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I get some basics to get back into tooling and within weeks I have a list of projects I need to have finished by the 24th of this month. Wow. The first three I took on were little things, to be made into "belt favors" (a badge/emblem to be put on a loop and hung on a belt, seen at Ren Faires and LARPs all the time). Okay, a little swivel knife work, a tiny amount of beveling to enhance the emblem, and painted. No problems, get them done in a couple of sittings of a couple of hours each and the only person that has seen them lost thier mind. Whew. I'm not totally happy with them, but I'm the kind of artist that tears their own work to shreds with critique, so.... Next. Yipes. A tooled/carved award certificate. Nah, didn't go in whole hog on getting back into this at all. Takes everything I got practice in on the favors and tosses in some celtic knotwork, a rose, antiquing, and having to decide if it's going to be a frame or if I'm going to be insane enough to try to letter this thing in a week, on top of everything else getting ready for a weekend camping type event, I'm thinking it's going to be a frame or ink/paint calligraphy, but still... It seems I don't believe in taking slow. I'm either going to do it, or not. lol 1) Casing: still have a little ways to go on getting it "just so," but not too bad. 2) Swivel work: It felt SO GOOD to pick up that thing again. Like coming home. Of course I need practice, but I was no where near as inept as I feared I would be after so long. 3) Beveling: This was a cakewalk to get back into. 4) Tooling/carving (not sure where my work would fall, but my mentor/Grandfather called all of that tooling): Other than a lack of a couple of tools and having to improvise, again it went much better than I had prepared myself for. 5) Painting: I grew up painting, a little adjustment for media and I was off like a rocket of contentment. 6) Antiquing: Not there yet Still missing some things for the bench, so burnished edges, and a few other things are going to have to wait until later. I hate money right now, it's getting in the way of having more than a few tools and scraps to work on. Dang electric bills in the summer. lol Oh well, I'm patient and will work with what I have and slowly build the bench to what it needs to be. Best parts of the expreience so far: --My son wanting to learn it more and more each time he comes to the bench to see how the projects are coming along, and realizing that a modest piece can be finished in a real amount of time. --Feeling so close to my Grandfather again after so long. I can feel him behind me watching just like he used to. Worst parts: --Missing my Grandfather, because he's not there when I turn around. --Realizing we're going to need a bigger place to live with two more people wanting to get into it... We're going to end up scrapping over workbench time at this rate. lol I will post images after the event they are for, don't want them accidentaly seen before then by those that should see them until presentation.