all 36 comments

[–]Zer0 15 insightful - 4 fun15 insightful - 3 fun16 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

I design and make mechanical keyboards.
It's a strange one because there is a massive community online but I get blank stares when bringing it up IRL

[–]Farseli 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

What that's awesome. I love my cherry mx brown switches, especially after adding some o-rings so they don't bottom out anymore.

Yeah, it's certainly a thing most people don't think about.

[–]Nos 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I've been thinking about doing this as I want a keyboard with a connected left numpad. How did you get started?

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 13 insightful - 3 fun13 insightful - 2 fun14 insightful - 3 fun -  (9 children)

I make some pretty interesting things with wire and gemstones. Here is my last piece, "White Walker".

[–]Starlight_Fire[S] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Wow! That's incredibly intricate. Do you bend all of the little...threads?

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 6 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Yes. This is 100% handmade with nothing more than sterling silver wire, gemstones, and some pliers.

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I finished up this pendent a few days ago. It took around 10 or 11 hours to complete. The large center stone is an aquamarine crystal. Accent stones are 2x aquamarine, 2x Swiss blue topaz, 2x London blue topaz, and 2x kyanite.

[–]Farseli 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Oh that's right you posted some macro shots. I was going to ask where I could see them zoomed out.

That looks great. The silver gives it a really nice color.

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I have a lot of pictures of my pieces on instagram @robertallenjewelry

I also have a website. I will PM you that as well.

[–]Farseli 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Thanks! Just took a look at the website and those serpent rings are really cool.

Now I wonder if my grandmother would appreciate the Venus pendant (tbh, the answer is yes).

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Those serpent rings have been very popular. That Venus pendant was one of the first 4 or 5 pieces I made. I would be happy to let it go though, and would cut you a discount over the posted price if you are interested.

[–]Icearstorm 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

That's beautiful; you've got some skills!

[–]RobertAllenJewelry 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thank you! I really like this one too. Someone messaged me on facebook about buying it though, so I may not have it around to stare at much longer.

[–]magnora7 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I've been trying to learn what I call "improv piano" which is to be able to play songs just by hearing them and practicing enough times, or just be able to make up random music that sounds half-way decent as you go.

I really sucked at it at first, but now it's starting to actually get good. It's way more fun than reading bar-staff sheet music. The other day I figured out how to play "Chariots of Fire" in about 25 minutes just by listening to it on repeat and futzing around with the keys until I could figure out all the patterns. I don't think I'll try to play piano with sheet music ever again, tbh

[–]xynixia 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Being able to play by hearing is so much fun! Not to brag or anything, but I was fortunate enough to go to piano lessons as a kid, so I can (almost) instantly know how to play a song just by hearing it once. Now I'm trying to learn how to read sheet music since I really suck at it lol.

Don't give up practicing my dude. I assure you it is very nice being able to improv on the fly, especially when you're playing with other friends who could play music too.

[–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That's awesome. I took 7 years of piano lessons too. I can read bar-staff sheet music, but I've always found it super tedious and boring.

Then I learned to play guitar on my own, and learned the chords-based tablature way of describing music, and then I realized I could apply that to piano. Then it was off to the races

[–]Starlight_Fire[S] 8 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Personally, I am really into miniatures. Not like Warhammer 40k, more like little dollhouses, clay foods, etc. It's a very useless hobby, and that's what I like about it. It's purely an enjoyment thing for me -- would never want to make money with it. Just wish I had more time to dedicate to it!

[–]Farseli 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

I mean, it's not totally unique, but I like to build gundam models (gunpla). I have a few on my desk at work that draw attention when people walk by.

[–]Vulphere 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Gunpla is fun to build.

[–]Starlight_Fire[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Obscure enough that I had to Google what it was, lol. Those look interesting though, I'm sure it takes a lot of patience.

[–]Farseli 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

So many little parts, filing the plastic to remove nubs, using a hobby knife and tweezers to put on stickers.

It's nice to have it as something I can focus on when everything else is going crazy.

https://i.imgur.com/bGzauyA.jpg https://i.imgur.com/WjiVLSW.jpg

[–]Tom_Bombadil 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I loved those as a kid, but I haven't the patience or time.
Plus I would have broke them..

They look great! Well done!

[–]i_cansmellthat 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I've been trying to cultivate bonsai trees from clippings, still new to it but I've got 2 started and in pots. It doesn't take much time really (though they aren't tolerant of neglect), but it will be a couple years before they look like actual trees.

[–]Farseli 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

There's a nearby bonsai museum and it's just shocking what can be done.

Do you remember what first drew your interest?

[–]i_cansmellthat 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I got one last spring as a birthday present, I had commented that I really like them in passing. Probably not the best gift to give as they do require daily attention, but I dug in and read up and so far I haven't killed it!

I have two now, and two starting from clippings. Would like to try a jade tree if these do well over the next month or so.

[–]Robin 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Learning to understand bird language. It's not like any of the other things I've learned, which can be seen as accruing knowledge/skills that are there if you only want them. Unless you're willing to change how you think, it's impossible to progress far -- must be a living thing that reshapes who one is

[–]PaigeAP 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I love watching and recording rivers(or any body of water honestly) flowing when they are small and then comparing them to when they overflow.

[–]BluteNacht 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I collect unusual first names of all types. I've been doing this since I was a teenager.

[–]baqpad 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm having trouble finding this name online so I may be spelling it incorrectly, but I once met somebody from South America named Manjubula, pronounced Man-joob-you-luh. It's always stuck with me, so satisfying to say aloud.

[–]Bl_nk 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Twisty puzzles (rubik's cubes) does that count ?

[–]Starlight_Fire[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I've always admired those who took the time and dedication to learn the Rubik's cube.

[–]Bl_nk 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Like anything if you put the time anyone can do it, for sure I learned the beginner method online first and then CFOP, no way in hell I could have figured it out on my own. Once you know the 3x3 it opens up many many other kinds of puzzle with crazy shapes I'm obsessed now :)

[–]Vulphere 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I love traditional art exhibition. Something that many of my friends don't get.

[–]DanDinDon 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I sometimes trim some dubstep/trap songs and post them on youtube.

[–]BluteNacht 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I collect unusual first names of all types. I've been doing this since I was a teenager.

[–]Icearstorm 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I like birds. I'm really interested in selective breeding but don't have any desire to raise animals for agriculture, breed overpopulated animals, or work with animals that have a lot of health issues... So I keep and breed self society/Bengalese finches. They don't want anything to do with people, but they are friendly with each other and are generally easy to care for. I only have males at the moment, but I'm planning to get a Euro hen or two this summer. Feel free to ask more; I'd be happy to write an essay on this!

Here's the dad and his sons.