12-08-2012, 02:29 PM
Well done Joe!
I guess most of us don't appreciate it at the time, but the little projects we made at school are worth keeping to treasure later in life.
The only aretefact that I have from my childhood years is a little copper vase about 3" wide at the base and 2.5" tall. I was 12 when I made it, and stamped my name underneath it using a series of centre punched dots. I have to admit looking at it now, that it did make a mess of the base - it wasn't even neatly done and of course, it dented the base, so the metalwork teacher when balistic and told me to put the hammer through it and chuck it in the scrap bin. I didn't know then, but I do know now, that had I wanted to punch my name on it, the correct way to go about it would of course have been to punch it with the base resting on a flat metal plate before I silver soldered the base to the vase, so as to not distort the base. But that's how we learn from our mistakes. I defied the teacher's instructions to destroy it and have kept it to this day - it's 60 years old this year! On leaving school, I became an apprentice with the then 'Gas Board' and for the first ten years of my working life, earned a living working with brass, copper, lead and iron pipe, and lead sheet, so despite the teacher's misgivings, he did help sow the seeds and imbue basic metalworking skills that became the basis of my career.
Apologies for drfiting off the topic of woodturning and onto childhood craft skills. Apolgies too if I've posted the pics or told the tale before, as I might well have done at some time.
I guess most of us don't appreciate it at the time, but the little projects we made at school are worth keeping to treasure later in life.
The only aretefact that I have from my childhood years is a little copper vase about 3" wide at the base and 2.5" tall. I was 12 when I made it, and stamped my name underneath it using a series of centre punched dots. I have to admit looking at it now, that it did make a mess of the base - it wasn't even neatly done and of course, it dented the base, so the metalwork teacher when balistic and told me to put the hammer through it and chuck it in the scrap bin. I didn't know then, but I do know now, that had I wanted to punch my name on it, the correct way to go about it would of course have been to punch it with the base resting on a flat metal plate before I silver soldered the base to the vase, so as to not distort the base. But that's how we learn from our mistakes. I defied the teacher's instructions to destroy it and have kept it to this day - it's 60 years old this year! On leaving school, I became an apprentice with the then 'Gas Board' and for the first ten years of my working life, earned a living working with brass, copper, lead and iron pipe, and lead sheet, so despite the teacher's misgivings, he did help sow the seeds and imbue basic metalworking skills that became the basis of my career.
Apologies for drfiting off the topic of woodturning and onto childhood craft skills. Apolgies too if I've posted the pics or told the tale before, as I might well have done at some time.
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
