
I started making my own carving knives.
Using an old gypsum filler cuting it with a Dremel and scharpening it isn't that hard to do.
You all showed me that way.
I also used other parts of this filler to make some other blades and make my own knives.

Good inspiration is coming from this forum.

But I don't show those knives because they just work and aren't fine tools.
I'm that kind if person who doesn't need a nice looking tool a tool has to do it's job then it is fine.

And after all its just a matter of time. I'm too busy with all of the other things I have to do.
Maybe in 11 years I can do some more carvings. Then I am going to retire.
There are a lot of projects in my mind but I can't do everything I wish to and time will show what I can do.

But thanks to all of you sharing your experiences, skills and knowledge.

[joepaulbutler]

What is 'gypsum filler" Hey your busy, as it should be at a younger age, but....when reaching that retirement

[wasserretter]

Deepl told me that 'gypsum filler' is the name for this tool:
spachtel.jpg
Ups a little big this one

Google now tells me 'gypsum spatula'.

[Arthur C.]

Dirk, life's obligations always come first, always have and always will for a responsible person. Good that you are keeping your priorities in order!

[BeckyN]

My dad always called it a putty knife. But he is nuts
I have been slacking, and chasing clients for payment, so haven't had much time to post, or read other posts, but taking some quiet time now with a glass of white!
I love this forum, I don't like the rude people on fb.
I have been busy with the pup too, 5 months old now. And getting huge! But I will make a point to check in hopefully a few times a week!

[joepaulbutler]

Yip, I would say the pup is indeed a keeper. I had to read your sentence about "rude" twice, I thought you had written something else, Well to old eye an N & an R are kind of similar ∙∙∙∙

[Glenn Jennings]

Hi Guys
I think this forum is wonderful. It is a community in its own right and people are free to contribute to the discussions or not as they see fit and can make friends or not as they see fit also.

As with most forums, clubs, organisations there is allways a small core of people dedicated to the function of things and these people participate fully in the various discussions and activities.

I have found the decorum and attitude of those participating to be exemplary. The quality of the work posted is great and lots of information is available to those that want it and a positive attitude abounds .

The site has a lot of visitors daily so interest in the content is there so I think the site has sort of become a refference material site for many. The detailed methodology of many posts is hugely beneficial to those seeking answers to a problem or question. The tutorials seem to get quite a lot of hits as do many of the highly detailed posts of major projects that take considerable time to accomplish.

It is 05:37 am and we have 4 members and 36 visitors on the site. Visitors outnumber members online 10 to 1

The fact that the site is still flourishing given the competition from various media sources is testament to its quality and content.

We can only hope that as some of our younger members that don't post a lot for a wealth of reasons will get more involved when they retire and have more free time.

Living in these times is much different to what it was 50 years ago. There is just so much that demands attention now just to get through a day never mind having time for hobbies.

Retiring was the best thing to happen to me as now I have all the time in the world to pursue my interests which I had been planning on for years.

Many others are probably in the same boat me thinks.

So long as I'm still breathing I will be checking the site even if I cant pick up a chisel anymore, just to see how other guys are doing.

Perhaps we should put up a post for visitors asking them what It would take for them to become active members. What do they want to see on the forum??? Just a thought.

[DiLeon]

People who are active have never equal those who are watching in the history of forums. Most people today, sit and watch. Sort like sports.

[Arthur C.]

Following up on Glenn's observation, at the moment we have 4 members and 48 guests on the forum. Interesting...twelve times the number of members are guests!

[Claude]

Glenn and Arthur: Many of those guests are search bots for various search engines. BTW, guests can read the text but are not allowed to see the photos - one must be a member to see the photos.

Claude

[Arthur C.]

Thank you, Claude, that makes sense! Bots...that never would have occurred to me...and I didn't realize that guests couldn't see the pics.

[Brian T]

Bots. One day, I decided to Google a search for PacNW crooked knife carving tools.
Just to see what might be new, just to see who might be doing what. The usual pages of pictures.
What pops up but images of my own tools in my shop!

Retirement: Took about 2 years to untangle myself from the biology business. Yeah, 2 years.
Still had to hump along at full speed, every day, week and month, like the decades before.
So in idle moments, I made up a short mental list of the stuff I was going to do when I retired.
A lifetime of watercolor painting and large-format B&W photography. Blue-grass instruments and music. Very satisfying, they were.
15 years into retirement, I don't have time for those. One by one, I can't imagine doing those things.

I turn on the radio, turn on the bright LED lights, put on my gloves and the cut-stopper apron. Slowly getting back into carving with great satisfaction I have not had for a few years.