Should I take a class?

[fscott]

I'm a total newbie to metal shaping. I've been lurking here for a while but haven't done any metal work yet.

I'm thinking of taking one of the classes offered by www.metalcrafttools.com
I had a chance to drop in and visit their facility, and it looked pretty good.

I'd like to hear from anyone who has taken one of their metal shaping classes.
Did you learn a lot? Was it worth the cost and travel time?

Sincerely,
Fred Scott

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Welcome Fred,

Cal Davis is a good guy and I've heard good things about their classes. Too bad you didn't come to MM05 though. You'd have learned more, had tons of hands on, and not paid as much.

[fscott]

I hadn't kept track of the date. I had assumed that the meet was geared more towards people who already knew how to use the tools, and wanted to get together and crank out some projects quickly with a lot of good tools.

Next year, I guess.

Thanks for the feedback on Cal's classes.

[roger n cindy]

welcome fred and any lurkers out there that may be reading this post. i hate to hear that you missed mm05 because you thought you had to know something, as an example -- well --they let me in . thats right everyone pay attention --- you need no skills to attend mm06 or any regional meets that are hosted during the year- period-. we are a family of metal shapers who welcome the newest of new or the most experienced of the crew. we have no secrets we are all friendly and we're all handsome. well good looks are like skill i guess we all have it to diffrent degrees but we are all friendly. uncle johnny ( my son ) and i attender our first mm event with a tool bag containing two hammers a slapper a note pad and pen. this year uncle johnny brought two trucks filled with tools that he knows how to use now, i brought a note pad and pen ,but i did get to drive one of the trucks. you don't know squat we don't care . bottom line __come out and we'll help build your skill and your confidence__ roger

[Boogiemanz1]

Yep, what he said................john

[Korey Wood]

I am a graduate of the class and Cal Davis is a class act. My love for this form of self expresion came from the hands-on experience I gained from Cal Davis. I had the same concerns about the time and the money. I drove from Wisconsin to Cal's former location in North Carolina. I was amazed by the experience of being with a master of this work. I was left with the most enriching experience of my life. This is the kind of learning everyone dreams of. A master who is willing to look beyond what you don't know and willing to listen and demonstrate the capacity within you that you don't even know that you have and are afraid to ask. You will discover that anyone can do this... even you!! Cal will inspire an unstoppable enthusiasm in you and you will be left with the confidence AND skills needed to pull off ANY project. The only questions you will be left with are:

Why didn't I do this sooner?

What should I build next?


As for the question Should I take a class? Look in your heart for the answer,

I did ...and I've never regretted it.

Thanks again Cal and thank you for the gift of a lifetime,

Korey Wood

[Avalonjr]

FSCOTT said "I hadn't kept track of the date".... MM05 was my first. I made it, but had to look hard for the info each time I considered the trip.

I'd like to suggest that the home page for Metalmeet include the date and location for regional meets and MM06.

For those dropping in for the first time or just occasionally using the forum this information is too hard to find. A simple calendar of events including date, location and perhaps a hotlink to the initiating thread would provide the information quickly.

My thinking is that many people who bounce over from Ebay searches look at the top page but may never register or start reading the forums. If they have an interest, they may follow up if they see an event close to them. "Hands on" types and newbies may be a bit overwhelmed by this site and not really make it beyond the home page. A few words about "come and try it" ... "no skills required", may make others feel welcome. The best way to get hooked is by seeing it done and meeting the good people of Metalmeet.


John

[Boogiemanz1]

John, if you scroll to the top of this page and click on Calender, you will see the dates for MM05. Now go to WWW.MetalMeet.com (http://www.metalmeet.com/) this is the home page. On the right side of the page, in large blue letters it says Click Here for information on
International MetalMeet 2005!! (http://www.metalmeet.com/mm2005.html).

Now if you don't find the info you want there, again from the home page, on the right side, select FORUM. Then the 5th blue band heading downward is Metalshaping events, under that heading you will find all the info available on any scheduled meet.

Normally there will be several threads about any happening beforehand.

Does this help?...........john

[fscott]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm about to get on the road for Crossville, TN. This should be fun.

[Boogiemanz1]

How about an update when you return? Give us your impressions.............john

[Avalonjr]

John,

I wasn't saying that it was not there. I even found the form a few times :) but got form'itis when I saw the fine print... it all went blurry :) My thought is that the dates for MM06 and any regional should be in your face on the home page. Just an opinion. FSCOTT made the comment about the dates... which I related to. NBD

[Korey Wood]

Prepare to be amazed by what's possible and how you can do it too..

Please take pictures of the class and share with us the experience you had..

Welcome to the game and Happy Metalshaping,

Korey Wood

[edwardd_]

You could make it a drop down type menu / announcemt / link all in one box.

Thank way it acts like a sticky and does not require leaving the one page if you are just looking for that.

[Boogiemanz1]

John, suggestions are always welcome, we will see what we can come up with this year.......john

[fscott]

First, a word of warning. If you take the class, don't stay at the La Quinta. You'll pay double the rate of the cheapest hotel in Crossville, and for your extra money you get a TV remote held together with duct tape, a bathroom light switch that you have to hit to get it to come on, and they'll forget that you're staying for three days, and check you out while you're at the first day of class.

That said, the class was a whole lot of fun. Cal's explanations made sense and got us to understand the basic operations very quickly. Within two hours we were beating metal and having fun.

I tried every tool in the shop at least once, so I now have time on hammers, E wheels big and small, planishing hammers (gonna build one soon) the power hammer and the new object of my lust, the PullMax. I want one of these.

After the first two projects (a hubcap and its identical twin) were finished, we were given free reign to do whatever we wanted, with some suggestions given as to what would make a good project. I came away with a full set of hubcaps, a hood scoop, a front fender for a mini chopper and an attempt to form a perfect hemisphere which I now call "ashtray."

Of the five people in my class, the I was the least experienced. The most experienced person was our celebrity guest, Hank Young, one of the builders on the Great Biker Buildoff. I was surprised to see him there learning along with the rest of us. I guess you never know everything.

Because we got to choose our projects and methods, there was no "hurry up" feeling in the class. We often took breaks for bull sessions and telling of lies. Even some of these stories were educational, so not much time was wasted.

My big regret was that I didn't bring along a couple of projects that I wanted to apply these techniques to. Had I done so, I could have completed them over the weekend and had something needed and functional to take home with me. (My car would not benefit from the hubcaps or hood scoop)

Would I recommend the class? Yes. Metalmeet does sound cheaper, but until I attend one I can't make a fair comparison. But I suspect that next year, I'll be at MetalMeet.

I took some pictures, but they'll have to wait until I get home. Once I get them developed and scanned, I'll post them in this thread.

Thanks
Fred Scott

[Boogiemanz1]

Thanks for the report Fred. Hope to see your pictures. Your experience sounds a lot like Saturday at MM05,.......except there were about 150 people having big fun...............john

[Korey Wood]

Congratulations man...now that you're well primed...dream it up...draw it out and bring it as a project to the advanced class or mm2006...if you can wait that long..lol

happy hammerin'... and keep us posted

Korey Wood