New Toys

Four Hundredth Tenth Post: New Toys (20090109)

This Christmas and also on my Birthday I got some cool new toys. That also means a lot of reading of instruction manuals. I got a digital router (woodworking not computer) and picture binoculars for Christmas. And a PSP and digital pen for my Birthday a few weeks before Christmas.

Now the hard part of learning how to use everything. The router has a sign making attachment. I think I prefer woodworking than to working with metal. Wood just seems easier. I with I could weld, but I don’t try because I don’t have the equipment and more importantly don’t know what I am doing. I don’t want welder’s flash. Also with metal there are lathes and machining tools are complicated, expensive, and hard to maintain.

But the router has potential. Wood is a little more forgiving than metal and much easier to work with. It is something that is at my skill level. But that reminds me of when I was attending Point Park College the instructor told us that they used to have shop tools. You would draw a part than go to the shop to build it. While I was there, the shop tools weren’t used. It had something to do with insurance expense. But if they don’t have it now, they should bring the program back. Many colleges and universities build robots and formula SAE cars.

These “toys”, no matter how cool aren’t any good unless you use them to there full potential. That is my New Year’s resolution: to be more creative, and to use the things I have purchased or received as a gift. I have tons of books, gadgets, and video games. But sometimes you have to use the things you have before you buy more.

And there is the issue of creativity. I will express my beliefs on this subject in future posts. First I want to write-up my impression of dynamics problems. But until then: “read the manual” on all your stuff from Christmas; assemble it; and have some fun. :)