Hobbies

[Karl Brogger]

So I know the vast majority of the people on this board do woodworking as a hobby. I do it for a living, it has its moments but for the most part I like it less and less every day.

So what other things occupy your time?
-I race and rec sail catamaran sailboats.
-I'm an avid target shooter. I've got a rediculously nice Volquartson 10/22, and a S&W model 41 that I'm pretty much in love with.
-I've got a sport kite that I take out once in a while and play with, lots a fun but my kite has a fairly narrow wind range.
-I've ridden motorcycles pretty much my whole life, now I'm down to just one, a super motard WR250X. (if you don't know what a super motard is, think dirtbike, with sportbike tires, very nimble, very fun).
-I picked up a stand up jet ski last year. That's about the hardest thing I've ever done. Nice when there's no wind to sail with.
-When winter rolls around I glue myself to the couch and kill braincells playing Playstation. I wish there was a stronger word than hate. I hate winter. Despise the cold. Loath shoveling the driveway. Disgusted by driving with (more like against) all the other idiots in snow/ice. So pretty much I lock myself inside in winter and wait for spring to reverse the atrophic results of living in a cold sunless enviroment for 6-7 months. i.e. no winter hobbies.

[Joe Pelonio]

My other hobbies are a lot tamer than yours, in fact while they a lot of work, I find them relaxing and rewarding. I have over 70 bonsai trees that are in various stages of development, and I do stained glass. Unfortunately I haven't nearly as much time these days to spend on them as I'd like.

[Nancy Laird]

I sew, do fabric crafts, photography, read (a LOT), and spend too much time on the computer doing jigsaw puzzles.

I'm also a frustrated writer!!

[travis howe]

Wow...if I only had time for that many hobbies!!!!

I work full time, married and have two young ones, I have only been woodworking for months now and I so wished I had more time to do it. I've done a few decent sized projects yet most of my hobbie time so far is still trying to figure everything out.

I used to be into sports a lot but have a bad back and knees, mostly from my military days, yet I'm only 31.

So...I'd say you're blessed to have some free time, I can only wish at this point!;)

If you live in Colorado you can come to my small shop and teach me in the winter! Ha!

[Andrew Derhammer]

I'm the non typical teenager, don't spend much time w/ friends too much time to do other stuff(like turn)

I'm getting into bullseye shooting as both my dad and grandfather have shot (or in the case of my dad he's shooting w/ me). I'm shooting my grandfathers 1954 Mark1 that he handed down to me. My grandfather was a high master i believe(or master can't recall) but his vision is too poor to be able to shoot anymore. In fact i'm working on a new set of grips for my Mark1, the left side is sitting on my lap.

I belong to engineering club and german club at school. Have done model rocketry earlier as a hobby but now i'm more turning focused. I'm the Senior Patrol Leader of my troop.

[Brad Schmid]

My main hobby is shooting. I shoot pistol at least twice a week, at least 300rds per trip. My handguns of choice are 45ACP 1911's and currently am shooting a Kimber Team Match while preparing for my first foray into IDPA competition at another club, so we'll see how that goes. I also shoot target rifle (mostly a custom built 25-06) about twice per month. All this shooting leads into my second hobby - reloading. Shooting ~2500 rds of 45acp a month get's expensive buying factory ammo...

My other hobby is riding my Harley, and fortunately here in Texas I can ride year round, so I get to do that every day back and forth to work. People at work tell me I'm nuts riding in the rain, cold weather, blahblahblah... Quite the contrary, it keeps me sane ;)

Otherwise, I fill all the "empty" time with kid's stuff - football, baseball, karate, gymnastics, ad nauseum...:rolleyes: Oh well, they gotta have something too I guess:confused:

Oh yeah, somewhere in there I find some time for woodworking:D

Be well!

[Dennis Peacock]

Other hobbies......

I used to be a Radio Controlled airplane nut and was a club flight instructor for 2 years.

I like doing photography and I used to develop my own negatives and prints.

