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Visitor Information: The RPS Gallery and coffee shop will be closed on Saturday 7 December

Book Order
CREDIT: Alan Hodgson ASIS HonFRPS

Learning old skills

Supporting a good cause to learn stuff too

While I may have to change some projects to get some progress other work can take an interesting turn. Some of the skills I want to learn are modern ones, with resources available on-line. But others are from times past, and maybe not so easy to access. But that should not get in the way.

I make extensive use of the RPS Journal archive. I am currently using this to look at photographic techniques around 1900 to help me with my moon camera project. But I also needed some practical manuals on optics building.

Best place for these is the second hand book market and I was pleased to find a set for sale. Even better it allowed me to place some financial support into an area that mattered - the Oxfam on-line book store.

So I am stocking up on practical skills documented in the 1950s, before the "maker" movement took to 3D printing. There were communities out there that built their own optics and I want those skills for this project. So for me, learning old skills is a way forward.

And don't throw away that cardboard - that can be used too.