Guild of Metalsmiths Monthly Discussion Forum

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March 2001 Vol 3 Issue 3

Here we are again. Pull up a chair, get your coffee, reading glasses, and writing tools. It is time to discuss the news. The Guild currently has 339 members. Your renewal date is on the mailing label as 20XX.Q (year.quarter).

Gene Olson, editor

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Attention Please!
If your label says. 2001.1 your membership is up for renewal. Please send your $30 dues to:
The Guild of Metalsmiths
PO Box 11423
St. Paul MN 55111

How to Join
Send $30 dues with your name, address, (and if you would) phone numbers -home -shop -fax, email address, web page to the above address.
Gene Olson, editor

The GoM FORUM is published monthly by the Guild of Metalsmiths, St. Paul, MN. It is intended as a community bulletin board, a place for all members to express their opinions, concerns, debate policy, propose projects & workshops. In short, to help us run our organization.
Your comments can be mailed to The GoM Forum, c/o Gene Olson, 8600 NE O'Dean Ave. Elk River, MN 55330-7167, Faxed to 612-441-5846, or emailed to: forum@metalsmith.org.

Metalsmith articles:
Those of you working on those informative articles for our quarterly magazine. The copy deadline for the issue 2 of 2000 is May 1. Send them to: Marcia McEachron, editor, 451 Taft St. NE RM 8 Door 35, Minneapolis, MN, 55413,
Fax: 612-781-8435

Please!

Metalsmith Back Issues

ARE Available
The Guild of Metalsmiths will provide back issues of "The Metalsmith" to members for $3.00 each.
One of the main reasons for doing this is to make the "how-to" articles that are listed in the Metalsmith index available to all members.
To order a back issue, just contact me, Pete Stanaitis anyway you can telling me the volume and the issue number(s) that you want. Send a check made out to "Guild of Metalsmiths" for $3.00 for each issue requested to me at 2476 10th Av, Baldwin, WI, 54002.
Some of the back issues will come from our Guild inventory and others will be reproduced in full by me.
Metalsmith Back Issue Service
Use your most recent copy of the Metalsmith's How-to index to pick out the topics that interest You most. Then, if you don't already have those Metalsmiths in your collection, get them from the Guild of Metalsmiths Back Issue Service!
Back issues of The Metalsmith are NOW available for only $3.00 each, postage included.
To order, write the Volume and Issue number(s) on a slip of paper along with your mailing address. Include a check for $3.00 for each issue made out to Guild of Metalsmiths. Send it to:
Pete Stanaitis
2476 10th Ave.
Baldwin, Wi. 54002
If you have any questions about the service ,
contact Pete at 715-698-2895.

In this month's FORUM


The February Meeting:
The Meeting at Linder's Fabricating went well, though a bit chaotic as we broke up in shifts to go watch a cnc plasma cutting demonstration, so a number of us missed one part of it or another.
Myron brought a section of railing with forged vines that wrapped around the pickets.
There were a lot of new people at the meeting.
Member Rome Hutchings is donating a set of instructional videos produced by his late grandfather, Francis Whitaker to the Guild Video Library. Dick Carlson had rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder.(see letters)


There was a lot of banter and small group information exchange as the evening wore on. I wish I could give you a more comprehensive list of some of it, but can't.
Come to the next one in April.


The Herman Iron Pour:
Michelle Heiberg contacted me and said if we were interested in participating and pouring malleable iron (for tools like spoon molds, small swedge blocks etc, or any other project you can think of that should have malleable instead of gray iron) it could probably be arranged. Wayne Potratz from the U of MN suggested it. Normally molds are limited to 35# including the sprue, but in the past, some people have sent in multiple registrations and signed up for additional Iron. (That also means doing more work on site, breaking up another 50# of iron for every registration and spending more time on the end of a ladle) If there is any interest please contact Gene Olson.
Cost for participation is $35 + $10 for the sand mold studio. August 8th - 12th are the dates for the Hermann Iron Pour #7. Approximately 4000 lbs will be poured.


Directory Updates:

We left space . Get out your pen.

A hearty welcome to our New Members:

SWEARINGEN, BRENT & KRIS
RENO NV
Statement: Hobbyist metal worker making garden benches, arbors, decorative pieces. Wife interested in coppersmithing.


THORVALDSON, PAUL
WOODBURY, MN


Address Changes/corrections:


AXELSON, STEVE
Email:


HOUNSELL, LONNY
Email:


JOHNSON, BRIAN L
has named his shop
PARADISE FOUND FORGE


YURISTA, ANDREW
Email:

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Touchstone Center for Crafts


The following is a list of blacksmithing classes planned for the 2001
season. Please post in your newsletter.
Thank You,
Jim Campbell
Blacksmith Studio Manager


Touchstone Center for Crafts
1049 Wharton Furnace Road
Farmington PA 15437
Phone 1-800-721-0177 or 724-329-1370
E-mail: tcc@hhs.net
www.touchstonecrafts.com


2001 Blacksmith Classes


WEEKEND CLASSES:
May 18-20 John Medwedeff
September 21-23 Victoria Moore
September 28-30 Glenn Horr
October 5-7 Hans Peot
October 12-14 John Pollins
October 19-21 Jymm Hoffman
October 26-28 Jody Best