Woodworking and woodturning have always been my true hobbies. Been doing woodworking and antique refinishing since I was 14 years old. I'm just to slow to make any real money at it. ;)

I used to ride motorcycle a lot. Dirt racing, hill climbinb, mud racing, and some motorcross. I've had a total of 17 motorcycles in my life and most every one of them were dirt bikes of sorts. Today, I ride a Honda Shadow 750 Spirit as my daily commuter and just a way for me to get away for a bit in short bursts to help maintain my sanity. So yea.....this is motorcycle # 18.

I guess that's really about it. I used to shoot a good bit and even was fair in archery when I was a teenager, but that was at least 100 years ago. :rolleyes:

I guess I'm pretty boring compared to many, but hey, I was raised on a farm and worked all my life up until I went into the military and then kept on working from there.

[Ben Franz]

I also fly sport kites (or used to) - had about 10 or 12 for various conditions and really like flying "quads" - 4 lines, can fly in reverse, upside down and sideways.

Hiking in the local mountains with LOML and two largish dogs - used to do non-technical climbing and mountaineering but the attached baggage is too much now.

Cooking and bread making - ambitous but nowhere near gourmet level (although I do a pulled pork that's right up there).

Amature astronomy - rural NM is high (6700' at my house) and dark at least for now. My eyes aren't what they used to be though.

Tournament (duplicate) bridge in the local club and some on-line. Used to play in regional and national tournaments where I distinguished myself with a high level of mediocrity. Bridge is a game of mistakes - seemingly an endless string of them. The difference in the expert/world class players is the type of errors. It is fun to play a few hands against world champions - happens often in larger tourneys in bigger cities.

[Matt Meiser]

I used to be into cars. I had an 87 Mustang that was basically a street-legal race car. It ran in the low 12's on the drag strip but with tuning and relatively minor changes it would have run in the 11's. And the chassis was built so I could make major changes and get it even faster. But then I got married and spending weekends at the track didn't sound like as much fun, especially once our daughter was on the way, so I sold that and got into woodworking.

I like doing home improvement projects. We tend to do at least one fairly large project every year and/or several smaller ones. As a sideline to woodworking, I got interested in restoring old machinery. A necessary component of that is trolling Craigslist for new projects. I've got a planer and drill press waiting in the wings fro this winter. And I do some welding projects each year. So far mostly stuff for the tractor and a couple shop carts, but I've got a couple projects for the house and a few more for the shop on my list.

[Jim Becker]

My hobbies are woodworking (you already knew that), cooking, reading, landscaping and...equestrian activities. That last one was only recently added, but has become a family hobby activity. In fact, I think Professor Dr. SWMBO is considering starting to ride, too. That would give me a chance to get back at her for the snickers at my tight riding breeches and tall boots...when I buy her some of her own. :D

[Dave Verstraete]

Karl
You live in Minnesota! The land of winter fun. Just Kidding.

In the North, you need to develop "winter hobbies". You seem like a pretty active guy to be sitting down for the winter.

Outdoor activities: snowmobiling? Cross country skiing? Ice fishing?

Indoor activities: Local rec league at a gym? YMCA?

Personally, I have a snowmobile and use it a lot.

[Rod Sheridan]

Woodworking (Obviously)

Vintage motorcycles, I own a 1976 R90/6 BMW which is my daily ride, a 1975 Norton Commando, original owner , and a 1930 James with acetylene lighting.

Gardening

Cooking

Reading

Regards, Rod.

[randall rosenthal]

i work with wood for a living also. my biggest regret in life is that you cant do everything you want for lack of time.....i am an avid surfer and snowboarder...own and have been restoring for ten years a 1970 bertram fishing boat...25 years into a 56 austin healey and enjoy fishing from a kayak......would have loved to own and learned to fly a biplane but never got there.

[Greg Narozniak]

Well I never get to do as much WW as I would like (Do we ever:) ) but my other interests are

Cooking, Been doing it for years and I never get tired of it. We love to entertain and I never regret taking on the chore of cooking. Our Children's school every couple of months will do a Parent's Night Out where the kids go back to the school and they watch movies and play games and the parents get to go out. This was the second time we did it and this time everyone came to our house (Five Couples) I made Shrimp Bisque, Pear Salad with Gorgonzola, and Chicken Saltimbocca. All were very well received.

