[TheForge] some year-end ramblings and thoughts for 2004

[terry l. ridder]

hello;

well 2003, has come and gone, and it was the worst year in the past 7
for my being able to do any blacksmithing or metalwork. the house is
still being rehabed, been battling pneumonia since before christmas, and
the legal nightmare just keeps gringing on and on.

blacksmithing and metalwork projects i was able to work on in 2003 were
zero. partly my fault for not budgeting the time, partly everything
else in life crashing in. ( the house was not a 'planned' project. )
(throw in the month of december with a heart rate twice normal and all
the 'dire' warning from the medical professionals and the family
treating me like i am an invalid. )

the shop is cluttered with house rehab stuff and various other
collections of items that seem to have migrated there on their own.
tools are scattered throughtout the house. walls are still missing.

despite still feeling under-the-weather i really need to get motivated
and start sorting the shop and working on those projects i am able to
handle by myself. sorting the shop is the first task. collecting all the
tools is the second task. but i do not want to just deal with the list
of projects at hand i want to expand my horizons and learn new things.

assuming once the shop is sorted and tools are back where they belong, i
have several things which i want to learn this year. the wife and one
daughter are interested in candlemaking. while out the other day i
nearly choked when i saw the price on metal candle molds. a 2 inch by 6
inch cylinder mold was $19.54 usd. think pipe nibble and pipe cap you
have the geneal idea. i told them that if they purchased the tin i would
make them candle molds. i figure they should be able to purchase a good
size piece of tin for $20.00 usd. so tinsmithing is something i would
like to learn about. hints, suggestions, resources are most welcome.

welding. i really need to learn more about welding. the community
college offers several courses on gas/mig/tig/etc welding. any thoughts
from anyone concerning community college welding courses? good, bad,
indifferent?

i made a dozen 'iron roses' for 2002 christmas which everyone liked very
much. i have had several request for bronze and brass roses. i have also
had two requests for 'roses' which would hold a tea light candle. they
want to be able to place the tea light in the center of the rose. that
is going to take some trial and error to adjust the patterns correctly.
i have cast bronze and brass just never forged much of it. yet another
area i want to learn more about.

the past 7 years being home bound have really taken a toll on me
mentally. last year was the worst. i did not even make it out to vist
rick crawford all of last year and he only lives about 40 minutes from
me. ( the medical professionals pulled my drivers license for more than
half of last year. i just got it back on my birthday in december with
the lawyer's help. ) this new year lord willing things are going to be
different. i would like to begin making plans to visit several people on
the list and spend a week learning from them. what i can offer in return
is help  during that week. there is one person i would love to spend at
least one week with and learn whatever i am able to, that would be
george dixon. lording willing, perhaps the moeny would be there to spend
at least a week with george. thoughts, hints, suggestions, etc are most welcome.
good idea, bad idea, indifferent?

well, if you have read this far, thank you for your time.

-- 
terry l. ridder ><>