by Jim McCarty I must say Maurice Ellis has a nice shop, although the flowers on the anvils were a bit different. Rumor has it that Maurice has been forging outside using a brake drum forge and a piece of railroad track for an anvil ever since we had the First Fire Workshop. We had a big group of BAM members on hand for the March meeting held at the Ellis' Lizard Ridge Forge near Belgrade, Mo. Maurice had things well organized with demos ready to start at 8 am. Pat McCarty started things out with a snake head he learned while in Texas. When Pat got done the anvil had a few less flowers on it and Bob Alexander was ready to take over. Bob attended a Clay Spencer flower forging class via a BAM scholarship and he was paying his debt to society. Bob did his work cold using the treadle hammer. He showed us some neat tricks to make things easier and some nifty tools he forged for the project. He also had some of his work on display so we could see the finished project. Next it was Andrew MacDonald showing off what he learned at a Tom Latane class, also done on scholarship. Andrew did some neat chisel work and passed around a door knocker that was gorgeous. He also showed us how he slits 1-inch stock in one heat using an air hammer. Wow! Before we broke for lunch Lou Mueller did some copper repousse work, hammering out an owl for a weather vane. Lou had some neat tooling, especially a vice made from a lathe chuck that held his stakes. Good idea. I left after the business meeting but I think folks were taking turns at Maurice's (or is it Bess?) homebrewed air hammer, which most folks said was the smoothest one they had ever worked under. It was a great day and a good chance to see a well-organized shop. Rumor has it that Hank Knickmeyer is now making circular knives. That's the only reason we could see that he would want to buy a cone from Bert. (It couldn't be that Hank knows a bargain, could it?) There were some nice tools for sale, a sure sign that spring is here. Thanks to Maurice and Bess for a super day. Minutes March Meeting Minutes of last meeting approved as printed in newsletter. Pat tried an experimental PA systm. A couple will be tried out before BAM buys one. School system in St. Louis County (Rockwood District) would like someone to lecture on blacksmithing during craft lecture. See Pat McCarty if interested. Faust Park craft festival on May 13 (Saturday). Pat will demo. May 20-21 will be big annual Planting TimeFestival at Faust Park. Tim Underwood will demo. Other BAM members invited, can sell work, etc. BAM gets numerous calls for volunteer demonstrations. See Pat if you would like to demo. Doug Hendrickson and Tom Clark will head up bylaw committee. Gary Koberman volunteered to help on this. Elections coming up. Jim McCarty will head up election committee. Maurice Ellis and Ken Markley volunteered to help. Set up for the Ozark Conferene will begin Wednesday May 3. Call Tom Clark to volunteer to help. Lots of strong backs needed . Auction at the Ozark Conference a great way to show your skills! Applications for BAM scholarships encouraged. Use form in BAM newsletter. 1996 ABANA Conference News: conference planners have an idea to cnstruct a chess set from pieces forged by chapters. More info to come. Finance report: $7,300 in bank. Discussion of providing money to fund books, etc. for BAM library. SIU Hammer-in May 23, several demonstrators and open forges. Knifemaker's workshop at historical society in Mt. Vernon, Ill. Check with Ken Markely for details. Hammer in at Eureka Springs, Ark. with opportunity for sales. Check with Jim McCarty for details. Meeting adjourned. Iron in the hat went as follows: John Stovesand hinges went to Doug Hendrickson John Stovesand drafting set to Joseph Sisco Phil Williamson tool steel to Torbin Pace Tony Smith spoon to Steve Stunkel Pat McCarty blood spattered meat cleaver to Bob Alexander Tony Smith iron horse shoe to Bob Alexander Bob Bupp chandelier to J.K. Reynolds John Stovesand caliper set to Thomas Moroni Jim McCarty cable knife kit to Jim Waller John Stovesand angle drill to JK Reynolds John Stovesand caliper set to Walt Eickelmann John Stovesand caliper set to Bill Miller John Stovesand machine tool set to Hank Knickmeier Iron in the hat raised $216 Trade items were made by Jeff Pitman, John Murray, Joe Wilkerson, Doug Hendrickson, Steve Stunkel, Phil Williamson, Pat McCarty, Jim Pitman, Maurice Ellis, JK Reynolds, Bess Ellis, Emil Bubash, Roberta Francis, Ed Harper, Tony Smith and Jim McCarty. ' John Murray, secretary