what are your ( harmless) vices?

[CZ-75]

Guns, Knives and flashlights

 

[luxstang]

Brett...... The MillkBar? Wow! Just WOW!!!!

 

[EdM]

Custom revolvers from the likes of Alan Harton, Hamilton Bowen and Jim Stroh.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I think my biggest harmless vices are being a packrat, somewhat disorganized, and having way too many hobbies. What that means is I have a lot of cool stuff and interests, but not enough time to enjoy them all.

For instance:

• The Mustang (of course)
  
• Four Wheelin' with my '80 Jeep CJ-7 (taking it to car shows these days, though)
  
• airbrushing
  
• drawing
  
• woodworking
  
• computer tweaking and case modding
  
• website design
  
• building scale models
  
• playing music with the local community and brass bands
  
• racing R/C cars
  
• target shooting
  
• collecting watches (not particularly expensive watches though - just the ones that are cool to me)
  
• NASCAR (although, I only catch a race every now and then... not every weekend anymore)
  

Obviously, I've been working on the Mustang a LOT for the past 5 years, so some of my other hobbies have suffered. One of the biggest things I still want to do is build a MAME stand-up cabinet - I love playing those old arcade games, because they're very uncomplicated - I can fire up a game of Asteroids, Joust, or Galaga and get my computer game fix within 15-20 minutes... unlike being married to SimCity, or [God forbid] WoW (like my wife) for hours and days on-end.

I also want to get a proper graphics tablet/display to make drawing more convenient. Having a proper drawing table/designated area takes up so much room - I've had dedicated drawing tables in the past, and they're just so much of a hassle to work with and around... especially when the inspiration's just not there.

The same with airbrushing - I don't have a viable dedicated set-up (yet), which makes it hard to get excited about doing anything. I think the biggest issue I have is having to set it all up each time, which usually turns into a big production that's almost more trouble than it's worth. My plan is to build a new outbuilding that will house the yard tools and a little bit of overflow big stuff from the garage (and bring the Jeep home from the storage unit), but also have a dedicated work area inside that I can use for airbrushing.

I've gotten a small area set-up to build models as part of my computer desk, and so far it's working out OK. I need to finish a few other projects before it's properly configured, but that just takes time, too. Having the area to airbrush will be huge, since that's really the best way to paint with awesome results, rather than rattle cans.

I play with the Brass Band and have rehearsals on Thursday evenings, typically about 8 months out of the year. Community Band on Tuesday evenings starting late spring running through summer, and a Christmas gig with rehearsals starting in early November. I'm also the TubaChristmas coordinator for San Angelo, so that's another Saturday taken up during the Holidays. I have no less than 9 horns now, all of them "rescued" from ebay so the 'worth' is definitely much greater than the 'cost.' Each horn has its own purpose, except for my Marching Baritone, which I just wanted to have one (and I love playing it now and then, just because it reminds me of how cool high school marching band was).

R/C cars are a blast... but unless there's an actual track set up somewhere, with someone wanting to actually race, it's just me out there burning through fuel and tires. As much fun as that is, my friend got me interested in the idea of actually racing on a closed road course... which is a LOT of fun (even though I'm only "pretty good" at it).

As much fun as going shooting is, ammo's getting expensive and I only have a few guns anyway, so I'm not a fanatic with my own arsenal and ammo dump or anything.

Another favorite thing is building websites. I've done a couple dozen or so, but mostly a long time ago when it was straight HTML. I started teaching myself Java, Php, MySQL, and even had a blog and forums up and running for a few of them - still need to play with Flash and learn more of the automatic code. These days it's just too easy to upload everything to FB and share out from there... so my personal site has been getting a little stale. The biggest thing I hate about building sites for other people though is when they tell you, "just come up with something cool," and then when they see it, "Oh - that's not what I had in mind." Drives me nuts, and is why I never pursued it professionally.

Another seemingly harmless vice I also have issues with "brevity:" I cannot simply say something quickly with minimal words or thoughts. Of course, I work with the military every day, so clarity is much more important than brevity. rofl

 

[Luke]

Custom revolvers from the likes of Alan Harton, Hamilton Bowen and Jim Stroh.

EdM you cant tell us that and not show us that's inhumane mate.

 

[kidwithfastback=fast]

Music is probably the biggest one for me. I've read 3 books and countless articles on Stevie Ray Vaughan not to mention spending a sizable portion of my time after school learning his tricks, style and songs.

Now that I think of it, I may have spent a combined week by now trying to master "Rude Mood".

So like Luxstang, I'm a guitar guy. I can't get enough of it, whether its Joe Walsh, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Johnny Winter, BB king, etc. I love the blues and those who carry it!

 

[luxstang]

Way to go brother!

 

[Flatback72]

^^Awesome. Every Kid thought they had their own milk bar you do and you don't even have to round up old coke bottles to cash in sweet

Thanks Luke, I remember in the seventies nicking returnable bottles from the East Bendigo Scout Hall bottle dump and taking them to the nearest shop to trade for bags of mixed lollies!

wow...really awesome Brett!

Thanks jhawk!

Brett...... The MillkBar? Wow! Just WOW!!!!

Thanks Mike, I guess that means you reckon my building skills are adequate!

 

[rolandmhall]

Music. I come from a family of musicians and grew up playing in church. I don't play professionally anymore, but still play regularly. Been playing bass since I was 11. Studied jazz in college and received a minor in Applied String Bass Theory.

I enjoy everything from Clapton to Marvin Gaye, so I think I have a pretty wide range of music that I appreciate.

I still practice every single day. Minimum 1hr.

