Just checking in

[Doug Herzberg]

I haven't been active in turning or on this forum in years. Funny how I'm looking for names I know instead of the subject of each post. I sold most of my rentals and retired for good, but it seems I'm busier than ever.

I did open my refrigerator kiln to find a burned out light bulb and several projects in various stages of completion, some dated 2013. They all seem to have dried nicely without the help of the light bulb and with little damage.

It's nice to see a few familiar names. It seems like these days it would be easier to post phone pics directly from the phone. Is that what everyone does? Is there an app for that? I'm finishing off a few pieces, but I don't know if I'll have time to dust off the old photo booth.

[Roger Chandler]

Hi Doug! Glad you’re still kickin’! I have also taken a bit of a break from turning, due to being busy, and taking care of family issues, etc. I’m also in welding school, have not yet retired, still working full time. By no means am I giving up turning, but I did take a sabbatical from the gallery I show at. When I do retire, I want to stay active and productive as much as possible. Who knows, I may combine woodworking with metal working and start a new business?

Glad you checked in…I don’t post much in recent months, but a thread occasionally catches my eye. Do you still have that G0698? The one I had, I sold to a turning club, and it’s still going strong, being 17 years old now.

[Reed Gray]

I did retire from production turning since I only do one show a year now. I have been spending time learning, well getting back into flat work..... Yes, my bench chisels are sharp! No blood drawn yet....

robo hippy

[Walter Mooney]

Hi Doug, glad to see you’re back. I can completely relate to “retired for good but it seems I’m busier than ever”! I’m retired a little over two and a half years, and I’m often reminded of the many times I’d talk to someone (while I was still working) who was retired who would say ‘I don’t know how I ever held down a full-time with what I’ve got going on’. I’m in that group right now! But IMO, you can’t beat retirement! Welcome back!

[Richard Madden]

Good to see a familiar name again! I'm still interested in turning but haven't done much at all this year and I'm ashamed to say I don't do much on this forum. Hopefully that will all change and I'll get back at it.

[Doug Herzberg]

Yes I have the GO698. There is a girl in the local turning club who is doing mostly spindle turning on the club lathes, but doesn't have a lathe of her own. She's been coming by a few times a month to practice on mine. I trimmed a honey locust hard at our kids' house and got a few blanks from that processed.

I took a welding class about 20 years ago with my grandson. It didn't take with him, but I picked up a little Hobart MIG welder and a Harbor Freight torch for general use. The class was gas welding, but most of the skills are transferrable. My brother-in-law went into a nursing home, so now I have his Lincoln arc welder too, plus his Victor torches to go with my Harbor Freight.

I now have two South Bend metal lathes, which I'm only just starting to learn how to use. 1933 and 1950 models. I got into a hobby of restoring old wood and metal working machinery and have been having a lot of fun with it when I have the time.

[Doug Herzberg]

Hey Reed. Good to see your name. Some people on other forums are looking for you. I think they want to buy your sharpening jigs. I sent one to this forum to try to contact you a few months ago. Glad you're still kicking. I really enjoyed and learned from your videos.