Guild of Metalsmiths Monthly Discussion Forum

April 2001 Vol 3 Issue 4

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 262 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. 2001.2 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

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.

The March Board Meeting
Directory updates
Letters
Want Ads
Open Forge Workshop
Tom Latane's door knocker workshop.

Guild of Metalsmiths Board Meeting March 14^th, 2001, Fredell home 7 PM
Submitted by Gene Olson

Meeting called to order by President Dave Feterl
In attendance: Dave Feterl, Mike Frattalone, Bill Hanson, Myron Hanson, Robert Johnson, Al Olson, Gene Olson, Bryan Steckman

Minutes of the January meeting were approved.

Committee Reports:
Financial Report: We have $20,328.82 in the treasury and 339 members with 95 still up for renewal this quarter. The money will be moved to an account with a higher interest yield.
Education Committee: The committee is working on a series of "Beyond the Basics" Classes to begin this next season to carry our education program to the next step. We will continue the beginners series and continue to expand our train the trainers program. Fred McClusky, the video Librarian was granted a budget of $500 to purchase a video duplicator machine so the Guild could make multiple copies of it's own videos.
Pete Stanaitis is working on a Metalsmiths shop crawl.

Program Committee: Demonstrators are being found for the Nowthen Hammerin the last weekend of June.
Al Olson reported progress on the Fall Conference. This year's demonstrators will be,
Elizabeth Brim,
Jack DaSilva, and
Walt Scadden - Shipwright at Mystic Seaport and Instructor at Rhode Island School of Design.
They have worked up new plan for the open forge at the fall conference to make it safer.

Publicity Committee: The forum went to press on the 6^th of March.

Old Business:
Coal Purchase: We are trying to get some more of the Pocahontas coal we got the time before last. We are also exploring getting some pea coke.
Nowthen Update A work weekend has been scheduled for May 19^th to finish up the doors and shutters on the smithing building and get it ready for the June Hammer-in, to be a three day sledge fest the 29^th, 30^th and 1^st .
Guild Activity Locations: We are still looking for a venue for the October Meeting
501c3 Status: Peter Bradley has asked for some financial data and some statements about the Guild's long term goals. It was decided to meet as a committee after the board business was taken care of, and forward that report to Dave Mariette and his committee.
Trailer status: The trailer needs a license, it will be ready for the April meeting.

New Business:
ABANA Rep: It was moved, seconded and passed to establish a local ABANA Liason , an ABANA member/Guild member who would keep the members informed of what is going on nationally and explain the benefits of belonging to the national organization. Dave Mariette has volunteered to do this.
(The Guild is a Chapter Member of the national organization. Members of local chapters can also join the National organization as individual members for $45/yr. Benefits include their two publications and support for their Biannual conference. If you have any questions ask Dave Mariette)
"Bemidji Spring Conference" will be just north of Lake Itasca this year, members are encouraged to support our sister organization to the north.

Grants: Two Grant Proposals were presented and approved.
1.Mark Jackson, received a grant of $650 to study engraving.
2. Gene Olson received a conditional* $750 grant to study Repoussé with Valentin Yotkov in New York. (*Gene also has a grant proposal pending with the Jerome Foundation to cover most of the rest of the cost of staying in New York, if the Jerome comes thru he will use the Guild study grant, if it falls thru, the grant request is withdrawn)

Next Meetings:
General Membership - 11 April at Toll Welding in Plymouth
Next Board Meeting - 9 May at Bob and Mary Fredell's

Mail Reviewed

Meeting was adjorned at about 10pm.

Then, as agreed the board members met as a committee for about 20 minutes discussing possible language for the statements needed in the 501c3 application, Dave Feterl will type these up and forward them to Dave Mariette.

HEYDA, ROGER
HEYDA'S REPAIR SHOP
809 HILLCREST DR
MONTGOMERY MN 56069
Work Phone: 507-364-7904

GRANNIS, ALBERT
FAIRBAULT MN 55021

OLIVER, MICHAEL J.
2734 CHARLOTTE
KANSAS, MO 64109
Email: mjomfa@hotmail.com
Statement/interests: An experienced educator and accomplished multimedia artist with proven ability. Exhibited on three continents in permanent collections, museums, and private acquistions. metal clay, design, photography, and a recognized authority on pewter smithing.

Address Changes:

FREDELL, ROBERT AND MARY
Email:

MCEACHRON, MARSHA
Email:

MIEST, DENNIS & KATHY
Email: d

ROBERTSON, NATHAN
has named his shop
JACKPINE FORGE

STECKMAN, BRYAN
Email:

Corrections:

GORDON BARR
Burnsville, MN

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Dear Forum:
I am writing in hopes that you can tell me the best way to finish off flowers and leaves. Color and outside finish is also somthing that I would like to do better.

(These are examples of what Marshall is trying to do, borrowed from the "Anvil's Ring", not his own work)

I have been working with flowers this winter and have bean doing fairly well with the rough part of forming them. It is the fishing that have not mastered.
Hope you can help or tell me of some one that can help me.
Thank you,
Marshall Gooch
412 8^th Ave SW
Minot, ND 58701

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Okay Crew,
Anybody out there have some tips to share with Marshall on finishing exterior iron and flowers in particular?
Ed.

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Annealing Aluminum

Most aluminum anneals around 450-500 degrees, so a bunch of small parts could be done in the kitchen oven if you clean off all the grease first and are REAL nice to the cook. You probably ought to soak it at that temp for a few minutes to make sure the part is fully heated.

If the part is too big for the oven you can try these tricks.
1. Mark the piece with a black magic marker and play the torch over it until it gets hot enough that the mark fades away.
2. Turn down the O2 on the torch and coat the object with a layer of soot, then reset the torch to neutral flame and heat until the soot burns off.
3. Heat gently until the piece is hot enough to make a pine stick smoke when you touch it.
All these methods call for care in the application of heat, too much heat in one spot will melt the aluminum causing it to sag or "burn" through

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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