About James Fecteau

This week was full! Got a lot done and out the door to customers.
Brian has all the parts to make the bar for Mitra!

This project was a challenge but oh so rewarding in the end. The finish…

Also this week I had a friend come to the shop to video. He has a really cool setup that does slow motion in incredibly hi definition. I can’t wait to see what comes of the edit.

Fall Open Studio Weekend was on the 1st and 2nd and will also be on the weekend of the 8th-9th of October. The Vermont Crafts Council hosts this event every year and folk from all over come to visit studios throughout the state. If you want to see how artists and craftspeople work within their studios, and are in Vermont here is a map that will help you create a tour.
I had quite a number of folk show up here and most had great questions.

What a fantastic vacation!

Wednesday I hit the shop running and by today I finished up 2 small jobs that came in while I was gone. The first really is not worth mentioning and the second was an order for “fire sticks” from Waitsfield Pottery.

I also had a meeting with some folk that would like me to create a panel for a opening in their stairwell and possibly a hand rail.

Huntington River Smithy is going to be cutting the week short this week for some much needed R&R with family.
The tools of the craftsman….
The hammer and anvil:
This is my favorite hammer. The handle fits my hand quite nicely. The face and cross peen are compact allowing for much control. The weight is perfect for lots of work without tiring.
This anvil is set at a hight that allows me to swing hard without hurting my arm. I use it when doing lots of hand work. I have another anvil that sets higher for planishing work and bending/ straitening.

Tongs:
These are pickup tongs. They are 20″ long and used to pick hot stuff out of the forge or off the floor. I sometimes use these to hold large tooling. I have lots of tongs to hold all sorts of sizes and shapes.

Power hammer:
I have 2 power hammers. They do all the heavy forging work. Here is a short clip of what they are capable of doing.

So this week was short, but a bunch of important planning was done. I’ll be keeping this job under wraps for a while longer because the planning is nowhere near completion. Here is a sneak peek!
Stay tuned!

As time goes on I find myself less tolerant with clutter so I took a few days to deal with the lathe and small assembly area of the shop.

I’m really liking the new setup and have future plans to make it even better.

So now that I have had my fun it was time to get to work on a small job I hope to have all done by tomorrow. The Bellows are supper old, I believe early 1800’s and are and the customer wants to display it by the fireplace/ wood stove. We decided to have it rest in front of the stonework of the mantle. So I will be making a cradle that will be minimal almost making it seem as it is floating.

I also was asked to make hooks for the broom, shovel, and poker.

The shovel will set like this.

The big news is I am working on a great new project with http://www.mitradesigns.com that i’m all jazzed up about. Will be working with Brian Jones of Brian Jones Woodworking to create a one of a kind wet bar. Here is the start of a brainstorming session that took place at the smithy. We got a lot done and have a solid plan to move forward.

A productive week!!

I find inspiration in the moments of reflection created by the calming effect of nature. Rivers are my favorite place to be in nature. Water, the sounds it makes, whether a trickle or a deep throated roar have to be in my life. I am thankful that we live next to the Huntington River and I can go down to the river to soak up the goodness it offers.

I’m jumping into new territory with this site and blogging. As always I’ll fake it till I make it! Here’s to hoping that i do!!
Cheers