Welcome!
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This old fella is here more for sentimental reasons than anything else. This is a drawing made in 1910 as a frontpiece for a book on machining. Although I'm getting along, I wasn't personally around at that time, but I like old things - such as Craftsman 109 metal lathes. You must, too! Check out our new Yahoo group for the Craftsman 109 and customers of Home Shop Supply. Please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/craftsman109/
What Happened to Bill? In a matter of a few short days: 1. A computer meltdown, loss of years of work. 2. Our machinist decided to move on. 3. Primary telephone landline down. (Still. Number at bottom will be permanent replacement.) Those are the highlights. If you want more, I'll expand a little at the bottom of this page. Otherwise, browse on and enjoy! How To Buy From Home Shop Supply: |
We are fortunate to now be an affiliate of Online Metals, a great place to buy your metal stock. Check out their site, and if you do buy metals from them, click on this logo to access their site. It will help support this web site and keep a place for you to obtain parts and upgrades for your Craftsman 109. Remember, don't mark it as a Favorite Site....go there from this logo.
What Happened to Bill? Continued and expanded.
The computer went suddenly, as they always do. Drive C: ceased to function. I didn't worry too much at first. I had an automatic daily back-up, replacing the manual tape system I had in prior computers. Short story, back-up disk had only a file name - no data. I had to find a data recovery company, pace the floor a lot, but the old disk drive was returned with a new 160GB USB external drive with every bit of may data. An observation to end this story - my life was on that disk, and the more I paced, the more I remembered as lost. Years of genealogy research that went back to the 1600's with over 500 names and stories, this web "store" with many pages and pictures, no hardcopy. All my company records and spreadsheets, all my e-mail, all orders, customer histories, all my digital photos! I started digital drawings with the earliest AutoCAD. Floorplans and detailed drawings of my home, all electonic design, patent applications and documentation, all of the Craftsman 109 part drawings, much, much more! Don't let it happen to you.
Heinz has been our solitary machinist for several years. He does absolutely beautiful work, as many know from the parts you have been receiving. He came reluctantly, as he was happily retired, and finally decided he didn't want to continue. I think the work was too repetitive, not much challenge, certainly not enough monetary reward. He will be missed. I am desparately seeking someone to do the work and know it is not going to be easy. I would like to find a good machinist that would replace both Heinz and myself. I am hanging on by my fingernails, as many of you know. Please, pass the word. It would be a great little enterprise for someone.
The telephone is not worth talking about. It took 5 days to get the technician out here, and we still have a problem. I have been thinking of changing to the other number, so now I have. The cell phone will allow me to stay available while working outside, and will also allow me to turn it off when I can't tend to business.