WEEK-LONG CLASSES:
June 4-9 Michael Sarri
June 11-16 Jymm Hoffman
June 18-23 Glenn Horr
June 25-30 Michael Bendele
July 9-14 Doug Wilson
July 16-21 John Heinz
July 23-28 Jim Batson
July 30-Aug 4 Peter Ross
Aug 6-11 Tom Latane
Aug 13-18 Roberta Elliott
Aug 20-25 Ray Rybar Jr.
Aug 27-Sept 1 Mike Boone
Sept 10-15 Nol Putnam
October 29-Nov 2 Ray Rybar
November 5-9 Charley Orlando

A visit to Latané's:
or "Neptune on the Half Shell"
On the first of March I made a trip down to Pepin and shot a couple of photos of Tom's latest project in progress.
Kitty had sent me a letter inviting everyone down for an open house on March 31, and I just had to go down and see what the fuss was all about. (Look in the Letters section for Kitty's invitation)

Tom is working with Eric Moebius and Dan Nauman on an entry gate for a garden at a Museum facing Lake Michigan. Tom is doing the repousee work on the major elements including a statue of Neptune surrounded by two sturgeons (this is a lake "Neptune" so Dolphins were a bit out of place.)


Tom has a lot of work to go yet as he starts his fish. He said he has about 500 hours in on it to date and both sides of two fish to go.


The museum is getting a real caviar level job on this project but with all the detail it looks like Tom still has a hard "roe" to hoe.


It will be really interesting to see the project finished.


Letters:
To have your letter printed here, Address it Dear Forum: and mail it to The GoM Forum, c/o Gene Olson, 8600 NE O'Dean Ave. Elk River, MN 55330-7167 ; email it to: forum@metalsmith.org or FAX to 612-441-5846

******To all members:
Thank you for your cards and phone calls after my shoulder opperationn on Febraury 9. The doctor says I am progressing right on schedule and should be able to return to wrokd by May 1.
Dick Carlson

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Here is info about a spring conference at Haverhill, IA. Haverhill is 8 miles from Marshalltown
Roger R Degner
Franklin,Minn,USA


From: Steve White <skunkriv@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001
Subject: Haverhill
Here is the latest news on the Spring Conference May 19-20. I hope to see you all there.
Steve White


JONATHAN NEDBOR


For nearly 30 years Jonathan Nedbor has been working with metal. His first interest was jewelry, eventually focusing on ancient European clothing fasteners. Another interest became metal fabrication, during this time Mr. Nedbor produced monumental outdoor sculptures for several well known sculptors represented by the Pace and Marlboro galleries of New York.


Since 1973, Mr. Nedbor has been concentrating on hand forged ironwork. Using traditional techniques, he creates 17th, 18th and 19th cent. hardware and household ironwork. His work has been used in the restoration of private homes and museums (including an 1892 schooner), many of which are on the National Historic Register.
Mr. Nedbor has been teaching metalsmithing since 1977, in his own shop and at schools around the U.S. He has been organizing the twice yearly meetings of the Northeastern Blacksmithing Assoc. for nearly 20 years, and has served as Vice President and is currently President.

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The Column filler:


Hi All,
I'll try again to post something in the Forum. Hope I'm not too late.
Tom Latane is finishing up his large iron repousse figure of Neptune for the gate to the new "Neptune Garden" at the Villa Terrace Museum in Milwaukee. (The gate is being built by Erik Moebius and Dan Nauman.) The Latanes are holding an Open House on Saturday, March 31, 2001, at their shop at 412 2nd Street, Pepin, WI, from noon until 6:00, to display Neptune before he is shipped off to his permanent home.

Come one, come all!

Thank you,
Kitty Latane


Want Ads:
Any notice MUST be in my hands by the end of the month.

******

The April meeting
Guild of Metalsmiths


When: April 11th, 2001
Potluck at 6:30PM
Meeting at 7:00


Where: Toll Welding
3005 Niagara Ln, Plymouth


What's the feature: Oxy Fuel, Demo rooms
w/hands-on equipment, Open store


Who's in charge: Bryan Steckman w-763-551-5332


Don't forget "Show and Tell"

See you there.
8th Annual Northern Minnesota Metalsmiths Conference
April 28 & 29th - 2001
Lake Itasca Region Steam Show Grounds
North side of Itasca State Park 6 miles on # 200 from Hwy 71 - - 1½ miles from the Mississippi Headwaters Follow the Anvil signs


