Perry Jefferies (IG: @perryjefferies)
Welcome to this week's #benchmarkspotlight (formerly the #weldershowcase) - we had the opportunity to sit down with Perry from @perryjefferies and talk a little shop.
If you would like to be featured in our weekly spotlight (100% FREE) and have a chance at winning one of our Grinder Hoods please send us an email to leo.benchmarkabrasives@gmail.com to get you scheduled in an upcoming week. These spotlights are intended to highlight your skill, your business, and your tips and tricks. Most of all it's to have a little fun!
Enjoy and Grind On!
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Name: Perry Jefferies
Business Name: Periphery Art of Texas
Location: Gatesville, TX
Website: https://peripheryart.com/
Specialties: Making the nurse happy, planters and simple furniture, photography
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Tell us about yourself - what inspired you to get into your trade? And how long? Took a chance on a Kickstarter project for a multi-purpose welder and, with that in hand inspired by my friend Adam Roe, began to experiment with welding, metal cutting, signs, shop tools, and furniture.
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What keeps you motivated throughout the day? The joy people get when I craft something just for them. The joy I get when I make something from metal that’s solid and will probably outlast me. |
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What is your favorite shop tool and why? Has to be my YesWelder Firstess MP200 multi-process welder and plasma cutter. I was able to get it at quite a deal and, using it, began to experiment with all these other skills. |
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What's your favorite piece that you've worked on? The hummingbird planters for the nurse (my wife) |
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If you could have any job as it relates to question 1 what would it be and what would you do with that? As a mostly retired guy able to dabble in these projects, experimenting, and crafting signs and furniture for friends - I have that dream job. My goal is to learn more, output more, and make each piece better than the last. |
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What BA product is your favorite and why?
The Zirconia flap disks for sure. They last long, hog off scale and really put a shine on signs and small items. They are critical for metal prep before I weld something. |
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What BA product surprised you in terms of quality - what about it set it apart from the competition?
Those disks (the Zirconia) - they definitely outlast ones from other companies and keep me coming back to y’all.
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What tips and tricks do you have for us that might be different or eye opening for others to try with BA product?
Sounding like a broken record - but - hang on to the worn Zirconia flap disks and you’ll find you can use them for detail work or to put a quick shine on a smaller item long after they might appear beyond their useful life. |
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If there was one person you could collaborate with - who would it be and why?
My friend Adam Roe for sure - but a much more well-known guy would be either Ivan Iler or Kevin Stone - making large scale dragons and moving animals.
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Do you have any advice for the next generation that you wish you had when you first started?
Start when you can and just do one thing. Then do the next thing. Pretty soon you’ll have amazing work. Also - don’t throw away “junk” metal items - you’ll wish you had all of it back.
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What are your future plans for your shop?
To create more of my own organizational tools - Drill press stand, screw and nail organizers, scrap wood and metal organizers. And more insulation - it gets hot in the summertime in Texas!
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Thanks for sitting with us and sharing your story with the community - is there anything you'd like to add?
Practice is great but having good tools to start is important. Otherwise you have no idea what you are really practicing. Great abrasives are so much better than discount ones. A welder and grinder that work correctly will show you the true measure of your skill - and what you need to improve on. I wasted a lot of time practicing on barely working tools and am glad to have some better ones.
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A Note From Leo
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Perry! Taking projects on one at a time when you can helps get you started at least instead of waiting around for when you "have more time." I dig it!