How deep are you in?

[Jomo]

Loaded question I suppose but I'm curios as to how far some of you have gone in this hobby. We received our first kit just before Christmas and the obsession started. I admit, I think that I am living vicariously through my son. It started with "I need a new dremel" then so on and so on......
This whole thing has given me an excuse to get some things that I've been wanting anyway BUT, my wife is just a little frustrated with me. Here is a list of some of the things that I have bought in the past month or so.
1. 18 volt cordless drill
2. 7.5 volt cordless dremel
3. rasp
4. various drill bits and files
5. Work bench, complete with lights, drawers, and metal peg board
6. vise to mount on workbench
7. tool box (we painted flames on it, and this is our carrying case)
8. wheel alignment tool
9. two different sets of wheels
10. axles
11. axle polishing kit
12. hob-e-lube and bullet lube
I had quite a few tools and lots of paint laying around already because I am a professional tinkerer and I'm sure I'm forgetting some as well. When I get into something, I go full force as I'm sure you guys do too. Here is one example. This is my 2006 MINI Cooper. It has won several trophies and has been featured in a world wide MINI magazine (4 pages).

And of course our first Derby car (in case you didn't see my intro thread)

Anyway, enough about my obsessions, I would love to hear some of yours. How far have you gone into this??

[Stan Pope]

Wood lathe, drill press, precision mini-lathe, 51 wheels in a box waiting to be turned ... and 30 in a drawer with turning complete. 21 nearly identical car bodies awaiting proof on the test plan and the drill setup. (I had to rework the drill guide cuz the hole had wallowed out.) Lost my ProBody tool ... it is either under "this years layer" or it went astray at district races last year. That's okay it had an undersized #44 drill anyway! I used one from my TC drill kit!

I won't let Bride replace the kitchen table because that is where all of our best cars have been tested and aligned. It is more than 40 YO now, and probably should be replaced. But the kitchen environment is better for it than if I took it down to the shop! Deep enough? BTW, Bride is more competitive than I am ... but she doesn't build ... she tells me to build!

[Jomo]

Yeah, I could tell that you had the fever just from your posts. I also followed a link earlier to your site. I think that this is a fantastic family friendly hobby and I hope that my son gets more and more into it. Thanks for the reply Stan, who else has the Pinewood fever?

[cubdad]

I way deep. This year: 5 pieces of betacraft trackplating, 4 eight foot 3x1 vinyl trim molding for the track base, swantech timer, two .01 gram scales, 12 feet of 2x1 poplar, 2 pounds of tungsten, 10 kits for parts, Alsa Killer Can of Spectra FX, one 3"machinist square, two #44 Solid-Carbide TiN-Coated drill bits (McMasterCarr rules)...the rest I had lying around...really...I did make 3 cars though...

I need a Taig or Sherline....for next year...

[gpraceman]

These were accumulated over several years:

+ About all of the Pro tools that exist
+ Two drill presses (the return spring broke on one, so I got the other, but still use them both during workshops)
+ Scrollsaw
+ Belt sander
+ Spindle sander (got this from my late grandfather)
+ Milling machine (use this more for my business, but is used as another drill press during workshops)
+ Air brush set and compressor (still have yet to try air brushing)
+ Dremel
+ Forstner bits
+ Tool box for all of the supplies and Pro tools
+ Three vises
+ Calipers
+ Clamps
+ Files
+ Miscellaneous other things

With my business, I can write off some of these, so my better half doesn't get on my case too much (at least most of the time).

My milling machine is now out of commision, though. At our workshop on Sunday a dad got a little overzealous with trying to turn the machine off, that he broke the power switch. Hopefully, I will have it back up and running by this weekend.

[CM924]

We are one in the same brother. My son and I haven't even raced yet and I am pumped up. If he is half as excited and enthusiastic about it as I am we will have a great time regardless of the outcome.

As for additional purchases. Well tools are not a problem since I already love em anyhow. I have bought extra wheels, blocks, decals alignment tool, wheel mandrel, various light grit sand papers etc.. I am sure there will be more to come.

[Gameday]

heh, heh, this is sort of a fun topic. This is just my son's 3rd year so we haven't accumulated quite as many goodies as some of you. Ours:

1) built shop in basement. Used old kitchen cabinets
2) floor standing drill press
3) grinder (for making final weight adjustment to Tungsten)
4) dremmel tool and many bits
5) bench mounted vise and portable vise
6) bench mounted sander
7) scroll saw
bandsaw
9) most of the tools from MaxV (pro-body, shaver, etc.)
10) digital scale
11) digital calipers
12) several sets of speed wheels
13) several sets of 5-minute epoxy
14) several sets of Mirage paint kits
15) set of mini files
16) wide variety of fine sandpaper
17) axle polishing past from MaxV
18)cordless drill
19) 2-lane 32' test track with timer

[Jomo]

Ah yeah, I had a feeling you guys would want to talk tools. I was a little concerned when I saw some threads that are over a year old with no replies, but heck our MINI club forum is the same way. CM924, I wish you luck on your first race. We are neighbors (almost), I work in Nashville @ the BMW/MINI dealership, but live in Spring Hill, so I'm not sure if we would be in the same district. If you need anything, give me a shout.

[Scott18]

Scroll saw
Drill press
New carpet in living room which was ruined by graphite

[Darin McGrew]

Well, I've bought a lot of "decorations" (e.g., paint, basswood, polymer clay, craft foam, model railroad parts), but other than that, my derby investment is a band saw and a rotary tool. I use the drill presses, bench sanders, and lead pot at our workshops.

Oh, and one year I bought a box of Godiva chocolates, so I could model my car after the real thing. My wife really liked that design...

[edit: fix spelling]

[CM924]

I was just looking at all of MaxV's Pro Body tools and thinking Hmmm I need these.

[Stan Pope]

Oh, and one year I bought a box of Godiva chocolates, so I could model my car after the real thing. My wife really liked that design...

That was brilliant! Congratulations!

[Go Bubba Go]

New carpet in living room which was ruined by graphite

LOL. Classic.

Don't forget new Dining Room table to replace the one that was marred by Super Glue spills and scratches from the back of the alignment board...

Bubba

[Jomo]

I couldn't believe how much graphite that I got on our kitchen counter and dinning room table. My wife was pretty upset with me and that was just from race day. I have the work bench in the garage now.
Let me ask you guys, I bought a vise to mount to it and was looking at other tools that I can mount to it. What saw would you recommend? I was looking at some band saws at Sears, but I don't really know which would be best for Pinewood cars. Another cool thing would be a small belt sander to mount to it. I have jitter bug sander now.

[Gameday]

I couldn't believe how much graphite that I got on our kitchen counter and dinning room table. My wife was pretty upset with me and that was just from race day. I have the work bench in the garage now.
Let me ask you guys, I bought a vise to mount to it and was looking at other tools that I can mount to it. What saw would you recommend? I was looking at some band saws at Sears, but I don't really know which would be best for Pinewood cars. Another cool thing would be a small belt sander to mount to it. I have jitter bug sander now.

Jomo, we get far more use out of our scroll saw than our band saw. I guess we mainly use the table saw for making big cuts and hardly ever use the band saw. We bought a cheap scroll saw at Harbor Freight. We have a bench mounted sander that we got at Home Depot. I think it's a Ryobi. I like it a lot and I don't think it was very expensive.