tzonoqua

I had a lady want me to make her a 'bum' shape recently, like an upside down heart. I just didn't ask. I've also had a request to make something that I really can't say on a family friendly forum!! Quite shocking what people get up to, is all I will say!!!

don't waste your money with an otterbox, i bought a defender as it says that it's dustproof. totally not, inside of the screen is filled with a constellation of dust, have shouted and complained at them to get my money back, and they are sending me two different replacement cases to try but i'm thoroughly ticked off with them. Should have got a lifeproof one, my friend has one and it's ace.

It is possible to be getting 'flash from behind' if your helmet, as in the reflected light from the sides or underneath your helmet as well, especially if you are welding in a workshop with white walls or around light reflective surfaces. Ensure your helmet is fitting properly and that no light can be reflected to the inside of it.

I have both, use the gas forge mostly for production work and things i need a big even heat for and the coal forge for all the other stuff. There is no 'right' way, try them both out and just go with your gut, as what Peter says!

Hi Neil, I make 'custom made' cardboard boxes!! I also use packing paper to pad stuff out, rather than bubble wrap as the packing paper is biodegradable. Then always the piece itself has ribbon and a tag on it, so although the shipping packing isn't that attractive, at least there's a nice touch. If I'm sending firesets etc, each piece is individually wrapped, then again wrapped/boxed. People are spending good money so I use new materials to pack, not recycled (although recycling is good, it can make you look cheap), so rolls of cardboard and new cardboard boxes that are 'customized' When people buy work directly from me at markets etc, smaller items go in 'boutique' bags, glossy heavyweight paper bags with rope handles, they are also reuseable as gift bags. They are not costly when bought in bulk. I try to avoid plastic whenever i can and use natural materials as it goes with the ethos of my business.

Hi Joel, I watched this today on 4od while doing some admin. I really enjoyed it and thought your work was really well done and original!! Even if you did struggle with the collaring of your candle holder, it was a lovely piece! I loved the bench design, but wasn't what they were looking for. Sadly there wasn't the emphasis on the techniques involved, but as John B says, most people buying work are not that focused on that element. I don't think it really relayed the time and commitment that it takes to learn these skills!! I didn't really like the competitive element but I suppose that is television for you! Anyway, well done and hope this brings some success for you! :)

Thanks :)

Gloves can give you a false sense of security and often make you grip harder. You need to look at your technique and why it is making your finger go numb. Drawing down 2" high carbon is pretty hefty handwork, find someone to strike for you. If numbness persists, see a doctor.

I've used Castree Kilns as well, they are also good :)

side note Dave, I bought some ITC100 from Bath Potters Supplies, also get kaowool and other refractory supplies from there, relatively local and friendly too!

carry on with commission work, make stock for summer shows/busier times.. concentrate on marketing, explore new avenues to sell... doesn't seem to be a quiet time ever actually, do things in the workshop that i've put off when I was busy, always plenty to do!!!

Yahoo, those people who refused those are quite frankly fools, they look like perfectly useable lumps to me!! MT my Rajasthani smiths had a very similar set up to the one in the Congo. I'll have to dig some pics out. I would like to see how the Smiths I visited in India are getting on as they could barely make a living doing what they did. All the sons who would be expected to follow on had all gained other employment as it paid more than smithing. Sound familiar?

Yeah, quite the experience, you could say that!! Love to go back one day to see how they're getting on. and Yep, I'll be there, had some photographers round on Tuesday who are putting together an AV display. eeek!!

Andy, I worked in India with some smiths and they used a piece of railway iron to begin with, and did some amazing things with it!! After a few weeks I gave them some money for tuition and they went and bought a chunk of tool steel-- about 20cm x 20cm x 30cm and proceeded to forge it into a mushroom style anvil. Was an amazing thing to watch!!! lol Thomas I know what you mean, but you get used to working like that and they are so much fitter than we are in the west, as they are used to their bodies sitting squat like that, we "civilized" sitting in chairs all the time are actually harming our bodies by doing so!!!

