[TheForge] stair case design
theron
[email protected]
Sun May 18 21:10:01 2003
All of the balusters are in the same place on each step
The client really likes a style that is very loose old world style
She doesn't seem as fond of a repeated single element (too bad I think that
would be a much easier design solution as far as hiding the holes)
I do like the idea of one panel per step and I think I will design something
like this idea and present it to her seems like a less problematic solution
and could look very nice
Thanks I'm learning something new every day.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry and Pat Brown" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2003 4:48 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] stair case design
>
> Are the ballasters in the same place on each step? Perhaps make a panel
> design that repeats for each step, covers the lower holes and bolts to the
> bottom of the handrail and into the step. One piece per step and then
> figure out what you have to do for the newel post.
> L Brown
>
>
> At 11:55 PM 5/17/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>
> >Has anyone had any experience with removing ballasters from a wooden
> >staircase 6"on center and building an iron railing that covers the 2
holes
> >in each of the steps? I have a potentil client that would like this done
> >using the existing cap (to save money of course)i would love to have my
> >first railing job but I am wondering if trying to deal with the existing
> >holes is more trouble than its worth.
> >It is a straight rail and would be my first .
> >I am thinking about making ovel shaped plates that would cover the holes
in
> >the steps with a ring welded to each plate and the bottom rail mounted to
> >thetop of the ring.
> >I am not quite sure if I should dismantle the staircase and make frames
for
> >each panel on site.
> > I have helped do a curved staircase where we did just that
> >we bent flat bar for the bottom rail than made a matching one for the top
> >welded verticles on each end making sure of plumbness then strengthened
it
> >up with temporary cross bracing
> >took it back to the shop.
> >built it in the shop and put it back in place.
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "gblacksmith" <[email protected]>
> >To: <[email protected]>
> >Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 9:08 AM
> >Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: How fareth the pro smith?
> >
> >
> > > An excellent series of observations, Andrew.
> > >
> > > Grant Marcoux
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Andrew Vida" <[email protected]>
> > > To: <[email protected]>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 1:44 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: How fareth the pro smith?
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > RIES NIEMI wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > The economy seems to be a lot more complicated than it used to be,
> >which
> > > I
> > > > > think, overall, is a good thing.
> > > >
> > > > This is an interesting perpsective. Many folks would hold
> > > > an opinion in wide variance with this, cleaving to the idea
> > > > that simple things are better. Certainly easier to comprehend.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > There doesnt seem to be any one answer- lots of people are busy as
can
> > > be,
> > > > > others are going broke.
> > > >
> > > > I've noticed this as well. The middle region seems to be
> > > > narrowing very sharply. Those who are in a good marketing
> > > > method do betterthat those not. Marketing is more important,
> > > > generally speaking, than what you make or how well you make it.
> > > > A clear example of this lies in the horribly made junk from
> > > > Mexico. It was selling like hotcakes with the more-money-than-
> > > > brains crowd in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. Marketing
> > > > is pretty much the be all of such businesses. Combine great
> > > > marketing with superior craft and you may be cooking.
> > > >
> > > > > I think the career arc of a craftsman, someone who devotes their
> >entire
> > > life
> > > > > to becoming as good as they can get at a skill, is not so tied to
the
> > > > > economy in general.
> > > >
> > > > But they are not immune to the demands of marketing. I would
> > > > assert that they have been heavily into marketing at one time
> > > > or another. But this doesn't mean they have been conscious of
> > > > it. I know people that market themselves like pros and don't
> > > > even know it. The combination of their personality, skill,
> > > > and mannerisms just naturally attract interest.
> > > >
> > > > > People still want Sam Maloof chairs or Albert Paley
> > > > > tables, even though they cost more every year and there is a two
year
> > > > > waiting list.
> > > >
> > > > As the rich (the smart rich) tend to remain so, they are
> > > > never at a loss to make large capital purchases for home
> > > > and office. Those are the people and businesses the single
> > > > smith needs to catch the eye of. Easier said than done.
