Looking for a new hobby, suggestions?

[gunslinger387]

For a couple of years I was into making Kydex holsters and sheathes. Recently it felt more like work than a hobby so I sold off most of my stuff. Now I’m finding myself wanting something to do. I would prefer something that I can do for a few hours here or there in the garage while drinking a beer or two. Some things I’ve thought of but haven’t quit pulled the trigger on is using a lathe to turn bowls or making a epoxy/wood table. Someday I may want to forge a knife but that is down the road and would probably be a one and done.

I’m not a technical or artsy person but have found I enjoy working with my hands.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Houlahound]

I have just recently learned to cook...sort of, it's actually very rewarding. Try cooking or growing your own vegetables or both.

 

[unwisefool]

Reading? Dungeons and dragons? Leather work? Karate? Sewing?

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

I like to tinker in the shop. Some projects that I would like to try would be building a mechanical clock and making a music box from scratch.

Some hobbies that I've enjoyed include hunting, chess, and shooting for accuracy with reloading. Those are all some deep rabbit holes.

something you can do for a few hours here and there in your garage is, almost by definition, either tinkering or some sort of a construction hobby. maybe there's something you're interested in that you would like to try to build. It could be a kit or a puzzle, or building a violin. Maybe build a knife kit?

 

[Houlahound]

Here some crazy sh!t folks do - rock balancing for art.

Literally get random size and shape rocks and stack them on top of each other by pure balance. It can take them 5 hours to get a rock to balance. The structures are meant to be impermanent.

Deep Zen sh!t etc.

 

[Casinostocks]

+1 for learning to cook at gourmet levels and another endorsement for precision target shooting with manual reloading, but of course none of these are suited to garage while enjoying a brew!

Knife sharpening is also something which fits your given criteria

 

[CPP]

Reading

 

[Fonedork]

Boxing
Falconry
Treasure hunting

 

[Casinostocks]

Boxing
Falconry
Treasure hunting

Outta whose garage? His or others'? The latter could be problematic and very dangerous

 

[okcasey]

Just started sharpening. I find Wicked Edge is fun for me. If you shoot, reloading is fun also. Don’t think either of these mix well with alcohol!

 

[Casinostocks]

Just started sharpening. I find Wicked Edge is fun for me. If you shoot, reloading is fun also. Don’t think either of these mix well with alcohol!

Just to be clear about reloading in this context, I was talking about taking a precision shot and then loading another ammunition in the chamber for a follow shot up rather than chambering another shot via auto/bolt action/lever/pump. I don't think that Nathan was talking about hand loading ammo as his reference to reloading either!

Other than that, yup absolutely; consuming alcohol and firearms are a terrible mix unless it's an old unreliable musket, copious gun powder and a big ball of lead! --- J/K... J/K

 

[TRfromMT]

I make sawdust out of really expensive blocks of wood. Sometimes what is left is a really nice set of knife scales or pistol grips. It only occupies a small shop space with modest benchtop tools, a few hours at a time and still involves my knives.

 

[brewster2012]

Home brewing beer. It satisfies my desire to spend a few hours outside or in the garage occasionally, results in tasty beer, and can be equipment intensive (satisfying the "tinker" urge) or really straightforward and basic. Send me a message if you have any questions. You might start however by reading Jon Palmer's book, How to Brew. Or browse around the beginners section of the homebrewtalk.com forum.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

I don't think that Nathan was talking about hand loading ammo as his reference to reloading either!

Figuring out what combination of round, powder, charge, seated length, crimp detail etc result in the most accurate combination for a particular rifle. A few well spent hours here and there and a few beers and you can dial in a rifle.

 

[Keoneloa]

get a beater bike, start riding, then get a better bike, and then you can wrench on em both when you get back to the garage, plus any ride gives you a good excuse to have a cold beer, if you need an excuse
I have spent many happy hours working on my bikes...

 

[Keoneloa]

recurve archery is good too...I have a short little range set up in my basement, works great when it is too cold to shoot outdoors..archery and bikes both are to me what Nathan said...deep rabbit holes

 

[Casinostocks]

View attachment 1265876

Figuring out what combination of round, powder, charge, seated length, crimp detail etc result in the most accurate combination for a particular rifle. A few well spent hours here and there and a few beers and you can dial in a rifle.

You are probably the only person who I know of and whom I will fully trust if you sell your reloaded/hand-loaded ammo while enjoying a few brews!

 

[unwisefool]

What about making models and painting them? I always wanted to do that but am very bad at glue

 

[WValtakis]

What about making models and painting them? I always wanted to do that but am very bad at glue

Love building models! Haven't done any since the 6 months I was on disability years back, but it's something my OCD actually helps with I've got a bunch of Star Wars models that I went pretty ridiculous on the detailing

 

[Bulldog18]

Maybe take up Pottery relaxing and zen like. Then you can make some mugs to drink your beer out of!