What Manly Things Did You Do Today?

Made French toast/sausage for the wife and kids, now letting the girls (9 and 7) work on my old collection of Aurora wildlife model kits.


(from the 1963 catalog)

https://www.google.com/search?q=aur...vZjWAhUJYyYKHeszBs8Q_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=677

Kids these days almost never build model kits. Most have never even heard of them. It's usually guys approaching 50 at least who still do it. Requires patience the kids today tend not to have, nor want. So it's good to see them engaged in something not on a screen. Besides...the kits sitting in unbuilt in their boxes in a closet helps no one.

 

And most important cigars!

 

That is correct. I'm still test driving. So far, I'm really liking the Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Toro and the Oliva Connecticut Reserve Toro. The box is only gonna accommodate 6-6.5 inch cigars.

 

I remember those! Holy Crap!

 

I started to stain my humidor project this afternoon. First I had to fill in 4 small screw holes and then sand 'em smooth
I stained the bottom to see how it would go on. It's been a while since I've done anything like this. Then I started on the sides
To be continued...



Just imagine the other side looks like this one
All done. I may do a second coat. I haven't decided yet...

As I was afraid, the patched screw holes are standing out. I may put the handle back.

 

I used to build models as a kid. I bought one a couple of years ago. Man, but they've gotten expensive! It's no wonder kids don't build 'em these days.

 

Still cheaper than a video game

 

Raked and filled two trashcans with leaves and yard junk

 

If you ever need to strip the seasoning off of something and start over I have a good method for that too.

 

I've recently quit model building (eyes failing me and have built all subjects that interest me) but still followed the hobby since the net started...before then, before it really started to die, there were newsletters and such. Anyway, the cost of petroleum has steadily drove up the price since the '70s. That's the biggest reason. Later, many properties that before had been attractive for model subjects, and would have sold enough to be profitable, became too expensive to license. Labor costs, too...a few smaller independents (Moebius and Monarch namely) were started by guys in the past 10 or so years who grew up building models. They had very limited runs that were machined, molded and packaged entirely in China. Cost, around $30 and up per kit. The tooling is VASTLY improved since we were kids but both companies, last I heard, have now folded.

From what I read, no matter what the subject matter, old timers like me just can't get kids interested in sitting down long enough to learn the skill of careful construction, creative quality painting, reading instructions...they just don't see the point. So the companies have folded. A few big ones remain, as can be seen at Hobby Lobby, but it's just a matter of time...you can sell only so many B-52s, Titanics and tank kits. As those periods of history grow increasingly remote, so will interest.

Walmart quit carrying plastic over 10 years ago; at least I haven't seen any there in a long time. I haven't seen any at Big Lots since the early 2000s, and that was a buyout of Polar Lights (another startup that did well but died). Now you'll see a stack of generally blah kits that did not sell - and likely won't - at Ollie's, truly the last stop.

We old time modelers are quickly going the way of the Lash LaRue fan club of when my Dad was a kid. It's the way of things, but I'm still a little melancholy about it.

 

You might consider covering the patched screw holes with an engraved plaque. These 4"x2" plaques from Amazon may not be big enough, but you can probably find some larger. It would go well with the brass accents.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RSAYOA2/?tag=thshde-20

The humidor looks great, but a handle might seem out of place.

 

Got to use my chainsaw I bought 3 or 4 years ago for the first time. One of our several birch trees blew over in a windstorm Wednesday morning and got wedged into a tree about 25 feet away at a steep angle. I worked my way along the trunk until unfortunately 20 feet was left dangling from the tree it was wedged in. Fortunately my neighbor, who has a lot of tree experience, came over with his extension ladder and chainsaw and cut it out for me. We then took a break while we let his teenage son cut a bunch of it up with their chainsaw while he gave both of us tips on chainsaw use. Probably more of a manly day for my neighbor but I learned quite a bit.
We'll be calling a tree service for 2 other trees that don't look like they're gong to stay upright in the next storm. I don't want to push my luck.


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I put some felt feet on my DIY humidor. Decided against coating it with polycrillic. Gonna hit the cigar store later and try to pry some empty cedar cigar boxes off the guy.

 

I made a outdoor table out of a pallet and scrap wood.

 

I started out this morning up a ladder cutting some last minute, low hanging oak branches away from my father's house.
I'm not sure chainsaw equals manliness, but i didn't want my 74yo father doing it with the storm of century on the way.

 

Wow... really nice work! I would totally buy something like that.

But, um .. shouldn't those slip covers be on the chair instead of on you?

 

Anything involving power tools is manly.

 

I'm sure you realize, but be sure that the stain and/or varnish has completely "off gassed" before you use this box for storage. No need to get your stogies tasting like solvent.

 

Yup. Tonight I'm gonna open her up and leave her open until I get some cedar. Then I'm gonna leave her open again after I glue in the cedar.
Gives me plenty of time to test drive more sticks!

 

Looks nice. Did the 60's puke on your shorts?