Sponsored by Northern Minnesota Metalsmiths


Demonstrators
Keith Johnson - Bemidji Minnesota
Keith Johnson is a blacksmith from Bemidji, MN. He is a general architectural smith and also produces a line of black powder related items. Keith has been smithing full time since 1986 when he started Great River Forge. He also was villiage blacksmith at the Smoky Hills in Park Rapids, MN in 86-87 and 90-91 and also smith at Sawmill Creek, Park Rapids in 1991. Keith founded the Northern Minnesota Metalsmiths and remains a driving force to this day. He will be demonstrating tooling on bothe the power hammer and the hydraulic press, alon with other forging processes, both mechanical and traditional. Keith, Bob and Wanda Odegard forged a large bronze globe in 1993 which can be seen at the Itasca park headquarters near the grounds.
Scott Lankton - Ann Arbor, Michigan
Scott Lankton was born in 1956. He received his B.F.A. at Western Michigan Yniversity in 1976. He opened his own studio in 1979 and later went to Aachen, Germany to apprentice with Manfred Bedohl at the International Teaching center for Metal Design. In 1989 The British Museum commissioned him to make a replication of the Sutton Hoo Sword which is on permanent display in London. He has tault classes at the Penland School of Craft and Peter's Valley Craft School as well as leading workshops and demonstrating for ABANA conferences. He currently serves as 1st vice president on the Board of Directors of ABANA. He is a past president of the Michigan Artist Blacksmiths. He was the American demonstrator at FERRO 2000, the World Blacksmith Congress in Germany. Today his work consists mainly of architectural commissions in steel and bronze such as stair railings, gates, furniture, kitchen racks, and sculpture.
Bill Roan - Oakland California
Bill Roan graduated with a BFA degree from Eastern Michigan University, majoring in sculpture, metalsmithing and painting and minoring in drawing and Art History. He is a self taught artist blacksmith and a member of the California Blacksmiths Association and ABANA. He was a demonstrator for the 2000 ABANA Conference in Flagstaff, Arizona. He is often a guest lecturer/demonstrator in hands on blacksmithing seminars for the engineering department of Stanford University. Bill's multi disciplinary art background has really affected the way he approaches blacksmithing. Forged steel has a linear quality like drawing, where the line quality effects the beauty of the image. Iron can be as malleable as clay, working the material directly achieving remarkable textures, patterns and forms. Natural organic forms lend themselves best to the direct metal processes. Bill is a pyromanipulator whose imagery is derived from ancient science, alchemy, beasts, myths, and magic.
Raffle There will be a raffle for a Complete Forging Station
(Drawing held during Auction need not be present to win)


Gallery Bring samples of your work and/or portfolio for our gallery


Hubler Award - Bring your best Iron Animal head for the Hubler Award contest.


Saturday Evening Auction
Your donation of an item for the auction would be greatly appreciated
Social Hour/Jam Session immediately following auction.


Registration
Friday Evening, Sat 8:00 AM to 9:00 and Sunday 8:00 AM to 9:00


Fees: preregistration rates
--Family 1 day $20 2 day $35
At the door -- 1 day $25 2 day $40
Meal ticket $32 each 5 meals; Sat breakfast, lunch, dinner (BBQ Ribs); Sun breakfast, lunch
(you must preregister by April 20th for meals and discount rate)


Other activities:
Friday evening, potluck
Saturday tours of the Steam show grounds, shopping excursion to Park Rapids antique and craft shops.
Sunday tour of Itasca State Park and the Miss. Headwaters.
Tailgate sales welcome (metalwork related)


for more information call Keith Johnson -218-751-9433 or email keith@greatriverforge.com


Send Checks to:
Northern Minnesota Metalsmiths
c/o Keith Johnson,
Route 2 Box 213C
Bemidji, MN 56601-8253


Lodging
Free Camping on the Steam Show Grounds
(Camping also available in Itasca State Park)
Lake George Pines Motel: 1-218-266-3914
Freedom Ridge: 1-218-266-3938
Mississippi Headwaters Hostel: (in park) 1-218-266-3415
Loon Song Bed and Breakfast: 1-218-266-3333
Bemidj Lodging (32 miles)
Super 8 Motel 1800-800-8000
Best Western 1-800-528-1234
Park Rapids Lodging (27 miles)
Super 8 Motel: 1-218-732-9704
C'mon Inn: 1-218-732-1471
Americinn: 1-218-732-1234

Open Forging Workshop

Here's an opportunity for any member to get in some forging time in a nice heated shop with 8 forges. These "Open Forge" days are designed to give members who don't yet have a shop a place in which to practice or to make things.
We will have at least one "instructor type" available to help with any questions you may have and to assist in helping you develop your blacksmithing skills. For those who are actively involved with The Blacksmithing Study Guide, this could be a great opportunity to make some progress and to get clarification on any of its contents.
Sign up immediately if you want to attend since there are only 6 slots left.
Details:
Place: Minnesota School of Horseshoeing


Date: Saturday, May 5, 2001


Time: 8:30 AM - 4 PM Cost: $15.00


What to bring: Bring your own tools, stock and your projects ideas. Workstations and coal will be furnished.
Maximum class size: 8 Forges, but 2 are already spoken for. Sometimes 2 people will want to work from the same forge, so we may be able to accommodate a few extra people.


Person to contact to answer any questions about these workshops: Pete Stanaitis,
715-698-2895


Tear form off here and send it along with your check for $15 (made out to Guild of Metalsmiths) to Pete Stanaitis, 2476 10th Ave, Baldwin, WI, 54002, ASAP!
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Registration Form for the May 5, 2001 Open Forging Workshop


Name of Participant: _____________________________________________________


Address: ______________________________________Phone (____) _______________


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