Reading the posts made me reflect and laugh at some of the experiences I went through. Took me about 30 yrs to be actually called a smith and ten years later I'm 60 yrs old and still learning.
I started tinkering with guns around 20 yrs old in the 1970's and realized after working machine shop jobs that metal gunsmithing can be learned from that. I probably would have never entertained the thought of being a smith if it wasn't for the first scope base job I had a smith do. It was so crooked and I knew I could have done better than that easily.
Could never afford a Colorado School course or the time involved as I had to make a living first. I did spend a lot of time truck driving though and learned from other smiths whom I befriended in my travels both Canada and the US. These guys weren't making a living at it and some had time to show me a few things. Most of it was trial and error practicing on my own guns which I still have. I made my own jigs, spiders and what not because I couldn't afford every tool made and I also had the skill to make them.
The majority of work I get is the repair stuff, but mostly this is someones attempt at repairing I'm redoing or bubba's been here LOL
If it was actually a worn part or make a part, it's much easier than diagnosing a botched job especially when I have to figure out every old gun that comes to me. At some point I have to decide for the customer if it's worth their money and my time. I sometimes call some of the older retired smiths because they know me and understand exactly what I'm going through.
Not too often I actually get to build an entire rifle and that is the easy stuff.
Yes, that's right. A custom or blueprinting a Rem 700 action fitted to new barrel, bedded into a new stock is easy, but I live in an area that demands little of that.
These are also the days of DIY gunsmithing. They only come to me when their attempts fail.
That reminds me, I need to get a TIG welder. What a time saver it would be, but they are expensive.
Apprenticing? Look what I had to go through.
The time to teach someone? Sure, I charge by the hour.
Bring some old guns to practice on and we'll see what your capable of or not. Your first lesson is free of charge.
Good luck
