Hammer Adrian

Article by Francis Racine
Le Journal, Cornwall
10 février 2016

Adrian Hammer has been many things, a tourist, an electronic
technologist, a photographer and a handyman. Here he stands next to
some of the photographs he has taken over the years.

It seems Adrian Hammer has always been a handyman, with a multitude of hobbies.

From his Riverdale home, the Netherlands native sits on his comfortable couch, staring out of his bay window, onto the calm subdivision road. "I used to be an electronic technologist, you see,'' he said. "It's a mix between an engineer and a technician.''

The white-haired man always had a passion for aircrafts. It's no wonder he ended up working for the air force.

"I was always deeply involved in electronics,'' he explained, lifting his glasses on his nose. "I worked with interceptors. They even sent me to Quebec to learn about the radar system.''

As a true testament to the then young man's genius, the class featured only two students, with four teachers doing their best to instruct the topic. "Even the teachers didn't fully understand the radar system. That's why they had to have so many teachers,'' pointed out Hammer. "I struggled through the course, because it truly was difficult, but I did find it extremely fascinating.''

While employed in an air force base, the man came across an American hangar. "It was very odd to see,'' he explained. "I was told that the hangar itself was considered American ground and that those were American soldiers guarding it."

Being an avid learner, Hammer decided to investigate and was shocked by what he learned. "They were guarding a nuclear bomb!" he said excitingly. "I could write a book on all the interesting things I've come
across.''

A traveller of the world
Along with his wife Genevieve, a well- known French teacher, Hammer visited nearly every continent of the world. "You
learn a lot from traveling,'' he highlighted. "I lived in four different countries.''

So why did a man, born in the Netherlands, and his wife, a French native, decide to settle in Cornwall? "We were in Louisiana where my wife was teaching French,'' he explained. "Her contract was up and so were our visas. I expressed to her that I wanted to go back to Canada but that I didn't want to be in a big city. I had lived in Toronto before and it just wasn't my thing. We found Cornwall and after some research decided to move here.''

But growing up in Toronto, Hammer found himself discovering yet another of his passions: photography. "He started taking pictures when he was around eight years old,'' his wife said, smiling. "With the cameras that
looked like a box, a Brownie,''

"I was always the one that had to take the family pictures,'' he proudly explains.

From there, the hobby quickly escalated, with Hammer creating his own dark room and equipping himself with a great camera. As a result, the Hammer residence's many walls are home to several of his photographs.

"I took that one at the Toronto Zoo,'' as he points to a photograph featuring two lovers peering through a fence. I loved the pattern the shadow of the fence created.''

When asked what he thinks is the most important thing-as a photographer, the man ponders for a minute, walking from photograph to photograph. "I think you always must have perfect timing and take several shots,'' he specified. "Because you never know what will happen. I also think it's your subconscious that's taking the picture.''

A short walk to his basement reveals some more photographs, some even winning awards. "This one got voted the best,'' said Hammer. "But it was simply in a photography club, so it doesn't really count."

The white haired man is very humble. As he showcases his photographs, he walks up to what appears to be a workbench.

A lover of music and everything audio
"This is where the magic happens. I tear down, rebuild and repair audio equipment as a hobby. I don't have my fancy tools. I just do it for fun.''

Hammer specializes in speakers, but also builds and repairs amplifiers, record players and the likes. "I knew a guy who played guitar, so I built' him a custom amplifier. He loved it.''

But the love of audio equipment didn't gradually hit Hammer. "When I was young, my mother brought home a Mickey Mouse AM radio and set it on our table,'' he recalled. "I remember trying to figure out how the sound came out of this little machine. At the time, I concluded that it had to be magic!"

As a teenager, he also discovered his love of music. "I wanted to listen to all the best music, but I simply couldn't afford the fancy equipment.'' That's when he discovered that he could do wonders with his hands.

"So I decided to build my own machine. It would be cheaper to build it than to buy it. It truly was an adventure. You can overcome any problem you face, as long as you work hard and have the parts you need.''

The Cornwall resident has also embraced the new age, ordering much of his parts by Internet. "I sometimes go to Value Village where I will buy old cassette players or audio equipment I can use for parts,'' he admitted.

"But I also get most of my parts from the mail, though Internet. This one time I ordered a part from China and it was on my doorstep in less than a week. That's unbelievable!"

The man climbs the stairs leading to the house's main floor. In a space adjacent to his living room is one of his most treasured creations. "This is my main sound system," indicating two small speakers and a wooden cabinet, containing a subwoofer.

The equipment was built from scratch. Even the cabinets were custom-made from plywood he purchased at Home Depot. To showcase his creation, Hammer puts a classical music compact disc and before
long, piano echoes throughout the house, as he grins proudly.

The sound quality is magical, as if the piano is in the same room. The man estimates that the speakers cost him around $125 to build. "When we go to electronic stores, the salesmen are always trying to sell him audio
equipment,'' said his wife, Genevieve. "But he always tells them that the one he has at home is better.''

Walking back to the living room, Hammer sits on his couch, the classical music still echoing. He points to a black and white picture on a nearby wall. "Classical music is like black and white photography.'' he said. "It makes your mind travel and can be enjoyed for many years to come.''