When I moved into my first big shop -- a 30x90 former general store --
in the seaside village of Port Medway, all the old geezers in town
were overjoyed. They all recalled hanging out in the old marine
blacksmith shops as kids in 1910. So of course they started hanging
out in mine. Since I had failed to provide old car seats, orange
crates or the like for them to sit on, and since old legs and backs
get tired just standing around (as I can now, 30 years later, readily
confirm), they had to find something to lean on. By 'n bye, there
were two of them, each with one foot up on the anvil stump, leaning on
their knees.
So I got a piece of 1/2x2 up to a real good welding heat, spat n the
anvil, said "Mind the sparks" and wailed on it with a 5# hammer. Of
course there was a very gratifying bang and lots of hot crap flying
around. When I looked up, all the old guys were over in the far
corners, checking their pant cuffs for smolders. And that put an end
to the hanging-out problem without having to be cranky and tell them
to buzz off.
FWIW,
- Mike
--
Michael Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada .~.
/V\
mspencer at tallships.ca /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/ ^^-^^