Model Rockets, Did this back in Grammar School and recently got back into it. It helps to have a "helper" like my son. We launch them at a school very close to home and he has a blast! It's very relaxing for me to build them and it quiet so I can do it before bed and not wake anyone up. It also helps with teaching me patience, which I need :)

Pool, Started playing very young and then in the early 90s I worked @ at a pool hall and really love playing. When we moved the two things that we need in the new house was a garage for my shop and a basement that I can have a pool table and home theater. I now have both. I picked up a Brunswick Gold Crown IV from a pool hall in NJ and had it installed in my basement. Now once a month I have friends over for a Beer and Billiards night. I make food and always have draft beer on tap and it is always a great time. Really missed playing so it's fun to get together.

Golf, used to be a single digit handicap but with children that has gone by the way side for now until they get old enough to play and then I guess I will have to take them out to play. he he he

The others would be Computer games, America's Army, COD4, Rainbow Six Vegas, etc. Home repairs, Fixing Broken toys, etc. When there's time

[Eric DeSilva]

Current hobbies: 9 month old son.

Former hobbies other than woodworking... climbing in all forms (trad rock climbing, sport climbing, ice climbing), mountain biking, alpine skiing, cooking, silversmithing, stained glass, photography, computer programming, audio (recovering audiophile), reading...

Things on my list to learn soon: Welding, blacksmithing...

[Karl Brogger]

Karl
You live in Minnesota! The land of winter fun. Just Kidding.

In the North, you need to develop "winter hobbies". You seem like a pretty active guy to be sitting down for the winter.

Outdoor activities: snowmobiling? Cross country skiing? Ice fishing?

Indoor activities: Local rec league at a gym? YMCA?

Personally, I have a snowmobile and use it a lot.

I used to snowmobile, but the winters have been rather low on snow here for quite a while. Hard to justify storing and paying for a sled when you can only put a few hundred miles on locally. I used to snowboard, I wish I never had, it has done probably the most damage to my body out of any of the sports I used to partake in, including motocross, which is #2 on the list of causing damage. I didn't race a heck of a lot, but I did practice almost weekly.

[Anthony Whitesell]

My other hobbies include:
Raising a daughter (who's now 13 1/2 months)
Home and auto repair (nothing like saving $$$ on stuff you can do yourself)
Go-kart racing. There's nothing like laying flat on your back 2" off the ground not strapped in and going 85 miles per hour. The best rollercoaster ride in the world.

101380

(That's not me in the photo, but it is what I race)

[Lee Schierer]

My wife says I have too many hobbies.

Other than woodworking, I hunt (birds and deer), raise honey bees, fishing, boating, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, bird dog training (only mine), cycling, radio control planes, archery, gardening, driving my Miata, sight seeing and eating. The order varies according to the season.

[randall rosenthal]

greg.....i live right down the road from a bar with a pool table....put in about 4 years working at it but came to the conclusion it took too much time to be any good.....i admire people who can "really" play

rod...was really into motorcycles also but lacked the proper restraint...last one was a kawasaki mach III..1999........love norton comandos...great bike.

[Judy Kingery]

Karl,

Interesting you like to fly kites; that's my other favorite hobby aside from wood turning. Which is a just-for-fun for me, not a job. I'm not great at quad lines, but pretty nimble with a fighter kite, and dual lines. Sometime look us up - we do an annual even that's summer camp for grownups, ha! Just look up "Junction Kite Retreat," and something oughta pop up for you on that, lots of pictures and fun times.

Other hobbies include reading, gardening, piano playing, fishing with my husband, taking all the back roads instead of interstates we can when we travel, i.e. taking our time and seeing out of the way places.

Fair winds to you,

Jude

[Terry Achey]

Interesting thread. Wow... and two mentions of Norton Commando's :). I had a beautiful 850 Commando in the mid 70's. It was one of 23 motorcycles I've owned, although only three were street bikes. The remainder were bikes like Ossa, Bultaco, Montesa which I competed in Observed Trials with and then some Ossa and Honda for MX racing. But that was over 25 years ago. Haven’t had bikes in the last 15 years. Another hobby was ice hockey for 20 years; Competitive Sporting Clays shooting for 10 years both State and National events. And, most recently much more attention to golf... the ultimate sporting challenge ;). Of course there's always the standard hunting and fishing heritage that's a given for those that have grown up in our neck of the woods.

