Volume 30 Number 2 Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Days Raffle Items The above items to be raffled off at Blacksmith Days are a Phil Heath trunk from last BSD and a Japanese laminated blade chef knife by Sam Salvati he made at the Principio Furnace Hammer In 2013. 16th Annual BGCM Chili Cook-Off IN THIS ISSUE ......... Page At the March Guild meeting, Sunday, 15 March, we will be celebrating the 16th Annual BGCM Chili Cook-Off. Bring your best blacksmith chili and compete for "Best Chili". President’s message ...... 3 2015 Dues Membership dues for the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland are for the period of January 1 through December 31. If you are unsure of your dues status, check the mailing label on the envelope containing this edition of the newsletter. You can use the tear-off form at the back of this newsletter or pay at any guild meeting. Thanks! Upcoming Classes............... 5 Beginner’s Corner................ 6 Shop Tips……………………8 String of Pearls………..……9 Traditional Arts Schedule…10 Internet Blacksmithing…….12 CCFM Historic Forge ......... 13 Calendar of Events ............ 20 The Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland, Inc.* BGCM is dedicated to preserving and promoting the art and craft of hand forging iron. The Guild meets monthly to share blacksmithing information and techniques at the Carroll County Farm Museum, Westminster, Maryland. BGCM Officers President ..................................................... Ted McNett (717) 646-9839............. [email protected] Vice President ....................................... Bryan Zorbach (410) 876-1316…………………………[email protected] Secretary ..................................... ...…….. .. Bill Koogle (443) 974-7928………..…………[email protected] Treasurer ............................................................ Vacant Board Member ............................................. Dan Mincin (410) 442-1833………………[email protected] Board Member ............................................ David Tyner (979) 229-7098............................. [email protected] Board Member .......................................... Robert Nagle (717) 646-8306 BGCM Committee Members Awards Committee ....................... …..… Ken Strosnider 410.984.0988………… [email protected] Blacksmith Days Chairman 2015………..…Ted McNett Blacksmith School Administrator ......... Bob Hungerman (410)549-3851........... [email protected] Forge Masters………………………..Walter VanAlstine (301) 725-4826 [email protected] Assistant Forge Master……………….….Jacob Selmer (410) 775-2057……………[email protected] Historic Forge Volunteer Coordinator ... David Gursky (410) 695-2582…………………….. [email protected] Librarian .............................................. Judy Heinekamp (443) 253-6433..…………………. [email protected] Assistant Librarian………..........................David Tyner Guild Historian……………….…………George Hughes (443) 373-7539………………….. [email protected] Guild Quartermaster…………….. Bob & Ann Baugher (717) 646-1088………………… [email protected] Newsletter Editor........................................ Jim Maness (570) 977-1300………………… [email protected] Webmaster/Facebook .............David Tyner /Joe Staup Newsletter Editors Emeritus ......Albin Drzewianowski (410) 848-0731…………………………[email protected] Judy Heinekamp Bill Clemens Membership Committee…………………David Felmlee (717) 530-1192……………………[email protected] Scholarship Committee ..................... Judy Heinekamp BGCM Yahoo Group Administrator...............................Albin Drzewianowski To join: [email protected] To participate: [email protected] To leave group: [email protected] Guild Mailing Address: Guild Facebook Page: Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Guild Hotline........................................... (410) 386-9150 * BGCM is a non-profit 501c3 educational corporation founded in 1986 and incorporated in 1995 and is an affiliate of the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America, Inc. The HAMMER & TONG BGCM’s newsletter is published bimonthly. We welcome and encourage you to contribute articles, book reviews, trip reports, or just your thoughts on blacksmithing. One of the main purposes of the Guild is to promote the exchange of information and ideas associated with blacksmithing. We are glad to publish classified ads to assist members in the sale of blacksmith related items, or to help locate wanted tools, anvils, steels, etc. Ads must be renewed for each issue. Submissions may be sent to the editor: Jim Maness; [email protected]. All original articles printed in this issue are placed in the public domain unless the author states otherwise. Anyone using items from this newsletter is requested to give credit to the author and The HAMMER & TONG. For reprinted or quoted material the copyright restrictions of the originator apply. BGCM, its officers and its members assume no responsibility or liability for the accuracy, fitness, proper design, safety or safe use of any information contained in this newsletter and disclaim any responsibility or liability for damage or injuries as a result of its use. ______________________ ___________________ Blacksmithing, involves Fire, Hot Steel, Hammers, etc. It is not an activity to be taken lightly. Safety and caution must always be in the forefront of any blacksmith’s mind before they pick up a hammer and begin hitting Hot Metal. Safety Rules 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Wear eye protection at all times in the shop area. Know location of first aid kit and fire extinguisher. Turn on exhaust blower before lighting the forge. Do not knock hot coals/embers on the floor. Advise when preparing a forge weld by LOUDLY yelling: “WELDING”. 6. Dress ends of steel. 7. Obtain permission from Forge Master before using power tools. 