Greetings builders!

I've been receiving the HTN daily emails for months now, and only occasionally read them all the way through- the inventiveness of some of you is quite daunting! It doesn't help that I don't have a workshop, or a garage, or even a shed in which I can work. Perhaps that might be a first project...!

In my various careers, I have worked with welders, brakes, shears, mills, lathes, presses, and all manner of hand tools, solder stations, CAD programs, and whatnot, but in my own collection I have only the hand tools, a few welders, soldering tools, and some woodworking stuff (table saw, router, drills, etc). I'm hoping that, once I have a proper shop built, I can begin making a machine shop, loosely following the Dave Gingery series. Not sure I'm 100% keen on the idea of making machine tools from aluminum castings, although I might like to try it just to have done so. I've seen some excellent lathes and mills made from steel (one even made using automotive engine blocks as trued surfaces on which to build), which I might try out.

Almost forgot: I also aspire to blacksmithing. I have a Peter Wright 126# anvil, a forge with electric blower, and various hammers and mallets, but no smithy (going to be built on the back of the garage) or tools yet (that's the first project- make tongs so you don't hurt yourself). I have lots of plans, but you know how it goes: champagne dreams, beer pocketbook.

So, as far as that goes, that's me in a nutshell (help! How did I get in this crazy nutshell!). Not sure I'll make as fancy an appearance as some of you, but I'll be around, reading and being inspired.

Nick