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Tony Martyr's avatar

Best thing I've read all week - particularly the part about how you've learned through doing, observing very closely what was happening, and making changes as you went. It's surprising the amount of people that don't understand and acknowledge that this is such a big part of getting better at anything.

"I was learning something, but I didn’t yet know what." - I'm writing that down and sticking it on my wall.

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J. Daniel Sawyer's avatar

I am most gratified it struck you this way--the entire point of this series is exactly to demonstrate learning-by-doing. Thank you for the kind words!

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Kailani B.'s avatar

This is the kind of company transparency I like: seeing the behind-the-scenes process for what I ordered. Such an interesting journey. Thanks for sharing, and creating my pins!

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J. Daniel Sawyer's avatar

It was a wonderful project to do

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Carolyn Mario's avatar

Wow! This is exciting! Wonderful of you to describe and photograph the process. I'm sure it makes the pins all the more special. If I had gorgeous long hair like hers I'd want some too. Well done!

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J. Daniel Sawyer's avatar

You are most kind :-)

I also do brooches, pendants, hat and coat hooks, TP holders, and door handles!

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Carolyn Mario's avatar

Now you're talking. You mentioned a gallery. Can you direct me to it?

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J. Daniel Sawyer's avatar

Sure thing!

You can find it at the end if this post: https://jdanielsawyer.substack.com/p/the-first-commission

I have done a lot of other stuff, from tools to bookshelves--this is just the stuff that both ships cheaply and was made to look good. I can make more of anything pictured, and am up for interesting challenges as well (the copper pins were one of those).

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Carolyn Mario's avatar

Excellent. I need a wall mount TP holder. We live in a <600sf house that we built ourselves. Rustic. So I'd like it to look like our friend the blacksmith made it. If you got a couple styles I'd be happy to choose one, but I'm not picky. All I ask is that it holds a roll and doesn't skewer or scrape the tots if they bump into it. Any idea of price?

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J. Daniel Sawyer's avatar

How bout one made of a railroad spike? Got a good stock of those here. Flat part of the spike bolts to the wall, it comes out to make a u-shape and terminates in the spike head, which helps retain the roll. The entire length has a decorative twist in it.

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Carolyn Mario's avatar

How many wall screws to secure it? One or two?

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