[TheForge] Sacred cows are better eaten than catered to.

[Steve Smith]

I agree. We need a mixture of hand work and power hammer work. Power 
hammers speed things up, and a lot of us have one. I suspect the number 
of power hammer owners is a much higher percentage than other 
correspondents on this subject think.

Steve

Grover Richardson wrote:

> Agreed.  Everyone needs an anvil and tongs.  I don't need a power hammer
> (yet).
> 
> On the other hand, the main advantage for a power hammer at the conference
> is time.  We don't want to wait 20 minutes for someone to draw out a point
> by hand (for the Nth time) when we can learn much more from that individual.
> 
> Then again, bring in the strikers and let them stand close and learn while
> hammering.  That's how I learned a bunch.  I pulled the bellows and got a
> close up look.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Riverbend Blacksmiths
> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 2:21 PM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Sacred cows are better eaten than catered to.
> 
> VERY, VERY good point. I think you've got it, 100%. We see all this  
> terrific power-hammer work being demonstrated, and automatically  
> think, hmmm, now, how in the hell am I gonna try something like that  
> back home, when working all by myself?
> ---
> On Mar 15, 2007, at 2:13 PM, Kathy wrote:
> 
> 
>>What is the percentage of artist blacksmiths who have industrial  
>>power hammers?
>>How many ABANA members, or regional organization members have--or  
>>ever plan to
>>acquire--an industrial power hammer? If the percentage is as low as  
>>I suspect,
>>than why are these power hammers given such a high priority at  
>>blacksmith
>>conferences?
>>
>>The point I'm trying to make is that, if successful conferences on  
>>any level are
>>going to be put on, perhaps we should make sure that the amount of  
>>consideration
>>given to sacred cows conforms to their actual relevance in the  
>>lives of the
>>hoped for audience. If the audience is going to be general, not  
>>many of them
>>will be able to operate an industrial power hammer in their  
>>garages. Even the
>>minority who live in the country aren't likely to invest in such  
>>equipment. Now
>>consider the infinitesimal few who have proved their interest in  
>>industrial
>>hammers by going out and acquiring one. Given a choice between  
>>looking at one
>>more industrial brand, or a cleverly constructed home built hammer,  
>>which do we
>>suppose they'll want to see?
>>
>>Every student who built a gas forge in my garage wanted an anvil  
>>right away;
>>every one of them wanted tongs and hand hammers. A few of them were  
>>even
>>interested in powered exhaust systems. Just one of them wanted a  
>>power hammer,
>>and he is building it.
>>
>>What makes a Big Show for the audience consists of the things they  
>>find
>>entertaining, informative, and relevant to their own ambitions; not  
>>great big
>>shiny equipment that requires a full blown business to justify.  
>>Where are the
>>Heinz 57 different varieties of home-built power hammer at these  
>>shows? I'll bet
>>their owners could give chapter and verse as to what they take to  
>>operate, and
>>plenty of cooperation about setting up and operating them besides.
>>
>>Perhaps industrial hammers should be relegated back to the status  
>>of vendors,
>>where they belong, instead of being catered to. It's just a  
>>thought; something
>>along the lines of "just how many super tents are really needed for  
>>a July
>>conference in Seattle?"
>>Mikey
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
> 
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