I am looking for something to do in my spare time. Something I can do at home, that doesn't cost much. I like to do little household projects, even things that a lot of people hate to do, like replace plumbing and such. I like to fix things up. But right now, the next home project I have to do is remodel my kitchen... and that's no small feat! That's going to wait for awhile. But I need something to do now! Last thing I got done doing was pulling apart this old Eastfield Model 916 that I inherited, cleaning and lubing it, replacing some missing parts, and putting it all back together. That was fun while it lasted, and now the gun is in working order. But I'm fresh out of ideas. I love to shoot, but don't get the chance ($) to do so very often. Can anyone give me some hobby/project suggestions? I have found the forum members to be a wealth of information!

__________________
Sean

No project ideas for you, but my hobbies (non gun related) include:
-photography
-fitness (lifting, running)
-training in MMA (Shotokan Karate, Boxing, Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)
-camping and hiking
-making bird houses

__________________
- The Federalist #46 -

Take a class or two at the local college or possibly on-line.

Reloading, that will help you shoot more. The only problem would be finding primers.

Get into reloading. It's rewarding hobby in itself and allows one to shoot more as a result.

Buy some old worn out, piece of junk gun and re-finish the stock and reblue it with Blue Wonder. You should be able to sell it and make money if you don't decide to keep it. Or maybe get into reloading if you are not already.

For home improvement you might learn how to glaze/faux finish and redoo some walls or cabinets. I bought some Behr neutral glaze and added different paints to it until I came up with the right color. It was then really easy(and pretty fun and rewarding) to glaze all my walls, which made the house look much better and increased the value a bit.

Hobby and doesn't cost much are mutually exclusive, in my opinion. Hobbies by their nature are expensive.

Hawkeye

Photography, especially with the digital revolution, is cheap and there's always something new to try.

Reloading is great.

Learn a (new) instrument? I've got a guitar that I pull out every so often and try to learn another chord... I still know three.

Come and refinish my oak floors!
I pick up bikes from the trash and fix them up and put them out on the curb with a "FREE" sign on them one at a time,,,,
I usually do a few a year, And helps with good Karma too!
Peter

__________________
Need 1/2 moon Chiefs special

Remove the kitchen sink, old counter tops, cupboard drawers and doors. Refinish the cupboard face frames, drawer fronts and cupboard doors. Install new hinges, door knobs, and drawer pulls. Install new faucet on old sink, replace old drain lines, and install new bull-nose counter tops.

When kitchen upgrade is finished, primers will be available, and you can begin casting lead bullets, and reloading your ammunition. You will be in constant poverty. If your present enhanced shooting ammo budget is $25 per week for loaded ammo, you will begin spending $50 per week on supplies: powder, primer, lead, melting post, more bullet molds, and stuff. You do not save a dime reloading ammunition -- you just shoot a lot more.

__________________
S&WHF 366

I am restoring an old Honda motorcycle. It has been fun and gratifying. Much cheaper than restoring an old car. Lots of people are curious about it when I drive it around. Long winters in Minnesota. Music is also a good hobby, especially if you have friends or relatives to play with.

How about fishing? You can get into it releatively cheap, and it's a very addicting and rewarding hobby.

__________________
NRA Pistol,PPITH,PPOTH&TASER

Here is an idea.... You can come over to my house and fix stuff?

I do leatherwork. You might try that. It ain't mechanical but it's gun related and you can sell them. Here's one I made for a friend so can wear his model 29 crossdraw while ATVing. That's my 25-5 in it here.

If you find yourself with too much time and/or money on your hands I have two suggestions that will cure both: Get a boat or take up golf. God help you if you try both. Don 't ask me how I know this. (o;

Grow a garden...I picked squash, cucumbers and peppers tonight. Raised beds are easy to make and care for.

__________________
bigcat

This is actually a good recommendation.

A) It's enjoyable IMO
B) It will end up saving you money!

__________________
- The Federalist #46 -

Go to yard sales looking for stuff to sell on eBay...