Although always a "tool guy", my more serious woodworking interests have really kicked in the past year or two. Great hobby, but wouldn't want it to lose its intrigue and fascination by having to make a living at it, or by over working it.

Terry

[Rod Sheridan]

Interesting thread. Wow... and two mentions of Norton Commando's :). I had a beautiful 850 Commando in the mid 70's.

Terry

Hi Terry, yes the Commando, second worst bike I owned. (First was a Bonneville).

I often took a bit of flak at vintage meets for riding the BMW, since many in the club are English. I always remarked, "Look at the speedo 300,000 miles on the BMW, 45,000 on the Norton. Which do you think runs and which needs repair all the time? "

Of course that just got them cranky so I made a sign for my BMW that said "British Motorcycle that Works"

Regards, Rod.

[Matt Ocel]

Loosing arguments with my wife and two daughters is my biggest hobby.:D

I was thinking about writing a book. Already have a name for it "It must just be me then".;)

[John Bailey]

Sailing, sea kayaking, folk music, stereo's and daydreaming.

John

[randall rosenthal]

matt.....my wife asks this question....." a man says something while 100 miles off shore with no women in sight..........is he still wrong?"

[Barry Richardson]

I collect molds, yeasts, and fungus.;)

[Karl Brogger]

I collect molds, yeasts, and fungus.;)


You might want to visit the doctor.:D

[Karl Brogger]

Interesting you like to fly kites; that's my other favorite hobby aside from wood turning. Which is a just-for-fun for me, not a job. I'm not great at quad lines, but pretty nimble with a fighter kite, and dual lines.

I've just got a two line kite. A Prism Nexus. It doesn't get used a ton, but it is fun. I couldn't do it as much as I sail my boat.
http://www.prismkites.com/images/products/colorways/nex_1.jpg

[Jared Larrow]

Haven't watched that one in awhile...


I collect molds, yeasts, and fungus.;)

[Matt Ocel]

matt.....my wife asks this question....." a man says something while 100 miles off shore with no women in sight..........is he still wrong?"



Why YES he is!:D

[Art Mulder]

and...equestrian activities. That last one was only recently added, but has become a family hobby activity. In fact, I think Professor Dr. SWMBO is considering starting to ride, too. That would give me a chance to get back at her for the snickers at my tight riding breeches and tall boots...when I buy her some of her own. :D

Like Jim, and probably most other parents, I try to take at least a passing interest in whatever my kids are currently interested in. So I've built and launched model rockets, I've sat in cold arenas, I've built a backyard ice rink, flown some kites, built some plastic models... and I'm sure my kids will come up with new ideas. :cool:

I'm good with words so in addition to ww'ing, I also write about woodworking and publish the occasional article in a Canadian Howto/WW'ing magazine. (see my web page)

Last year I took up long distance cycling in order to be able to participate in a 2week charity bike ride last summer. That was surprisingly fun. I really enjoy cycling with a group, and it's quite amazing the amount of distance you can cover when you've got several hours on a Saturday, or even 2hrs in the morning. I hope to pick this up again in the spring with other folks.

...art

[Colin Giersberg]

Well, let's see:
1. Woodworking
2. Photography
3. Reading
4. Drafting
5. Astronomy (Ihave a telescope, but mostly only have time to just go out quickly and look up)
6. Surfing the internet
7. Our dogs
8. Archery
9. Working on the forever growing list of honeydo's. If I could devote as much time to my hobbies as I do to this list, I would have it made.
What honey? OK, I'll get right on it.

Time to go.

Regards, Colin

[Al Willits]

Unlucky enough to deal with the same winters Karl does, I pretty much hibernate in the garage and make sawdust, summers are different though.

Just sold all my drag racing equipt and the bike that ran 9.40's and 155 mph, so I needed to find something else, so we bought our retirement fishing boat a bit early, so I fish a lot including a half dozen or so lower budget tourney's.

I also shoot USPSA, Steel, bowling pin and whatever else I can with either the SVI .38 super open gun or the 625 S&W revolver.

