ddavidv said:@Appleseed, you are my soul brother.
Back when I ran with a N-trak club we had a flatbed rail car with a giant metal rivet strapped to it.
We also purposely ran a 'train of wrong-ness' that would be a steam loco pulling well cars with a Penn Central caboose, or any similar combination. Used to drive the know-it-alls absolutely insane.
That sounds hilarious. Now you have me wanting to build an N-scale car held together with full sized pop rivets.
WonkoTheSane said:Beer Baron said:It's like... if someone designed great racecar chassis, but had a mediocre welder that left really thick welds - they did a solid job with it, but the welds were just thick. Then you started copying that geometry, but using a nicer welder that gave small, clean welds. But then consumers saw the welds weren't as thick, and so thought the frame would be weaker. They want those thick welds. So manufacturers started competing on who could make the thickest welds possible, even if they were drippy and sloppy. I refuse to do E36 M3ty welds, so I'm resorting to using a different type of welding.
In my past life, I used to work in CNC work around performance parts like Cylinder Heads & Blocks.. You wouldn't believe (Narrator: you totally would) the amount of parts people complained about because they "didn't look CNC-enough." What the customer was saying was that the step-over (i.e., the steps that the round tool takes to profile the part) were too fine and the finish didn't look rough enough to immediately scream CNC to them. Basically, parts coming off the machine looked too good.
The solution here is easy, just increase the step-overs so the tool takes less passes. That conveniently reduces the run time on the machine, increasing your profit AND leads to a happier customer. Win-win, eh?
Don't forget to charge an additional $500 for hand-smoothing.
barefootskater (Shaun) said:Skaters are generally a very welcoming crowd. I always found it to be good exercise and a very valid form of self expression as well as a way to be creative. Sadly I cannot do that anymore. At least not for a while.
music? Poetry? Painting? Are you looking for a social hobby? Something solitary?
Wife has recently taken up needle felting, which I didn't know was even a thing. She makes some pretty cool stuff.
Came here to say this. I don't skate, but one kid does. He's getting pretty good. Everyone he's run into at the parks has been really helpful, nice and supportive as he learns. One guy even realized his music was a bit mature and turned it off without even being asked. Cool group.
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Mndsm :
Eight Ball Deluxe was my jam in college.
Just got this Today. It's next to a 1979 Williams Flash that came out of a local bar. I have a photo of 10 year old me playing that machine, as in, that exact machine, in that bar.
I've had good experiences lately with stock outboard hydroplane racing. It's basically 100lbs plywood boats with an outboard on the back.
People have been very generous with their time and knowledge to help get me started.
tuna55 said:Came here to say this. I don't skate, but one kid does. He's getting pretty good. Everyone he's run into at the parks has been really helpful, nice and supportive as he learns. One guy even realized his music was a bit mature and turned it off without even being asked. Cool group.
Unlike car meets, they've figured out "don't get this shut down."
Beer Baron said:Hoondavan said:Side-note...I like the brewing idea. I'm not sure if I'm detail oriented enough for that...but I'd like to start.
Making beer is easy. Humans discovered it entirely by accident.
Making good beer takes some work. Really only two critical components though: sanitation and temperature control. I can provide some stooopid easy homebrew hacks to simplify those.
Making consistent beer is difficult. Getting something that tastes the same every time. But... that's entirely unnecessary for homebrewing. If a batch of homebrew tastes good, who cares if it doesn't taste exactly the same as the last batch?
You seriously don't need to be any more detail oriented than is necessary to install a new cylinder head gasket and torque all the bolts down the proper amount in the right order.
I helped a buddy of mine brew a few batches back in ~2001 (in VT, of course). I think we did OK and tried lots of things. We never attempted the same brew twice. What's the best source for info on home brewing?
Interesting discusion on Hazy IPAs. I've always associated them w/big fruity flavor (in a good way). I've also assumed (wrongly?) that the the unfiltered beers can magnify the hangover factor...not exactly scientific. SWMBO hates to drink draft beer because she knows most restaurants don't clean their tap lines properly.
As for pretentious mountain bikers, I'm sure they're out there...but most people are genuinely helpful and excited to introduce new people to the sport. As much as I like the experience of riding solo or w/my son, group rides are a big social thing.
Now Surfing can certainly go either way, depending on where you are.
Oh man, I know this feel. Get off my lawn too!!!
Let's start with gaming. I've been collecting old video games in earnest since about 2001. Back then, they were just old games that no one wanted. I started buying them cheap in bulk and building out a nice collection, and made some friends along the way. In the past 5 years, it really blew up, and now the hobby is full of all the nonsense: outrageous prices, annoying personalities, gatekeeping, and more. I have gone into collection maintenance mode and basically stopped collecting. Once rare games started getting graded like old baseball cards, I knew it was time to slow it down.
