Hi ! from the Southern end of “The Peoples Republic of New Jersey”
Around 1980 id decided after building houses for 15 years I Now wanted to shape metal into useful accessories, tools and widgets . I bought a Buzz Box welder, an old South Bend lathe,…….I forgot I was way too busy to practice and the South bend had passed its useful life for any accuracy. And was a genuine dinosaur.
I sold the South Bend around 1986 and bought a Emco Maier Compact 8 lathe on Hanno Prettner’s recommendation ( I was deeply into R/C flying ). I made very few metal items due to the lack of time available . Non the less….I felt a Milling machine would complete my metal working so I bought a large a large Bench type ( probably a Rong Fu clone ) Problem was I spending so much time with my R/C that I ultimately got divorced

( long story there). After several moves and with a brain Aneurism in 2002, I was put out to pasture.. Moving the Mill was an impossible task so it was sold about 4 years ago.
Now… I am back up to speed and ready to dedicate about 1/3 of my time and interest to working with metal. Another 1/3 to my new fiancé’ :)Wont make the same mistake again…. ( can’t afford it) and the final third to working as a project manager for commercial construction projects until I die….at least that’s my plan. My Emco is almost like brand new but I now have lack a Milling machine. I thinking of getting a version of the new….soon to be available Sieg SX4L.
My main objective is to build a ¼ exact scale model of the Murphy Renegade bipe in my sig Pic. as I have a corpse of the plane in my hanger ( it needs complete rebuilding and will be modified to accept the Australian Rotec 7 cylinder radial engine The full scale is completely constructed with alum tubing which is pop riveted together…as my ¼ scale model will be also. My model will sport Mock up of the radial engine ( Non Running ) as it will be just for static display.

Did I win the prize for the longest winded introduction ???
joe