I am starting to pack for my trip to Haystack and I feel like I am packing for an expedition to the far side of the world. I have done a lot of traveling in my life - I have gone backpacking for several weeks; I was a road warrior while I worked as a consultant and I would be gone for several weeks; I have gone to the wilds of Scotland for almost a month and yet this trip is throwing me off my game.
In the information packet we were sent there was information on what to bring with us which fell into 3 categories: Tools, Materials & Supplies; Bedding; and Clothing & Personal Items. It is the Tools, Materials & Supplies that are causing me the most worry.
Most of the classes I have taken within the past two year, for metals work, have been within driving distance so I can load up my car with the stuff I needed and I did not have to worry about not having the right things with me. There have been a few classes I have taken that were multi-day (Metals Week and Chasing & Repousse) where I knew people were coming in from across the country. Since I knew some of these people I was always willing to tell them that I had such-and-such tools or supplies so they could leave theirs at home.
But now, I am the one flying across the country to the class and I don't know anyone else who is attending who might have an extra of whatever we need to bring so I don't have to shlep is across the country. We don't have to bring *EVERYTHING* as I would like to assume that the workshops have several of each of these things but there is no guarantee that there are enough for everyone and that means that there will be time spent waiting for a tool to be freed up.
So what is on this list? There is copper sheet in 18 and 20 gauge, some silver casting grain; Heikkie Seppa's book Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths; solder; shears; scribes; solder picks; flux brushes; pliers including parallel; hand files; tweezers; layout tools like a sketch book, manila folders, pens, rulers, markers,; safety glasses; earplugs; apron; and your favorite hammers. Luckily the information packet has marked some expendable supplies as being available to purchase there so I will not take the following item which were on the list: grinding, sanding, and finishing supplies; flex shaft wheels, solder and my big hand files.
My favorite hammers?! oh, boy I am in trouble. I have tried to pare down my selection and so far I have NINE (wait make that 10 as I missed a forging hammer) and I want to take more. This is a course on moving metal so having MY hammers is really important to me and btw, I now have over 40 hammers how do you pare down the list
And considering you are off in a remote corner of Maine it is not like you can dash out to a store and pick up a few things.
So what do you take and what do you leave behind?
I have a few days before I ship my stuff to Haystack so I welcome your suggestions - Tell me what you would do!
In the information packet we were sent there was information on what to bring with us which fell into 3 categories: Tools, Materials & Supplies; Bedding; and Clothing & Personal Items. It is the Tools, Materials & Supplies that are causing me the most worry.
Most of the classes I have taken within the past two year, for metals work, have been within driving distance so I can load up my car with the stuff I needed and I did not have to worry about not having the right things with me. There have been a few classes I have taken that were multi-day (Metals Week and Chasing & Repousse) where I knew people were coming in from across the country. Since I knew some of these people I was always willing to tell them that I had such-and-such tools or supplies so they could leave theirs at home.
But now, I am the one flying across the country to the class and I don't know anyone else who is attending who might have an extra of whatever we need to bring so I don't have to shlep is across the country. We don't have to bring *EVERYTHING* as I would like to assume that the workshops have several of each of these things but there is no guarantee that there are enough for everyone and that means that there will be time spent waiting for a tool to be freed up.
So what is on this list? There is copper sheet in 18 and 20 gauge, some silver casting grain; Heikkie Seppa's book Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths; solder; shears; scribes; solder picks; flux brushes; pliers including parallel; hand files; tweezers; layout tools like a sketch book, manila folders, pens, rulers, markers,; safety glasses; earplugs; apron; and your favorite hammers. Luckily the information packet has marked some expendable supplies as being available to purchase there so I will not take the following item which were on the list: grinding, sanding, and finishing supplies; flex shaft wheels, solder and my big hand files.
My favorite hammers?! oh, boy I am in trouble. I have tried to pare down my selection and so far I have NINE (wait make that 10 as I missed a forging hammer) and I want to take more. This is a course on moving metal so having MY hammers is really important to me and btw, I now have over 40 hammers how do you pare down the list
And considering you are off in a remote corner of Maine it is not like you can dash out to a store and pick up a few things.
So what do you take and what do you leave behind?
I have a few days before I ship my stuff to Haystack so I welcome your suggestions - Tell me what you would do!
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