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

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terry l. ridder wrote:

>.... tinsmithing is something i would like to learn about. hints, suggestions, resources are most welcome ......
>

I have amassed a reasonably sized collection of books on sheetmetal at 
this point.   Many of the titles stem from the thirties and forties and 
were for training people for aircraft work.   I also have sheet metal 
books and videos and aimed at automotive building and repair, as well as 
books on silversmithing and HVAC work.  By far the most useful book that 
I have found is "How To Work Sheetmetal" by Herbert J. Dyer.   Dyer was 
a working tinsmith in England back when people still brought in their 
household tin items for repair.  Unlike most of my books that describe 
how to do it with expensive machines ( beaders, brakes, wiring machines 
etc) Dyer focuses on simple hand processes ( although he does describe 
the use of simple machines).   The book describes the many processes 
wthin the contect of actual jobs brought into Dyer's shop and I have 
found it entertaining as well as educational.

Charles