Here is a professional repair shop, owned by a school system, owned by a
city;
Memphis City Public Schools.
Ever popular Dempsy Summers, struck for the job of running this monster
shop a while back. But, with hiring freezes and
other cutbacks, it hasn't been easy keeping up with the systems 15,000 or so horns.
Here is a fairly equipped 6 to 8 man shop with only 4 men in it at the present
time.
A few years ago, when
he could see the writing on the wall and when one man retired, he called on
repair specialist and store owner Clarence Riley, who used to teach at his own
old alma mater,
Western Iowa Tech or W.I.T. as it is fondly referred to. Clarence
moved from Iowa to Tennessee because the challenge was too big to pass up. Along with the other two men in the shop, who are fixin' to retire
here in a few months, they have kept the horns moving through, fixed and on time. Stay
tuned.
There is a LOT of paperwork required.
Here are Dempsy and Clarence of WIT.
This is the trombone soldering bench. Here is the inside of the lacquer booth.
Here is Gene Smith and Tim Lowe. Here
is a Z73 wall mount buff, offset out.
Here is a good old Ferree's 'Slingshot'. Here's a good old tall
Ferree's
wall mount 2"
band sander.
Thanks to Dempsy and Clarence for their hospitality and to Gene and Tim for their "workability".
I look forward to another trip to their shop.
Note: Clarence Riley died of heart complications two weeks after I returned from this trip. Our sympathy goes to all who knew him.
Ferree's Tools-"the most copied tools in the world"
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