Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
We have tungsten welding rods that we have formed into bent Vee's for filaments for our ion source.
Back in the day at Grumman there were "G-Jobs" which ironically was short for "Government-Jobs," which were really personal projects.
When I took my Jeep to get it's annual safety inspection the mechanics would gather under my truck and look at all the mil-spec aircraft parts like Grade 8 AN bolts and nuts with through holes for "Safety-Wire" and braided stainless steel hydrolic lines that I used for gas/fuel hoses.
"You must work at Grumman," they said. LOL.
There are stories of guys making log splitters out of spare F-14 hydrolic actuators. I know one guy built and champaigned a Miget Race car that featured a Mazda Rotory engine. The frame was all aerospace titanium.
I have a 15-16 pound dumbell made of stainless steel that I had a welder friend make for me. I had excess to so many departments and knew so many people. Had some enemies too. Pretty much I was like a Navy SEAL operating within a fortune 500 Company.
I had access to a prototype CNC machine shop, had engineering support, and only the most expensive and best materials. This was a great 17 years for an artist. This career was a great place for a creative mind, but an unlikely place for an artist. Pretty much engineers are problem solvers, but so are artists, and I was a clever one.
When the downsizing happened I recycled lots of stuff to my friends. My friend Cris was building a race car for drag racing. Another friend had a guitar shop/music store.
My friend Steve claims that I single handedly downsized Grumman after the Cold War. Pretty much they were throwing everything away and emtying buildings so they could sell them.
I felt like "Robinhood" stealing from the large corporation and giving to small businesses and individuals. This was all tax payer money being thrown away into dumpsters. In a way I was just "recycling."
Back on topic: I use some Tungsten powder that we have in our lab for nuclear shielding (Tungsten is dense) in an aftermarket grip on my Monochrom as added "ballist." Sniper rifles are heavy for good reason, and it also is a force multiplier if I need to use my camera as a weapon in an emergency.
I think I vicariously obtained a military training because of that career at Grumman. Likely about 3/4's of the men I worked with were ex-military, and some were retired from military careers.
Master Sargent Jim Clinton couldn't stand my guts. Initially he treated me as if he was my "Drill Instructor," but eventually he would become a great friend and mentor. I would meet his family and have dinner at his house. His first impression though was that I was some punk kid.
One guy I worked with was a Vietnam Vet. Richie told me in confidence some of the things he performed that clearly are "War Crimes." Perhaps because I am an Asian and I looked like the enemy it was in a way a confessional.
Pretty hard to be rational killing people, even in self defense. Some men are good at it though and they do their duty.
On a lighter note: The 500 acre compound was fenced off and had guards, and one day I take notice of this woman guard because she was hot. Now realize that Grumman had a Verteran preference in their hiring policies and that this was over 25 years ago.
So I was going out with this girl and this guard I would later meet because she was my girlfriend's cousin's girlfriend who also was a woman. So happens that this guard at Grumman was a Ranger in Special Forces and her specialization was sniper/assasin.
She revealed as a woman she would not be suspected. Also because she could pass for white or Latina she could easily blend in and be non descript.
Separately I know this old geezer who happens to be a Julliard trained violinist and guitar player who was a sniper during the early Vietnam era. He tells a story of because of his musical mind that somehow it got discovered that he also had the mind to be a great sniper.
So here is the interesting smut: No one really knows that he killed about 300 people; it was revealed that he would be dropped behind enemy lines without Dog-Tags so that if captured or killed Oh-well our government would denigh any involvement; and he was taught a series of Akido deadly moves for hand to hand combat.
When he questioned his instructor, "Why would I need this training when I have a gun?" the instructor replied, "You might run out of bullets."
I write this because the general public really does not know or understand fully what really is going on.
I only know vicariously myself, but those 17 years of being around those men surely had a huge impact on me.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bob,
I have some of that Kester solder. I already replaced the faulty tube socket and redid the other power tube. The red plating was hot enough to melt the silver solder.
