A CRAFTMANS'S WORLD

- My father, a plumber and zinc-worker, taught me all about welding, metals (zinc, brass, copper, tin, lead, antimony, steel, iron), the hardening and shaping of tools (a great many of our tools were home-made): example Neï-contrebasse®.

- From the shoemaker, I learnt the basics of leather work: example Stringar®.

- From the maker of fishing rods, I learnt how to cut reeds when the moon was right as well as flame straightening, drilling and tying: example Percutube.

- From the chromer-polisher-gilder, I learnt how to polish metals (a craft I would use again later for wooden and Plexiglas surfaces) and how to work with acid engravings, used on some résonators.

- From the blacksmith, the art of the hammer, the basics of brasswork, the hardening of metals and cementation : example Neï-contrebasse®.

- From the joiner and cabinetmaker, the knowledge of different types wood, as well as assembly techniques : example Guitare-Veena2® parts.

- From the carpenter, the link between wood and metal work and how to form wood using heat.

- From the welder, oxyacetylene welding, arc welding, spot welding, piece-by-piece welding (with tin and lead), and brazing (with silver).

- From the panel beater, the hammer work required to shape thin sheets of metal.

- From the jeweller, how to melt down precious metals, file them and set stones.

- With Edmond Vernassa, a visual artist specialised in the work of polymethylmethacrylate and other synthetic materials, I learnt thermoforming, fabrication, shaping, polishing, joints and montage: example mécanique StickTar®.