Consider wet shaving. Check out Badger & Blade.com. It's fun to track down old Double Edge razors at flea markets and antique stores. Plus trying out all the different soaps and stuff while learning how to get BBS (baby butt soft) shaves is quite rewarding. Many members are even brave enough to take up straight razor shaving just like our great-great grandfathers used to do! Wet shaving turns a dreaded chore into something enjoyable every day. It's as addictive as gun collecting but a whole lot less expensive.

Google wet shaving and find out what I mean. It's amazing how many people are into it!

Growing a garden is a way of life where I come from. I do enjoy it, but consider it more of a necessity than a hobby. Supermarket produce leaves much to be desired.

Scuba diving is fun and not overly expensive to start. It keeps you in great shape, and it only gets expensive if you started traveling to exotic places for diving vacations.

Growing fruit trees is a long term hobby. Nothing tastes better than eating fresh fruit just picked from the tree. Fruit that you buy in a store has lost most of its flavor. I'd just like to know who cut down my apple tree last year.

One of my uncles had a hobby of making wine. He would buy the wine grapes instead of growing his own, but his wine was pretty good.

My dad builds radio-controlled boats to cruise on the pond behind his house. There's a radio-controlled airfield at the Water Gap that looks like fun too, but more expensive.

I do counted cross stitch in the winter and fish in the summer.

Read a book, I hear they are free at your local library.

__________________
OGCA Member.

I am retired and have more time than money. The things I do besides house chores(YUCK) are: Cycling, kayaking, library, reloading, but lack of components have put a halt to most of that, fishing(I live next to the Atlantic)...I have also been shooting muzzleloaders and going to rendezvous for many years. That can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Most of what you will need you can make yourself. I cast my own rifle balls and cut my own patches. I have made my own knife and sheath and many other things. It is a good way to learn lots of skills and rendezvous are fun and are held all the time all over the USA. You can go on the National Muzzloading Rifle Association site to learn more. Have fun, whatever you do.

What's a "library"?

__________________
- The Federalist #46 -

I have been doing powder horns and learing scrimshaw. This is my first horn. It doesn't take much money but it will consume some time if you choose to devote it. It is easy to find help on line and the equipment needed is limited.
Stonecove

Attached Images

	IMG_1201.jpg (83.7 KB, 26 views)
	IMG_1202.jpg (88.8 KB, 29 views)

Bone up on American History. Pick a period, read books from the library, visit historical sites, rent DVD's on those periods. Very rewarding. I've been doing this since I was a first out of college in 1965 and go through different periods, wars, etc. It never gets old.

If you know anything about sports, or want to, help with youth sports. There are many youngsters out there, some with no dads, who need guidence. It is rewarding and keeps the kids out of trouble. Helps you stay young too.

You never stand so tall as when you kneel to help a boy or girl. I get great satisfaction, and I love my players. Some of them even like me. I believe, in a small way, I help my community. I know I get great satisfaction when I read an article about some boy or girl (that I coached) getting an athletic scholarship or playing a great game in the newspaper.

Our youth of today need mentors more than ever. I love what I do!

__________________
PC, censorship
with a smile.

Since you enjoyed that... a couple possiblities come to mind:
1) buying older firearms and "restoring" them.
2) building blackpowder firearms - either from kit or scratch.


One of my favorite hobbies is making things on a wood lathe - pens, bowls, vases, etc.

Stonecove. Gun engraver Frank Leaman made me a scrimshaw tool using a phonograph needle attached to a thin handle. It worked great and I'd use people's cigarette ash to apply to see how things were coming. Still have it.

Hey Wyatt, The phonograph needle is a great idea. I have an exacto file holder that I could use to hold the needle. I used an exacto knife and it works good with the grain, but across the grain it slips. Are you still making horns? Let's see 'em.
Stonecove

After a career with a large corporation, I was used to long term projects that were sometimes hard to evaluate as a success or failure.

I started cooking as a fun and satisfying hobby. It's something that can be done at any level, doesn't have to be expensive, and you know immediately if you achieved your desired results.

Like shooting, you can also set yourself higher goals and challenges.

BTW, this goes quite well with some of my other hobbies of eating, drinking wine, and running. (the running allows me do more of the first two!)