Just a thought - Bob the Blacksmith - Stoke Bruerne

[BlueStringPudding]

And by the night we've reached 92 Likes and an offer of a commission for Bob already

 

If anyone knows Allan Cazaly please let him know to contact Bob by phone or to check the FB page for a notice which asks him to do exactly that. Bob's phone numbers are on the FB site too.

 

Thanks everyone

[Mendip-Locks]

Liked and invited friends some good photos there already. Not in the market for anything but will keep the page bookmarked.

[Leo No2]

Just been up to talk to Bob. He's full of optimism and is extremely grateful for the support the boating fraternity is offering. He's had two generators disintegrate on him and is currently running on a borrowed one. I'll keep the pressure up on the 240v supply from my end. His income the week before last was £2 (that's not a typo; two pounds) brought about by the winter, the lack of being able to finish some of his commissions and the fact that Stoke Bruerne is virtually empty. There have been a couple of blacksmith trading boats through here recently which may have also affected his business but I think I view that as fair competition. The issue here is that boaters will buy from him but so will people who come to look at the boats but when you look up the cutting towards the southern portal of the tunnel there are no boats, you can't see the forge so the families out for a walk turn and go back to the museum, the Navigation or the Boat! Two day mooring, as I thought, is having a knock-on effect on businesses and none more obvious than for Bob the Blacksmith - there is a whole thread on exactly that!

 

So what can we do? Just continue the fantastic support orchestrated by BSP and if you do want to buy anything which Bob might be able to make, or you are considering a commission, please do consider using him - he does a lot of good for the boating community in my opinion. I have his permission to post his phone numbers which are (01604) 859726 and (07761) 833049.

 

A note for BSP - Bob is going to e-Mail me photos of his work which I will copy to our shared folder to make available on FB. They should arrive overnight tonight.

 

I am going back to see Bob tomorrow (my camera battery died this afternoon) so if there is anything anyone wants I am happy to see if he has what you want in stock.

[BlueStringPudding]

Thanks Kathryn,

 

I'll upload them to the FB site in the week

 

[Cheshire cat]

I passed through last month and he was open but I didn't realise it was a business! I thought it was a working museum.

 

He needs better publicity and hopefully facebook is a move in the right direction.

[BlueStringPudding]

There are lots of photos of his work in the Facebook page now. If you've not seen his stuff before, it's worth taking a look:

 

https://www.facebook.com/Bob.Nightingale.Blacksmith/photos_stream

[Leo No2]

Well I am most impressed and very grateful. I don't know if it is do with the forum or Facebook but I have seen two groups of people today with purchases bought from Bob and, when bringing Sculptor back up from the A508 bridge after winding, I was asked for Bob's phone number because the gentleman had heard he was short of customers and wanted to commission something. And all at the right time of year as well.

 

Also it is an opportunity to thank BSP for climbing in the bandwagon so enthusiastically and setting up the Facebook site for Bob.

[BlueStringPudding]

Glad to help. More photos of his work uploaded to the Facebook page today and yesterday and the page is up to 127 Likes now. Thank you everyone!

Edited December 17, 2013 by BlueStringPudding

[Beaker]

There are lots of photos of his work in the Facebook page now. If you've not seen his stuff before, it's worth taking a look:

 

https://www.facebook.com/Bob.Nightingale.Blacksmith/photos_stream

 

There's some very nice stuff on there!

 

ETA almost forgot to 'like'.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Beaker

[ditchcrawler]

Facebooked.

Didn't spot it where?

[Magic Potion]

https://m.facebook.com/?refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fen-gb.facebook.com%2F#!/Bob.Nightingale.Blacksmith?__user=100004599464380

[Leo No2]

I have just received an e-Mail from Bob who says yet and other generator has failed on him. I wonder if the wiring in the forge may be the common link to all this and to that end I wonder if there is anyone on the forum, perhaps local to Stoke Bruerne, who may have the skills and be kind enough to take a look at the wiring in the building just in case he can be helped to resolve the issue he has. I'll make the cheese scones and supply the tea/coffee!

[Leo No2]

I have been up to see Bob the Blacksmith this afternoon.

 

On Monday this week a brand new (and not insubstantial) generator was delivered; it was commissioned on Tuesday and Bob is today bringing the forge back into working mode. That's good for both him and for Stoke Bruerne. The level of his satisfaction is I think verified by him telling me all about the issues he has had this week on the domestic front - in other words the forge has slipped down the priority list and no longer dominates his thoughts.

 

If you have any work that Bob could assist with I am sure he would appreciate a visit and/or a phone call.

 

The Tug Store

Blisworth Tunnel Mouth

Stoke Bruerne

Northants NN12 7SE

 

(07761) 833049

(01604) 859726

[Arthur Brown]

I must admit that I suspect something is causing this pile of dead gensets, something that needs sorting. The sooner he finds the mains supply cable near to his site, the better. I'm guessing that there is an electric welder somewhere that is offering some very odd phase angle, very spikey loads. I'm wondering whether something has failed PFC capacitors, leading to some odd power factors.

[Leo No2]

I must admit that I suspect something is causing this pile of dead gensets, something that needs sorting. The sooner he finds the mains supply cable near to his site, the better. I'm guessing that there is an electric welder somewhere that is offering some very odd phase angle, very spikey loads. I'm wondering whether something has failed PFC capacitors, leading to some odd power factors.

Arthur - I have discussed that with him (as best as I am able to) but he is convinced that the generators he has used in the past have been 'boys sent on men's errands' - Chinese generators with Chinese engines. The one he has now seems to be a fearsome bit of kit, all English (so Bob tells me) and came from Kettering (so not that far away). It weighs so much that the suspension on Bob's van bottomed out so it sounds like it is a substantial piece of kit but if his own wiring is wrong that's not going to help I suppose. I'll keep and eye on things - it's just a short walk from my house and if there are any issues I'll seek advice from more knowledgable people here.