[TheForge] question for part-timers & hobbyists

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

> At 09:50 AM 02/28/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>
>> I've got questions for those of you who are part-time blacksmiths 
>> (have a
>> full time job at home or out of home) or hobbyist blacksmiths.  FYI- I
>> consider myself part time because I work part time as mother and 
>> household
>> manager.
>>
>> Back to the questions.
>> What are your personal goals for blacksmithing?
>
>
> To exercise my creative side in a relaxing way.   I tend to be very 
> goal oriented in most aspects of my life, blacksmithing is one of the 
> few endeavors where the process takes precedence over the product.    
>
>
>> Are you more interested in technical skills, design skills, or equally
>> devoted to both?
>
>
> Both.  Design is important, since the technical skills need to be 
> harnessed to some purpose, and I cannot spend all my time copying 
> other people's work.
>
>> Do you like to do projects or make up your own, or both?
>
>>
>
> My schedule doesn't really allow for taking any commissions, 
> particularily since it is a hobby.  Generally, if someone really wants 
> me to do something, my rule is come over and work with me on it.   If 
> they won't invest their time, I won't invest mine.     I have made it 
> a tradition to forge something with my son every year for our large 
> family chinese auction.  
>
>
>> How much time per week, or month do you set aside for your 
>> blacksmithing?
>
> Maybe one weekend evey month or so right now.   I also take the week 
> off before christmas, and between christmas an new years for 
> blacksmithing.    I also teach blackmsithing to my son's Scout troop.
>
>> How much time do you set aside for studying blacksmithing in other ways,
>> through book research or your own sketching?
>
>
> a couple of hours every day I spend reading on metalworking of one 
> sort or another.  I travel a lot, so I keep scetch books with me and 
> draw a lot of ideas out as well.
>
>> Do you set yourself certain goals in the shop?- for example, maybe in 
>> June,
>> you are going to work strictly on collars, or in August, you are 
>> going to
>> work on perfecting scroll designs.
>
> Generally, I usually have a specific project I am after completing.   
> I have planned a couple of weekends where I did nothing but make 
> tooling.  These were especially fruitful.  Usually I set up the forge 
> to do a specific project and realize that so many of the processes 
> would be easier if I just had the right widget.   I normally just work 
> around it with artful use of the anvil edges and judicious use of the 
> hammers at hand.  Having a lot of hardy tools is great though.
>
>> If you don't like to work with a goal system- then how do you decide 
>> what to
>> work on ?
>

>
>
>> What motivates you?
>
>
> The need to create, build.
>
>> Do you have anything else to add that I didn't think about asking?
>

> as someone else said......I like blacksmithing because no matter how 
> long I do it, there is ALWAYS something new to learn...
>
>
>
>> I'll answer it too, but I don't want it to be about me right away.  
>> I'd like
>> to see a cross section of responses from all of the part timers and
>> hobbyists.
>> -Kirsten
>> koka@acegroup.cc
>