lee

[lee]

Hi,.........I'm Lee Wood from Northern Calif. near the Oregon boarder.I retired from the carpenters union 6 years ago on a disablity....with a Vets disablity too....so manage to get by in this costly society we live in.

Horse shoeing was my first interduction to this metal bending craze...I decided at age forty to persue my childhood dream against all doctors wishs...comon sense and the advise of everybody tired of seeing me used as the doctors way to another vacation home.Lots of surgeries in my life.But I didn't regret it....it was a great and challangeing experance getting under those big beast and some were big.I only shoe now if someone talks real nice to me an brags on my work after words...even when exaggeration or lieing is required on their part, and of coarse for the wifey.....who of coarse I met and married on my route.It was a rewarding bussiness in many ways for a part timer and single feller.
But I got bit with the blacksmithing bug and am now persueing another childhood fantasy.I grow up looking at a picture by Paul Detelfsen of a boy watching a farrier smithy(still have it) then of coarse when gunsmoke had....a active blacksmith... young Burt Renyolds.

So anyhow I started collected the tools some 14 years ago...started making attempts after building a coal forge maybe 12 years ago.Then retired six years ago and after a little illness started getting serious.Met the CBA and the Jefferson County group about 4 years ago and have been milking them every sense for knowlage.Great buntch of people, I can't express how much I appricate their help.Too I've been lurking in these places for years now...gleaning what I can from some really great folks.I'zzz a slow learner but stubborn enough to stick.

Of caorse I'm a wanna be still(slow learner as I said) with a shameful collection of tools.I always did have a thing for tools being a craftman of the carpenter trade and a hobby welder and prefabricater(you know wood splitters and so forth...I loved building and often had to rebuild several times to get it right.Oh my welding can be sad at times but I still love doing it.Rebuiding horse trailers and work trailers at times.Want to build a air power hammer.Have restored a common sense gunning(Berkly model No.1)it's cool but not perfect.Acuired a 50 little giant at a price I couldn't refuse...good to go...except for maybe replaceing the belt.Once I get it set up I will decide which to keep and sale the other to promote the building of a air type or buy one.....which ever comes first.

I mostly do coal.....but have built a gas forge much better than my shoeing forge(but not perfect) that was a NC one burner.Yet in the winter months I mostly do coal....but when my 12 year old boy comes to the shop we often go to gas...he likes it and I encourge it with him.He just might be the blacksmith of the family and brake the long line of carpenters, which is more of a tradition and well it comes natural I guess.My dad always said...will when a Wood is to dumb to do anything ealse....he can build.He wanted us all to reach higher I think was all....he loved building.But he hooked me on horses and working for outfitters in my youth....so left me sort of restless and unsettled in who I was.Then being a former jarhead...real confussion set in.

So now you've got my life history..haaa.....I hope to start asking more questions.....but as it is I get something from you guys at least weekly and could never repay the dept.You know as a four year carpenter apprentice and 27 years in the trade I never had as much knowlage given so freely.Those carpenters are tight mouthed and only share when it benifits them or they let their guard of jealousy down.It's such a competive trade, is the reason why I think.Oh well they were good hard working folks though....I spend most of my years building very large buildings some coveing forty four acres....not a real rewarding job and xxxx on the body.Roof structures and tilt ups....hard labor on the most part....but a little iron work involved....which was cool.Bridges some and then contracted homes as another hobby.Why's all my hobbies work???Dad would say cause I'm a genious with an IQ of one point below plant life...

Thanks for the place to vent....love you guys and gals for who you are and what you repersent in this day and age.

PS. trying my had at knives for my son who wants to do the sword thingy of coarse.Might need a school there....the forgeing I figured out...the finishing I'm being tried in.


lee