8. Maintain and leave an orderly work area. 9. Turn on WARNING LIGHT when ARC Welding 10 Announce any ARC WELDING same as #5 Please observe these safety rules when working in the Guild’s forge areas Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland P. O. Box 593, Randallstown, MD 21133 Guild Website ............................. www.bgcmonline.org 2 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Very Important Membership Committee It is very important that should you change any of your contact information: address, phone, email, etc. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, pass that information on to us. Also, if you add or drop a Family Member, please pass that along also. It is taking a great deal of time and effort to keep the membership database up to date. If we do not have current address information, we cannot insure that you get your newsletter. President’s Message If you have not renewed your BGCM membership this is your last chance. After March you will be removed from the membership list. You may now use PayPal on our website to pay your dues. I hope that everyone has survived the extreme cold and icy snow. Hopefully you have been able to venture out to the Hammer-ins; Gichner’s and Dan Boone’s. Check www.bgcmonline for more events and classes in the near future. May 16th and 17th is our 27th Blacksmith Days. This year the theme is the “Future of Forging” featuring Matt Harris, Aislin Lewis, and Sam Salvati. Visit the webpage to register online and see more details. To ensure another successful event we need your help. Please volunteer some of your time during this weekend. Contact Ken Strosnider, BSD Volunteer Coordinator, 410-984-0988. The raffle items are a Phil Heath trunk from last BSD and a Japanese laminated blade chef knife by Sam Salvati he made at the Principio Furnace Hammer In 2013. The cold weather has slowed the progress on the compressor shed and other projects. I hope March will provide a warmer opportunity for this. We are looking for more opportunities to improve the facility and tooling in the school. If there is a tool or item that BGCM should purchase to benefit the guild, please talk to a Board member. Demonstration season is fast approaching. If you would like to demonstrate in the historic forge please contact Dave Guersky. His contact information is in the front of the newsletter. In conjunction with the Farm Museum we have updated the demonstrator guidelines. Traditional Arts classes have returned to the Farm Museum. Classes in open hearth cooking, tinsmithing, broom making, and fraktur painting were held in February. Check our website for a link and more information for future traditional arts classes. Happy forging, Keep the forge lit, Ted President BGCM Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Mar/ Apr 2015 HAMMER & TONG 3 Open Forge Policy We are asking any Guild members who plan to attend an Open Forge to call the BGCM Hotline at 410-386-9150 before departing for the Farm Museum. If we run into a case where we do not have a Forge Master available or if there are weather related conditions we may have to cancel for that night. If we do have to cancel, it will be posted to the Hotline no later than 4pm of that Thursday. Help Wanted By the BGCM Executive Board The following are positions in the Guild that need to be filled. The ongoing success of the Guild depends on having members volunteer for these positions. We are asking members to consider taking on these tasks for 1 year. If you decide that you wouldn't mind serving for a longer period that is great. By the same token, if after a short period, you decide that the position is not what you expected and would like to step down - no problem, no hard feelings. Assistant to the Membership Committee: Needs to be a Guild member that attends most meetings. As new members join the Guild and existing members renew their membership, filter this information and pass it on to the Chairman of the Membership Committee. Make the badges for renewing Guild members (equipment will be provided). Pass out badges to renewing Guild members at monthly Guild meetings. Takeover “ownership” of the Official Guild Membership data base as necessary, when the Membership Committee Chairman is out of town. Interface with Guild Treasurer on “dues issues”. Needs to have a computer and be comfortable with EXCEL type spread sheets (or Open Office equivalents). If you have any 4 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 questions about this function, please talk to Albin Drzewianowski. Guild Treasurer: Serve on the Executive Board: attend Exec Board Meetings; take part in discussions of issues before the Board; and vote on those issues which call for a vote. Keep track of income and expenses of the Guild against the Guild budget. Maintain the Guild Check Book. Deposit Guild funds into the checking account. Write checks as necessary to reimburse members for approved expenses, and to pay bills on behalf of the Guild. Work with the Guild's tax accountant to prepare and submit the Guild's tax forms to the state and to the IRS. Perform other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the President or by the Board of Directors. Event Coordinators: The Executive Board would like to have a Guild member who will be responsible for each of the events put on by the Guild. We already have a Blacksmith Days Chairman. We are asking members to sign up to coordinate a particular event one time (if they want to do it for more than one time that is wonderful but not required or expected.) The important thing here is that the Event Coordinator is not expected to do all the work in preparation for the event, rather he/she is expected to make sure that someone is taking care of each of the details needed for a successful event. Emphasis here is on “coordination”. “Coordination” would cover things like: advertising: Newsletter, Yahoo Group, Facebook, etc.; has the needed space been reserved; do we have the necessary paper-products and plastic ware; has a BBQ grill been lined up (for the crab feast); do we have adequate soft drinks; has someone agreed to bring and retrieve the “anvil signs”; etc. Each event has its own particular requirements. Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland The following events need a Coordinator: Annual BGCM Chili Cook-Off, March Guild meeting. Annual BGCM Ice-Cream FreezeOff, August Guild meeting Annual BGCM Crab Feast, September Guild meeting Annual Principio Hammer-In, October. Ted McNett has volunteered to coordinate this event in 2015. Annual BGCM Holiday Party, November Guild meeting. The Executive Board will work with the Coordinator. The Executive Board is putting together workbooks/check lists for each of these events. If you are interested, or if you just have questions, please speak to a Guild Board Member. Class: Torch fired copper enameling Instructor: Ted McNett Assisting: Sarah Heller Dates: Mar 21 - 22, 2015 (Sat-Sun) Fee: $175 Learn the basics of enameling using an acetylene torch. Enameling is the process of using heat to fuse powdered glass to metal. Basic equipment, materials and techniques will be discussed. The student will learn how to apply patterns, shapes, stencils, and wire inlays to create unique designs for pendants, earrings, or added adornment. Students may experiment with steel if interested. All needed materials and supplies will be provided. Limit of 8 students. Safety glasses are required. Class time 9AM-4PM each day. Call 410-386-3882 or Email [email protected] to register Reminder Class: Knife Making It may be the beginning of the year, but it doesn't hurt to start thinking about the Guild elections coming up next fall. This year we will elect/re-elect the 3 at-large Directors. If you are at all interested in running, speak with any current or past member of the Executive Board. Instructor: Walter Van Alstine Assisting: TBD Dates: Feb 28 – Mar 1, 2015 (Sat/Sun) Fee: $175 Learn the basics of knife making and finish a forged blade with handle. Class time 9AM4PM each day. _________________ Class: BS-101 (Beginner’s Blacksmithing) Wednesday Evenings Beginner _____________________ Upcoming Blacksmith Classes Bob Hungerman The following are Classes to be offered starting in January 2015 and later: IF you are interested in becoming an instructor for one of the many 101 or 202 classes given each year OR if you would like to teach a class on a subject we have not had yet, please contact Bob Hungerman [email protected] Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Instructor: Albin Drzewainowski Assisting: Bill Koogle Dates: March 4, 11, 18, 25 & April 1, 2015 Fee: $175 Learn the basics of blacksmithing from forge and fire control to hammer control. You will learn to forge a fish tail scroll, pig tail scroll, tab hook, drive hook, forge poker, water can handle, and other student selected projects as time permits. Class time 6-9:30PM each day. Mar/ Apr 2015 HAMMER & TONG 5 Class: Super BS-101 (4 Day Beginner’s Blacksmithing) Instructor: Jim Maness Assisting: Bob Nagle Dates: April 13-16, 2015 Fee: $300 In this extended 4 day version of BS-101, students will learn blacksmithing safety, setting up of their own shop, evaluating equipment, an overview of forge welding, an overview of working with high carbon and tool steels, finishes and blacksmithing resources. Students will learn to make: Forge poker, drip cans, various types of hooks, forge & heat treat a scribe. Wed & Thurs will be open forge for students to try making items which fall within their skill level & time limits. Class time 9AM-4PM each day. If you are interested in attending a BGCM class please contact Sue Molare at 410-386-3882 or email her at [email protected] at the Carroll County Farm Museum. ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Beginner's Corner Albin Drzewianowski The HAMMER ((Originally published in July, 2003)) You can’t get much more basic in blacksmithing than a discussion about hammers. After your anvil, the hammer is probably your most important tool. There seem to be a number of different theories about hammers. One theory says to do everything with one hammer, preferably a 3 pound hammer. The other end of the spectrum espouses the theory that you should have dozens of hammers, each specific for one purpose. You will probably want to find a middle ground somewhere between these two extremes. Here in America the traditional blacksmithing hammer seems to be the cross peen hammer. Based on books I have read, British and Canadian trained blacksmiths seem to favor the ball peen hammer. Those blacksmiths who originally were trained as farriers often use a rounding hammer (more on this type of hammer later). I think some of the best advice for beginners is to try as many different types and weights of hammers as possible. Try to pay attention to things like balance, weight, length and shape of handle. I had found, even early in my blacksmithing experiences that certain hammers just seem to fit my hand. I could not explain why, but they felt like an extension of my arm. Other hammers seemed to just not belong there; no matter how I tried, they did not seem to work right. Pay attention to your instincts. Each blacksmith is different and what is a great hammer for one can be a poor choice for another blacksmith. So go to hammer-in’s tail-gate areas and flea-markets, and watch for hammers, especially hammer heads. I often find good hammer heads for $.50 to $1.00. Learn to re-handle hammers; learn to re-grind hammer faces and peens using a belt sander; both are valuable skills. When you come across a handle that seems to fits your hand and seems to work well, study it carefully. Try to determine what characteristics make it good for YOU. When you go to blacksmith events, pay close attention to the type and size hammer the demonstrator is using. How is the handle shaped? How long is the handle? How many different hammers does he/she use in the demonstration? An important word of warning: many blacksmiths are very possessive about their favorite hammers. Always ask if you may try it or even touch it, and don’t be put off if they say no. Many smiths have 6 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland hunted long and hard to find the “perfect” hammer and don’t want someone else abusing it, especially a beginner. There are a number of different styles of blacksmith hammers. If you study the catalogs, you will see that there are French pattern, Swedish pattern, German pattern hammers, Czech and others. Often you will see a smith who has settled on a particular pattern and he will have a small, medium and large, all in that particular pattern. The traditional American style of cross peen, like the ones sold at SEARS, are sometimes called English pattern hammers. Over the years I have come to the conclusion that the balance of the hammer is a critical factor. You want to have the same amount of steel on each end of the hammer: face and peen. If the hammer has a lot more steel at the hammer-face end compared to the peen end, you will constantly be fighting to keep the hammer correctly oriented to your target on the anvil. This is extra work for your arm and wrist. That is why, fairly early in my blacksmithing, I went from using a cross peen hammer to using a rounding hammer. (A rounding hammer, used by farriers to make and adjust horseshoes. It has the same amount of steel at each end. One end is basically flat and the other end has a slight dome to it.) Using a well-balanced hammer really made a difference to me. I will use a cross peen hammer when I need the peen, but 90% of the time, I am using a rounding hammer. And if the rounding hammer has a square face instead of a round one, you can use the top and bottom edges of the hammer face as cross peens and the two side edges as straight peens – the best of all worlds. Hammer handles are another issue that keep a beginner from realizing the joy of using a “perfect” hammer. Each blacksmith’s hands are different, the odds of a hammer coming with the perfect handle for your particular hand are pretty slim. At one time I noticed that SEARS sold a fairly nice cross peen hammer, but the handle was way too thick for anyone who did not have monster size hands. Since the handles are made of wood and most of the time we need to make them smaller, it is a simple matter of taking a wood rasp and thinning them down. Based on a number of demonstrators and personal experience, I have come to prefer a roughly rectangular shaped handle. If the handle is too round, it tends to rotate in your grip and again, you have to fight that tendency to rotate. If the handle is rectangular and properly oriented to the head you always know exactly what angle the hammer head is to your work. Also with a rectangular handle, it takes just the slightest finger pressure to adjust the angle of attack. (I once had the disturbing experience of using what seemed to be a perfectly good cross peen hammer, only to leave a lot of hammer marks all over my steel. Drove me crazy. I finally realized that the handle was installed at a slight angle to the head and when I thought I was holding the hammer straight, I was actually holding it at a slight angle, hence all the stray hammer marks.) Once you find a handle that really seems to fit your hand (I call that the “ooh-ahh” experience - your hand seems to whisper “ooh-ahh” when you pick up the hammer.) carefully copy down the dimensions: length and girth every couple of inches along the handle. Better yet: cut that handle off the hammer head and save it as a pattern so that you can copy it every time you need a new handle. There is a relationship between size of steel and size of hammer. The bigger/thicker the steel, the bigger the hammer you will need. You can always use a big hammer on small steel (but it will take greater skill and hammer control) but if you try to use a small hammer on big metal, you will probably end up wasting your time. You need that extra mass to apply enough force to move the steel. This is just basic physics – mass and force. VERY IMPORTANT: Over the past few years, I have started to see a growing number of beginners using very heavy hammers (I attribute this to YouTube. I have seen any number of highly unqualified people demonstrating blacksmithing, speaking as if they were experts, showing extremely poor technique. Any number of them swinging a sledge hammer head on short handle.) For the beginner, this is only going to lead to serious elbow and shoulder injury. I have seen full time blacksmiths working with 4+ pound hammers. But they smith every day. They have worked up to those heavy hammers over a long period of time. They are used to swinging that size of hammer and have Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Mar/ Apr 2015 HAMMER & TONG 7 tremendous hammer control. For the beginner: accuracy of the hammer blow MUST come first. Then over time, as you develop strength you can SLOWLY work up to heavier hammers. Most blacksmiths have that 6-8 pound hammer head on a short handle in their shop. But it is there for very specific situations. The smith uses it for a few hammer blows where he needs that extra weight. It is a specialty tool, not an everyday/all the time hammer. Finally, I want to close with a brief discussion about the habit of tapping the anvil with the hammer between hammer blows. As you watch different smiths work you will see some smiths who never tap the anvil and other smiths who seem to constantly do it. There are various theories here. One is that tapping the anvil is a waste of energy, i.e. you shouldn’t do it. Others say that tapping the anvil keeps up the rhythm of your work as you turn the piece of metal or to give you a moment to stop and think about what you are doing. My own theory is that a smith tends to emulate his/her teachers. If you took basic blacksmithing classes from a blacksmith who has a tendency to tap the anvil as he/she works, you will do it also. If your teacher did not do that, you probably won’t either. Myself, I find that as I get more tired, I tend to tap the anvil more than I did at the beginning of the forging session. Lightly hitting the anvil between forging strokes, seems to rest my arm slightly. In any case it is something to watch for as you observer other blacksmiths work. HAPPY HAMMERING!! ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Shop Tips Albin Drzewianowski Here are some SHOP TIPS that I picked up at the ABANA Conference last August. From Kevin Clancy, Guild member and member of POMM (Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths). • When doing file work. Get the fire scale off before you start to use your good files. Kevin likes to use cheap diamond files from Harbor Freight to take off the scale. Scale is much harder than the steel and will ruin your good files if you do not first remove the scale first. . • If you have trouble finding “safe-edge files” take regular files and carefully grind off the teeth along one or both sides of the file. • To clean your best files, use a brass BBQ brush. To remove embedded chips from small files use the tip of an X-Acto knife. According to Jeff Funk, stainless steel expands twice as much when heated as compared to steel. As part of the POMM (Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths) demonstrations, Peter Renzetti took apart the Gothic Doorknocker, which was the first POMM project created at an ABANA conference many years ago. This was the first time it had been disassembled. After cleaning off the fine rust film he used KEL-101 PURE SILICON SPRAY on the parts. He used a natural bristle brush to buff up the silicon on the metal and get the silicon into all the nooks and crannies. Third Hand Ted McNett I saw this simple third hand in a Mark Aspery You Tube video and decided to make one. I was working on fireplace tool sets that were 28 inches long. This really made it simple to split the tab to attach the shovel pan as well as slit and drift the tool stand upright for the cross bar. I used 5/8” round because it fit my pritchel hole well but ½” would have worked as well. It should pivot easily in the pritchel hole. Since it pivots in the pritchel hole you can adjust the distance needed to support your work piece. The bar in the pritchel hole is about 4 inches long, the first leg is about 8 inches away from the anvil, and 12 inches along the anvil with a large scroll end to prevent anything from sliding off. The support bar is even with the face of the anvil. 8 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ String of Pearls as demonstrated by Allan Kress By Bob Hungerman The following is a description on how to forge a “String of Pearls” as demonstrated by Allan Kress at the 2015 Gichner Hammer-in. The string is a set of decreasing spheres with a drawn out and curled end. Allan uses Schedule 40 pipe to reduce the overall weight of the finished piece. He has found that forging this piece from solid bar stock results in the end having too much weight/mass which leads to cracking in the necked down sections between the larger “Pearls” Start by necking down the pipe with a Smithin’ magician or appropriate tool. (Fig 1). Draw out the end to represent a vine or finial; (Fig 2). The final step will be to place a curl or corkscrew twist in the end. Be careful not to draw out the end too much. Allan does not weld the end shut and therefore thinning too much will result in a crack or split at the end. Next begin separating each “pearl” using a set of “V” dies in a Smithin’ magician. The “V” dies are fairly acute but not sharp, the working end has a slight radius. Rotate the piece while you neck down each section to achieve a round indentation (Fig 3). Progress back from the tapered end through the pipe allowing slightly more space between each pearl so each becomes bigger than the last (Fig 4). Allan had originally tried to forge each pearl as a complete round ball using different sized fullers, but has opted for this method as being faster and requiring one tool instead of many. When all the sections have been made you will notice they are not complete Spheres; the flat taper from step one is still present. Finish each with a file, or on the slack section of a belt sander (Fig 5). There is enough wall thickness from the initial tapering of the pipe that you will not file a hole into the pearl. Finally heat the entire piece and put a curve or corkscrew throughout its length (Fig 6). Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Mar/ Apr 2015 HAMMER & TONG 9 ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ TRADITIONAL ARTS CLASSES RETURN The Carroll County Farm Museum is pleased to announce the return of the Museum’s popular Traditional Arts Classes. These classes offer students the opportunity to learn an historic craft from artisans skilled in traditional arts. The Museum’s February 2015 schedule includes Tinsmithing, Pennsylvania German Fraktur painting, Open Hearth Cooking, Broom Making and Basket Making. Classes will be held Feb. 21 and Feb. 22 at the Museum, 500 S. Center St., Westminster, MD. Class details are listed below. To register, please call the Carroll County Farm Museum at 410-3863880 or 1- 800-654-4645. For more information, visit www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org The Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland also continues to offer its popular roster of blacksmithing classes at the Farm Museum. These classes are offered year-round and fill quickly. For more information and a schedule, please visit www.bgcmonline.org. February 2015 Traditional Arts Classes Tinsmithing 101 Beginner/Novice Sat. 2/21/2015 & Sun. 2/22/2015 (two day class) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $150 10 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Using tools and techniques of tinsmiths from the 1800’s, each student will create a biscuit cutter, wall sconce, candle holder and lantern. This class is open to students 16 and older. Only basic physical strength is required. Cost includes project materials. Students should bring: a pair of cotton gloves, scratch awl, ruler with 16th of an inch graduations, a pair of tin snips with non-serrated edges and a bag lunch. Hearth Broom Making Sat. 2/21/2015 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost: $35 Each student will use broom corn to make a hearth broom about three feet long with a natural handle. The broom can be used for sweeping or as decoration. The class will include a brief history on brooms along with a step-by-step handout. No previous broom making experience necessary. Open Hearth Cooking Hearty Winter’s Brunch: Chicken & Dumplins’ Sat. 2/21/05 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost: $35 Come join us and learn to cook over the open hearth as in ages past. This is a “hands on” class -students will prepare and enjoy a tasty meal along with good conversation by the fire. Students will also learn the procedure of caring for and seasoning cast iron pots. T.T. 410/848-9747 Basket Making: Sat. 2/21/2015 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $35 Each student will make a melon or egg basket; eight inches in diameter with a handle. It is made with ¼” reed and two hoops. Class will include a brief history on baskets along with a step by step handout. No previous basket making experience necessary. Pennsylvania German Fraktur Sun. 2/22/2015 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $63 Students will learn the history of Fraktur painting and paint a Pennsylvania Dutch design. The student will add a verse to the project of their own choosing. A faux finished frame will be painted to match the fraktur. Please bring a bag lunch. Open Hearth Cooking Hearty Winter’s Brunch: Ham, Potatoes, Green Beans & Cabbage Sun. 2/22/2015 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost: $35 Come join us and learn to cook over the open hearth as in ages past. This is a “hands on” class -students will prepare and enjoy a tasty meal along with good conversation by the fire. Students will also learn the procedure of caring for and seasoning cast iron pots. March Traditional Classes: CHAIR CANING: March 20, 21, & 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $90 HAND ETCHING ON STONE: March 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost: $70 MARKET or WINE BASKET: March 21, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost: $50 TINSMITHING 101 Beginner/Novice: March 21, & 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $150 TORCH FIRED COPPER ENAMELING/BLACKSMITH CLASS: March 21 & 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $175 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Mar/ Apr 2015 HAMMER & TONG 11 Put on Your “Thinking Caps” BGCM 30th Anniversary Coming UP 2016 will be the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland. Be thinking about how you would like to observe this incredible accomplishment. The Guild has come a long way over the years. We need to celebrate our success. ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Blacksmithing on the INTERNET By Albin Drzewianowski Baltimore Knife and Sword has a series of videos on YouTube. “Man-at-Arm, REFORGED”. There are about a dozen or so videos showing Kerry Stagmar and his crew making reproductions of various weapons used in movies and video games. These videos run about 8-12 minutes long. A new one comes out every other week. The really impressive part is that they are using real knives and sword steels. So the production of these fantasy items includes a heat treat resulting in incredibly sharp weapons. You get to see the tools and processes need to make these kinds of edged items. Search “man at arms reforged” on YouTube to find these videos. Other You Tube Channels: Ontario Blacksmiths – Hammer-in demos and workshops Jim Johnston – Featuring Clifton Ralph power hammer videos Ponderosa Forge & Ironworks – projects Swallow Forge – tooling and projects Thomas Ironworks – projects Foleys Forge – In business since 1845 in England Susan Xu – Anyang power hammers and industrial forging Search for: Video Tour of the Disneyland Resort Ironwork (Wrought Iron Fences & Gates) Blists Hill Ironworks Rolling Iron July 2011.avi ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Repoussé Exhibit in Baltimore By Albin Drzewianowski From December 2014 through 19 July, 2015 there is an exhibition of American repoussé work at the Evergreen Museum & Library on the Johns Hopkins University campus, 4545 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 410.516.0341: Repousse Style, Then and Now: A Celebration of the Art of Michael Izrael Galmer. The exhibition is in the North Gallery; 11am to 4pm on Tues-Fri; noon4pm on Sat/Sun. This ornament style had fallen out of fashion in the last quarter of the 20 th century but thanks to the work of contemporary artists such as Michael Izrael Galmer, a Russian-émigré silversmith, this style of work is coming back. The exhibition has 30 pieces by Galmer along with historic pieces from the Museum collection. http://www.museums.jhu.edu/evergreen.php?section=exhibitions&exhibition=galmer 12 HAMMER & TONG Mar/Apr 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Carroll County Farm Museum Historic Forge The Guild and the Farm Museum have formalized the requirements for those who wish to demonstrate in the Historic Forge. All new demonstrators need to meet the following requirements. 1. 2. 3. 4. Become a BGCM member in good standing; Attend a BGCM Historic Forge Demonstrator Orientation; Demonstrate at 3 CCFM events with a qualified demonstrator; Request that your name be added to the BGCM Historic Forge Demonstrator list. Demonstrators who already have experience demonstrating in the Historic Forge do not have to go through the process as described above. This is intended for new demonstrators. An orientation session will be scheduled in April. The first CCFM event of the season will be the Civil War reenactment weekend on 2/3 May, 2015 School tours to the Farm Museum will start up in April and will run until the end of the school year. They will start up again in September. Anyone who is available on weekdays between 9am and 2pm, Tue-Fri. Should contact David Gursky, Historic Forge Coordinator. 