Music is another. I love playing music, but I did 6 years in a serious band "trying to make it" and it burned me out so bad that I haven't jammed with another human in 15 years. I am just now getting the itch back to get something going. The egos, pretentiousness, and the business in general was not fun to deal with, but when you got grooving with your bandmates and everything clicked, there was nothing better in the universe.
That leads me to another: record collecting. I am still having fun with this one, but it's a very easy one to get lost in. Like gaming, prices are on the rise and things are getting out of hand. Lots of the online forums and groups are full of shiny happy people, but I found a really small group on FB that is great and full of cool people that "get it". I am really enjoying myself with this for now.
People in hobbies can suck, but do things that make you happy, and do it your way. Who cares about what anyone else thinks!
tuna55 said:barefootskater (Shaun) said:Skaters are generally a very welcoming crowd. ...
Came here to say this. I don't skate, but one kid does. He's getting pretty good. Everyone he's run into at the parks has been really helpful, nice and supportive as he learns. One guy even realized his music was a bit mature and turned it off without even being asked. Cool group.
My two best skaters being cool stories:
One local skatepark is next to a courthouse and police station. One day they're holding a memorial service for public servants who have fallen. We're on the other side of a parking lot, but as they played taps, all of us skating stopped, stood, turned towards the music and flags, and waited in silent respect (I was the only one with a helmet to take off). Most of the gov't folks in attendance stayed sitting. Afterwards police chief (or some other high up, don't know all the ranks/signifiers) came over and thanked us all for being respectful.
At another park, kid on rollerblades fell on a small feature, broke his arm. Instantly, every skater within 50 yards stops what they're doing. The three oldest of us and the kid's dad rush over to help while everyone else leaves a respectful amount of space. Kid is understandably in pain and unhappy. Everyone is calm and helpful and caring. No "be a man" b.s. Very calmly and sympathetically, "Yes. It hurts a lot, but you're going to be okay," as I support the kids arm around the break and two other guys lift the kid to carry him to the car so dad can take him to the hospital.
Super common thing that I think skaters are always super cool with, is that I've always seen skaters acknowledge how scary things are and never tell anyone not to be afraid. Whenever you get a kid learning to drop in for the first time, they're always like, "This is really scary..." and the response is, "Yep. It's really scary. We were all scared the first time we did this. You've got it though."
In reply to Tony Sestito :
You hit another one- classic gaming. I had a guy lose his E36 M3 on me the other day for even inferring I'd like to buy his broken virtual boy- that I knew how to fix. Jesus berkeley dude it's busted and it's been sitting there. I know what's wrong with it and I want to have seizures.
I'm not fully understanding this rant, or maybe I just haven't experienced any of these shiny happy people ruining various hobbies.
I have experienced high prices in the past year, but that isn't the result of shiny happy people, its the result of a pandemic.
Tony Sestito said:Let's start with gaming. I've been collecting old video games in earnest since about 2001. Back then, they were just old games that no one wanted. I started buying them cheap in bulk and building out a nice collection, and made some friends along the way. In the past 5 years, it really blew up, and now the hobby is full of all the nonsense: outrageous prices, annoying personalities, gatekeeping, and more. I have gone into collection maintenance mode and basically stopped collecting. Once rare games started getting graded like old baseball cards, I knew it was time to slow it down.
This is just time working its magic though, right? There are currently cars ~20 years old are just old junk that nobody wants. In 10 years they will be pulling premium prices on BAT. Almost everything has a bottom in its depreciation curve.
In reply to ProDarwin :
Remember challenge prices miatas? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Hoondavan said:What's the best source for info on home brewing?
Oh man... I don't even know anymore. I think the best thing to do is find a good local homebrew shop and see if they teach classes. Or just ask them for guidance and any books. Otherwise just google 'how to homebrew'.
Couple pieces of advice that go against mistaken common wisdom:
1. Only do hop additions at the very start and very end of the boil (right after turning off the burner). Skip any additions 5-15 minutes from the end of the boil. People think this add flavor, but any amount of time boiling hops evaporates away flavorful aromatic oils.
2. Don't bother racking your beer to a secondary fermentation vessel. (Unless you're planning to have it sit for months and months, or adding extra flavor ingredients that you want to infuse for a controlled amount of time.)
Interesting discusion on Hazy IPAs. I've always associated them w/big fruity flavor (in a good way). I've also assumed (wrongly?) that the the unfiltered beers can magnify the hangover factor...not exactly scientific. SWMBO hates to drink draft beer because she knows most restaurants don't clean their tap lines properly.
