Well said Jack. Also, Dale has been sharing his great builds using this lathe. So, one can safely say, that lathe has “helped create an atmosphere of true modding passion and selflessness”. I for one, am glad it happened. 
I understood the need to give the lathe away on both points. The second point was that you enjoyed the first lathe and could do everything you wanted to do with it and did we enjoy what you created with it.
Of cause the first lathe you had, was I hate to tell you, a drill press.
Your a champion OL and whatever you have done or do, you will always be that same champion. 
Don’t sweat the small stuff, you’ve done more for this forum than most of us put together :partying_face:
Obviously i don’t read every message but i don’t remember anyone having hurt feelings or being upset about you doing what you want with what was yours, those involved in the lathe gifting sure didn’t want to cause you any agravation or frustration and probably welcomed the news that giving the lathe to someone else relieved you from the stress it created.
Plus Dale does all kind of great stuff with the lathe and post it here so BLF still wins.
Win/Win.
My thoughts exactly :sunglasses:
Your a Honorable Man in my book with plenty of Talents and Humility—- No Harm No Foul
1. It was freely given, it’s up to you what to logically do with it.
2. Whatever it takes to make you feel better these days, just do it.
As you say, life is short, and it’s the same with all of us when the time comes.
No worries mate !
+1 on all the above comments.
Justin, I actually think it is we who should apologize to you!
I have mentioned before about how giving can actually be a selfish thing. Sometimes we only do it because it make us feel good.
I gave towards the lathe, in fact I gave, and then later I gave again.
It made me feel good.
It made us all feel good.
I gave and then gave again even though I had a pretty good idea that your hand work on flashlights was what you were all about. It was your “basket weaving” if you know what I mean.
I gave, even though I pretty much knew it wouldn’t be a good fit for you.
It made me feel good.
So once again, I want to say I am sorry that I felt good at your expense. That was selfish of me.
Now I am going to be selfish again!
I am going to ask you not to feel bad by all of this, because that makes me feel bad.
Would you do that for me?
If you could do that for me , it would make you feel better.
Twice.
Remember the Bazooka Joe comic about the boy helping the little old lady across the street?
I made a modest contribution. So I was stunned when you gave it away. But it quickly dawned on me that whether or not the reason was made public, I was darn sure you had a very good reason. That was good enough for me. As we all know life throws us curves.
So what do you say “we let bygones be bygones”?
I really don’t think anyone is worried about the lathe. We are more concerned about you. You
have done so much here. This place wouldn’t have been so great without you.
Peace be with you!Thank you, Justin.-Rick W.
Justin, the lathe is merely a machine which money can buy. What cannot be bought at any price is people like you; your value to us is priceless.
I hope you don’t mind but I think now some of the backstory can be told. I’ve kept quiet about this till now because that’s the way you seem to have wanted it but I feel that I need to get this off my chest too. There were a number of us who worked with Justin behind the scenes to try to find a way to make it possible for him to use the lathe, but some things in life are beyond our anybody’s ability to fix, and that was the case here. When it became clear that the unforseen problem was going to be insurmountable, he chose to not deceive anyone by making excuses for not using it or let the lathe turn into rust or to simply disappear. Instead he chose to do the honorable thing- to give it to one of our ‘family’ here who could use it and who would create some really special lights with it which was it’s intended purpose all along. That lathe is performing it’s function and we’re getting to share the joy of special lights made on it as it was always intended. Only the owner and operator of the machine changed and they are still ‘family’ so let’s treat them accordingly. Through our messages I saw and shared Justin’s frustration and heartbreak at not being able to use the lathe. I damn near cried over it and I’m sure he did too, but it’s not his way to show tears. I respect that and him.
There’s a whole lot more I could say about it but I won’t. I only want everyone to know how deeply Justin was deeply moved by your generosity and that had there been any way possible in the world he would have made great use of it and shared his creative joys with us as he has always done and is still doing with his Paracord work.
Justin, we love you man. You’re family to us. We’re never going to forget you and the awesome lights you made. May peace be with you on the rest of your journey through this sometimes crappy world.
Phil
No worry.
“Pass it forward” works fine.
Your family is our family, make sure they know that.
Now you can all lathe this issue alone? Its settled!
Not that I can really add to the eloquence above… but just wanted to say that I was perfectly happy with all of your decisions.
Although what we gave happened to look like a hunk of metal with spinny things, what I (and others, I suspect) was really doing was showing my respect for you and what you’ve contributed to this forum.
Phil, thank you very much. Great post.
+1 We all use different words, but share the same feelings. If you feel better without a lathe, we all feel better when you give it away. I HAVE worked with a lathe, but that was many, many, many, years ago (to quote commandant Eric Lassard). Working with a lathe is much like a marriage, it has to grow on you. For some it get’s better in time. Others think with growing anger: what was I thinking. Our intentions were the best, but the outcome was less desirable. You did the right thing by setting things straight, giving it away to somebody who has a purpose for it. OK, he’s a bit talkative, but he is one of us, just like you are. So it stays in the family. Find yourself a mirror, take a long look, and forgive yourself. Because on this side there is nobody who feels negative about you or what you did. In the family I was raised in you would have had two older brothers, one of them being me. And I would be very proud to have a younger brother like you!
Well... Not much to say. I think everyone has said it and said it very well. I am my own worst enemy and I am harder on myself than anyone else ever will be.
Thank you all for the support for Dale. I appreciate that very much.
This was something I needed to say a long time ago, so I am glad it is out and over and we all have moved on. So, go mod some lights and turn back to other, more exciting topics, like what will be the next have to buy flashlight that will come down the pike.
We need to have an Olympic flashlight event, I think!
Hello!
Justin, I sent you (what seemed to me) an inspiring private a few days ago.
Be aware, my friend, that disbelief can be one of our greatest burdens with regards to achieving the manifestation of our dreams. There's absolutely astounding people in this world; seems lots of people ignore/refuse them because of their beliefs, lots of these inherited my dear. Lots of people are stuck incapable of achieving their dreams because of the limiting beliefs they withhold in their minds, and how this affects all of their mental, emotional, and physical bodies. The fact that you (like lots among us) may not be very aware of that stuff, does make it unreal? That is like deaf people showing disbelief with regards to the existence of sound, honey.
I once contacted Bobbi, Vianna Stibal's daughter. That was back in december of 2009 because of my self-induced macular degeneration. She told me they had some kind of free assistance program for people nigh unto death. May be very well worth a try.
Well, friend, you are free to post the contents of that message here if you will, please. Sharing ourselves is one of the seals of magnificience of truly powerful people.
Blessings to all of you and cheers ^:)
Justin,
In one short sentence;
It’s All Good
Peace,
Muto