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That's It, I quit

2K views 19 replies 19 participants last post by  kolwdwrkr 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well it's been a shiznitty day for me. Have you ever worked on a project that was destined for failure. I mean for cripes sake it's a darn yo-yo and I can't get it right. I'm on like round 4 or so.

If something wrong was going to happen it did. The first few I turned out of Alder. I have been trying to make it out of one piece so I used a parting tool to take down the center where the string would go. It tore the end grain to the point of no return.

So then I decided to change the design and go with the reverse style whereas it slopes into the center where the rope is. If that makes sense. Well that was just Jim Dandy. The turning went good and I cut it off the lathe. I strung it up and tried it. My center section was to wide, and the string slide side to side causing the yo-yo to turn in flight, thus not allowing it to wrap back up.

SO I decided that it needed a little out of the center. I took some out of the center and it worked fine. So onto the marquetry. The first side looked great. The second side I sanded through. The more I worked on the soft alder the more damaged it got. So that one is junk.

I had made more then one of that style so I went ahead and just sprayed the second one. Turns out that my groove in the center was off just a little and still knocked it off balance. So back to the lathe. Except there wasn't a way to chuck it in without causing a little damage. I tightend the chuck just enough to hold it and started to fix the center groove. The tool caught and threw the piece down onto the floor leaving tool marks and other damage. WTF. By this point in time I wasn't just frustrated, I was pissed off.

I decided to do it in two parts. I glued the parts together and put them on the lathe. I turned them the shape I wanted. Great. Then I went to drill my hole for the dowel. It ends up slightly off center. No problem I say, I'll just put it back on the lathe and turn it more. PFFFT. That didn't work so well either. So the lights went out and I came in to rant here. Maybe tomorrow I can actually get it right. It's a simple project, I don't know what the heck is wrong with me. It's just one of those Years.
 
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#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Been there. Sometimes it needs more time for you subconscious to figure the problem out. I am always amazed how literally sleeping on it can help….sometimes )-;
I have a clock cabinet that I started to work on twice and gave up when it wasn't going right. That was 3 years ago. I keep telling myself someday I need to finish the cabinet for that $400 movement. Maybe next winter (-;

I have made several other clocks since; just can't drag myself back to that one.
 
#9 ·
I've thought of making a yo yo, I never thought it would be that hard.

Maybe I'll forget about it.<:)O}#
 
#11 ·
we've all been there, it's like everything is against you. one bump in the road and everything escalates to almost a point of no return. it's fusturating, we have a great plan…..why in the world….a few choice words…is going on?????
when you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. take a deep breath, and walk away. return when the fustration has gone down.
 
#13 ·
After a life time of these things happening to me, I've learned to take the rest of the day off. Or at least take a long break. Maybe do something like straighten up the shop. The next day start a new. It ALWAYS works for me. There's less of a chance of yadahooting something else up that awful day.
 
#14 ·
"Go for a pen. They are easier."

True, but over the course of the last three days, I wrecked two pens in a row… first I installed one of the nibs with the trim piece backwards, then I blew out my blank at the very last moment as I was going for that last planing cut with the skew (which was, of course sucked into my dust collector, no way to salvage that blank!), so I'm with you Kol…

If it helps, I was able to make a very nice pen this morning, so I'm with the rest… take a day off and forget about it… Actually, Odie's advice is exactly what I ended up doing… major "spring cleaning" of the shop yesterday worked wonders!
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I read once, in a book about fixing Volkswagons, to buy nice tools. When things go wrong, it said "clean your tools" and appreciate the craftsmanship that went into them." I have taken to using my frustration time to sweeping the floor, i bought a very nice push broom, and dreaming about the beach cause i can't afford nice tools yet. lol Tomoorow will be a different day and you get to start over good luck.
 
#19 ·
Yeppers, happened to me today. Was spray painting my Router Fence (with a Spray Can) ran out picked up two more cans just "in case" and went to spraying the router fence again. I do not know what I did, but I got the best crackled spray painted surface you have ever seen. I know people that pay good money for this stuff, but I'll be d@#ed if that is what I want, so I am no stripping the fence and will take ago at it again tommorow.
 
#20 ·
Well here are the results. One is cherry and one is lacewood. They are left unfinished for the time being. I am going to let the cherry one darken in the sun before finishing. I don't know what to do with the lacewoods finish yet. I will probably just do some wipe on poly. These are my first yo-yo's so I'm just figuring out how to make them opporable before I play with the design.
Cherry
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Lacewood
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Cherry one in action.
http://i335.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/kolwdwrkr/yoyo001.flv
 
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