I remember standing over a workbench back in ’84, staring at a ruined piece of high-carbon steel because I’d used some cheap, off-brand quenching oil that didn’t have the right properties. The smell of scorched metal and failed potential is Continue reading Common Chemicals Used in Metal Shops
I remember standing over a slab of granite back in ’84, watching a young apprentice try to force a heavy steel bracket into a pre-drilled hole using nothing but a sledgehammer and sheer stubbornness. The sound of that stone cracking Continue reading Attaching Metal to Stone Surfaces
I remember standing over a workbench back in ’84, staring at a cracked housing on a piece of heavy machinery that should have been a simple fix. I’d spent three hours trying to force a cheap, off-the-shelf epoxy to do Continue reading Using Adhesives in Metalwork
I remember standing in a client’s workshop back in ’88, watching a young lad try to force a heavy steel bracket into a piece of seasoned oak using nothing but brute force and some cheap, hardware-store screws. The wood groaned, Continue reading Joining Metal Components to Wood
I was hunched over a rusted 1954 tractor engine last Tuesday, sweat stinging my eyes and a stripped bolt staring me right in the face, when I realized just how many folks are still trying to muscle their way through Continue reading Removing Damaged or Rusted Fasteners
I remember sitting at my workbench back in ’84, staring at a rusted-out set of old machinist calipers that had been tossed in a scrap bin like they were nothing more than junk. Most folks today would look at that Continue reading Polishing Metal Tools for Better Performance
I remember sitting in my first shop back in ’78, staring at a rusted-out cast iron lathe that looked more like a heap of scrap than a precision machine. I’d spent half my paycheck on some fancy, overpriced chemical solvent Continue reading Cleaning Metal Surfaces Effectively
I can still smell the scorched ozone and hot grease from my first summer in the fabrication shop, standing there with a heavy hammer feeling like I’d never get the rhythm right. Back then, I thought I needed the most Continue reading Fundamental Skills for Metalwork Apprentices
I was cleaning out a crate of old workshop finds last Tuesday when I pulled out a heavy copper kettle that had been sitting in a damp corner for a decade. Most folks see that thick, crusty green layer and Continue reading Managing Copper Oxidation and Patina
I remember standing in a fabrication shop back in ’84, watching a young apprentice blow a fuse on a brand-new, high-end band saw because he thought the fancy digital readout would do the thinking for him. He’d spent more on Continue reading Choosing Saws for Cutting Metal