They are generally associated with big fruity flavor. It's just totally separate from what makes them hazy.
Most craft beers are unfiltered, even if they're pretty clear.
As for cloudy beers magnifying hangovers... you probably are making a real association, but not for the reasons you think. It depends on the nature of the cloudiness and why it's there.
It's probably a case where you're noticing a true correlation, but where correlation isn't causation. The cloudiness isn't the cause. Both the cloudiness and the hangover inducing are results of poor quality brewing.
What makes a hangover worse is 'higher' fusel alcohols. These make a drink taste "hot". They're especially noticeable in cheap red wines (or White Claw - which tastes like a hangover to me). They usually result from yeast being stressed during fermentation. Like... difference between the smell of sweat from exercise and smell of sweat from stress. The beer could be cloudy as another biproduct of the yeast being stressed out. Higher alcohol content with the wrong yeast strain and poor equipment will likely lead to these problems.
In the case of Hazy IPA's... a lot of that haze is a gross excess of undissolved hop resins... I don't know if those contribute to a hangover or not. I do know they give me heartburn.
However, many cloudy beers can be *better* for a hangover - like hefeweizen. The cloudiness of hefeweizen come (primarily) from a yeast strain that behaves differently from others when chilled. It naturally stays floating in suspension, but is perfectly healthy. This yeast is really good for you. It's high in B vitamins that will help replenish the ones you're otherwise going to pee out, that lead to a hangover being worse. If it's a traditional German or Belgian beer with strong yeast flavors and moderate abv (hefeweizen, witbier, saison, etc.), a light cloudiness is generally a good sign.
On the flipside of poor brewing quality giving nasty hangovers - I've got an 11% beer that drinks like 6%. It is naturally crystal clear (no filtration), and SUPER fruity aromatic. Basically the exact opposite of what's making those other beers give you a nasty hangover. Good equipment, careful brewing, selecting a Belgian yeast strain specifically for its ability to tolerate high abv, and then giving it plenty of extra time to ferment and condition. It tastes like it's lower abv, because it wasn't stressed. It's super clear because it spent extra time in tank so it could ferment and condition properly. The huge fruity character is because I used basically the maximum amount of hops that will impart fruity flavors, and no excess - combined with the naturally fruity profile of the Belgian yeast.
And yeah... most places don't clean their lines properly. Craft or not. A sure sign to look for is a slight greasy slipperiness in the mouthfeel of the beer. Usually associated with a rancid butter flavor. It's not that craft beer lines are any less likely to be cleaned properly, but the character of an uncleaned draft line has more to hide behind than it does with a macro lager.
Mndsm said:In reply to ProDarwin :
Remember challenge prices miatas? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Yeah. Prices have increased. Is this because of "greedy n'er do wells", gatekeepers, flippers, or other shiny happy people? Or just a growing interest in Miatas?
ProDarwin said:Yeah. Prices have increased. Is this because of "greedy n'er do wells", gatekeepers, flippers, or other shiny happy people? Or just a growing interest in Miatas?
It seems that the pandemic has given us a massive price jump on just about anything that's a hobby you can pursue in the comfort of your own home or in a setting where you aren't going to be within 30 feet of another human. Project cars, backyard pools, lots of stuff.
On the flipside of the stupid prices now... I'm looking forward to the sudden drop in prices for home gym equipment from all the people who bought up everything when they invariably try to sell off the unwanted stuff in another year.
ProDarwin said:Mndsm said:In reply to ProDarwin :
Remember challenge prices miatas? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Yeah. Prices have increased. Is this because of "greedy n'er do wells", gatekeepers, flippers, or other shiny happy people? Or just a growing interest in Miatas?
Spec Miata, drift, and stance have wrecked a lot of them, rust takes out the rest, and there are few other options if you want a small fun car.
Mndsm said:Saron81 said:In reply to 93EXCivic :
As long as it's not vintage BMX....
True. New school guys are pretty supporting. The mid and old school guys are.....less savory. I've never had bad luck at my lbs.
Oh I have never had experience with old and mid school BMX.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:ProDarwin said:Mndsm said:In reply to ProDarwin :
Remember challenge prices miatas? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Yeah. Prices have increased. Is this because of "greedy n'er do wells", gatekeepers, flippers, or other shiny happy people? Or just a growing interest in Miatas?
Spec Miata, drift, and stance have wrecked a lot of them, rust takes out the rest, and there are few other options if you want a small fun car.
Exactly. Growing interest, shrinking pool = increase in prices.
