Leah Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 We made it to Santa Fe last night. We can't check into the campground untill after lunch today so I made Steve get me a room. We left Louisiana around 6pm Thursday and drove untill 3am then stopped at a rest stop somewhere in OK for a nap. We had to park between two cattle trucks. Between the cold and the diesel fumes and the "hamburgers on a halfshell" mooing all night, I did not get much sleep. COWS ARE LOUD! The sunset was worth the drive. I can't wait to start class Monday. By the way, we did not have any problem finding diesel. We may have trouble paying off the credit card when we get home :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 LOL Leah, was moving a daughter to Texas, pulled into a truck stop in OK City, to catch a few zzz's, a reefer pulled up on each side of us, with the reefers running, Time to hit the road. Darn 2 hour nap alarm clocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 LEAH--Are y'all up there to take a class with FRANK?? Make sure you go to MARIAS on CORDOVA ROAD, just off of CERRILLOS ROAD. Good food, great service and a laid-back atmosphere. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Sandpile, Yes, I am here to torture Frank for three weeks. I will check out Maria's. We are staying at a campground on Cerrillos so it should be easy to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 LEAH after you get tired of looking at things in town. The drive from SANTA FE through BANDOLIER(sp) PARK, up over the top and down the VALLE GRANDE valley to JEMEZ SPRINGS and back to SANTA FE is a real nice tour of the better foilage, this time of the year. I used to punch cows and ride broncs on the Valle Grande. It is a nice drive up to the ski basin also. Make sure you see the winding stair(no support) case in the chapel. Frank will know the name of it. Have a gooden. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted October 18, 2005 Author Share Posted October 18, 2005 Thanks for the info on the drive. That sounds like somehting good to do on the weekend. I had already told Steve that the spiral staircase is a "must see" on this trip. We had our first class today and I am POOPED! We forge welded all day and between the hand crank blower and this thin air, all I want to do is get a shower and hit the hay. I really think I am going to learn a lot in this class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 The unsupported stair is near the Cathdral in Santo Fe . Well worth the time. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 Don't forget the SWABA meeting about 1 hour down the hill on Saturday! I've been hit up to do a demo---lets see if the toe will take it---may have to build a "steel toe" for the walking brace... Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 SANTA FE--HELEN and I were married in the SAINT FRANCES cathedral. I always said it woud be a cold day in xxxx when I got married. We were married on the 12th of January, 1963. To the best of my knowledge this is still the coldest date on record for Northren New Mexico. It was 28 below in Santa Fe, 22 below in Albq. and 50 below in Eagle Nest, where I was living when we married.BOG. It has been a long journey, but well worth the trip.Grin.. Tell Frank to be easy on the Flatlander woman. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted October 19, 2005 Author Share Posted October 19, 2005 Thomas, my brother and his wife are going to be in town this weekend. I have not seen him since last Christmas, so I can't come to the meeting. Sandpile, Frank is working me like a borrowed mule :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 Out here in the cowboy country, we have a saying when somebody is working you too hard. 'You have been rode too hard and put up wet'. How has the first week been?? I am sure Frank is a good instructor. Is he driving you pretty hard or letting you set your own pace?? Let us know how you are doing and maybe put up some pics.grin. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 The SWABA meeting was a great time---all the hit-n-miss engines pharting around the SWABA demo trailer, shade, grass and nice folks---I got a fabb'd anvil stand in iron in the hat so it was a good day for me! Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 Sandpile, Frank is keeping us pretty busy. You are right - Frank is a great instructor. I have not taken any pictures of the things I have made. Maybe when I get home and try to make them the 2nd time from my notes, I will get some pics. The things we are making may be old hat for some of you folks, but it is all stuff I have been afraid to try before. Now, I am thinking, maybe I CAN jazz it up a little bit 8) There may be more out there than steak turners, burger flippers, and forks after all. And, maybe (just maybe) my fireplace sets will have a little more flair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 LEAH-- I am glad you are having a good class. How many in the class and what mix?? You the only woman?? Is it enclosed or just under a shed?? If you are just under a shed, it is pretty cool of a morning. It was 25 here yesterday morn. Just 35 this morning. Fall is coming. we are at 4000 foot here, you are at 7000 foot in SantaFe. It will be snowing there before you know it. Y'all should plan on stopping, if you come back down I-25 to Springer and then across to Clayton, Nm. We live between Clayton and Dalhart Tx. Just a half a mile off the 87 Highway. We live in the general direction of LA. GRIN We would cook up a piece of dead cow or something. Good luck and be easy on 'Ole Frank'. He earned that gray hair. he heh. