Events 4 Jan’s Notes 6 Corkscrew contest 7 Tech Stuff 8 Fling Photos 12 Drilling Holes 14 Nail Tools 15 Gallery 16 ABANA 18 May/June 2001 The Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac The Newsletter 1 2001 Board of Directors Committee Chairmen President Vice-President Building Ross Sullivan 540-775-2067 *Keith Kuck (2001) *Chris Worsley (2001) Claude Moore Park Pat McGuire 703-437-9034 5310 Nutting Drive 4203 Javins Drive Springfield VA 22151 Alexandria VA 22310 Corporation Fay LeCompte 540-743-1812 703-321-8109 703-960-9030 Demonstrations Jan Kochansky 301-937-6538 Treasurer Secretary Door Prize Tom Coker 301-937-6538 *George Anderton (2003) * Ross Sullivan (2002) Hospitality Ed Jackson 410-549-2829 5325 Ringold Place 11548 Pine Hill Road Springfield VA 22151 King George VA 22485 Hotline Tug Tuggle 304-876-0909 703-321-9737 540-775-2067 Library Steve Crist 703-754-9678 Tom Coker (2002) Fay LeCompte (2003) 12611 Bluhill Road 1016A East Main St. Membership George Anderton 703-321-9737 Wheaton MD 20906 Luray VA 22835 301-942-8573 Newsletter George McConnell 703-620-6454 *Bill Wojcik (2001) Phil Heath (2002) 4116 Kingchase Lane 4600 S Four Mile Run Dr Shop Rules And Etiquette The Plains VA 20198 Arlington VA 22204 540-253-5121 703-671-3134 The Guild shop is available for use by members whenever the Nature Center park is open. Shop is locked, so call Shopmaster or a Board member for access. Follow all Ken Zastrow (2003) Call the HOTLINE at safety rules. Record number of visitors on log sheet near 12800 Hammonton Rd 703-527-0409 for door. Silver Spring MD 20904 the latest news about Please observe the following rules and etiquette: 301-622-0897 Guild events. ♦ Bring safety glasses and wear them. Work in a safe manner at all times. *Member of the Executive Committee ♦ Clean the shop before you start to work. ♦ Empty firepots and dump ash gate after each use to minimize corrosion. BGOP MEETINGS ♦ Dump ashes in the ash dump outside, at the side of the shop. Guild meetings are held on the first and third Fridays ♦ Place tools back in their proper places. of each month at 7:30 P.M. at the Gulf Branch Nature ♦ Dress bar ends which you have cut, to be ready for Center, 3608 North Military Road, Arlington VA the next user. 22207. Meetings are usually held in the Guild’s shop ♦ Clean the shop before you leave, and carry out trash which is located about 50 yards past the Nature which you create. Center building on the wooded path. Occasional ♦ Always turn out the lights and lock up when leaving. Friday meetings with a speaker or video are held in ♦ Bring your own material for personal projects. Shop the Nature Center auditorium. Call the HOTLINE for stock is for learning and practice. updates on meetings and event. ♦ No alcoholic beverages on park property. The Newsletter is mailed to members six times a year. Initial membership is $30 or three years for $60. Renewals are $20 or three years for $55. Life memberships are $300. Membership applications and renewals may be sent to the treasurer/membership chairman, George Anderton, check payable to BGOP. ABANA chapter newsletters may reprint portions that are not individually copyrighted, so long as credit is given to original source. Any other publication by prior arrangement with president of BGOP. The Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac, Inc, its officers, members, and editorial staff specifically disclaim any responsibility for damages or injuries that occur as a result of the use in any way of any information contained in this newsletter. ©2000 Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac, Inc., and as copyrighted by individual contributors 2 The Newsletter The Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac May/June 2001 The President/Vice President's Message ada, Will Shafer was here from Oakland, Califor- nia, and the Zimmermanns were with us again Keith has asked me if I would do the Presi- from St. Cloud, Florida. The entire east coast dent's Message this month, since it would usually was well represented with a total attendance of center on Spring Fling activities, and he was un- 311 all eager to learn, buy, swap, and spin some able to attend for much of this year's event. I of the most outlandish tales I've heard since last must start by saying that Keith was missed by all year. when not there on Saturday and most of Sunday, Unfortunately Clay Smith, the Gunsmith and our thoughts were with him and his family. from Colonial Williamsburg was unable to be Setup was under way by mid morning Friday, with us again this year due to a last minute bout and proceeded till complete that afternoon. Keith with pneumonia. Clay was missed, but his time was able to be on site to guide the process