I Still hear the Bell....OR.... What is on YOUR Wish List?

Mark that wish list is not at all "Greedy"

You reminded me... my stocking usually has such good baubles as pins, tacks, tape, pens and occasionally a tube or two of glue along with she who knows me...my favorite chocolates...M&M dark

I have not yet found a good roller pen for balsa so keep using fine tipped Sharpie's... I can no longer see a pencil line

I saw an ad today for the Rockwell "Blade-Runner X2" portable reciprocating table saw. Although it's not a traditional table-saw.. it functions as one. Currently $99 at Lowe's in the U.S., it has a three-year warranty, weighs ten pounds and uses common t-style sabre-saw blades that swap-out instantly without tools.  I see it as a great niche-tool for our hobby in particular. It comes with a miter-gage and ripping-fence. It will make scroll-cuts as a sabre-saw would. There's YouTube links, but I'm having browser-issues and can't seem to post one.




The arm-assembly acts as a blade-stabilizer, pressure-foot with a std. shop-vac hose-fitting for dust/chip removal. The arm-assembly can also be easily removed for larger scroll-work. The demo shows the saw cutting a variety of materials, including 1" EMT steel conduit and ceramic floor-tile, using the proper blades. I don't need one.. but I want one.

I catch the Polar Express every year Fred, usually offered on the Disney channel. Watching it last week I thought what if O'l Walt came back and saw what they are doing with animation these days. It's a long way from Steam Boat Willy. And Tom Hanks, from "The Money Pit" and before to his latest, what a versatile actor.

My vote is for the yellow and black "Bumble Bee."

As for my Christmas desires, my order is in for Laughing Cow cheese and nothing more. I have everything else in excess and frankly, I'm beginning to feel a little awkward about it. Falls on deaf ears though, family does as it wants despite my protests.

I would however like someone to show up and help me turn this workbench over (my Christmas present to me) once I finish the other three draws. At near 100 pounds it's rather heavy and cumbersome to tangle with.







Bob

Brother ( or is it Father) Bob
If I was much closer, I would certainly help you flip that sucker

For now, all I can do is concentrate and use" The Force" to suggest a friend near you arrives to help

I keep hoping my (semi) local HF has those work benches on sale again for $89....the one time they were on the parking lot sale at that price--- by the time I arrived all were long gone...
Poo...84 mile drive for just a bunch of stuff I did NOT really NEED....but you know the deal... not possible to scroll through a HF place and NOT get several things

Roddie...I wrote a bit about that Rockwell saw some time ago

If you already have a scroll saw the Upside down Saber saw may have some use for you...BUT if the choice is between a small Band saw, scroll saw, or this tool I would recommend

Scroll saw is MOST useful
Band Saw is super nice to have

I read and read and researched a long time and finally bought the cheap HF scroll saw..... You would be astounded at the variety of cutting blades and sanding belts and how easy it is to change them

Wife got me the way too expensive MicroMart 9" band saw a few Xmas back... I use the snot out of it and found several on line sources for $8 blades as opposed to MicroMarts $23 version

I think if the Rockwell Blade runner was under the tree... I would probably set it up to do one thing well

Pipe dream cuz the cost is too high for the little I would use then for:

I covet a good CNC router and a decent Laser cutter and a small form factor Mill and same small metal Lathe... hopefully with $20,000 set of tool holders and fixtures and bits...

Hey I said it was a dream

fredvon4 wrote:Brother ( or is it Father) Bob
If I was much closer, I would certainly help you flip that sucker

For now, all I can do is concentrate and use" The Force" to suggest a friend near you arrives to help

I keep hoping my (semi) local HF has those work benches on sale again for $89....the one time they were on the parking lot sale at that price--- by the time I arrived all were long gone...
Poo...84 mile drive for just a bunch of stuff I did NOT really NEED....but you know the deal... not possible to scroll through a HF place and NOT get several things

Like many old codgers Fred, I would rather break my back than ask for help. You get that way when your 5' 5" and proud at 130 lbs. Been that way all my life.

I have a neighbor with a front end loader that would have been glad to help me move all that dirt for the shed if asked. But instead I moved it all by myself, and probably to my benefit.

But if I see you drive up my driveway, we will set that thing upright then go fly planes.

Bob

Bro Bob there is Proud, obstinate, hard headed, full of chit, insane, and just plane stubborn

I suspect you and I are all of them

However: recently my wife, throught the animal shelter, met a woman who not only takes in critters but 2 legged cast offs also.... This theme has repeated now 3 times for Us

Great story and we are glad we met his lady.... BUT (her) making ends meet is always a challenge with many mouths to feed and electricity to pay for

Each month we "hire" her manageri of wayward youth, and otherwise damaged kids...
A few, are va tough challenge to connect with, but I have grown fond on two of her "boys"

This year witnessed MORE accomplished on this "micro Ranch" because of this symbiotic relationship

Perhaps up near black water falls there is some similar "kind soul" with a group of young backs that could use a kind and thoughtful mentor....and a bit of $$$ to aid their continued existance

I find over the years, these opportunities are out there but we/I must seek them out

I always feel bad when all the needed work is exhausted and I now longer have any undone tasks... to relieve this guilt, I find similar old farts like me that need help and pass on the resource

The world can be a nasty place Fred as shown by events yesterday in Germany and Turkey.  Thankfully there are people like you that provide balance and shine a little light where needed.

I have thought of that, a big house with space and bedrooms going to waste.  I am against illegal immigration especially from the middle east but I find my heart going out to those folks in Aleppo. I would gladly take in a family sit them down to a good meal and a few nights rest without bombs going off.  The image of that little boy pulled from the rubble and sat in the ambulance still haunts me.  

More practical would be a child from West Virginia.  And I have thought of that too, but thinking never translates into action.  My bad.

West Virginia is a poor state, outside of Louisiana the poorest in the nation.  We also have a huge drug problem here.  The local PBS station reported that something close to 450 oxycodone pills were prescribed here in WV last year for each man, woman, and child in the state. Not sure that I want to get into that.  Also, I have enough firearms stashed around the house to start a small war, and a temper that can be even shorter than my stature. Not sure that I would be an acceptable candidate for the program.

To ease my conscience I donate $ to local and state agencies.  

Bob

Bob

First off I like to believe this forum probably has the most folks that can agree with a lot of what you said-- and it helps me knowing there are still plenty of us that have love and compassion in our hearts

Other online forums do not give me the same warm fuzzy --and especially in some threads that turn nasty---- I often wonder how uncaring and heartless some of the respondents are

One thing you mentioned needs a comment.. the experience has a self evident cautionary lesson

As We became empty nest, with this large house and property, WE had discussed the notion to enter the Texas Foster program
Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on point of view--- we had an experience that killed the notion

Took in a wayward "thrown out of house" young lady ( an acquaintance, not close friend, of my off to college daughter)

Things were fine initially but later had to have some hard talks about rules and expectations...
One weekend we drove up to see daughter in school and the young lady was going to visit a friend for the weekend in a close town

When we came back on Sunday the house had been ransacked and a LOT of wifes jewelry and a few of my guns were gone as well as the cookie jar cash and several grandkids piggy banks

Most of the loss was just things ---but I had to call the sheriff because the thought of any of my guns doing what guns do was intolerable to us

She was found and over time each of the weapons were recovered .... and you would be absolutely astounded the hoops I had to jump through to have them returned to me

We both feel very fortunate how our hard work provides a comfortable retirement. We give back in a lot of other ways now, but anything longer than a brief overnight shelter is out of the question