# What would you do with time?



## Adios Pantalones (Mar 12, 2013)

I have no complaints- I am very lucky to have the time that I do, but many of the folks here seem to have the same sort of urge to create/learn stuff. If you had no job at all- what would you do with your time (I know- lots of "more time with the family"- I understand that, but not what I'm getting at)? There's too much to learn/do. On my short list-

-take a blacksmith class
-build a ball mill
-build my wood fired pizza oven/smoker
-double my garden, plant more flowers for the wife
-get back to hunting/camping

How about your list?


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## lukem (Mar 12, 2013)

If I could quit my day job I could easily be fulfilled just doing my hobbies full time, and learning a few new ones.

I do all of these I can do fairly well now, and wish I could do more of:

Deer Hunting
Turkey Hunting
General home improvement stuff
Gardening / Landscaping
Mountain Biking
Four-Wheeling
Fishing
Camping
Cooking

Things I'd like to learn, or learn more about:


Cooking
Welding/machining/metal fabrication
Masonry
Raise a few animals (the eatin' kind)
Gunsmith
Rock climbing
Boating/Sailing


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## BrotherBart (Mar 12, 2013)

Spend a ridiculous amount of time on hearth.com.


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## ScotO (Mar 12, 2013)

I love the outdoors, I love learning new trades, etc.  I'm into the following....

- hunting and fishing (my favorite is spring turkey hunting and fishing for native trout in the cold mountain springs around here)
- mountain biking and road cycling
- weight lifting.  gonna get back into that this summer.  I miss that the most (took time off of that to redo the house)
- home improvement (don't get me started on that one)
- stone masonry.  absolutely LOVE doing this.  Pizza oven coming next year.
- cutting trees down.  going to start doing the rope climbing (even though I'm a bit big to be doing it at 210 lbs)
- carpentry (see home improvement above)
- blacksmithing (have a small forge that needs to be put back together, took it apart to restore it a couple years back and got sidetracked...)
- tinkering with small engines.  I built almost all the chainsaws I use for cutting from scratch.  Good skill to have doing what I do....
- tinkering with old cars.  Someday my Willys Overland wagon will grace the roads again....
- spending time with my wife and kids.....one of my favorite pastimes.....
- welding.  I have three welders and also cutting torches and I use them quite often.....
lots more items, too numerous to mention.  I am also into collecting antique hand forged tomahawks (have around 70 of them), and antique raised pillar fly fishing reels (i have around a hundred of them), antique guns (I have around a dozen of them), collecting chainsaws (ain't gonna tell you how many of those I have.....boxes and boxes full of parts saws!).

Things I want to do 'down the road'......

- build that damm woodshed I've been wanting for years now
- build my pizza oven out back
- build a wood-fired boiler for heating my domestic hot water and for heating my garage floor
- buy ground on the mountain and build a log hunting cabin.  One of my bigger dreams...
- get some chickens for laying eggs.....
- help my wife start up a craft business.  Its a dream of hers, and she deserves to have it come true.  She's a great gal.....

OK, I'm starting to ramble.......sorry about that....


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## fishingpol (Mar 12, 2013)

Good thread. If I had the money to go with time:

More woodworking.
Get a band saw mill and work trees up to build a post and beam workshop.
Make sick furniture such as farm banquet tables, deacon benches and milled live edge tables, etc.
Build a cedar-strip Maine guide canoe with steamed ribs and all.
Build a sneak boat for fly fishing the local salt marshes for striped bass.
Blacksmithing would be up there somewhere near the top. (Gears are already spinning on this one.)
Stay up late doing the above.
Volunteer at a local nature preserve fixing old buildings and trail work.

I feel I could unleash a fury of creativity if I had the time/cash.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 12, 2013)

Fury of creativity- exactly


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## Flatbedford (Mar 12, 2013)

I'd do all the stuff I try to do now. I'd just be able to do them better.
Improve the house
Restore the old flatbedford
Restore the old tractor
Help Mrs. Flatbed with a bigger and more productive veggie garden
I'd also get back into model truck building
Pick an interesting, curse of study without worrying about whether or not it will help me get a job and finish college after dropping out 23 years ago.


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## PapaDave (Mar 12, 2013)

I'm mostly retired and can't make time for my hobbies.
I'm too busy.


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## ironpony (Mar 12, 2013)

hmmmm more free time...................

pizza oven DONE
outdoor kitchen DONE
paver driveway DONE
stone on house DONE
all my projects are DONE
build more Halloween stuff to scare the little buggers
drink beer and make pizza, smoke some ribs, bbq some chicken
oh and build my modified Scotty Overkill keyhole firepit


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## Jack Straw (Mar 12, 2013)

organic farm
build a jeep
more home improvement projects
volunteer
study history
become a financial advisor(volunteer)
spend more time with the wife
get ahead 4-5 years w/the firewood


*I could do most of those now if I really wanted to........ *


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## nate379 (Mar 12, 2013)

I'm gonna be retired from the .mil in a couple weeks, thinking about just getting caught up on stuff and cutting a chit load of wood before I start another job or go to school.


