Jay Hayes
02-09-2004, 08:13 PM
This weekend we had a great little get together at my shop in central West Virginia to make some planishing hammer parts. Kerry Pinkerton, Bennet Chapman, Dutch Comstock, and Rob Murray all traveled through some of the worst weather we have had this winter to get snowed in at my shop for the weekend. Kerry drove up from Alabama to deliver a couple new English Wheels he had built for Dutch and me. Bennett Chapmen came with Kerry. Rob Murray came up from Tennessee and Dutch ventured in from the frozen north of upstate New York
After driving through a blizzard in Kentucky it was pouring down rain when Kerry and Bennett arrived late Thursday afternoon. The three of us were drenched and half frozen by the time we got Kerry's truck and trailer unloaded. Kerry had brought the new English Wheels he had built for Dutch and me, as well as his new bench wheel. Kerry did a fantastic job of building these wheels. Once I tried his wheel at Metalmeet I had to have one. It not only has a great feel, but looks good too.
Just as we finished setting up all the wheels, Rob arrived and the unloading continued. After a dinner break we went back to the shop to plan out the weekend. About eleven Dutch rolled in and we got our second wind. But by 2 am we decided to call it a night. Friday the freezing rain continued, but it didn't dampen the spirit. We worked / played from 9 am till after 2 am again. This schedule continued all weekend except Saturday the rain turned to snow and the 4 WD and snow plow got a workout. Inside the shop sparks and chips were flying everywhere. Bennett worked his magic at the milling machine, machining housings, while Kerry was at the lathe turning out tool holders. Rob worked on cutting and welding linkages and Dutch and I cut out the parts for the arms. By Sunday night we had most the parts for five planishing hammers ready to head to their new homes.
It was a fun weekend and we all learned a bunch of neat little tricks from working with each other. It was hard to say good by but by 1 am Monday morning we were all pretty beat. Luckily the snow had stopped and the roads were clear for the rides home. A good time was had by all.
Jay
After driving through a blizzard in Kentucky it was pouring down rain when Kerry and Bennett arrived late Thursday afternoon. The three of us were drenched and half frozen by the time we got Kerry's truck and trailer unloaded. Kerry had brought the new English Wheels he had built for Dutch and me, as well as his new bench wheel. Kerry did a fantastic job of building these wheels. Once I tried his wheel at Metalmeet I had to have one. It not only has a great feel, but looks good too.
Just as we finished setting up all the wheels, Rob arrived and the unloading continued. After a dinner break we went back to the shop to plan out the weekend. About eleven Dutch rolled in and we got our second wind. But by 2 am we decided to call it a night. Friday the freezing rain continued, but it didn't dampen the spirit. We worked / played from 9 am till after 2 am again. This schedule continued all weekend except Saturday the rain turned to snow and the 4 WD and snow plow got a workout. Inside the shop sparks and chips were flying everywhere. Bennett worked his magic at the milling machine, machining housings, while Kerry was at the lathe turning out tool holders. Rob worked on cutting and welding linkages and Dutch and I cut out the parts for the arms. By Sunday night we had most the parts for five planishing hammers ready to head to their new homes.
It was a fun weekend and we all learned a bunch of neat little tricks from working with each other. It was hard to say good by but by 1 am Monday morning we were all pretty beat. Luckily the snow had stopped and the roads were clear for the rides home. A good time was had by all.
Jay