Skills acquisition?

[LouisCKpasteur]

Brother, my list could be huge. Unfortunately running a company involves a lot of time. Throw in all the time I spend researching about wine making and trying to get an occasional round of golf my time is limited. Since making wine I would really like to take some chemistry and sommelier classes. I used to play the banjo and have a tenor sax which I think would be very fun to learn to play. Steel drums and piano as well. Always had an interest in restoring old cars but besides time have no place to store them or even one. Restoring an old boat would be another but it would have to be a big one with enough room to work. It's getting harder to climb around small engine compartments but it would allow me to use both my mechanical and carpentry skills. BTW my boat partially submerged a few weeks ago and is probably totalled but that's another discussion. Good topic, I could go on and on. but if I were to do anything it would probably be a chemistry class.

 

[wpt-me]

Learning to turn on a lathe wood and now acrylics. Been doing craft shows for a while. I make pens and wine bottle stoppers. The G.F. wants me to make a 5 pc. crochet hook set for the next show.

Bill

 

[NorCal]

I’d like to learn that too. I’m swapping wine for cheese with a not so local cheesemaker in the next few months.

You guys inspired me. Watched a few cheesemkaing YouTube’s and figured, heck, I could do that. Ordered citric acid and rennet today to make some mozzarella.

 

[Boatboy24]

You guys inspired me. Watched a few cheesemkaing YouTube’s and figured, heck, I could do that. Ordered citric acid and rennet today to make some mozzarella.

I did that once, several years back. It turned out pretty good for a first shot. Not sure why I never did it again.

 

[ibglowin]

I wanted to make cheese as well. Ordered a starter kit. Wanted to make some Cheve. Turns out Goats milk is like $10 a gallon. You can buy two 8oz logs of Cheve at Costco for like $7. For me lack of time and it just didn't make any economic sense at all. Same thing with fresh Mutz. I can usually find fresh Mutz "Woo Who" priced for $2.99 (large roll) instead of $8.99.

I did that once, several years back. It turned out pretty good for a first shot. Not sure why I never did it again.

 

[Johnd]

I've always wanted to learn to do blacksmithing work, making tools, knives, that kind of stuff......

 

[sour_grapes]

I've always wanted to learn to do blacksmithing work, making tools, knives, that kind of stuff......

Yeah, now you are talking!

 

[Dennis Griffith]

I've always wanted to learn to do blacksmithing work, making tools, knives, that kind of stuff......

My son did a blacksmithing course in college. When he told me he was interested, we had a serious discussion as it was not on the path to being a doctor, plus the lab fee alone was nearly a grand. We agreed he should do it and he learned a lot. He was the only one to take the class, so it was a good experience learning wise.

 

[Johnd]

My son did a blacksmithing course in college. When he told me he was interested, we had a serious discussion as it was not on the path to being a doctor, plus the lab fee alone was nearly a grand. We agreed he should do it and he learned a lot. He was the only one to take the class, so it was a good experience learning wise.

I think it would be a fun and useful hobby and have done a bit of research into it recently. I took two years of welding as electives in high school, and still weld quite well. Cost of entry isn’t that high, you really just need to start with a furnace, anvil, and some hand tools. Some folks begin with a few basics, then make most of their own tools. The materials to work with can be very inexpensive or free, I’ve got lots of old steel farming equipment that could be chopped up, already have a torch and welder. If it ends up becoming a hobby, it won’t be long before it’s out of control.......

 

[mainshipfred]

I had a cheap arc welder that died. Was good at arc welding but when it died I bought a mig welder that I just can't seem to get the hang of.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

You can make a few bucks at it as well, to help justify the time and effort. Plus, have you priced a custom-made knife or hatchet? People like to hang it on the wall.

I had a cheap arc welder that died. Was good at arc welding but when it died I bought a mig welder that I just can't seem to get the hang of.

Are you using flux cored wire? Use it to start with, then try gas once you get the hang of it. Wire speed and voltage matter as well, so try a little faster on wire feed. If you are welding 1/8" and up, kick the voltage up. What kind on rig do you have? Does it have multiple power settings or just a hi/lo selection? stick welding requires technique and MIG requires a little different technique. If you really want pretty beads, get into TIG.

