There was once a time when almost everyone acquired, or knew how to do a practical skill of some kind, they were special skills, which most people used throughout life. They just became second nature. The proliferation of pioneer style reality T.V. shows have featured sophisticated modern people transported back into the early 1900s, and boy, do they struggle to cope. It points out how badly off most people are when it comes down to knowing about old time survival skills, or the ability to make things using old time hand tools & methods. The survival rate of some of the people on these shows has been quite poor, due to the fact that they have never been instructed on how to utilize old-time pioneer skills in a practical kind of way. Pioneer skills are not difficult to learn, but they do require a certain amount of study along with plenty of hands on practice. Domestic skills, farm skills, building skills, woodworking skills & metal working skills; all of these skills were mostly learnt through simple instruction and much practice... mostly the skills were passed on from mother to daughter, or from father to son. Even in today's super sophisticated, computerised world there is still a place for "old pioneer skills". Take for instance the home inventor- mechanic - restoration or project builder. they all need to build or fabricate special parts, or to reproduce old broken parts to rebuild - restore all things old. Presently, the pioneer skill of metal casting is going through an incredible world wide renaissance.... people want to know how to make simple wooden patterns using everyday woodworking tools and skills. They want to know how to melt and pour aluminium & bronze into sand moulds. Is all this old age art metal casting stuff difficult to learn? Definitely not! There are various Usenet groups around where you can learn from others, but one of the best ways to learn is to buy a book written by an author who has been there and can actually tell you how & what you should do to set up and run a successful hobby foundry. There is an excellent collection of metal casting ebooks which describe the age old art of metal casting in a way that the ordinary handy man will fully understand & be able to learn about one the most ancient old world skills known to man. All it takes is to have the ability to build the simple equipment & tools and then learn the special methods to create sand castings in Bronze & Aluminium. It is an enjoyable & rewarding pastime, but off course it is hot dirty work and can also be hazardous, but then all old world skills and could be claimed as potentially dangerous, and that is where common sense is used to prevent any potential hazards. If you are looking for an old world challenge, then welcome aboard the world skills, old world skills express. |
