The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Time for New Knowledge New Skills and a New Course

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You may have noticed, I’ve been writing a lot less, in fact, I haven’t written for quite some time. Perhaps you poked The Kneeslider link in your browser checking for signs of life and wondered, “Is there a pulse?” and gone away still unsure. Well, I’ve been wondering myself.

A lot of factors have played a part in my absence from regular writing here, the changing economics of blogging is certainly one, but beyond that, it’s the dramatic change in technologies of all sorts, changes I find incredibly interesting, changes I want to have a hand in and learn a lot about.

Motorcycles, up, down and around in circles

Since starting The Kneeslider in early 2004, the motorcycle business has gone through explosive growth and then, reorganization and retrenchment, but as the companies fought for survival, doing their best to bring out new models to attract buyers, the rest of the world was moving ahead in a different direction. I touched on this in an earlier article and I see more of it today, I certainly feel more of it in my own life.

High tech and hands on

I’ve had a few posts sitting on the home page of the site for a while, posts about workshops, which may give you a hint of where I’m going. Right now, the possibilities for an individual to learn about, experiment and then do things in his own shop, or in the local makerspace, are exploding. What previously took millions of dollars to do, might set you back a thousand bucks, maybe less. Tools and technologies are advancing rapidly and becoming downright cheap. If you’re looking for explosive growth and new opportunities, they're right here.

Even with a lifelong involvement in high tech, I’ve had to overclock my brain just to keep up and I like it. It’s a challenge, it’s advancing fast in every direction, so, it’s time for an upgrade and setting a new course. I’ve been rearranging my garage and getting ready to spend a lot more time “hands on,” but on different things.

It's not going to be all cutting edge, I have a Pioneer SX-727 receiver that still looks brand new, but needs a thorough going over, replacing all of the electrolytic capacitors, that sort of thing, but I'll be diving into the Arduino and the other microcontrollers and whatever else I need to know plus getting familiar with many of the other new tools and technologies. Some of you may enjoy coming along as I go in this new direction, others may not, but what you might find interesting is the perspective of someone who has to learn as he goes, the same path you might have to travel if you were to jump in and give it a try.

Learning, doing and always positive

Though I’ve strayed off the topic of motorcycles before, I’ll be going much further afield in the future. The Kneeslider will remain though I will be starting a new site, with a different look and new priorities. When the site is ready, I’ll announce it here. It will be very positive and focused on learning and doing, a lot like I've always been on this site and if you’re curious and looking for new challenges and opportunities, I encourage you to join me. I think it’s going to be a great adventure.

Comments

  1. I had an SX-727 for years. My father gave it to me and i carted it around and used it to DJ parties. Amazing amp. I would have restored it if i hadn’t lost it in a house fire. One of my most recent jobs was restoring vintage insruments: Hammond B3s and A100s, Wurlitzer and Rhodes electric pianos, Moog/Roland/Oberheim synths…

    Awesome job. If youve never seen the inside of a Hammond organ it will blow your MIND how much engineering went into each key press.

    Ill still read your stuff man.

    • Glad to hear you’ll be coming along. There’s so much energy and potential in these areas, I hope I can show some of you what’s been getting me so excited. It’s a great way to build on the tech knowledge you already have, too. What’s not to like?

  3. I enjoyed the building/doing articles that have been popping up and will be following along with this new venture. Of course still looking forward to reading about a shot of adrenaline from thekneeslider! But as a crashee, growing young gun, and toolhead it sounds right up my alley.
    Thanks Paul
    Niall

  4. “May the road rise up to meet you, and the wind be always at your back!”

    I too have enjoyed your posts and comments, Paul; I’ll be right with you on your next foray!

  5. My day job is doing digital page layout. I’ve been either doing it or teaching it for 24 years. At this point, there is no longer anything romantic — AT ALL — about owning or working with digital electronics. Conversely, motorcycles remain special to me 35 years after I bought my first one. They are real metal that are fabricated, exist and function in the real world. Motorcycles my escape from our overly virtual, non-concrete, electronic world.

