You know you are a HSM when?

[Tin Falcon]

You know you are a Home Shop Machinist when? This may have been done before if so forgive me. I thought I would start this thread and see where it goes. The responses can be self observations, humor, or aspirations. Every hobby, occupation and pass time has it rites of passage what are they for the HSM?
Well here is a start.
You know you are a HSM when.
Your Christmas present to your wife was made on your lathe and she loves it.
The work island in your kitchen is a work bench from Home Depot and the wife picked it out.
Your family finds metal shavings in the rug of the living room.
You find the plastic bushing on the shower door worn out. So you made new ones without even checking the hardware store for replacements.
Your coffee table book is an Enco Catalog
Your toddler’s booster seat is an old MSC catalog.
You would rather spend time in the shop instead of watching TV unless How it is Made or Modern Marvels is showing.
Family vacations consist of attending the Cabin Fever Expo & Iron Fever Expo Model engineering shows. (.GEARS, NAMES, ,NEMES, Etc can be substituted.)
You think it is normal to spend a half hour and buy a $5.00 tool to make a part or tool you can buy for two bucks.
You have to move layout tools, drawing tools and model engine sketches off the dining room table at meal time to make room to eat.
Well enough from me your turn!!
Regards
Tin

[Swarf&Sparks]

Yup Tin
I've got a pretty understanding GF but she drew the line when she discovered a piece of 316 swarf in the carpet.
It wasn't so much the swarf as the anatomical feature in which it was buried
and a very cute "anatomical feature" she has

[Tin Falcon]

Yup Tin

and a very cute "anatomical feature" she has

So my guess is she did not step on it with her bear FOOT??

[Swarf&Sparks]

Errm, yeah, she has cute feet too.
But your first guess is correct.

[Rusty Marlin]

I've had to pick a couple of chips out of my wife's feet, but never her tush! I bet that made her Yelp!
TIP OF THE DAY: rub a little Ambosol tooth pain reliever into the cut around the sliver and you can dig all you need to, to get them out with no pain.

Tin: your list strikes WAY to close to home, have you been spying on me?? LOL
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edited to correct my losey spelling.

[Swarf&Sparks]

"TIP OF THE DAY: rub a little Ambersol tooth pain reliever into the cut around the sliver and you can dig all you need to, to get them out with no pain."

Thanks for the tip Rusty
It was at a kinda sensitive moment the aforementioned swarf was discovered tho

[Mad Scientist]

You know you’re a HSM when:
You cannot throw out something without first taking it apart to see “just” what broke and why.

The thought of “calling” a repairman would never occur to you.

Walking around in a junkyard is your first though for a fun family outing.

You cannot look at some mechanical gismo without thinking of better ways to make it.

[Tin Falcon]

TIP OF THE DAY: rub a little Ambersol tooth pain reliever into the cut around the sliver and you can dig all you need to, to get them out with no pain.

Tin: your list strikes WAY to close to home, have you been spying on me?? LOL

NO spying just some personal observation mostly. Just wondering what others observations and perspectives are?? Good tip on the ambosol.
Tin

[Weston Bye]

...when you know what the inside of a dumpster looks like.

[Rusty Marlin]

...when you know what the inside of a dumpster looks like.

When the guys at the transfer station know you by name and save things they think you might need... angle iron, lead, LP tanks, black iron pipe.
Keeps me out of the dumpster

[Herm Williams]

When you have spent four hours to repair something ,meanwhile you wife went to Lowes and got a new one for three dollars.
enjoy

[Wirecutter]

...when one day, you can't get the ^%^#$^ leaf blower started, and you run down to the Depot to get another. But you can't throw the old one out, and you rebuild it instead. Some day you'll find a use for it.

...when your neighbors routinely ask you if you want something before they throw it out. (lawnmowers, weed whackers, etc.)

...when you can't look at some mechanical thing in the trash without sizing it up for all the good parts you can scavenge from it.

...when the first thought that comes to you when you encounter some metal thing is whether it's machinable, weldable, or both.

...when your trash can is both a source of amusement and frustration for the trash man. It's the only one on the street that they always have to use the hoist on, rather than heave it manually like the rest of 'em. And it makes the most noise being emptied.

-Mark

[Swarf&Sparks]

....when your recycle bin is full of assorted swarf instead of beer cans

[John Stevenson]

When on a family holiday and looking round an old 12 century cathedral you realise the stone roof gussets were custom made for line shafting.

You are walking thru a part of a town you have never been before and say to Gert "Can you smell lathes? " look over a wall and there's a massive old Dean Smith and Grace facing lathe, meanwhile Gert has walked away........................


.

[Tin Falcon]

...the dust critters you pull out of corners are wearing chain mail armor.
... the photos you carrry are of model engines or other projects you made.
.. the family finds swarf in their socks.
... the kids Christmass presents are machinst tools or tool box.
Tin