> > > > My recommendation is to use whatever means and connections
> > > > you have at your disposal.
> > > >
> > > > > On the other hand, if what you are selling is a twisted plant
hook,
> > > > > indistiguishable from those made by 200 other smiths around the
> >country,
> > > its
> > > > > likely you are going to be having a harder time when the economy
> >slips.
> > > >
> > > > Agreed.
> > > >
> > > > > Geography certainly plays a part in it as well. The better known
> > > > > bladesmiths, art blacksmiths, or high end ornamental guys are
already
> > > > > geographically diversified. The guy just starting out is reliant
on
> >his
> > > > > immediate neighborhood.
> > > >
> > > > That's why you want to place yourself in places where the money
> > > > is such as NYC, Scottsdale, Santa Barbara, Naples, etc. I also
> > > > think that making yourself a very social animal can be very
> > > > helpful. Becoming well known and liked in the community can
> > > > never hurt. Getting socially connected with the arts people
> > > > and other money-rich sectors is a good way to make that first
> > > > great break for yourself. That is what Mark Costabi did (he's
> > > > a NYC painter). Many revile him as a charlatan, and infact he is
> > > > a flavor of that, but he was a brilliant self-marketeer whose
> > > > paintings sell for tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars
> > > > apiece.
> > > >
> > > > It's much like the old addage about the three most critical
> > > > factors for real estate: location, location, and location.
> > > > Better to own an outhouse in Beverly Hills than live in a
> > > > huge pristin mansion in the ghettoes of Elizabeth NJ.
> > > >
> > > > > If you allow yourself to be a replaceable, faceless worker who
makes a
> > > > > commodity, then you are the first to suffer when things slow down.
> > > >
> > > > This was the problem with one of my recent business partners.
> > > > He's a great guy and very talented, but a throwback from the
> > > > days of filthy hippies, love, and flowers. His aspirations
> > > > are "modest". Well, the world is treating him as a pauper
> > > > as result, but one cannot make another person want to be
> > > > otherwise. After six months he's just come to accept my
> > > > assertion that he ought not lower his hourly rates, which
> > > > plummeted from $85/hr to as low as $15. You are worth what
> > > > people think you are worth, and they think you are worth what
> > > > you project that worth to be. I think this applies to smiths
> > > > as well. Granted you must also have the skills and the sense
> > > > of artistic style that appeals to people, but that is usually
> > > > not enough without projecting the proper image.
> > > >
> > > > > If you spend the time, effort and money to be as good as you can
be,
> >and
> > > to
> > > > > be an artist at what you do (not an artist- but an artist at what
you
> > > do.
> > > > > You can be an artist, too, but the competition is even stiffer in
that
> > > > > field.) Then people want your work because YOU made it, and since
> >there
> > > is
> > > > > only one of you, you have a pretty good chance of weathering the
> >storm.
> > > > > Of course, this is a lifelong journey.
> > > >
> > > > We had a long discussion on this last year on artmetal.
> > > > Being and artiste is all well and wonderful, but it will
> > > > not buy you a loaf of bread if you don't have a marketing
> > > > plan or someone associated to you that has one. Art,
> > > > contrary to much protest, is not essential to life and when
> > > > things get rough, art gets the axe before almost anything
> > > > else. Those whose art is perceived as being superior in
> > > > value will be bought when that of all the others is left
> > > > on the shelves to rot. It behooves any serious smith to
> > > > learn the art of marketing or partner with a marketeer to
> > > > do the dirty work for you.
> > > >
> > > > > I mean, face it, the number of help wanted ads in the classifieds
for
> > > > > blacksmiths is pretty small. If you want to make a living as a
> > > blacksmith,
> > > > > you have to pretty much write your own job description, then
figure
> >out
> > > a
> > > > > way to hire yourself. Nobody said it was gonna be easy, but
consider
> >the
> > > > > alternatives.
> > > >
> > > > Well said.
> > > > _______________________________________________
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