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## JoeyD (Mar 12, 2013)

Cook. Then feed people. I enjoy making a meal or some other creation and watching other people enjoy eating it. For some reason that just makes me feel good.


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## Beetle-Kill (Mar 13, 2013)

If I had the time, that would mean I was financially sound forever. Sounds good to me. And so...
-Learn to sand-cast for prototyping molds required for ideas.
-Invest in larger and better equipment, and have time to be taught how to use them.
-Get certified on 90% of the welding apps. out there-(and there are a lot of them)
-Build my own private 1000yrd. range.
-Build a 4-seat snow mobile.
-Build my own rifle barrels (hence the better equipment thingy)
-Design an affordable stove mover (1 person operation)
-Build a LandCruiser FJ-45 from the ground up.

-........Design the ultimate wood stove.

Just to name a few.


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## DAKSY (Mar 13, 2013)

Ride the country.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 13, 2013)

Seems like a lot of us have similar stuff on the short list.

I got a book yesterday that gives details on building all sorts of interesting machinery for pottery- pug mills, rock crushers, ball mills, blungers, vibrating sieves- and it gives details on simplified ways to cut metal, make wooden pulleys... I am entirely distracted by this now.


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## Flatbedford (Mar 13, 2013)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Seems like a lot of us have similar stuff on the short list.
> 
> I got a book yesterday that gives details on building all sorts of interesting machinery for pottery- pug mills, rock crushers, ball mills, blungers, vibrating sieves- and it gives details on simplified ways to cut metal, make wooden pulleys... I am entirely distracted by this now.


 
Does that book have a title?


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## firefighterjake (Mar 13, 2013)

I would like to say I would do some very productive, stimulating activities like write a book, build a nuclear fusion reactor, solve world peace . . .

But the truth is I would probably just screw around and waste the time like I do currently.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 13, 2013)

The


Flatbedford said:


> Does that book have a title?


The Potter's Alternative by Harry Davis
I also recommend Pioneer Pottery by Michael Cardew

The Davis book is really heavy on the equipment end of things, with info on building a wheel, plus what rocks to try etc. Good stuff, but a bit dry if it's not your thing (I love it)
The Cardew book is a damn masterpiece, with all sorts of pottery basics as well as ball mill and other equipment building info.

Both books were written by Brits that went off and started potteries in places that they'd have to do it all- Cardew went to Africa, Davis went to S.America


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## Jags (Mar 13, 2013)

Of things that I don't already do...

Wood working
Go to a Culinary art institute (for personal pleasure)
Open an eclectic restaurant and consult to the head chef.
own a marina/destination spot for boaters and land lubbers.
Build stuff - like my chair avatar or a tricked out M37 truck, etc.

I could go on....


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## Delta-T (Mar 13, 2013)

learn conjuration, and then maybe piano....maybe piano first.


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## Jags (Mar 13, 2013)

Delta-T said:


> learn conjuration, and then maybe piano....maybe piano first.


 
Conjuration first - makes getting the piano easy.


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## PapaDave (Mar 13, 2013)

Yep, Jags beat me to it.
Conjurationing could be gooder for all kinds of stuff.


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## PapaDave (Mar 13, 2013)

Actually, I'd bottle it and sell it like snake oil. I'd be a kajillionair. Or, at least like da Donald.
"If I could save time in a bottle,
The first thing that I'd like to do"........


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## potter (Mar 13, 2013)

Travel to every continent.
Make exactly what I want every day, regardless of income.
Join Jags at the CIA.
Ride a bike across the US several times. 
Ride a bike across China.
Get a few more degrees, archaeology, biology.


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## Beer Belly (Mar 14, 2013)

Improve the Landscaping at our home.....build walls, patio with a Firepit, and a small pond with a fountain. Build a small Log Cabin to hide out in and get away from it all. Hook up the camper and go when I feel the urge.....and stop whenever...destination nowhere/anywhere


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## jharkin (Mar 14, 2013)

Is it only unlimited time, or unlimited time & funding?

I'd spend a lot more time building my R/C planes. I have enough scale projects stashed already to make a full time job for 5+ years, I can easily come up with enough ideas to keep busy for 20 years if I didn't get bored or run out of space.

I'd spend a lot more time at the field flying those models.

Might consider getting my pilots license.

I'd get back to hiking and backpacking and get back in shape.

The Mrs would want to travel a lot.

I would burn down the never ending list of projects on the old house - reglazing all the windows, restoring and reinstalling all the original doors in the basement. Repainting the exterior. Have the original trim profiles in the unrenovated rooms duplicated to restore the renovated rooms.

Maybe build the addition we want.

Build a garden shed. A bigger woodshed.

Look for an antique car restoration project.. or 3 or 4. Too hard to pick just one (my dream list covers everything from the Shelby Cobra to 60's Europan sports cars to an antique model T).

Maybe even get back into sailing.  I used to know how 15 years ago...