with was well filled by Steve Mankowski who dem- his usual gentle diplomacy. Special thanks go to onstrated all day on both Saturday and Sunday! Albert Anderson for his loan of the compressor A big thanks to Steve for filling in on top of his and his beautifully built air hammer, to Jeff Sy- own demonstrations! manski for coming by with his Army crane behe- I have received several calls and emails since moth to unload and set the power hammer, then the end of the event, all from folks that had a return on Sunday to reload. Thanks also to Larry wonderful time and wanted to be sure that all in- Woltz who made the trip from home to bring his volved got a pat on the back for a fine weekend. power hammer, even though he could not attend. The demonstrators, Ed Small, Josh Greenwood, This was our ninth Spring Fling. They seem and Steve Mankowski were appreciated as well to go a little smoother with each event, building as the vast tailgating area, and the general good on the experiences of the past year. The Guild is time that was shared by all. in debt to the large number of demonstrators who Now we stand in front of our fires, thinking continue to make themselves available, and the of things to do next year, our tenth Spring Fling. talents that they share with everyone. Not to be It is not too soon to start planning, and now it forgotten are the "behind the scenes" folks who starts all over again. do everything from the planning, phoning, mail- ing, photographing, shopping, gathering of equip- See you there, ment and hauling, to those who make themselves Chris Worsley available for running into town at the last minute for some forgotten but important item. Each per- son there seems to be actively involved, and that is what makes it work. Meals were bountiful under the direction of Bill Wojcik and Melissa Sullivan and a crew of as many as 20 volunteers who ran from daybreak to dusk. Again this year the attendees arrived with enough items for the auction and Iron in the Hat to keep Bev and Tom Coker, Susan Fonseca, and several others very busy checking things in. The excellent quality of the donated items was appreciated by all that got to take something home. I find it comforting that people travel so far to join us at the Fairfax Wildlife Club for the week- end. Maurice Holloway came from Ottawa, Can- Nol Putnam auctioning the wine bottle holder made by Phil Heath. Photo by Tom & Bev Coker May/June 2001 The Blacksmiths’ Guild of the Potomac The Newsletter 3 6/1-6/3 5th international exhibition COMING BGOP EVENTS location: Stolberg Castle May 18 The Blacksmith Process, ( near Achen, Germany) John Careatti GRATINGS; GATES AND DOORS" June 1 Swap Night* /Open Forge Safety and special exhibition ..DAMASZENE STEEL Internationaler Fachverband Gestaltender Shmiede e. V. Demo www.ifgs.org.de June 15 Welding Demo* contact: IFGS Vice President Matthias Peters June 29 Board Meeting Josef-von-Gorres-Str. 34-38 July 6 Ken Zastrow and Chris Worsley, 52222 Stolberg (Germany) Tel.: 0049/2402/25841 Pipe Forging Fax.: 0049/2402/85936 July 14 Gulf Branch Nature Center Open E-mail: [email protected] House from noon to 4 pm. from June 1st till July 15th 2001 July 20 Forging Bracelets, on the Stolberg Castle ( near Achen, Germany) Fay LeCompte from June 1st till June 4th symposium and ma- Aug 3 Making table items for sale jor demonstration of smithing Aug 3-5 Frying Pan Park Aug 17 Dipper Contest 6/4-6/8 Workshops in Blacksmithing & Metals Phil & Bill location: Appalachian Center for Crafts Aug 31 Board meeting Basic Blacksmithing - Vance Baker. Hydraulic Die Forming - Lee Marshall contact: 931-372-3051 1560 Craft Center Drive, * Gulf Branch parking lot Smithville, TN 37166 6/11-6/15 Workshops in Blacksmithing & Metals location: Appalachian Center for Crafts Dragons - Steve Williamson. Basic Jewelry Making - OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST Jewel Clark. Surface Embellishment - Leonard Urso contact: 931-372-3051 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville, TN 37166 5/18-5/19 Southeastern Regional Blacksmith Conference 6/11-6/17 Women's Welding Workshop location: Madison Georgia and Retreat This regional conference held every two years in location: Taos, NM Madison, Georgia is not to be missed! This years www.taoswebb.com/spitfire demonstrators include Gary Brown, California; Dimitri This event is a hands on workshop for women interested Gerakaris, New Hampshire; Robbin Hudson, Maryland in learning welding in a relaxed environment. and Torvald Sorenson, Washington. New hands on Location: Taos, NM programs will compliment this years conference with contact: Christina Sporrong [email protected] workshops in copper rose construction, enameling and iron casting.