# Signing for the first time - Toronto



## mikefrost (Dec 3, 2021)

I sold my hi-tech business several years ago, - finally came up for some air.
Along the way I bumped into a South Bend, a small mill , drill press, welder, and ended up fooling with a bunch of blacksmiths ( OABA) . But age is catching up - shoulders and hands can't stand the repetitive shocks.
My family had a machine shop  mainly for "defense"  work  but I just did not like the idea of making stuff that killed people. I grew up in that business from age about 5 and learned a lot about machining and work processes.  I've done a lot of woodworking including milling my own lumber drying it and then designing and making elaborate furniture  for my home.  The house now has all the furniture cabinets etc. etc. it will ever need.
So, now I'm kinda back to my "roots" - making chips, tooling, fixtures and designing / repairing "stuff".

I've looked at some of the USA based web forums, but found them to be a bit parochial and "preachy" about non-North American machinery. I hope this web forum  has a broader perspective .
Mike


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## Chip Maker (Dec 3, 2021)

Hello and welcome from Peterborough!


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## Canadium (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from Hamilton ON!


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## YYCHM (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from Calgary.


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## trlvn (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from Oakville and thanks for giving us a little background.  Sorry to hear that you've had to curtail your blacksmithing.  A buddy of mine has a forge and it is always great fun bashing bits of hot metal!

Craig


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## DPittman (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome. Nice to have you. I'm quite sure you will like this forum, there are a broad range of talents and while there are folks here that could be "professional" with their talents, the atmosphere is generally hobbyist in nature as in "accomplish the job because you enjoy it and do it with what you have to work with."


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## 6.5 Fan (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from SK.


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## Dusty (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome Mike from chilly Saskatchewan, enjoy the forum great bunch of lads here.


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## Susquatch (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from farm country south of Chatham Ontario. Thanks for the quick intro. Great bunch of people here. I'm sure you will find lots to enjoy, lots to learn, and lots to help others with. I sure have.


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 3, 2021)

Welcome from Calgary Mike.


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## darrin1200 (Dec 4, 2021)

Welcome aboard mike. This is a great group.


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## Brent H (Dec 4, 2021)

Welcome Mike!!  I am north of you just outside Barrie.  Great to have you onboard!


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## LenVW (Dec 29, 2021)

Welcome Mike !!
I just had a few minutes to look through the ‘Forums’ on CHMW.
(I have been setting up my NEW King Canada mill in my basement shop)
Good thing there was some slack time during Christmas this year.

There is a lot of experience in this group.
From designers to fabricators to millwrights and project managers.

I was a manual machinist at ExCellO Special Tools, studied engineering during the 80s, became a project manager and since then co-ordinated machine development projects for Kellogg’s, Arva Crane, Big O, Flowserve and COMAC.
I still work for the WHITELAW Group part-time, out of Cambridge.


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## Dabbler (Jan 15, 2022)

Hello @mikefrost 

Glad you have come aboard.  I agree most of the US forums can get pretty preachy. This is more of a community than a forum.
Do any of you guys in Cambridge Ont know the user x.l.r.8 at hobbymachinist.com?


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

mikefrost said:


> I sold my hi-tech business several years ago, - finally came up for some air.
> Along the way I bumped into a South Bend, a small mill , drill press, welder, and ended up fooling with a bunch of blacksmiths ( OABA) . But age is catching up - shoulders and hands can't stand the repetitive shocks.
> My family had a machine shop  mainly for "defense"  work  but I just did not like the idea of making stuff that killed people. I grew up in that business from age about 5 and learned a lot about machining and work processes.  I've done a lot of woodworking including milling my own lumber drying it and then designing and making elaborate furniture  for my home.  The house now has all the furniture cabinets etc. etc. it will ever need.
> So, now I'm kinda back to my "roots" - making chips, tooling, fixtures and designing / repairing "stuff".
> ...


Welcome Mike.

I grew tired of the rah rah USA garbage on most US forums too... I'm ex-pat American, not that I had much choice at the time, and got enough of that every time I visited US relatives.


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## ThirtyOneDriver (Jan 16, 2022)

@Dabbler - I'm one of those Cambridge guys, but (as you know) I'm still wet behind the ears and have only joined this one forum so I haven't had the pleasure(?) of meeting x.l.r.8. ... his name sounds kind of car related so I may know him/know of him IRL.

Welcome @mikefrost - there's a couple of guys kicking around that have gained experience working on "defence" products that are now using those skills in a different way - really cool to hear about your wood working interest, etc..  I perceive the wood working hobby as really rewarding and the materials are really beautiful.  Enjoy!


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## David_R8 (Jan 16, 2022)

Welcome from Vancouver Island.
The only other machinist group I belong to is Hobby Machinst. Very friendly, non-judgemental group of folks as I expect @Dabbler will attest to.


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## Dabbler (Jan 16, 2022)

@David_R8 is right, Hobbymachinist isn't as 'cozy' as here, but with 40,000 members and counting, it  tends to be more 'big city' like...  I really appreciate both forums for different reasons, and participate about equally on both.


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## ShawnR (Jan 16, 2022)

Welcome from way North of you. Yes, as has been said,  good people and a wealth of knowledge here. Enjoy!


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