Well, I finally got a bit of time to catch up with things on the computer. I'm in a hotel in Chicago tonight and will be heading toward the Guild of Metalsmiths meet in Minneapolis tomorrow.

The NEB Fall meet in Vermont was terrific! Great demos by Steve Parker (power hammer forging), Steve Bronstein (forging pipe), Nathan Robertson (hammer making), Steve Gensheimer (design considerations) and Dave Hammer (forging hats). The NEB hired a pair of videographers to record the demos and they also provided a big screen remote monitor in the overflow tent so everyone got a good view of the demos. Every group staging such an event should do the same. Not only can everyone see better, but there is a recording of the demos to pass around/sell/archive when it is all done.

I got spend a little time chatting with Judson Yaggy, who some of you know form here and other forums, although he was kept extremely busy operating the forklift and handling set-up and teardown, plus loading tailgate purchases for people. There were about a hundred and fifty attendees so there were lots of people to talk with and from whom to get good ideas and inspiration.

One thing that I found really gratifying about this meet was the attendance in the "green coal" teaching area. There were a half dozen or more forges set up for beginners to use and they were busy constantly every day. Experienced smiths from NEB were on hand to teach anyone who wanted to learn. I've never before seen such interest at a meet and it bodes well for the future of the craft that there were so many young people who were participating. Charlotte, the 11 year-old daughter of Jim Fecteau, the meet's host, was in the teaching area from dawn to well after dark on Saturday and there again on Sunday until the equipment was taken down. I have a feeling that Jim will have a new helper in his shop after this.

This weekend is the Guild of Metalsmiths conference in the Minneapolis area. I'll be ther for that and then work my way down to Troy, Ohio for the QuadStates Roundup hosted by the Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil group. That one is probably the best regional blacksmithing event in the country. The SOFA folks have been doing this event for more than 25 years now and have it down to an absolute science. The tailgating there is so intense that people start showing up as early as Wednesday in order to get in on the great deals to be had there.

Sorry I don't have any good pictures to post with this. Like a chump, I left my traveling camera at home and the one I bought to take its place is a loathsome thing that drives me nuts. Perhaps I'll be more comfortable with it by the next meet, but I wouldn't count on it. I report anyway, and you can imagine the pictures.

If any of you are in these areas, I heartily recommend you attend. If you're there and don't see me, give me a call on my cell phone and I'll find you for a chat. (340) 277-6857 is the number.

Hope to see some of you there,

Rich