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted October 27, 2005 Author Share Posted October 27, 2005 Sandpile, Thanks for the invite but we will not be able to make it by your place this trip-maybe next time. There are five students in the class-three men, myself and one other woman. I don't think she has been in the fire much, but she is keeping up pretty well. The rest of us have done a little smithing before. Frank has an enclosed shop with a wood stove for heat. We lit it the first morning, but we have not used it again. It does not take long to heat the shop up when you have six forges going. I get there about 30 min. before class each morning and break up enough coal for the day. It is pretty cold so I just wear my Carhart overalls and coat. I have to work outside a lot in the winter so I have enough clothes to stay warm :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 LEAH--Let us in on the different ways FRANK is torturing-eh teaching you. I can just imagine about the first three or four days. Then I am lost.GRIN. We are curious --NAH-- Just flat noisey.GRIN. But we still want to hear about. He heh. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted November 11, 2005 Author Share Posted November 11, 2005 Sandpile, I am home now and have been busy getting the camper unloaded so I have not had a chance to play in the fire again yet. However, as soon as I get a chance, I need to get my new anvil dressed and a portable forge and blower fixed up. I am taking a class from Bill Epps this weekend at Joe Rolfe's. My forge welding got a lot better. Frank had us doing faggot welds the first day. He taught us how to scarf for welding round to round, square to square and round to square. We got a chance to do some drop the tongs welds. I had tried them before but all I could do was drop the tongs! We learned to do different types of scrolls. We learned to make straight and bolt tongs. I was sick the day they did the bolt tongs but I think I got it figured out. We did some punching and drifting. We used different kinds of tool steel and made some punches and chisles. I know there was a lot more that I can't remember right now. I do such a bad job at taking notes and did not take any pictures so I plan to just start trying to make all these things on my own a little at a time and maybe that will help me remember it all. By the way, we did make it to Bandelier(sp?) and it was a great day. I am so glad we got to see it. Steve fished just about every day in the Pecos. He had as much fun on this trip as I did. If anyone has been thinking about taking Frank's class, I can't say enough good things about it. I know my work will be much better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironscot Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Leah, Do you have a link for hooking up with Franks class? I've been thinking about heading east for the Campbell Folk School forge welding class, but New Mexico would be a whole lot closer for me. I'm trying to fit these things in between feeding cows, building fence and pulling my hair out. Much appreciated in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Leah, Do you have a link for hooking up with Franks class? I've been thinking about heading east for the Campbell Folk School forge welding class, but New Messico would be a whole lot closer for me. I'm trying to fit these things in between feeding cows, building fence and pulling my hair out. Much appreciated in advance. Well hope this link helps. BTW if you do go tell him where you found out about his school.http://www.turleyforge.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironscot Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Not a doubt about that Ralph! I'll sing like a bird if it's good. I was just sitting at breakfast with my Dad this morning talking about the things that we can find to talk about. He was telling me about his first trip to the big town of Wagoner on a mule drawn wagon, which was his first trip to town ever. His first real straw hat was acquired on that trip. My granddad was the local blacksmith in a town called Yonkers, Oklahoma. Now days that town is about fifty to seventy feet under water in Ft. Gibson lake depending on the time of year and how they regulate the dams. My dad was relating his infatuation with how his dad would lap weld end irons on singletrees and measure and make all the things he did in the course of his making a living as a blacksmith as well as shoeing draft stock and mules. Funny, my dad probably couldn't hit an anvil with two swipes of his hat, but it fell on me like the proverbial aforementioned. My grandma sold everything out of his shop for a poorly sung song long before I was ever a thought, so I had no base to work from. Everything old is new again, tell me again how much better we are now days with our liberation from our ancestral roots! :| :| I'm stupid with the prospect of reconnecting to the places I should've been. Funny how my folks were working so hard to get away from the places I'm trying so hard to get back to. Whoodathunkit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted December 23, 2005 Author Share Posted December 23, 2005 Ironscot, If you have a chance to go to Frank's class, by all means DO IT! I can't say enough good about it. When I was there, he still had some openings in his January class. If you have been doing this for a looooong time, or only a little while, I think you could learn a lot from Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironscot Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 Thanks for the review Leah. I need to take a closer look at Franks class schedule. Late spring or early summer is about the only time I can get away. Once the grass gets going good then the cows can fend for themselves for a while. :wink: I can make a passable approach to most techniques, but my welds are all still Millers. :roll: :roll: Sounds like you sure got your moneys worth out of the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted December 25, 2005 Share Posted December 25, 2005 I can make a passable approach to most techniques, but my welds are all still Millers. :roll: :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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