    • Exactly my intention, to work on real things in the real world, no virtual anything. This isn’t a plan to write programs and build new apps, why do you think I’m talking about garage workshops?

      However, electronics is contained within and a functional part of pretty much everything today, so both analog and digital electronics will be involved at times, some programming, too, as they should be. If you’ve lost your enthusiasm for it due to a concentration on certain tasks for many years, perhaps you could benefit from a wider perspective and thinking about other uses and applications in fields you find more interesting. Perhaps not, but don’t close the door until you see what’s on the other side.

  6. I took my first programming class in 1963 as a college senior. I have been a problem solver ever since in what was called DP and now IT. I’ve worked many real solutions in both “real” and “virtual” environments and computers provide a platform for numerous mind expanding adventures. That said, I still love bikes, especially by two Bultacos. My first bike was an 1948 Indian Chief in high school. I like the metal and I like design and I still like solving problems. I am enamored with “Tilting Three Wheelers”, reverse trikes. I’ve created one and am designing two more. But I hope to keep writing code in Python.

  7. Your selection of previous articles have proven you have an astute view of what is relevant and interesting Paul.
    So on that note, get stuck in mate. I am really looking forward to seeing what you’ve got planned and am glad that The Kneeslider in some format will carry on and if it’s tools in hand, even better.

    Good on ya Paul.

  8. As technically and mechanically challenged since birth I’ve enjoyed reading all the articles on Kneeslider and look forward to the new.

  9. From The Netherlands: thanks for all the great stuff you wrote about all those years! I’m curious what you’re upto, and will get back here to find out.

    Lots of succes!

  10. Sorry to see this but everything changes. This does make the motorcycle world less interesting.

  12. Glad to read this. I can’t agree more. I find myself an example of doing things that would have cost tons of money in the near past.

    For me its building racing motorcycles, frames, and other stuff that comes to my mind.I found that a lot can be done just by starting on it. You’ll learn on the way and with the help of forums and friends.

    If I can be of any help… let me know!

    kind regards,

    Maarten J. from MJ-Works

  13. Thanks for the update Paul. I think a lot of us were wondering if the site had gone into a “limp home” mode.

    I’m glad the fire hasn’t gone out!

  14. Good news Paul! Was getting worried that the fire had been snuffed. I’ve been a long time reader and eagerly await your new direction.

  15. Have been here quietly awestruck for some years now, and feel somewhat sadend that this will all change, this site has been my mecca and inspiration to get off my arse and change my moto world, I will not go away uneducated, and for that I thank you. I’ve been saying for awhile now we should put all these gifted people in a big shed, give them many materials and tools, lock them in, and stand back and see what rolls out the other end ……!!!! Long live open thought… a thought,
    There is no great genius, without some kind of madness

  16. Thank you, everyone, for all of the interest in where we go from here. I think it will be an interesting trip and as time goes on, I’ll go a little deeper into my thinking about how this evolution has come about.

    I’ve been busy this week assembling and installing cabinets in the garage and beginning the process of setting up the workshop. When it’s a little further along I’ll give you a peek inside.

    With today’s sub-zero temperatures outside, even with heat, the garage is a bit chilly, so I figure it’s a good day to do a little work on the computer, but I’m sure I’ll be back out in the shop for a little while, too.

  18. At first, my heart sank when I read the opening paragraph, it certainly had the ominous sound of impending farewells.
    Mightily reassured that Paul is simply going to begin a new journey, a dialog, discovery and we can share it!
    This is a very timely stimulation in a phase of freeze-fatigue being grappled with here in the mid-west!
    Looking forward to it Paul!
    Warmest wishes!

  19. I am sad to see this site go defunct, I had started back up drawing bikes, and wanted to email you some sketches of some bikes I drew, some I hope to build one day… Once I got the funds, and time, lol.