I'm looking to switch careers-- my hearts in it, and have the support of the wife. I've been doing amateur stuff for years-- mostly clean and patch type jobs-- replacing factory parts before learning to fabricate simple things myself. Read whatever I could get my hands on-- manuals, gunsmithing kinks texts, etc.
I'm currently reviewing schools and what their general turn over is-- how well graduates perform on the national scale and hired by what firms. I've already got both a B.a. and M.a.-- so I hope I'd be able to by-pass core requirements.
I'm predominately interested in tactical shotgun, bolt action blue-printing/accurizing, accurate AR, 1911s and customization, basic and advanced machining technique, refinishing, and design theory.
I've looked into Trinidad's program since it's the most frequently mentioned. Tuition seems high for what classes are offered and when--and they don't offer alot of the sort of classes I'd be interested in.
Oklahoma's school looks very promising-- they offer a number of courses in machining, welding, and design theory. The last, design theory, is very important to me as I want to understand the fundamentals of design style and function. Tuition seems very reasonable, but there's little on what kind of placing alumni see-- and no instructors I'd heard of.
Pennsylvania and north Carolina both have schools-- good instructors and decent tuition-- but the classes they offer are rather limited and spotty.
I bear in mind the kind of education I can take to any reputable firm or independant gunsmith and find either a job or apprenticeship. Likewise, I defer to the wisdom of this community-- it's not a question of my sincerity or dedication-- cost, well, I'll find a way.
I'm ultimately determined to do this-- it's been a personal secret for some time now that I want to be a smith. I am disillusioned with academia, the politics involved at the college level has taken all love out of teaching for me-- not that it could ever hold a candle to my true passion.
Please, I ask for only some real consideration in this matter. I'm not afraid of the cost, and the fact is my mind's been made up for a long time. Studying under a competent smith at this point is not an available option. An educational grant is perhaps my best chance to fulfilling the necessary means of moving to a new place and getting on my feet. Besides, I've nothing to show a smith to get him to hire me as an apprentice-- the only real work I've done in recent history has been rebuilding old guns and assembling AR's. If I ever want to work under the tutelage of men like either of the Rogers, Harrison, or Miller, then I want a decent certificate to my name.
Thank you in advance for any and all help-- these have been very trying times for me and mine, and coming to this decision wasn't easy-- but perhaps the best for my sanity and soul.
I'm currently reviewing schools and what their general turn over is-- how well graduates perform on the national scale and hired by what firms. I've already got both a B.a. and M.a.-- so I hope I'd be able to by-pass core requirements.
I'm predominately interested in tactical shotgun, bolt action blue-printing/accurizing, accurate AR, 1911s and customization, basic and advanced machining technique, refinishing, and design theory.
I've looked into Trinidad's program since it's the most frequently mentioned. Tuition seems high for what classes are offered and when--and they don't offer alot of the sort of classes I'd be interested in.
Oklahoma's school looks very promising-- they offer a number of courses in machining, welding, and design theory. The last, design theory, is very important to me as I want to understand the fundamentals of design style and function. Tuition seems very reasonable, but there's little on what kind of placing alumni see-- and no instructors I'd heard of.
Pennsylvania and north Carolina both have schools-- good instructors and decent tuition-- but the classes they offer are rather limited and spotty.
I bear in mind the kind of education I can take to any reputable firm or independant gunsmith and find either a job or apprenticeship. Likewise, I defer to the wisdom of this community-- it's not a question of my sincerity or dedication-- cost, well, I'll find a way.
I'm ultimately determined to do this-- it's been a personal secret for some time now that I want to be a smith. I am disillusioned with academia, the politics involved at the college level has taken all love out of teaching for me-- not that it could ever hold a candle to my true passion.
Please, I ask for only some real consideration in this matter. I'm not afraid of the cost, and the fact is my mind's been made up for a long time. Studying under a competent smith at this point is not an available option. An educational grant is perhaps my best chance to fulfilling the necessary means of moving to a new place and getting on my feet. Besides, I've nothing to show a smith to get him to hire me as an apprentice-- the only real work I've done in recent history has been rebuilding old guns and assembling AR's. If I ever want to work under the tutelage of men like either of the Rogers, Harrison, or Miller, then I want a decent certificate to my name.
Thank you in advance for any and all help-- these have been very trying times for me and mine, and coming to this decision wasn't easy-- but perhaps the best for my sanity and soul.