I'd probably do a bit of prairie doggin' too if I could find someone to drive out there with..:)

Al

[Bob Rufener]

In addition to woodworking, I enjoy grouse, deer (bow and gun) and waterfowl hunting. Most of the time, I don't care if I get anything as I just enjoy being outside in the fall-my favorite time of the year. I also enjoy riding my '89 Pacific Coast Honda when weather permits but put it away at the end of October and don't get it out until April or May. Golfing in the warm months. I also enjoy reading (when time permits which isn't easy to find) and my wife and I have been able to do a lot of traveling since our kids are out of the nest. I've been to all states except Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, and N + S Carolina. We've also been to Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Switzerland/Germany, Costa Rica, Tanzania (wildlife is outstanding), Peru (Machu Pichu is incredible), and the Galapagos Islands. Next year, will be Greece and Istanbul and, God willing, many more places in the future.

[Jamie Delker]

Like others on here, I was an avid shooter, every weekend at the indoor range in WA, just for fun and stress release. My two pride and joys were my Glock 21 and Browning BDM, I sold them when I moved back to NY (different gun laws than WA, haven't gotten my permit here yet). I still get out a couple times a year for some plinking and such with my brother and some friends.

I've been a guitar player for 22 or so years, professionally for a little while. Unfortunately now it's been relegated to a hobby, one has to give up on the rock star dream eventually. :)

My "main" hobby now, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit I joined the fad, but since it's gotten colder out I've been spending a fair amount of time playing World of Warcraft online. I have a brother in Denver, and it lets me spend "quality" time with him while playing, since we don't see each other but every couple of years. It can actually be quite challenging.

I also find time to read books, go fishing, and love to cook.

[Brent Ring]

My life is filled with church work, officiating Ice Hockey thru the college club levels, golf in the warmer weather, and skiing in the colder. We do have the best snow on earth here in UT! :cool: My kids are older, and so we do some things together, althought that is becoming less and less.

And of course I love have a few projects going in the shop!

[Bill Arnold]

My main hobby is -- woodworking! I've sold a couple of things, but primarily make things for our home and for family. When I get a chance, I enjoy outdoor photography.

[randall rosenthal]

hey brent....where is saratoga springs? lived in sandy for 6 years while i worked and skied at snowbird.....you are right....best snow on earth!!

[Fred Voorhees]

I have been an auto racing journalist for over thirty years, first writing for one of the local papers way back in my high school days and working my way up to regional trade papers and metropolitan area weeklies. I have moved further into the sport in doing race track announcing, radio and television color commentary work and publishing and public and press relations work.

[Dave Verstraete]

I see that most of us have guns....I feel more comfortable now

[Jon Grider]

After wwing; backpacking in wilderness areas,rangefinder film photography[mostly street and nature work], and following the St.Louis Cardinals baseball team.

[Skip Williams]

Hobbies include Woodworking, home repair (which never seems to end), cycling (not enough of it, though), developing computer software (started that over 40 years ago, and can't seem to quit :)

Also like traveling, cooking, and, my favorite... playing with grandkids.

Skip

[Bob Moyer]

My hobbies are photography and golf, however, I spend most of my free time with various projects at my church; video editing, teach adult Sunday School; mission trips; community help projects; etc.

[Michael Gibbons]

Well let's see... Hunting with all of it's sub-topics, most recently being foodplots, takes up some time and lots of money. Repairing arrows for my friend and I as well as keeping my bows and firearms tuned up. Knife sharpening. I recently made some ermine trap boxes for my friend who will be using them this hunting season in the north. For those of you that don't know what the heck an ermine is it is in the weasel family. During winter it is all white except for the last inch or so of it's tail. Exercise when I have the energy. Garden in the summer. 4 wheeling all year. Collect certain knives. Mainly Marble's and Bark River's which are made in the U.P. of Michigan. I like reading about the Mountain Men of long ago.

[Wally Lloyd]

When I was young(long ago) I raced dirt bikes, scooters and road racing. I used to be a skydiver, but gave it up when I got married. I then took up golf(8 handicap)Rallying, as co-driver or the brains of the outfit:-)Seven years ago I moved to Iquitos, Peru and work with beautiful wood all day. Trouble is here is that gets light around 6am and dark around 6pm all year.