Hi,
I lose the will to live. For over a year I've tried to get into the studio without interruptions this morning no different. After yesterdays fiasco with our cable company I was determined this morning to quickly copy the MP3 tutorial to memory stick and lo and behold I managed it but then my luck ran out again. I've received a demand for £120 from our CCTV company it being the yearly maintenance fee; £130 was paid in full last month; I've tried phoning but it's always engaged so have sent an email meaning if I dare wander into the studio and get settled the phone will drag me out screaming. It never ever lets up.
When I started putting the studio together I wanted to record Andy Williams singing "Somewhere my love" to memory stick allowing it to be played back in the studio; I spent ages trying to find a radio on eBay that would play these memory sticks but without success so do it the hard way as usual and use my head.
I bought a brand new car radio only costing about £13 including delivery this will accept memory sticks. Next I needed to power the radio so bought an adapter 240VAC to 12VDC and had to isolate the power wires to the radio then I hooked it up to a pair of Sony stereo speakers; job sorted and not expensive I already had the speakers. I like this radio because it has "Repeat" allowing any track to play over and over so it's ideal for playing the MP3 tutorials from How to play a violin in fourteen days.
Now I daren't wander into the studio; I don't have a mobile phone welded to my ear just the little used landline. The TV as usual is riddled with sport so my wife is watching an old B&W movie via YouTube; if we didn't have YouTube I'd brick our telly. I'm passing time being a keyboard warrior knowing once the CCTV problem is sort it will quickly be followed by another problem; playing a violin isn't the problem for me it's getting to actually hold the violin I have so much trouble with. I can read my violin mags/books with headphones on whilst my wife watches the old movies it's just that every time I try to get into the studio I'm doomed.
My cheap car radio in the wooden surround I made.
What to expect regarding wiring one of these radios; power into it and power out to speakers.
12V adapter it bought through eBay not costing much. Job sorted MP3 memory sticks can now be played.
Thanks rob; I was bottom of school at woodworking and detested not only the subject but the teacher who was a bully; since marrying 45 years ago woodworking couldn't be avoided so I bought lots of discounted books from a book society and learned from the books; I can now do anything in wood even veneering using hot hide glue and french polishing; I've made lots of our furniture both free standing and fitted saving us a fortune but surprisingly I now love woodworking.
Thanks also for your information rob and no I don't know of anyone who plays a violin in fact no one I know plays a musical instrument so as usual I'll learn the hard way through books; YouTube and this excellent forum where I've already learnt so much. We know three ladies who years ago tried playing a violin but gave up it being too difficult; I think they had music lessons whilst in school but upon leaving school were pleased to leave violins behind; we have friends who visit but I never mention my violin studio because it's an hobby that is personal to me and I don't want to bore anyone who isn't in the least interested. Yes I quickly found out I could play a police siren but if I play too near the bridge it sounds horrible and thin; I must be learning something after all. You once made a mess of the band parts rob; what about measuring a last length of timber at least five times and still cutting it short; I've done this a number of times. A real classic was when I'd removed the toilet pan to lay cushionfloor beneath it but forgot I'd not connected the pipe from cistern to pan and flushed the toilet; having finally mopped up and squeezed the water into the pan I flushed it again still without pipe connected; I shouldn't be let out without adult supervision; I still make the same mistake but it no longer bothers me; I always succeeed in the end.
Thanks Raymond; the desk frame is sold English oak but no one believes the inlaid panels are not wood veneer but in fact Formica laid over an 18mm thick MDF substrate. Many years ago Boundary Mills in Colne traded from ancient mill premises then they moved to a huge new purpose built building; in the toilets I was always hugely impressed by the panels and doors finished in similar shet material; one day I emailed Boundary Mills politely asking if they could supply details of this sheet material and after they contacted the installers got back to me saying it's Formica but this particular pattern is no longer avalable; I found a Formica stockist only a few miles away and browsed their website eventually buying the Formica seen on my desk; the Formica was supplied in huge sheets and I bought two of these which were rolled allowing to be fitted into the car; this desk is unique.
I truly appreciate all the help I'm being kindly given and although my current hobby is to learn to play a violin I like to give a bit back if allowed to encourage others to try new hobbies/projects; it's impossibly to fail completely because just by having a go experience is gained; I learned my woodworking through books because computers were still of the future;
When we moved here 35 years ago our car was a Citroen 2CV ; I used to visit a local timberyard and buy a car load of Meranti hardwood offcuts; I also bought scrap machines and rebuilt them allowing me to convert these offcuts into sizes I could use; here's our kitchen made entirely by me adding to it as the years passed by; all the woodwork seen including door and chest of drawers is my work costing very little indeed other than huge amounts of time at weekends and after work. The chest of drawers were a surprise present I made for my wonderful wife who enjoys card making; it's solid oak made of offcuts I machined up. I'm a member of a lot of assorted forums where we exchange information and ideas so I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules here.
I also enjoy all aspects of decorating here I've made and installed a coffered ceiling to our master bedroom.
A more recent project I carried out; I made and installed this front porch complete with making the new door; the cladding seen is also my work it being routed WBP plywood to look like cladding; this plywood is fully sealed by multiple coats of paint; it's still like new in it's expensive Benjamin Moore paint. I've rambled on enough but it does show what's possible after miserably failing woodwork at school.
Will I ever get into the studio and be allowed to relax in there; possibly not.
Kind regards, Colin.