Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Pulled out some old boxes....

  Hello again.

 It has been a very hectic few months for sure. I was back on the phone with those tax people, trying to de-bug the new web site, and re-wiring my garage.  Once I get all that done I am prepping for a gangbuster 2013.

  Why? Because I am going to focus on making things for the store and not make widgets.  You may have noticed I put a price increase on the store when I re-made it. Well accountants have a way of opening your eyes a bit. While widgets seem like a great idea, they produce no residual sales. Another lesson learned the good old fashioned way.
   So I have been revving up the old CNC machines and making things more reliable. The large one I have already documented its upgrade. That motor produced an electromagnetic field similar to the Philadelphia experiment. I added some back to the future shielding and it is behaving for now and I am still here in 2012.
  But the little desktop model, man has it ever plagued me. The bearings wear out in about 2-3 days. This has grown intolerable so I figured might as well do a little modification.  When you do this sort of thing there is overkill, and then there is MAXIMUM OVERKILL!

The motor on the right came out of it. It is about as powerful as a toothbrush motor. The one on the left is going in as soon as I can make room for it.
 

  Just look at the diameter of that monster. I picked it up off e-bay. It is made in China but has German bearings. It has water cooling tubes, is 220 volt, 3 phase and I am anxious to fire it up.  I had a little trouble at the breaker box, which is why I am re-wiring.
  I told my friend the other day that trying to make do with this cheap ass equipment is like trying to compete in a Gold Demon painting competition using only a box of Crayolas.  Unless I hit that poweball jackpot I am still stuck with the crayolas, but I am at least going to make them as sharp as possible.
 
  Why do all this?  Because this stuff is setting on the PC and I want to see it in real life. This is more of the 28mm set.
 
outside
inside
 
  I hope they work out.
 
  And about that box.  I dug out an old army I have not used in ages and thought I would take some pics. I sold off a bunch of stuff 2 years ago and sometimes I think about selling some more odds and ends. This army was always one of my favorites. I only really built it to match the high elves I got stuck somewhere in another box. Selling off these 2 armies will limit my WFB games. But I really do not play that much anymore. 
 
  I hope some of the images do not offend, yes that one crossbow guy is yelling and making obscene gestures. And it is very cold in Naggaroth.........
 
 
 
General with his guard. Most infamous moment was failing a stupidity check in a tourney and making a half move into a wall of missile fire instead of running them down.
The puniest dragon ever.
Dark riders.  Made with Rohan horses, wood elf legs and plastic parts. I like this unit, although it fights like a UN peacekeeping force.
From the old days. Witch on chaos steed.
 
Heavy panzers. Look nice but usually behave stupidly.
Some long range hitters.
A couple of heroes.
Some air support. Butterflies are tougher, but I like the concept.
Black Guard. Stubborn made these guys very good at dying. I like to run 24 models, 8 wide by 3 deep.
Corsairs. No idea why, but core and kind of neat.
Witches. Very good in the right situation. They once splattered a unit of skaven so horribly I felt sorry for them. It is pretty bad when me and my opponent have to wear safety glasses during a table top game.
Spears. I run these 5X5. Not a bad unit really. More core troops.
 
And there are 3 units like this one to fill out the rest of the core requirements.
 
 
  And that is another look at a pile of lead in the basement.  I have a lot more to show someday.
 
  Have a good week and keep warm.



Saturday, November 24, 2012

New site active

  After a few days feeling a little like this.

  I finally sorted out the web store.  Just a friendly suggestion to folks looking for open source shopping carts.  Do not use OS Commerce.  It was not user friendly.  I found that Open Cart works so much better and has a pretty easy interface. The template comes with all sorts of PC components in it already for sale.  I removed all I found, but if you see something that makes no sense it most likely should not be there.

  I will update more when I make some new things, but for now I got unlimited web space!!!

 The blog is going to be migrating into the web site also, since it has that feature built right in.  Things are going to be as smooth as silk from now on. I promise. 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Catch 22

  Just a quick note that the web site is down for a little while until it gets transfered to a new server. This is the long awaited new store with more slots available at a much lower price. I guess my old domain host was counting on customers who do not have google.
   A recent series of events have created a crossroads moment. I have given up trying to figure out how to do my state taxes and decided to close shop and continue operations in a commando fashion only. However, in order to close shop I have to have all taxes up to date. I tried to explain that the only reason I am forced to close shop is because the taxes are a hideous nightmare of frustration, and in fact if I could do the damn taxes I would never consider closing shop. The tax people failed to see the irony in all of this.  After being bounced through at least 12 different departments it became obvious that my state department of revenue is hopelessly clueless.  BUT, I have to do these stupid taxes in order to exist AND in order not to exist.


  I love the show Firefly. He just gets in his ship and flies away.
  Anyhow, I bit the bullet and hired an accountant. It was a bleak day of despair indeed.  How did we ever get to this place?
  So my accountant has gotten things sorted and I am going to keep trying to exist, if my overlords will allow it.
   Once I figure this new site out and get it hooked up I will fill everyone in on all the new directions we are headed and the mistakes of 2012 that will not be repeated.

  Have a very nice Thanksgiving and buy something nice for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLLFPfk14UI