{"id":3769,"date":"2015-05-25T09:12:59","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T15:12:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ramblindan.org\/?p=3769"},"modified":"2015-05-25T09:12:59","modified_gmt":"2015-05-25T15:12:59","slug":"skill-or-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/?p=3769","title":{"rendered":"Skill or Tools?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"skill\"<\/a>I just finished some cruising on the web looking at what metal-smiths were doing from all over the USA and the world. What I saw was a wonderful selection and variety of items being skillfully produced. It was a portfolio full of \u201clet my imagination run wild\u201d opportunities for creative expression.<\/p>\n

There is so much variety in metal crafting that with me starting as a retirement age practitioner, I know I can never in my remaining lifetime try everything I have seen. Even if I had started as a young man it would not be possible. I\u2019d like so much to practice everything I saw, but my choice is to do what I like the most. There is no wrong path.<\/p>\n

Currently I am working with lost wax casting. This was on the top of my bucket list of abilities I wanted to master in my life. I am now fairly well skilled but am not yet a master. I will be enjoying this craft for many more years.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean I can\u2019t add other skills into my designs. I want to do work using the heat of my kiln. I am fascinated how some materials change as they are heated towards and beyond 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Definitely in the bucket.<\/p>\n

Following that desire, I am researching work I can do using the heat of the torch. I am a skilled arc and gas torch weldor and also an expert at soldering and brazing. Yes, weldor is spelled correctly, you have to be one to understand. I love to fuse metals.<\/p>\n

One challenge is to keep costs of tools and materials within a reasonable budget. With endless possibilities in front of me, I have to keep my head on straight. I manage my desires as I would manage a business. Purchases are based on immediate need. Minimal tools to get the job done, then use experience to form decisions on how to improve. The result is I acquire the right tools, not just more tools. I also discover that tools do not magically add skill but good tools can improve the experience once I understand what makes them \u201cgood\u201d.<\/p>\n

As a lifelong craftsperson, working with my hands, mind, and tools, I know there is no excuse for working with poor tools. If my work depends on my tools, then I need the most dependable tools I can afford. Not necessarily the most expensive, but never from the bargain-bin.<\/p>\n

Life is good and so are my tools. I need to go practice my skills making nice things. My tools do nothing without me. A workshop full of the best tools is nothing but a shrine to the hardware without a human being who is there properly using them. Poor work is better than no work at all but a good crafts-person knows how to work within the limits of the available tools. That\u2019s the difference between a tool operator and a skilled crafts-person or artist. The difference is the word \u201cskilled\u201d.<\/p>\n

I have often been told, \u201cThose are great pictures you publish in your blogs. You must have a really good camera.\u201d What I think but never say, \u201cThanks, I have a good camera, but I am a great photographer.\u201d At least in my own mind\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I just finished some cruising on the web looking at what metal-smiths were doing from all over the USA and the world. What I saw was a wonderful selection and variety of items being skillfully produced. It was a portfolio full of \u201clet my imagination run wild\u201d opportunities for creative expression. There is so much variety in metal crafting that with me starting as a retirement age practitioner, I know I can never in my...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[148,133],"class_list":["post-3769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-workshop","tag-tools","tag-workshop-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3769\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ramblindan.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}