A little more about Richard K

[Richard K]

Members,

I just wrote a long answer to the DRO on the Ewheel post and wanted to clarify my position on that matter.

When I started in this Metalshaping hobby, I became addicted to tools and "better" ways of doing processes. As my previous post shows, that can be a mind engaging and challenging experience. However, I was severely sidetracked and could not find time to practice metalshaping.

In the past few years I have stepped away from the machine interest and began to try my hand at metalshaping. I use mostly hand tools, even though I have a wide selection of recips, power hammers and such stuff. I now understand some of the advice given by Wray Schelin and others to learn metalshaping first.

The machine experience is exciting, no question about that if tools are of a special interest to you.

However, if your goal today is to be a metalshaper, practice today and tomorrow, using whatever basic tools you have, will make you a practioner in the applied art of metalshaping in a relatively short time.

The tool road is long, dirty, heavy, a space hog and expensive. You'll always need just one more, that special deal, then you can start. Maybe after the next auction?

I truly enjoy metalshaping now. I carry a few basic tools in two small bags in my car. I also have a fairly decent small portable english wheel.

My Avatar: I had the fly buzzing around for a while. It was beginning to bug me, so I let it go, so to speak. The photo of the classy man is not me. That is a phpto of Harry Miller, a famous builder of racing engines and race cars from early 1900s to 1940s.

I saw a greeting card recently. It said:

"to simply live"
"Live Simply"