Greedy shiny happy people not found.
ProDarwin said:I'm not fully understanding this rant, or maybe I just haven't experienced any of these shiny happy people ruining various hobbies.
I have experienced high prices in the past year, but that isn't the result of shiny happy people, its the result of a pandemic.
Tony Sestito said:Let's start with gaming. I've been collecting old video games in earnest since about 2001. Back then, they were just old games that no one wanted. I started buying them cheap in bulk and building out a nice collection, and made some friends along the way. In the past 5 years, it really blew up, and now the hobby is full of all the nonsense: outrageous prices, annoying personalities, gatekeeping, and more. I have gone into collection maintenance mode and basically stopped collecting. Once rare games started getting graded like old baseball cards, I knew it was time to slow it down.
This is just time working its magic though, right? There are currently cars ~20 years old are just old junk that nobody wants. In 10 years they will be pulling premium prices on BAT. Almost everything has a bottom in its depreciation curve.
On the pricing thing: a lot of it has been driven up by internet personalities that popularized certain games, making them unobtainable for the common collector. This was happening before the pandemic, and when that happened, it didn't help. I was good at sniffing out a few of them before prices skyrocketed, but there are some games that are stupid expensive now. Take Little Samson on the NES. That game was always rare, but could be had for $4.99-9.99 at any game store until around 2013, when some of the YouTubers caught wind and made a big deal about how rare it was. Current average price for a loose copy with no box/instructions is $1400.00. Then, there are the weird variants of common games that sell for obscene prices. Stadium Events on the NES is the exact same game as World Class Track Meet, a game that can be had for under $5. But since Stadium Events had a short production run, a loose copy sells for just shy of $10,000! All that's different is the label and title screen. And it's not even a good game! I know it's like this in a lot of hobbies (look at what happened to 1973-87 GM trucks lately) but it makes it frustrating sometimes. I (and many others) just can't afford to hang in these hobbies with these prices. I'm lucky to have amassed a huge collection that I enjoy playing before things went crazy, but I miss the thrill of the hunt.
ProDarwin said:Mndsm said:In reply to ProDarwin :
Remember challenge prices miatas? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Yeah. Prices have increased. Is this because of "greedy n'er do wells", gatekeepers, flippers, or other shiny happy people? Or just a growing interest in Miatas?
My wife would say it's my fault. She's previously described me a "Like some kind of Miata cult leader" and, well, she's not wrong . . .
slefain said:dropstep said:RC rock crawlers are the same way. I wasn't looking to comp crawl this time but man the elitists hate redcat. I bought into the hype and went axial and was disappointed . They suck out of the box but axial fanboys will spend another 3-400 on upgrades and still claim it's the best!
I picked up a bottom of the line $110 Red Cat (Danchee Ridgerock) and it is awesome. I also have two WLToys Chinesium R/Cs that I love. I've been wanting to pick up a few of the C24 crawlers as well. The "cheap crap" R/Cs are a lot of fun in my opinion, even if I do end up fixing them often.
I have a ton of fun with my 20 year old RadioShack 4x4 with Hi/Lo switch. Nothing proportional, but it is a tank offroad. I don't need a $$$ Traxxas TRX to have fun (but dat Bronco body, mmm).
My son started with a danchee but broke a drive cup and parts are sold out so they both have Everest 10s now. My gen7 does everything my wraith or my buddy's trx4 does. It's a crazy hobby to be elitist in
There is acool arcade place semi local that has a Star Wars pinball that I loved, played it a lot.
Video games are interesting, I have an old copy of Psi Ops for Xbox around, apparently it's worth $140 now
I've been running into this a lot lately, and I think it's in areas that previously didn't have much interest, but suddenly do now.
I suspect there is an order to gatekeeping within hobbies:
1) Hobby starts, nobody knows about it, people who do it are super phsyced to include everyone and anyone. Information is shared freely.
2) Some hobbyists start to make money off the hobby. Becoming experts or whatever. Information is still shared relatively freely.
3) More people join the hobby, it becomes mainstream. The part-time money makers become full time money makers. Information sharing starts to fall off. People want money for their info/skills.
4) Hobbyists start to want to know more, the DIYer hobbyist becomes more prevelent. MoneyMakers feel threatened. Tell the DIYers to "do the research" but provide no assistance other than offering their now very expensive services.
5) The hobby starts to fade as people lose interest, being made to believe that only "professionals" can do it.
I've noticed this in mountain bike mechanics, homebuilding/renovating/remodelling/flipping, AirBNB rentals, furniture restoration, and uh yea...cars.
You'll need to log in to post.