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 14, 2013)

Just time- unlimited funding would spoil us too much


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## webbie (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm already doing that and it means spending a lot of tie on hearth.com

But I'd probably start a personal blog and then a drone blog....wait! I already did that!

I just ordered two new drones and one needs assembled and can lift fairly heavy payloads. Either I will slice my head open with it, or I will drop it on someones head. Either way, that means excitement.

For the first time in our lives, we just went away for more than 1 1/2 weeks. That's an amazing stat - never been away from home more than 11 days in a row since 1975 or so, maybe before! 

I can't say I would do too much more. I think most people who do too much of any one thing will bore themselves (or others!).


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## ironpony (Mar 14, 2013)

I know I do not need unlimited funding, I do not have any funding now.


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## jharkin (Mar 14, 2013)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Just time- unlimited funding would spoil us too much


 
There goes 3/4 of my list..


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## Hearth Mistress (Mar 15, 2013)

jharkin said:


> Look for an antique car restoration project.. or 3 or 4. Too hard to pick just one (my dream list covers everything from the Shelby Cobra to 60's Europan sports cars to an antique model T..



 I LOVE Shelby Cobras! My dream car too! 

We'd live on one of those luxury liners for a year, like a floating condo to see the world
Then, I'd buy some acerage out in Central PA somewhere and start a rescue for animals out of kill shelters
Build an outdoor oven and firepit like you guys have here (wish I married a handy man, this one would be on me)
I'd also learn to play the cello, something I've aways wanted to do. Flute, piano, guitar - done, just cello left
I'd buy 1 share of berkshire hathaway stock, just to have it
Build my Shelby and buy my hubby the kublewagan he's always wanted


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## Frozen Canuck (Mar 16, 2013)

Learn as many languages as possible. Take any course, anywhere in any language for whatever interests me. Travel the world - all of it. Meet more people on their terms rather than mine, perhaps for the first time. Get their perspective on this little blue marble. Live more, love more, laugh more. Sweat the small stuff not at all.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 16, 2013)

Hearth Mistress said:


> I LOVE Shelby Cobras! My dream car too!
> 
> We'd live on one of those luxury liners for a year, like a floating condo to see the world
> Then, I'd buy some acerage out in Central PA somewhere and start a rescue for animals out of kill shelters
> ...


Who is funding this all? LOL


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## ScotO (Mar 16, 2013)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Who is funding this all? LOL


I'm feeling really BAD for her husband right about now!!  WOW she's got some expensive taste!


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## ScotO (Mar 16, 2013)

webbie said:


> I just ordered two new drones and one needs assembled and can lift fairly heavy payloads.


  Maybe time for you to invent one that can haul big rounds of firewood out of remote places......when you do, I'll be buying one of them!!


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## begreen (Mar 16, 2013)

Travel would be something I would like to do more of. If cost was no object, you would be seeing one heck of a lot more road reports from BG. Add to that foreign heating threads. I'm fascinated by how different societies address the needs of shelter.


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## Hearth Mistress (Mar 16, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> I'm feeling really BAD for her husband right about now!!  WOW she's got some expensive taste!


My mom always said I have champagne tastes on a beer budget 

Yo be honest, these days, if I had extra time to do anything, it would be so easy and cheap....I'd just take a nap


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## potter (Mar 16, 2013)

jharkin said:


> There goes 3/4 of my list..


me, too.


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## PapaDave (Mar 16, 2013)

Somebody say NAP?
I'm in.


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## Dune (Mar 18, 2013)

If I had the time, I would stop doing all this creative stuff and take a rest. Go on a vacation. Read some non-technical books. Be with my wife.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 19, 2013)

Learn how to really fix and build stuff around the place.  Volunteer at the local shelter.  I'm pretty good at training dogs and I would love the time to help them become more adoptable.  
Hang out with friends more, sleep, hike, read, drive meals on wheels once a week.  Ride bikes with my kid.


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## briansol (Mar 20, 2013)

I'd try to live off the land.   be a farmer, raise some small animals... live for a living


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## homebrewz (Mar 23, 2013)

Guess I'd play more music, among other things.
Seeing the title of this thread in the queue kept me thinking about the end of a Robin Williamson song.

"I met a man whose name was Time and he said "I must be going", but just how long ago that was I have no way of knowing.
Sometimes I want to murder time, sometimes when my heart's aching, but mostly I just stroll along the path that he is taking".

from October Song.


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## Pallet Pete (Mar 23, 2013)

Brew more 
Screw more
poo more 
and maybe continue my welding love affair while doing all thee above. 

What can I say I am easily entertained and don't need much from life to be happy.

Pete


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## blacktail (Mar 24, 2013)

I'd know every deer in my hunting area. Beyond that, I'd split my time between fishing more, and watching the deer around home to find behaviors that would apply to the deer in my hunting area. And I'd take more naps. I'm good at naps.


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## sheetmetaldan (Mar 24, 2013)

For me it would be finish restoring my 72 Plymouth Barracuda, i`m almost there just need a little more time and money! Then tackle another muscle car project really liking the 70-74 "B" body style Mopars lately, Superbee,Road Runner, Charger ect!


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