: IMO the biggest change over the last 20+ years is going to be in
: the health and safety of the techniques. By way of example, I
: read a lot of books on jewellery techniques, the older ones all
: advise annealing by dropping the hot piece in a bucket of
: powdered asbestos. There is still likely to be a lot of good
: information, and the basic materials may not have really
: changed, but some of the methods of working with them have, so
: think critically about what they are suggesting you do.

Yeah that's most definately true. Back when we were boatbuilding with polyester we'd clean up the tools and ourselves in an open bucket of acetone, wouldn't even have a bad dream about doing that now days. Just one example.

Bill H.