Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I realize that a lot of you are dealing with "real" cold - ice and snow and such. Living in the north central part of California we might see a half inch of snow once every seven years or so... it never lasts more'n a few hours.
But, for close to forty years now, I've never had central heat or air in my personal studios and it does get down into the 30's, occasionally even the 20's where we are.
Dunno 'bout the rest of you, but I hate coming into the shop to engrave at a COLD block in the mornings!
Over the years I have solved this in various ways. Used a hot water bottle. Brought the block into the house with me at night. One place I had, I used to leave it propped on the radiator at night.
Setting it on top of the woodstove in the studio while I had coffee, made phone calls and woke up - worked well for 20 years.
Once, when I was desperate, I even warmed it in the kitchen oven. Cold fingers are not precision instruments.
What I'm doing these days is covering the block with an electric heating pad and doing my wakeup routine while it's warming up. You can find a 15" x 20" pad at your local pharmacy for around $15. (Or a couple dollars at a second hand store.) If you fold the pad into a cone and clip it together at the base it'll fit right over most blocks. Mine came with an automatic shutoff after 2 hours - which leaves the block just barely warm when set on the high temp.
When the block is warm enough, I'll put the pad on the floor for my feet... works perfect with moccasins.
Brian P. Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA, USA
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
jewelryartschool@aol.com
But, for close to forty years now, I've never had central heat or air in my personal studios and it does get down into the 30's, occasionally even the 20's where we are.
Dunno 'bout the rest of you, but I hate coming into the shop to engrave at a COLD block in the mornings!
Over the years I have solved this in various ways. Used a hot water bottle. Brought the block into the house with me at night. One place I had, I used to leave it propped on the radiator at night.
Setting it on top of the woodstove in the studio while I had coffee, made phone calls and woke up - worked well for 20 years.
Once, when I was desperate, I even warmed it in the kitchen oven. Cold fingers are not precision instruments.
What I'm doing these days is covering the block with an electric heating pad and doing my wakeup routine while it's warming up. You can find a 15" x 20" pad at your local pharmacy for around $15. (Or a couple dollars at a second hand store.) If you fold the pad into a cone and clip it together at the base it'll fit right over most blocks. Mine came with an automatic shutoff after 2 hours - which leaves the block just barely warm when set on the high temp.
When the block is warm enough, I'll put the pad on the floor for my feet... works perfect with moccasins.
Brian P. Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA, USA
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
jewelryartschool@aol.com
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