 

[Dennis Griffith]

I think it would be a fun and useful hobby and have done a bit of research into it recently. I took two years of welding as electives in high school, and still weld quite well. Cost of entry isn’t that high, you really just need to start with a furnace, anvil, and some hand tools. Some folks begin with a few basics, then make most of their own tools. The materials to work with can be very inexpensive or free, I’ve got lots of old steel farming equipment that could be chopped up, already have a torch and welder. If it ends up becoming a hobby, it won’t be long before it’s out of control.......

There is a series on the history channel called 'Forged in Fire'. I sometimes manage to catch an episode, but you might like it. It's fascinating to see what they make the guys use to make blades. It takes some understanding of metallurgy to pick the right part to use.

 

[Cornelia]

I’ve started making sausage, usually a venison/pork blend and am experimenting with smoking, would like to learn how to dry-cure. Also am trying to learn Spanish as a by-product of our hiking hobby, we like to hike in Spain.
And trying to improve my wine making of course Also have a greenhouse in my garden for the first year, getting great eggplants and the pepper look great but the tomatoes not so much

 

[NorCal]

I wanted to make cheese as well. Ordered a starter kit. Wanted to make some Cheve. Turns out Goats milk is like $10 a gallon. You can buy two 8oz logs of Cheve at Costco for like $7. For me lack of time and it just didn't make any economic sense at all. Same thing with fresh Mutz. I can usually find fresh Mutz "Woo Who" priced for $2.99 (large roll) instead of $8.99.

Similar to the $9 to make a bottle of wine from a kit that you could go by for $3.99.

 

[ibglowin]

My wine making experience has been $5 for a wine that would sell for ~$10 (kit wine) up to ~$30 (wine made from fresh grapes). YMMV

Similar to the $9 to make a bottle of wine from a kit that you could go by for $3.99.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm drinking a wine right now that I paid $14 (maybe $12) for at one of the cheapest retailers around. My grape wines (@ $7-8/bottle) of the last few years are very, very comparable to this - maybe a touch better. I will admit though, that there are wines that can be had for under $10 (Columbia Crest, for example) that make me wonder why I make it sometimes.

 

[ibglowin]

Agreed. The more you know about wine, what you like, how to tweak, the more you realize your doing this for the fun (really) and for the one or two wines you will get lucky on and perhaps knock it out of the park.

 

[sour_grapes]

Similar to the $9 to make a bottle of wine from a kit that you could go by for $3.99.

I'm drinking a wine right now that I paid $14 (maybe $12) for at one of the cheapest retailers around. My grape wines (@ $7-8/bottle) of the last few years are very, very comparable to this - maybe a touch better. I will admit though, that there are wines that can be had for under $10 (Columbia Crest, for example) that make me wonder why I make it sometimes.

Agreed. The more you know about wine, what you like, how to tweak, the more you realize your doing this for the fun (really) and for the one or two wines you will get lucky on and perhaps knock it out of the park.

Agree with all of this. MOST of the red kit wines I have made drink at about $6-7, about the same they cost me. SOME have far exceeded that standard, but not that many. I could drink Columbia Crest at $9 every day and twice on Sundays, and be happy. But, I am having fun making this stuff! I am curious to see how my first all-grapes batch drinks!

 

[NorCal]

My point was that sometimes it’s not about the $, rather the journey, doing something new and acquiring a new skill.

 

[mainshipfred]

I'm drinking a wine right now that I paid $14 (maybe $12) for at one of the cheapest retailers around. My grape wines (@ $7-8/bottle) of the last few years are very, very comparable to this - maybe a touch better. I will admit though, that there are wines that can be had for under $10 (Columbia Crest, for example) that make me wonder why I make it sometimes.

Jim, I went to Bonefish yesterday and because of this post I ordered a glass of Columbia Crest 2014 Grand Estates Merlot. It has a club price of under $10.00. Maybe I have cellar palette but I would put any of my reds as well as the 2 you gave me ahead of this. But it is the only CC I have ever tasted.