Merci Johnnie!! :)

Hi Debbie, great to have you here... You're not a million miles from me, I don't very often get up to Bath though, but very happy to help with whatever I can :) And of course an open invite to come visit my humble tin shed!! :)

I really think you need to get solid legal advice. I know here in the UK a waiver is not really worth the paper it's written on. If you are negligent, then you are at fault, and will be found so, despite whether there has been a piece of paper signed or not if you have not fulfilled statutory H&S requirements. Also perhaps your insurance company may have requirements to be filled with regards to this kind of paperwork? No sense rushing into anything.

Ya know what, sometimes people just say stuff as well. Fills the air. if you're sharpening sometimes you get burrs, they hurt when they go in, and hurt more to dig out. I've used files on hot metal, hot rasping, works a treat, especially when making tongs and smoothing off the riveted section. Also, if you are treating metal with a chemical, certainly you degrease first. And yeah, sometimes metal is hot, black hot, thought it was cold but it's hot and it hurts hot. But as a blanket statement, don't touch bare metal with your bare hands when filing?? I do when it's cold, use your own judgement.

I made curtain rings once, basically pretty much the same way as you are describing. Then I decided there are better things to do with my time, and made an order with Brundles :)

I think what Dave says is bang on. If you want to be making traditional work then you need to sell it. I have found the majority of people don't really care whether something is traditional they just want it to look nice and function properly. It also depends on the budget of the person commissioning work. For the past year, depending on the item I'm quoting for, I usually do a quote for traditional joinery, and one without (ie forged and fabricated) and explain with images the differences. So far I have only had one person go for paying slightly more for traditionally joined. I find it's mostly only blacksmiths and sometimes other craftspeople that are concerned about it. Sort of like if you wanted to go and buy a ring. Would you be concerned whether it was cast, or fabricated, or even make from PMC? Or would you just be concerned that it looked good and functioned well?

cross post there, Peter! In the past I have left stuff in a shop for over a year! I wouldn't recommend leaving it that long though!! One of the shops that sells my work sends me a monthly sales stream. Lets me know what I've sold so I can restock, she is awesome and organized and pays end of the month. I don't even really need to check in, she lets me know. Work that has been there for over 6 months I might take away again, depending on the season, as things like fire pokers sell well in autumn, winter but not so well in summer so it depends what it is and what time of year. If stuff is getting dusty on a shelf, it doesn't look good, so take it away! The buying shop I check after a few weeks, then i usually leave it a few months, send her an email to see what she needs. It is a very as and when arrangement also depending on the season. Right now am busy stocking them for the Christmas period.

Nuge, I think the percentage does matter if you want to keep your pricing even across the board- ie, i sell in two shops, and online and at markets and craft fairs and also at sculpture shows. When I'm doing multiple items, such as the large snowdrop sculptures I make, they are all slightly different, but they are all the same iykwim, Similarly for anything I sell like hooks or fruit bowls etc . I want to make sure that the person that buys one at a sculpture show pays the same price as the one for sale in the shop. Therefore, I have taken my price (cost which includes my overheads/wage/profit) and then doubled that to get my retail price, which is the part which will be eaten up by the commission rate... The less percentage they take, the more for me... I still get my price I need to get to survive and prosper, but I also get a little more profit on top.

Peter, that kind of negotiation might work, I would think that it would be a great bargaining tool to get a shop to buy outright if they were given a good rate. around here the normal rate of SOR or consignment varies between 50% and 20% The higher rate being the norm for most galleries, or sculpture shows, unless of course they are non profit or artist run then the rate is usually around 30% give or take. One of the shops I deal with buys my work outright, but her rate is 50%. I don't mind this as she has a really nice shop, with real quality items in it, and she buys in bulk so it works for me. The other shop has a rate of 40% but it's SOR (sale or return... consignment) there, but I also like selling there as they pay monthly and are really super organized about it. I hate when putting work in a shop and it's not taken care of or they take ages to pay. Dave, all of my larger work is out on Consignment... over here that is just how it works.

I have had stuff in quite a few over the years, some are good, some not so good. Best ones are artist/owner operated, but the thing is, noone will ever treat your work as precious as you do . I think you need to go with your gut on this one, and leave a display with implicit instructions and also your branding all over the thing, I mean, all over so it can't be covered up, big logo etc, but of course in a very tasteful aesthetic way, so at least if it is eventually used, you've got free advertizing!! :)