[Thomas Dean]

cheftjcook, HOW COOL!! Wife and I live on 60 acres of East Texas pine and hardwood, (takes less than an hr to mow the yard, rest is trees!) Closest neighbors are about a 1/4 mile on either side. So I really don't have too many complaints! hehe. I do have a little buddy from church (9yrs old) that will ask nearly every Sunday if he can "come out to my shop and do some blacksmithing". I keep telling just whenever you want come on! (He comes from a very stable family and really doen't need the mentoring like your little friend.) I would talk to the Mom and let her know that you are in no way trying to "move in on her job" but if you enjoy the kid let he come! They all need some good adult mentoring and it sounds like you are up to the task! Thanks for sharing you story...

Didn't mean to sound preachy...

Archie Zietman, Good plan and a steak turner is fairly easy to do. I made a split cross last summer for a friend that raises bees, got close to 1 1/2 pounds of bees wax! That stuff is over $13 for a # in the hobby stores!