410.695.2582 [email protected] _________________________________________________ Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland __________________________________________ Jan/Feb 2015 HAMMER & TONG 13 Join us May 16 - 17, 2015 for the Future of Forging Featuring Matt Harris - Harris Metalsmith Studio, Perryville, MD A leader in architectural metalwork, Matt began his career in Blacksmithing and custom metalwork with a traditional apprenticeship with master blacksmith and industrial designer, Alphonsus Moolenschot. After completing his apprenticeship, he went on to work for the Michael Coldren Co. specializing in historic and reproduction hardware and as an industrial blacksmith for Guytano Mazzola at Mazzola & Sons, as well as a few other large scale architectural shops. In 2007, Matthew opened Harris Metalsmith Studio forging a steady stream of architectural projects, sculptures, vessels, and a line of furniture. Aislinn Lewis - Anderson Blacksmith Shop, Colonial Williamsburg, VA A passionate smith currently honing her skills as an Apprentice in the Anderson Blacksmith Shop in Colonial Williamsburg. Like many, Aislinn’s craft began as a hobby, forging at a small historical site, then as a member of the Heathsville Forge Blacksmith Guild. Soon her passion for historical work led her to the American College of the Building Arts, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Ornamental Ironwork and trained under notable blacksmiths Jay Close and Richard Guthrie. Now under the guidance Master Blacksmith Ken Schwarz, she brings life to artifacts and a little education along the way. Sam Salvati - Baltimore Knife & Sword Co., Marriottsville, MD A gifted bladesmith and blacksmith, Sam has always been fascinated by swords of knights and samurai, and the traditional utility blades of all different cultures. He is engaged by almost all aspects of steel working, from welding and machining to heavy industrial forging to fine artistic forging, but bladesmithing holds a special place for him. The pursuit of knowledge and methodology in bladesmithing led him to blacksmithing. 14 HAMMER & TONG Jan/Feb 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland . inspirin Blacksmith Days Schedule Friday, May 15th 8:00 AM - ?? Set-up 6:00 PM - ?? Informal Social and Pot Luck Dinner Saturday, May 16th 7:00 AM Tailgaters set up only 8:00 AM Gates Open; Continental Breakfast 8:00 AM - ?? Tailgating (Sales of Tools, Books, and Blacksmith’s Equipment) 9:00 AM - NOON Demonstrations 9:00 AM - NOON On-Site Forging Contest (Judging at Noon) NOON - 1:00 PM Lunch - Iron-in-the-Hat Drawing @ 12:30 (Tickets on sale until 12:15) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Demonstrations 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Judging for Home Forged Contest Items 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Live Auction of Forged Items 6:30 PM - ?? Dinner in the Museum Barn (Pre-Registration Required) Demonstrators may speak briefly about their ventures into Blacksmithing, followed by informal discussion. Presentations open to all registered attendees. Presentation schedule to be announced. Sunday, May 17th 8:00 AM Gates Open; Continental Breakfast (Tailgaters may enter at 7:00AM) 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tailgating 9:00 AM - NOON Demonstrations NOON Silent Auction Ends NOON - 1:00 PM Lunch - Iron-in-the-Hat Drawing @ 12:30 (Tickets on sale until 12:15) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Demonstrations 4:00 PM Raffle Drawings Blacksmith Days 2015 Forging Contests This year BGCM will have three contests. You may bring the completed forged items with you or you will have the opportunity to forge it or finish it on Saturday in the BGCM School, first come forge availability. A BGCM Forge Master must be present for the BGCM School forges to be used. The BGCM Forge Master may provide technical assistance or advice with your contest item. The three contest items are: 1. Forged Keychain – multi-tool in one: how many things can you make one forged keychain do? 2. Colonial or Sheffield style knife 3. Mini anvil – as small or large as you want to forge it Contest Rules: Items must have been forged by the contestant since BSD 2014. Registered BSD 2015 attendees may use the forging stations in the BGCM School, Saturday, to forge or finish the contest items. The forging contests will be judged by the demonstrators on the design, technical details, and overall execution. The prizes will be awarded at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, May 16, 2015 before the live auction. Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Jan/Feb 2015 HAMMER & TONG 15 The judges’ decisions are final. First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded for each forging contest. Please contact Ted McNett, BSD 2015 Chair, if you have any questions about the contests, [email protected] Blacksmith Coal C & O Distributors Inc. Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland 50 Lb. Bag – Members $10/Non-Members $15 514 Lucabaugh Mill Rd Westminster MD 21157 410-848-7640 410-876 1711 Available at: Monthly Guild meetings and Open Forge Nights Prices in effect once the new coal is bagged Carries a wide variety of welding, grinding and farrier supplies Blue Moon Press Kayne & Son Custom Hardware Inc. 100Daniel Ridge Road, Candler, NC 28715 Tel: (828) 667-8868 Or (828) 665-1988 Fax: (828) 665-8303 Supporting the Art of Metal Work Around the World Toll Free 866.627.6922 www.bluemoonpress.org Iron Kiss Hammers Modern Tools for the Modern Blacksmith Phone: 804-530-0290 Website: http://www.blacksmithsupply.com/ Blacksmith Supply P.O. Box 3766 Chester, Va. 23831 Also check out www.euroanvils.net for our line of European Anvils KURT BECHTEL SALES REPRESENTATIVE ROERTS OXYGEN COMPANY,INC TEL:(410) 840-0440 96 JOHN STREET FAX: (410) 840-1912 WESTMINSTER, MD 21157 CELL: (443) 506-0924 Email [email protected] Show BGCM Membership Badge foe 15% Discount 16 HAMMER & TONG Jan/Feb 2015 John Larson 410-925-2255 [email protected] www.ironkisshammers.com 100# Utility