All I own are 5 string bassess right now and I'm a sucker for Lakland bassess. They are Fender Jazz basses on steroids.

From Left to Right

Lakland Skyline 55-60

Lakland Skyline 55-02 (my #1 bass)

Lakland Skyline 55-02 (Tuned to eb)

Citron BO5 (my handmade Custom piece)

Elrick Josh Paul (Super rare, will never leave the house)

 

[luxstang]

Nice basses. I know Lakland basses. Good stuff.

You may wanna post that in the Guitar Lounge.

 

[mrmach1]

Mustangs, Motorcycles, US history, Primitive Fire arms, and Playing the drums.

 

[rolandmhall]

Nice basses. I know Lakland basses. Good stuff.

You may wanna post that in the Guitar Lounge.

It came down to Lakland or Sadowsky and I just couldn't justify 3500.00 for a Jazz bass. Very nice, but I like 35" scale basses with 19mm string spacing.

 

[EdM]

Custom revolvers from the likes of Alan Harton, Hamilton Bowen and Jim Stroh.

EdM you cant tell us that and not show us that's inhumane mate.

OK. But one must be a sixgun nerd to understand.

A Bowen 500 Linebaugh.



A Bowen 44 Special conversion on an old Ruger Flattop 357 with Turnbull case colors and Bisley hammer.



A Harton 5" S&W M29. S&W made 500 way back in the mid-50's.



A Harton 44 Special conversion on an Old Model 3-screw 357 Mag Ruger with the top strap welded up and machined as the early Single Six's were. Doug Turnbull case colors.





A Harton Old Model Super Blackhawk cut to 5 1/2", fluted cylinder, leaned hammer fitted with a New Model Bisley grip frame with the necessary internal mods to make the old work with the new.



A 5 1/2" Harton 38 WCF conversion on an Old Model Flattop 357 Mag Ruger.



A really unique, his first, Harton 41 Sepcial built on an Old Model Single Six. So a 22 RF converted to a 41 CF that throws 220 gr slugs at 800 fps.



A 4" S&W M28 357 Mag Highway Patrolman converted to 38 WCF with the original barrel rebored.





A five shot 5 1/2" 45 Colt conversion of a Ruger Bisley built by Larry Crow of Competitive Edge Gun Works that will equal the 454 Casull in effectiveness.



A Jim Stroh converted S&W M29 to a 5" 45 Colt. Keith Brown grips.



Last, a Bill Grover #5 44 Magnum modeled after Elmer Kieth's famous #5 but converted to a right hand shooter, per Bill's view. Note that the loading gate ejector rod are on the "wrong" side. He built some then passed away too young.



Enough???

 

[Luke]

Enough to make me envious. Very nice pieces well done Sir well done indeed

 

[EdM]

Enough to make me envious. Very nice pieces well done Sir well done indeed

Thanks. I do enjoy them and am an avid handgun hunter. Heading for hogs in Texas on R&R from Korea tomorrow morning. One of many things I missed in my too short of a time living in Brisbane was getting out in the bush.

 

[jhawk635]

Hey Ed,

Great collection and I love the inclusion of alcohol...nice touch! ::beer::

 

[Mister 4x4]

Nice collection, Ed. ::thumb::

I wish I liked revolvers, because those are simply gorgeous. I'm just not too fond of the propensity for powder burns when firing revolvers. I've only ever fired two different revolvers (my pal's .357 and a single shot through an S&W 500 at the range after they first came out) - I noticed the powder burns with the .357 shooting through one six-pack and didn't care for it. I was so stoked from firing the 500 I didn't even really notice.

Good stuff!

 

[rpmcarter]

Custom revolvers from the likes of Alan Harton, Hamilton Bowen and Jim Stroh.

EdM you cant tell us that and not show us that's inhumane mate.

OK. But one must be a sixgun nerd to understand.

A Bowen 500 Linebaugh.



A Bowen 44 Special conversion on an old Ruger Flattop 357 with Turnbull case colors and Bisley hammer.



A Harton 5" S&W M29. S&W made 500 way back in the mid-50's.



A Harton 44 Special conversion on an Old Model 3-screw 357 Mag Ruger with the top strap welded up and machined as the early Single Six's were. Doug Turnbull case colors.





A Harton Old Model Super Blackhawk cut to 5 1/2", fluted cylinder, leaned hammer fitted with a New Model Bisley grip frame with the necessary internal mods to make the old work with the new.



A 5 1/2" Harton 38 WCF conversion on an Old Model Flattop 357 Mag Ruger.



A really unique, his first, Harton 41 Sepcial built on an Old Model Single Six. So a 22 RF converted to a 41 CF that throws 220 gr slugs at 800 fps.



A 4" S&W M28 357 Mag Highway Patrolman converted to 38 WCF with the original barrel rebored.





A five shot 5 1/2" 45 Colt conversion of a Ruger Bisley built by Larry Crow of Competitive Edge Gun Works that will equal the 454 Casull in effectiveness.



A Jim Stroh converted S&W M29 to a 5" 45 Colt. Keith Brown grips.



Last, a Bill Grover #5 44 Magnum modeled after Elmer Kieth's famous #5 but converted to a right hand shooter, per Bill's view. Note that the loading gate ejector rod are on the "wrong" side. He built some then passed away too young.



Enough???

Ed.... all I can say is I do okay...we dont suffer much...but for GAWD SAKE you point out in 90% of your post how much of a failure I am..... youz got more money THAN GAWD!!!!

 

[Luke]

Dana if you sacked the Butler and stopped buying bejewelled monocles and gold plated rocket cars you could buy some fine 6 guns

 

[sicndhed]

EdM, Beautiful photos of things of beauty!