Welcome to TEDEX

[dank]

Welcome!

As you can see in the header, TEDEX is an acronym for Texas Electronic Data Exchange. (Previously, Tippecanoe Electronic Data Exchange.) The contents of this forum covers the hobby interests of the Administrator (that's me) and will expand to other topics if members desire.

This is an open viewing, but private membership forum with no interest in off topic postings. Just let me know if you would like to open a new discussion area. To add to the contents of this forum you must register. The registration is not automatic. Due to spamming, I approve (or disapprove) all applications to join. Due to my personal schedule this may sometimes take up to several days, but that is rare. Most are handled within one day. Folks who register and don't come back may be deleated in 30 days. To stay active, just revisit at least once, you are not required to post. Spamers seldom come back. If you have been deleated you can register again. I have not had the need to ban anyone so far (but can.)

If you have trouble joining, send me an email. I may need to verify you are genuine in your desire. I delete many more applications than I approve so I may get it wrong occasionally. Use the link to the THMS web site (under my picture) to find the active email link in the Site Tools drop down.

This is actually a very friendly forum once inside. In the past, a huge amount of off topic posts and links precipitated the need for Membership registration to participate. If you have and display a genuine interest to share, you are welcome. I hope you will contribute but just visiting is fine too. See you inside!

[groov]

Thank you Dan for letting join and have access to this forum.

I am an electronic engineer by education and training, however I have been fascinated by cnc developments over the last few years and of course would like to start doing some machine work as well.

Presently, I am a newbie in the machine/tool area, however i have managed to acquire a CNC X3 mini-mill from syilamerica over a year ago and I have done some initial milling and drilling, but by no means I am an expert on this art. I have also started putting a 4x4 cnc router together and in the near future I would like to acquire a mini-lathe and eventually design and build an all aluminum based cnc micro-router with a high speed spindle, and of course build up my knowledge in this area.

Like most of you, time has caught up with me and I am looking at this hobby after having raised four boys (all grown up and own there own) and would like to leave them a legacy. I know three of them are very closely following what I am up to and will eventually get the hobby bug and start using my new toys.

My other passion is tinkering with pro-audio stuff. A few years back I started thinking about building 4 different and unique set of pro-audio gear for my boys, however this venture requires tools that maybe only be able to find in a machine shop, thus my venture into the CNC hobby interest started.

I have seen your website Dan, and allow me sir to congratulate you for a very wonderful and instructive site.

BTW, all my new ventures have the seal of approval from the BOSS (my wife Nancy).

Once again thank you for the privilege to allow me to share this forum.
Respectfully yours,

Carlos Ugarte (groov)
Melbourne & Orlando, Florida.

[dank]

Carlos,

Welcome to the forum. I am pleased you took time to post your message. You have just the type of interest TEDEX is designed to support. No commercials, no stress. Just some folks with similar interest sharing experiences and bringing up various topics on tools and projects once in awhile.

I view TEDEX like an on-line club room that unlike a regular website, lets anyone who wants to participate have a place to communicate about their hobby. Pictures are now stored right here on the server if you desire. I provide the space gratis so there are no dues, no need to make TEDEX pay for itself.

Regards, Dan'l

[Matt Razink]

Hi, I'm Matt just thought I say hi to everyone on here. I think this is a great forum and look foward to being a part of it. A little about myself, I'm 33yrs old and live in Medford WI. I have a wonderful wife Katie, and 3 kids, one being a teenager that keep us very busy. I belong to the Operating Engineers Union. I run a portable rock crushing spread, which takes about 18 semi loads to move it from one job to another. Lots of fixing and rebuilding things, rocks sure take their toll on the machines. I used to be into R/C cars pretty heavy 10years ago or so, but kids came and no time, but sure liked the modeling part of that hobby. Aways wanted to buy a lathe and "stuff" to do that with, but with my limited machining knowledge and funds it didn't happen. 3yrs ago I got caught up in the rockcrusher that I work on and lost my left arm. So, I got through all that, and got back on the horse that bucked me off and here I am. Well I been back at work for about 2yrs now and finding I really could use some different attachments for my prothesis. So I figure what the heck I'll teach myself and mybe someday I'll corner the market on prothesis tool attachments and I can give up my rockcrushin job. Plus I'll get to make all them fancy IC engines in between that I aways wanted to. So any help I can get from all of you will greatfully be appreciated! So now when I say I built it single handedly you'll know what I'm talkin about.

FYI Losing one arm never changed my typing speed, still one key at a time!!!

[dank]

Welcome Matt,

My father-in-law managed a large rock crushing plant using steel mill slag. The was called The Standard Slag Company in Youngstown, Ohio. I know all about the noise, the dust and the dangers.

The title under your posting name will change in a few more posts. You seem to have adjusted well so I wondered if you noticed...

Dan'l

[Matt Razink]

Yeah now I do! New Hand. Cool!!

[scott]

My name is Scott and I am a professional musician and university teacher. I have longstanding interests in electronics and metal work that date back almost 40 years, when my passions were composing/playing piano, and working in the middle school metal shop. I made a career out of the former and am now rediscovering the latter. Reading Dan's story about setting up his home shop prompted me to take the plunge last summer, and so a new mini mill and mini lathe found their way into my garage.

To justify the expenditure, I'm building metal percussion instruments played by solenoids and steppers swinging mallets, all connected to a laptop via a couple controller boards . It's a big challenge, but the sound of ringing metal is starting to emerge from the shop.

It would be nice if I could make more chips, but I'm not paid to be a musician/machinist, whatever that is. (maybe this -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimpin). Maybe some day!

Sure do enjoy seeing your work, Dan. Keep it coming.

Scott

[dank]

Scott,

So you are going to pile up a bunch of expensive guitars and hit them with hammers.

Just kidding. I think I still have the post pictures turned on here. Show us a bit of what you are working on. My son is a professional grade drummer (percussionist) but holds an energy management field engineers job (so he is out of town a lot anyway). It was the road work that kept him out of music full time. He plays a lot of Dallas gigs though. He would understand your project for sure.

Dan'l

[scott]

You may have been kidding, but I have a friend who built a sculpture of electric guitars acquired from a pawn shop. They were all connected to amplifiers. Viewers were invited to throw tennis balls at the sculpture to activate the strings. It was very popular.

Here is a website with a few pics of my shop and the work in progress. My machinist skills are nowhere near the others on this forum, but learning is endlessly interesting, even if it means exploring blind alleys along the way.

No sounds just yet, so your son will not be impressed! BTW, I think I know what your son went through. I freelanced in New York through my 20s and early 30s. That's a good age to run yourself ragged, but it wears you down as you get older.

Scott

[dank]

Sorry Scott,

I didn't see this in the approval que until just now. I'll have to turn it off since site security is back up. Sorry.