The Radio Shack silver solder is one used on hi-fi.
Cal
Range-rover
Mentor
Your right Cal, I've used it in lite duty soldering work, but the Kester
in those heavy duty job's
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
A Tungsten rod 1 inch in diameter and about a foot long with fins like a dart is fired from a 105mm barrel of a tank as a kinetic weapon. The tip of this dart is spent uranium, and the velocity is a mile a second.
There is a plastic "shell" that is made of 4 sections that falls away after this projectile escapes the barrel of the gun.
Mass times velocity squared equals force. Double the mass double the impact, but double the velocity causes quadruple the force of impact.
I learned in boxing and fighting with my friends with 16 ounce boxing gloves that speed and agility is a better advantage than size or strength.
My friends who were all bigger than me and some two years older than me did not like sparring with me. Typically they would try to hit me, miss and got counter punched with a left and then a right that happened when they blinked their eye.
At Grumman we had a scientist wanting to collaborate on building rail-guns. Pretty much coupling Electro Motive Force (EMF) that travels at the speed of light into a kinetic weapon. Sounds like fun.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Yesterday I e-mailed Scot Nicol, the founder of IBIS and NORBA Trials Champion and sent him 8 JPEGS, and today I got a response asking if he can post my shots on his Instagram.
So pretty much I'm a lazy slacker, and I tried to have Saul post them for me, but instead Scot will be providing me with a link so I can spam you guys. LOL.
Cal
So pretty much I'm a lazy slacker, and I tried to have Saul post them for me, but instead Scot will be providing me with a link so I can spam you guys. LOL.
Cal
MrBern
Member
It was great seeing everyone. And a bit of a blur, Too much gear to really digest it all.
And thank you for the vintage camerabag! I have to sit down & inspect it for any need of rehabilitation. Could make a good companion to my 1954 M3.
Anyway, I'll try to make it more often to the monthly gatherings. its been too long & its made me realize how much I miss the monthly camera shows at the 57St HolidayInn. We'd all gather around Sherry Krauter & take turns being verbally abused.
And thank you for the vintage camerabag! I have to sit down & inspect it for any need of rehabilitation. Could make a good companion to my 1954 M3.
Anyway, I'll try to make it more often to the monthly gatherings. its been too long & its made me realize how much I miss the monthly camera shows at the 57St HolidayInn. We'd all gather around Sherry Krauter & take turns being verbally abused.
jwlee
Established
:bang:
Cal,
Force = mass x acceleration
Kinetic energy = mass x velocity squared / 2
-John
Cal,
Force = mass x acceleration
Kinetic energy = mass x velocity squared / 2
-John
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bernie,
Sherry use to come to NYC for appointments, and as a favor would meet me in various locations in Madhattan and hand deliver me my camera to save shipping costs.
I never-ever got abused, but Sherry once said, "If I had a boyfriend who looked like you, I wouldn't let you out of my sight because I know how women are." LOL.
I took this as a compliment.
Growing up I got away with a lot. My bad behavior was spun as being "cute." Also women seem to love the bad-boys. In my case I'm evil. LOL.
Cal
Range-rover
Mentor
I loved that camera show at the HolidayInn, the dealers were really good and you could get great stuff plus sometimes those odds and ends you could not find anywhere else, but I think when ebay hit it kinda killed it here, but
I think they still have the show in Wayne, NJ I think.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Scot Nicol posted pictures of my Ti IBIS on the IBIS Instagram.
Scot also confirms that my bike is a one-off/prototype from back in the day.
Cal
Scot also confirms that my bike is a one-off/prototype from back in the day.
Cal
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I received my prize from the RFF meet up! Holy cow! I had no idea y'all were serious. Anyway, if the ship is open tomorrow, I have a tour to give and will take some photos of the little Yashica for scale, against the USS New Jersey.
Thank you all very much!
Phil Forrest
Thank you all very much!
Phil Forrest
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
It goes to a good man.
Everyone should thank Chris and Philippe for all the donated prizes.
Humbly.
Cal