Hammer Manufacturer of air hammers for discerning smiths and metal workers since 1996 Charles R. Dover Blacksmith Tools and Punches 302-798-8225 302-229-9218 [email protected] Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Riley Welding and Fabricating, Inc. FABRICATORS OF METAL PRODUCTS JOSH BARNHART CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER (717) 637-6014 Fax: (717) 637-1106 EMAIL: [email protected] 234 POPLAR St. HANOVER, Pa. 17331 Centaur Forge LLC - Wisconsin 117 North Spring Street Burlington, WI 53105 Phone: 1-800-666-9175 Fax: (262) 763-8350 Chisels – Horseshoe Nails – Nail Headers – Punches – Swage Blocks – Tongs – Wire Bushes ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Calendar of Events 2015 March Sunday, 15 March, 2015 Trade Item: A trivet April Sunday 26 April, 2015 Trade Item: A flower May Saturday/Sunday 16/17 May 2015 Blacksmith Days June Sunday, 14, Jun, 2015 Trade Item: Grill tool July Sunday, 19 July, 2015 Trade Item: Non-ferrous metal August Sunday, 16 Aug. 2015 Trade Item: A knife or edged tool September Sunday 27 Sept, 2015 Annual Crab feast/picnic need the outside pavilions Item: Crab related item October Saturday, 24 Oct, 2015Principio Furnace Hammer-In October Sunday 25 Oct, 2015 November Saturday, 21 Nov, 2015 Holiday party Trade Item: Christmas Tree Ornament Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Chili Cook-Off Ice Cream Freeze-Off Trade Trade Item: Belt Buckle Jan/Feb 2015 HAMMER & TONG 17 Upcoming Events Apr 17 - 19, 2015 BGOP Spring Fling Featuring Mark Aspery and Williamsburg gunsmith Richard Sullivan The Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac is holding their annual Spring Fling on 17-19 April, 2015 on the grounds of the Clarke County ruritan Fairgrounds, 890 W. Main St., Berryville, VA. This year’s featured demonstrators will be Mark Aspery and Colonial Williamsburg gunsmith, Richard Sullivan. Registration is $60 and goes up to $75 after 23 March and at the gate that weekend. This includes meals starting with Friday supper through Sunday Lunch. There is camping on site along with all the usual hoopla that goes with a hammer-in: tail-gating, iron-in-the-hat; auction, etc. The registration form and further details are available on the BGOP webpage: www.bgop.org May 16 - 17, 2015 Blacksmith Days 2015 Featuring Matt Harris, Sam Salvati, and Aislinn Lewis (See Flyer) Oct 24, 2015 8th Annual BGCM Principio Hammer-In ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ Pictures from recent Forging an Iron Rose class. 18 HAMMER & TONG Jan/Feb 2015 Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland BGCM Guild Meetings The Guild meets monthly in the Blacksmith School on the grounds of the Carroll County Farm Museum, 500 South Center Street, Westminster, Maryland. The school is open at 9:00 a.m. LUNCH: Potluck. Please bring a hot dish, salad or dessert to share. Drinks and paper products will be provided. The Iron in the Hat drawing is held after Lunch; bring items of use to blacksmiths to donate and some money for tickets. There is a business meeting at 1:00 p.m. *** Since the February Monthly meeting was cancelled for weather, members should bring their February Trade Items, a blacksmith tool, to be exchanged at the March Meeting. *** Sunday, Mar 15, 2015 Sunday Apr 26, 2015 Chili Cook-Off Monthly Meeting Trade Item: A Trivet Trade Item: A Flower BGCM Open Forge Evenings There is a monthly Open Forge, on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6-9 pm. Check the guild phone (410-386-9150) message to confirm the Forge will be open Thursday Mar 12, 2015 Thursday Apr 9, 2015 BGCM Inclement Weather Policy If Carroll County, Maryland, Schools have been closed for Thursday or are already closed for the next day, Friday; then OPEN FORGE is cancelled for that Thursday night If the winter weather seems bad or threatening on the day of a meeting or open forge, or if it snowed on the weekend, we may have to cancel since the Farm Museum is closed to the public during the winter and often the County does not plow out the Farm Museum until Monday. Call the BGCM phone number, 410-386-9150, to check if the event has been cancelled. Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland Jan/Feb 2015 HAMMER & TONG 19 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION / RENEWAL Name ______________________________ Address ______________________________ City ______________________________ State ________ Zip ______________ Phone (_____) _____-________ Email: __________________________ New Member Individual Renewal Family (List ages of dependent children (_________________________________) Are you a member of ABANA? Read and Sign liability release statement on reverse side of this form Dues: $25 - Individual / $30 - Family 2015 Dues are Now Due Membership dues are for the period: January 1 through December 31 Includes a subscription to the Guild’s bimonthly newsletter, The HAMMER & TONG. Make checks payable to Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland and mail with completed and signed application form to: BLACKSMITH GUILD OF CENTRAL MARYLAND P. O. BOX 593 Randallstown, MD 21133 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LIABILITY RELEASE I understand that blacksmithing and other metal work are inherently dangerous activities and agree to attend and participate in any and all BLACKSMITH GUILD OF CENTRAL MARYLAND events at my own risk. Further, I agree to wear all required safety equipment including, but not limited to, safety glasses. I understand if I am not wearing said safety equipment, I may be asked to leave and agree to do so. I release THE BLACKSMITH GUILD OF CENTRAL MARYLAND, INC., its members and officers from liability should there occur an injury or accident while I am participating in any Guild sponsored activity. Signed: _______________________________________ 20 HAMMER & TONG Jan/Feb 2015 Date: __________________ Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland
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