Non-Robotic Related Hobbies

[Allison K]

I love backpacking and general outdoor adventure activities including snowboarding, SCUBA diving, and caving. As part of that I also volunteer as an advisor for Venturing, which is a co-ed division of boy scouts, through which I've gotten to lead youth on numerous exciting trips. I also enjoy business and have started one company and have ideas and plans to start at least two more. Also, I read, which I know is cliche and generic but applicable none the less.

[billbo911]

I have WAY TOO MANY hobbies, according to my wonderful wife!
So, I now try to combine them so that the total count "appears" to be a bit less.

As an example, two of my hobbies are Backpacking and Landscape Photography.
These two lend them selves perfectly to being combined.

Quite often, my goal is to tell a story with the pictures, or transport the viewer to where they may never get a chance to go.

Here are a couple shots that exemplify my efforts.


This is a panorama of 1000 Island Lake with Banner Pk in the back ground. his was taken during a trip along a segment of the John Muir Trail.


Sunset from our campsite that evening.


Jake, taking it all in.

These are the gentlemen I got to share this recent adventure with. Taken at 11,100ft on top of Donahue Pass between Yosemite NP and the Inyo National Forest.


L to R:
Me. My good friend Michael Junker. My son, Jordan Kendall, he is the one to blame for my addiction to robotics. Jake Wolart, Eagle Scout and former student, now fellow mentor on 2073 EagleForce.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

Can I suggest models? Building or collecting (or both) models can be a great hobby. I collect model trains. It's more expensive than building models (because trains are premade and actually function). I've tried building model airplanes and cars before, but I don't like waiting for glue to dry

Most hobby shops carry models. Why don't you give that a try?

If you are in any way inclined toward playing with model trains, Chris, you're in a great spot for it. RPI has a fantastic model railroad.

http://railroad.union.rpi.edu/index....ritage_Website

Model railroad operations can be interesting if you like problem-solving and puzzles.

[jwallace15]

Originally Posted by Madison

If you are in any way inclined toward playing with model trains, Chris, you're in a great spot for it. RPI has a fantastic model railroad.

Look at mine...
Not as spectacular, but I've worked hard on it since I was about 7. I put it away for a few years, but as of 2010 I set it back up and starting collecting again!

The one on the link you gave is HO scale, which is very small. I find that larger O-Gauge trains are more fun, in that they have more detail. Most train sets showcase older times in America. I focused on the modern era of railroading. There is a NASCAR track on the left table surrounded by light poles. The light poles each have 1 functioning light thata illuminate the track. There is a clock, caution light, and green light on one tower (if you are a racing fan you would understand). Some have lights used for the train platform (the innermost loop). There is also a binary switch controlling 3 additional lights which illuminate the opposite side of said train platform. I also took the speakers from an old toy (an electronic piano keyboard) and soldered then to wires for a 3.5mm jack (a.k.a. a headphone slot) so I can play iPod music over loudspeakers. My main "Board", as I call it, contains over 40 terminals (although not all are used), 2 main breakers (which I use as control switches for all accesories and for the power to the track), a keyed ignition (for the track power ), a switch for the stadium lights, and 2 emergency stop buttons (one is on the opposite side of the table) that shut off all 18 VAC circuits (there is also a 12 VDC transformer from my old PC as well as 3 AA's for LED's).

The locomotive is a GE-9-44CW (also known as a DASH-9). A photo of the actual locomotive can be found here. The rail line is BNSF, based around the northwestern United States. I have 2 other locomotives- an EMD GP38-2 from Santa Fe (almost the entire western USA. Mine is a different paint scheme) and a 2-8-4 Berkshire Steam Locomotive, although I don't use the Berkshire much.

Sorry for the novel-post, but I'm just a train nut!!!

[Jim Wilks]

I collect pinball machines. With about 60 of them currently in my collection, my basement is getting full. I love the lure of the silver ball!

[Billfred]

Like Rick, FRC does take up a large amount of my free time.

But over the past few weeks, I've started getting back into remote controlled trucks, a hobby I was into back in high school. (Living in the dorms at USC kinda killed it off, aided by the closing of the nearest track.) A few weeks ago, my mom passed along an article in the local paper about an indoor dirt track that opened up beside the local ice rink. I went over and rented a truck for a while, and the bug got me again.

A little eBay hunting later, I now own a Slash VXL and have been replacing parts on it as they break. (And I've broken more than I care to admit--bent axles and pins, broken chassis plate and A-arms, enough shot bearings to make me buy the value pack...)

But the ability to wrench on something, have some fun with it, and still fit it in my condo is pretty awesome.

[z_beeblebrox]

Fencing. Spending time with dog. Building big, wood RC glider. Flying Blade MQX quadcopter.

[connor.worley]

I was on a swim team for 8 years, but robotics has replaced that . I play piano.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

This particular kit is a 4-way stop sign.

Looks more like a traffic light to me...

Goodness, where to start?

Ham Radio (N2IRZ)
Electronics
Metalworking (Lathe, Milling machine, etc)
Woodworking
Gardening
Cars
Computers & software
CNC machining
Reading (Science Fiction)
Writing (about all the above - and getting paid for it!)
Home repairs (OK, that's not a hobby...)

