Is there a 12 step program available for Hobby Addictions?
Is there a 12 step program available for Hobby Addictions?
No Wes, There is no program for the likes of us. Cool Cool Cool, Spend, Spend Spend....Oh wait that's cool too, spend, spend, spend...
Money pit hobbies? Yeah, lasers are just one in a long list.
Boating, snow skiing, off-road RC cars, and paintball are probably the one's I've spent the most money on. Oh, and back in the day I also spent a truckload of money playing Q-zar.
Then there's computers. I don't even want to begin to count the cash I've dropped there...
These days I don't play paintball anymore (bad back), and I've long since sold the boat. I haven't been skiing since 2003, and the Q-zar arena in my area closed back in the mid 1990's. I still have all the RC car stuff, but I haven't touched it in nearly a decade. And just last Friday I sold all my paintball gear to my son.
I used to be into SCUBA diving back in the 80's, but I took a long break and sold all my stuff. But after the awesome time I had diving in Utila last year has convinced me that maybe it's time to get back into diving again.... (Just what I need - another thing to spend money on!)
Adam
For me of course lasers is my newest money pit. I am very much the same as Brad. Very addictive personality. When I start into something its with both feet and go till i'm out of money or lose the interest. I have HO and N trains that are in storage. I have 4 robots that all do various things (electric go cart, 6 axis arm, 6 wheel drive base, marble shooter) they are in storage. For awhile I was into building computers so my gaming computer was top of the line stuff 3 years ago. Now that I'm into other stuff I do game nearly as much. I also do a fully automated Halloween haunted garage. It started out small and fairly innocent, but now its turning into a money pit. I feel the need to make it bigger and better every year. This year I got into making my own ghouls. Here on PL I saw guys making arcade cabinets so this summer when its warm in my garage I will be building an arcade cabinet. I will also be building my second laser projector and possibly a lumia rig.
I`ll chime in on this one.
I guess my job is what consuming most of my time, but i love the company and what we do.
I used to spend a lot of time and money on deep sea fishing around the Norway costline. That actually was more expensive than the level of lasering am into today. A nice fishing rod cost USD 300-400. And with that comes a reel with a pricetag of 500-600. To be able to compete in various conditions, i have 5-6 sets. Then there is fishingline (Fireline) that have to be changed once in while, and boatpropellers also eats quite a few yards when they grab hold of the line while it`s in the water. A nice sortiment of hooks. sinks, lures etc etc.
Then there is safetygear, A survival floating suite is nice but not required, but i got a couple of those as well. USD 600-700 a pop.
That is for the gear, and then it is the travelling and startes fees in the competitions. It is easy to spend usd 3000,- in one weekend.
So, thank good for lasers, it`s an hobby I can afford. :-)
Bonus: I get to withdraw from wife an children, and close myself into the basement with my gadgets, metalwork and soldering for a few hours during the weekend. This for me is quality time, and resets my head, to be ready for everyday business at work.
__________________________________________________ __________
More projects than time available.
More projects started than finished.
More money spent than earned.
More failure than success.
Just got to love lasers!
Datsurb, WOW I can relate to that. Prior to lasers I built a battlebot with wheelchair drive motors, gelcel batteries, and a pneumatic arm as a weapon, but never got it up to the required safety specs and never competed either. Then I got in R/C planes and have built about 15 of them, 3 quadcopters, and 2 helis. Most of the planes are glow fuel, but my pride and joy is a Giant Scale 35% Yak with a 100cc Gasoline motor swinging a 28" carbon fiber prop. Whooooweeee! Fly competition aerobatics with this plane.
So during the winter months I NEED to tinker/build/invent, and like Datsurb spending time in my basement is the key, for me its like the medicine required to bring me Serenity. In fact, I get cranky and in a bad mood if I don't get my fix of tinker time.
I too have an addictive personality, and find that working out at the gym helps with that... Although I'm getting older, less motiviated to do that, and am unfortunately perhaps in the worst physical shape ever right now ...
So, when there is no more room to build any more planes (The wife made a new rule: For every new plane that comes in, one must go out... And she is right... The quantity of planes in the basement is downright embarrassing). I now spend my basement time writing laser show content with LSX. And I'm not very good at it, but my goal is to release my first show by summertime....
Whew it feels good to share this sickness and talk with like-minded people! The next project is to update my galvos/driver in my PJ from the PT 20Ks.... Now do I wait for ScannerMax 506's or just pull the trigger on a set of 30 or 40K PT ? Hmmm life is good when these are the most pressing issues!
-Jason
Been remodeling a house for a few years now. Don't have much time or money for other stuff.
Crap -
I totally (conveniently) forgot all about the computers (& PS3) still in the mix...
And the flight control systems for the various flight simulators...
And the racing wheels for the racing simulators...
And the (former) matched pair of his & her Yamaha Waverunners & all the accessories that go with them
(everyone has depth finders & GPS mounts on their personal watercraft ~ right?)
Could have been a millionaire, but it wouldn't have been near as much fun...
RR
Metrologic HeNe 3.3mw Modulated laser, 2 Radio Shack motors, and a broken mirror.
1979.
Sweet.....