On Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:34:23 -0800 (PST), Jim Wilkins
wrote:

On Feb 24, 10:17*pm, wrote:
....
The foundries I have been around sort of looked like what you might
imagine Hell would look like. And they have generally been populated
by work crews......well.....guys you really wouldn't want to mess
with.
Dave-

When I was very young there were no other kids around and the only
place I was allowed outside the yard was the foundry next door, and
then only if I stayed out of the way which I did. So by age 5 I knew
how to screed and moisten green sand, tamp the cope and drag, add the
sprue and vent, carve changes not on the pattern by hand, melt and
pour aluminum and snag the casting.

jsw

And to swear and smoke Lucky Strikes too? Joking, sort of. Most of the
foundry crews I've seen were pretty rough. But that sounds like a
really cool experience for a five year old.

With the destruction of the industrial base, kids now just don't have
those kinds of opportunities for exploration. Worse yet, kids now
don't even seem to ride bicycles and take any initiative for
exploration.

I can't tell you the number of brick factories, rail yards,
construction sites, storm drain pipe systems, BB gun fights, dirt
trails, factory doors, etc. etc. that I used to ride to, for purposes
of curiosity satiation and excitement, when I was a kid. Kids today
seem to stay inside and play video games.

Glad you were out doing cool stuff.
Dave