[TheForge] Retirement Plan

[Michael Horgan]

I'm not getting any younger. In point of fact I'll be 60 tomorrow, 
but I've just implemented another piece of my "Retirement 
Plan."  With retirement scheduled in the next 5 to 7 years, maybe 
sooner, I have been buying tools for later use, when the budget is a 
lot more constrained.

Yesterday Northern Tools delivered a Hobart 250 plasma cutter. Self 
contained, with a built in compressor, it runs on 110v, so I can use 
it most anywhere. Should work fine for cutting knife blade blanks, 
flower and leaf blanks, and other bits for decorating gates and the 
like.  It will cut 1/8 inch steel cleanly, and sever 1/4 inch so 
should do for most of the fab work I have planned.

I had thought about getting a heavier machine, but my carrying 
capacity is dropping. I can still move both the wood and metal 
lathe's and both band saws, too, but the milling machine I'd need 
help with any more.

The plan is to make sure I have enough projects to get done, that 
I'll never have tome to die. I've lost too many friends lately who 
had nothing to do when they "quit working" so just faded away.
Anyone else have a similar strategy? Other than Winning the lottery?



Michael D. Horgan , lughaid at earthlink.net
http://members.aol.com/lughaid/
posting from
  A BRAZEN FORGERY
Blacksmithing and Metalwork
Claremont, Ca.