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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

How does it happen?

When I started out doing metalworking six or so years ago I began with a few basic panel beating tools and my home made benches. But over time it is funny how we as artists add to our tools whether they be brushes, rollers, hammers or pencils.

A couple of days ago I suddenly noticed that my various piles of tools had grown. As you can see my tools are not neatly on peg boards or in racks; but they are in their own separate piles.

Like the hammer pile - how did I get so many? But the strange thing is as my work has growing in diversity and complexity I have added hammers -  I have 20-25 hammers now; and yes I use them all at different times for different jobs.


And what would you do without a stash of metal cutting shears and pliers etc?


Oh yes and there are the punches, blades, scribing tools, riveting tools, rulers and squares etc.



And lurking near the gas bottles and annealing areas are the different stakes. I use vice held stakes - both in the inside and outside vise - yes there are two vises. Some of stakes are homemade and some are just metal objects like car towballs. Oh - more hammers!!!


But as you can see from the tools themselves they are well worn working tools.

6 comments:

  1. I love this delicious homage to the tools!

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  2. Yum! There used to be a second hand tool stand at the local market. It was the first place I headed to and I was always the only woman there, which was a little uncomfortable, but I always managed to find something I "needed". I can see quite a few things I need in your stash too.

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  3. L & R - so good to know there are other people who pay homage to tools of the artist trade. R - Ilol when I read your word "needed" - I totally understand - in fact I hear tools asking me to take them to a new home - they just want to be part of the group. I'm sure we would both see things in each others studios that we would so need. Go well. B

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  4. My excuse is I need them all. When my hubby got me a big floor tool box the tools seemed to fill the drawers much quicker than I would have expected. But as you say you do use them all. I am a tool junkie, always on the look out for a new plier or hammer. Then there is the whole pile of texturing and patina goodies - it's never ending and so much fun. Love seeing your work - beautiful and inspiring.

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  5. An extraordinary collection Barry... but I'll bet that you'll still run into another tool that says 'take me home'.

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  6. We do love our tools, don't we? Hmm... I see quite a few items on your benches that I'd be happy to own; more than a few. And the car tow balls - brilliant!

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.