The Home Machinist!

diddler wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:33 am"Why do you want to do that, and what are you going to do with it"

Over time, as word of "what I do" spread amongst friends, I got essentially the same question. First about a lathe I went to the trouble of importing, then the workshop in general, and then what I did in that workshop. And all the questions could be summed up in one sentence, "We don't understand why?" They didn't understand because it was and is an irrational pursuit.

"Irrational" in this case doesn't mean crazy or dangerous, it means a something which isn't shared, and therefore identifiable or understood, by the vast majority of the population. So I thought a lot about how to describe it in terms they could relate to, and then it hit me how.

So depending upon who was asking, I began to explain it by saying simply, "Well, this is my Bass (or sail) Boat." or "This is my Harley.", or "This is my Winnebago", and immediately they understood.

My answer to questions from people who have no understanding of our Live Steam pursuit in our home shops is:
I build sculptures. Kinetic sculptures!
They understand that, and then see the locomotives. I often see a bit of shock in their eyes.
And most folks then want to know more. I am happy to share.
RussN

I still have a T-shirt that says

"Please do not call my steam locomotive CUTE'

Bill Shields wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 8:34 pm I still have a T-shirt that says

"Please do not call my steam locomotive CUTE'

I've mentioned before about when our neighbors moved in some years ago and they came over to have a look. Their 10-year-old son liked what he saw and asked, "Where's the remote?" I explained that it was a real steamer and ran just like the big ones. "Oh. But where's the remote?"

I try not to take myself too seriously. All of the technology and craftsmanship aside, I am 72 years old and ride around on model trains. And I wear a striped engineers cap and sometimes bib overalls when I do it.

When I tell people that I'm building a steam locomotive, they might make a comment about a "choo-choo", but the minute I tell them that it burns coal, runs at over 100psi and that I have a machine shop in my garage, they usually shut up.

SteveR

Thanks for the replies everyone!.. I feel a bit better now. Looks like I can't admit to these workers I'm into this hobby... Oh yeah, I neglected to mention, a few months later one of them was bringing in the mail. I believe there was an invitation from the club to their annual event. The guy bringing in the mail said "Look, here's one from those steam clubbin goons!". On it there was a pic of a man with a big belly operating a 7 1/2" gauge gas powered loco, might have been and SD-40. One of them said "Do you think this mans choo choo helps make up for his bear belly?" then they all started laughing. Other jokes were made and I went and hid in shame afterwards:(

Don't hide in shame!
Educate!
RussN

Shild...life is too short to put up with the naysayers and the rivet counting critics. Constructive comments can be offered without being negative.

Friend Honest Dave, has the best retort I've ever heard for anyone that questions one's model building abilities or makes fun of attempts to pursue and enjoy this hobby. Simply...throw it right back at them. "Well then, why don't you show me the (insert loco, car, part, etc) that YOU BUILT?" It's a polite way of saying...put up or shut up! Don't have to please anyone but yourself. Enjoy the hobby! There's much to learn and share. Carl B.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Hello My Friends
Most enjoyable thread and great stories. When I was a young sprout in school I would bring Model Railroader, Trains , and Railroad magazine to school. There were always the knuckle draggers that made fun of me but I just blew them off. I have always been a bit of a loner and did my own thing. I was never one of the socialites and just didn't give a hoot what anyone else thought. Nowadays people I meet never ridicule or tease. Sometimes they smile, often they just don't understand. I think they are expecting toys, which these actually are but not in the normal sense. But when they come to visit...they quite often can't quite believe their eyes. They often say I never expected anything like this. Now I consider them toys, but the coolest and most fun toys on the planet. After all we build and run them just for fun. If you are not having fun, you might consider another pastime. As I often say, Too Much Fun!

I keep my hobby in the closet, family aside.
My family consists of mechanics, woodworkers, and a plastics engineer, and they have been anywhere from impressed with my work to "can't believe their eyes". I got teased in middle school for my HO scale train hobby, bringing MR magazines to school, etc, but I didn't care. My last HO scale layout I built about 10 years ago. It had a tall bridge over a river with an airbrushed and detailed bottom, and 2 part epoxy poured over it. It was absolutely priceless to see adult family members gingerly reach out and touch my "water"