Hello all,
I have lurked here for years off and on.
I am 26, and have a very special wife who buys me old things and will
even go to auctions when I can not to purchase tools for me.
I grew up on a farm, learning to be a mechanic on just about anything
and could fabricate and weld just about anything, all taught to me by my
pops. My father and I also completely built a 1000 foot addition to our
house together, so basic carpentry/wiring/roofing/masonry/finishing work
was absorbed as well
I have served 5 years in the Marine Corps as an helicopter mech,
traveling the world, meeting interesting people and then trying to
kill/not be killed by them.
For several years now I have been working for Caterpillar, as a
machinist on the large 3500 series engines(700-3000HP).
My wife and I have a 10 acre farm that we use draft horses for the
motive power, most of the implements are 60+years old and have been/are
being restored to working condition. I have a slight axe fetish, and
heat my house with wood, completely hand split and the trees are limbed
by axe where possible but dare I say that I use a c#$insaw to fell the
large trees and bucking. I also cut/split my own fence post from hedge
(Osage orange) trees and hand dig their holes.
I also search out older shovels/spades and other long handled tools as
the things sold now days are an abomination compared to what used to be
sold.
I also blacksmith, mainly things for the farm right now but I would like
to forge tools mainly and ornamental work for the house/wife. The wife
purchased an excellent shape peter wright 197 pound anvil for an
anniversary present< isn't she wonderful> and hopefully I can get a
small building erected this spring to house a permanent smithy in.
I have interest in wood working as well, especially to complement my
blacksmithing and have started to collect tools for such activities. I
am also planning on putting an addition to my barn to house a small wood
shop that is heated so I can spend the winter making shavings.
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