There's a lot more, but those are the basics

[jwallace15]

Changed it to stoplight thanks for noticing or I would have never saw that!!!

[rsisk]

Originally Posted by Jim Wilks

I collect pinball machines. With about 60 of them currently in my collection, my basement is getting full. I love the lure of the silver ball!

Would love to see some pictures! This has to be one of the cooler hobbies.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by Foster

I've gotten so used to working 40 hours, doing robots for 90 hours, commuting, sleeping and eating the rest that I keep the pace up all year. So I

• Make and fly big kites (I have a 8'*8'*20' double box about ready to fly)

Alright, you are not going to get away with posting in this thread saying you have an enormous kite and not at least post a picture of it.

This thread needs more pictures. If you do cool stuff, you should post pictures so we can look at it!

I have spent entirely too much money on R/C airplanes. I don't own all the planes pictured in this closet, but I own other ones that aren't in that closet. The best kinds of hobbies are the ones where you can watch your dollar bills burn, aren't they?

Before I moved out to Washington to work with commercial jets, I spent a lot of time restoring vintage airplanes. There are a ton of airplanes here too, but recently I've been spending time on the water with old sailboats. (Dock on the left is filled with boats when people aren't renting them)

Also used to spend a lot of time messing around with CNC routers & tools, but I don't think I could hoist this up into my third story apartment. (Probably the only picture of a lobster trap and CNC machine together on the internet)

I've taken a couple of flights and am on a waitlist to fly gliders at a local club here. Definitely the most fun I've had in airplane.

And you can't live out here without riding an old bike... still working on the skinny jeans and thick rimmed glasses though.

I need to find a garage, my lathe is sitting in a box and probably getting pretty lonely.

[Madison]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

Look at mine...
Not as spectacular, but I've worked hard on it since I was about 7. I put it away for a few years, but as of 2010 I set it back up and starting collecting again!

The one on the link you gave is HO scale, which is very small. I find that larger O-Gauge trains are more fun, in that they have more detail. Most train sets showcase older times in America. I focused on the modern era of railroading. There is a NASCAR track on the left table surrounded by light poles. The light poles each have 1 functioning light thata illuminate the track. There is a clock, caution light, and green light on one tower (if you are a racing fan you would understand). Some have lights used for the train platform (the innermost loop). There is also a binary switch controlling 3 additional lights which illuminate the opposite side of said train platform. I also took the speakers from an old toy (an electronic piano keyboard) and soldered then to wires for a 3.5mm jack (a.k.a. a headphone slot) so I can play iPod music over loudspeakers. My main "Board", as I call it, contains over 40 terminals (although not all are used), 2 main breakers (which I use as control switches for all accesories and for the power to the track), a keyed ignition (for the track power ), a switch for the stadium lights, and 2 emergency stop buttons (one is on the opposite side of the table) that shut off all 18 VAC circuits (there is also a 12 VDC transformer from my old PC as well as 3 AA's for LED's).

The locomotive is a GE-9-44CW (also known as a DASH-9). A photo of the actual locomotive can be found here. The rail line is BNSF, based around the northwestern United States. I have 2 other locomotives- an EMD GP38-2 from Santa Fe (almost the entire western USA. Mine is a different paint scheme) and a 2-8-4 Berkshire Steam Locomotive, although I don't use the Berkshire much.

Sorry for the novel-post, but I'm just a train nut!!!

Cool! I grew up with model trains and even worked at a hobby shop for awhile selling them. In addition to my dad's HO trains from when he was a kid and my brother's Lionel trains, I have my own collection of N scale equipment -- probably about 20-30 locomotives of varied sorts (N&W J, D&H PA1 A-A set, NKP GP35, UP E8 A-B-B-A, among others) and a few dozen freight and passenger cars. Before I moved to Seattle, I was working on a 12' x 12' two-level N scale set that focused on switching operations.

I live in an apartment now so my trains sit in boxes at home, but I've been thinking about building a small layout in N or Z scale in my spare bedroom.

So, since I've come this far -- in addition to liking model trains a lot, I also like some other things.

- I love karaoke. I am not a great singer (or maybe not even a good one), but karaoke is a blast. I'm usually pretty shy, but I'm totally fine with singing in front of strangers.

- I love theme parks and roller coasters. I've been on about 160 different roller coasters to date and am going to Disneyland and Magic Mountain in a few weeks to catch a few more.

- I have a lot of shoes.

- I like to DJ parties

- I play a fair bit of League of Legends and DotA 2.

[EricH]

Before getting into robotics, my dad and I ran N-scale. Usually, it was either Burlington Northern or Belmont Shore (the club railroad), though I have an Amtrak train. We still break out the set on some occasions.

Then robotics came along, and there went free time...

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Ian Curtis

Alright, you are not going to get away with posting in this thread saying you have an enormous kite and not at least post a picture of it.

This thread needs more pictures. If you do cool stuff, you should post pictures so we can look at it!

Well, sure!

The truck after I broke the main chassis (remember kids, they design in screws for a reason!)
And after (ran great until I broke a rear A-arm and killed a bearing!)

The best kinds of hobbies are the ones where you can watch your dollar bills burn, aren't they?

Apparently!