# Yet another Calgary member...



## Galoot (Sep 2, 2018)

My #1 hobby since 1964 is ham radio and building electronic circuits including surface mount stuff. I probably have more invested in surplus electronic test equipment
than radios as most of my work is RF. (For perspective, I bought my 6th oscilloscope last week!). I have also done a ton of woodworking/woodturning and had a well 
equipped shop until recently but my son has most of that stuff now. He has become a much better woodworker than I ever was. But small scale metalworking has 
interested me for many years and while I can design my own RF circuits, packaging them has always been a challenge. The results were something only a builder could 
love. I used whatever boxes I could find. Now I want to have the appearance to look as good as the actual circuits worked and build for proper shielding. So I bought a 
box and pan brake and 12" shear. This is for cutting PCB and aluminum.
Now simple boxes are easy, but I found it is a slippery slope. The next step in a few months is a mill/lathe addition for small parts work; less than 12". My goal is to 
combine metal and wood in my boxes. I still have some bits of exotic hardwood that will complement brass and aluminum nicely, so my next RF project will look far
better than some of those previous projects I built in my youth!


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## Janger (Sep 2, 2018)

Welcome Galoot.


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## Chipper5783 (Sep 2, 2018)

Galoot said:


> Now simple boxes are easy, but I found it is a slippery slope. The next step in a few months is a mill/lathe addition for small parts work; less than 12". My goal is to
> combine metal and wood in my boxes. I still have some bits of exotic hardwood that will complement brass and aluminum nicely, so my next RF project will look far
> better than some of those previous projects I built in my youth!



Careful, it is a very slipper slope (in fact it will suck you in completely).  If you bide your time, ask around, monitor Kijiji (and auctions) you should be able to land a nice little lathe and small mill (I've bought 6 machines - the furthest I've gone is Airdrie - Nisku, and I have passed on lots of nice machines, just not nice for me).

Welcome to the hobby, it sounds like you have lots of interests that would benefit from getting into more metalworking activities.

David


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## Alexander (Sep 3, 2018)

Just as I was reading your post I am sitting next to my CB base station. I really like 2 way radios but I don't have a ham license so I do my experiments on the 11 meter band. Im not sure what area you are in, or if you even have any cb stuff but it would be fun to try to make contact on ssb.


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## Galoot (Sep 3, 2018)

I'm in the NW not far from YYC but don't have any CB gear at all; went right into ham radio. I only operate morse code when I do get on which is now only about once a week recently. There are local classes that would get you your ham license though!


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## 403Tinbasher (Sep 6, 2018)

Welcome aboard good sir! 
I've been here a few weeks and it seems the community is full of great people with lots of knowledge to share. 
I've been working in a sheet metal shop for a long time now and I've made oodles and oodles of little boxes and all kinds of random things. 
I'd be glad to help with any projects you've got in mind.

Side note: I've made a few tables that I incorporated wood with the metal and I just love the way they work together


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## Galoot (Sep 6, 2018)

Thanks! My experience is next to zero making enclosures. I just started doing this recently as I never could find a right sized ready made box that suited my
projects. So far I have made just a few, with only a couple of failures. 
I've made kitchen/dining/coffee tables, but never incorporated metal, though I have seen many examples of that done and always admired
the net result. Nice going! Any pictures of your boxes on the site here somewhere?


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## 403Tinbasher (Sep 6, 2018)

Galoot said:


> Thanks! My experience is next to zero making enclosures. I just started doing this recently as I never could find a right sized ready made box that suited my
> projects. So far I have made just a few, with only a couple of failures.
> I've made kitchen/dining/coffee tables, but never incorporated metal, though I have seen many examples of that done and always admired
> the net result. Nice going! Any pictures of your boxes on the site here somewhere?



I don't have any pics on here but when I get home later I will take a few snap shots of what I've got around there.  

If you can find a little spot welder for your shop that would be a huge help for these sorts of things.  

I love being able to make something specifically for a certain space that I'd otherwise never find something to fit in there


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## 403Tinbasher (Sep 10, 2018)

@Galoot 
Hey sorry it took so long. Busy days these are but I got a few shots of some of the little boxes and such that I've made. 
Let me know if you think I can help you out with yours


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## Wally (Sep 15, 2018)

Welcome aboard. As a fairly new member myself I think I can say you will find the info you glean from this group for anything metal working and more to be very helpful and interesting. And the people I have had the pleasure to talk with are great. Hope you find it as useful a site as I have.


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## Galoot (Sep 15, 2018)

Sorry for late replies; 403Tinbasher those boxes are great! I've been focused on boxes for RF stuff but realized
I could make some with hinges too as general purpose parts boxes. Great idea. And thanks Wally. I've lurked
a bit here and found the same thing.


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## CalgaryPT (Sep 18, 2018)

Galoot said:


> My #1 hobby since 1964 is ham radio and building electronic circuits including surface mount stuff. I probably have more invested in surplus electronic test equipment
> than radios as most of my work is RF. (For perspective, I bought my 6th oscilloscope last week!).



@Galoot - Just saw your post now. You and I have a lot in common. My hobbies are electronics and metal working. Check out this recent post of mine where I finally built a devoted electronics test bench after making room in my metal shop: https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.c...nspired-me-new-test-workbench.1031/#post-9959  (But I've only owned 3 scopes in my life so you have me beat...although my most recent is a DSO. My others were CRTs and I am proud to say I remember Simpson VOMs from high school electronics classes).

I also see you are into box design. I recently bought a pneumatic corner notcher for making boxes. The post is at https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.c...-a-new-addition-to-the-family.1043/#post-9991 if you are interested. I use a magnetic brake myself, coupled with a Tennsmith shear.

Lastly, I see you mentioned 1964. Ha ha. You're in my "chronological pay grade" ... so you probably remember Radio Shack and its circuit books written by Forrest M. Mims. I just recently got an email from him as we have kept in touch a bit over the years. He was my hero 

Welcome to the forum!


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## CalgaryPT (Sep 18, 2018)

403Tinbasher said:


> @Galoot
> Hey sorry it took so long. Busy days these are but I got a few shots of some of the little boxes and such that I've made.
> Let me know if you think I can help you out with yours


Nice, nice, nice work. I just started getting into aircraft (solid) riveting for stuff like this. I think I'm going Steampunk.


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## Galoot (Sep 21, 2018)

Thanks CalgaryPT! Well, yes I do remember all that stuff and still have one of those old Simpson 260's (used it tonight).
No DSO's here, all analog Tek and HP. I only had one DSO and it sold last week so down to 5 scopes now. 
My old books are long gone as a result of moving across the country though.
I like your setup; nice notcher. When I figure out how to use the forum, I'll post a picture of my workbench.


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