primtechsmith

Thanks for the update Jr.
...Will still be sending up some more kneemail....just to get everything back to normal for y'all very soon.
Hang in there buddy.

Peyton

~Next Meeting~

SATURDAY MARCH. 15th 2008

Where: Yesteryear Forge 15421 Five Forks Rd. Amelia VA 23002

Time: 10am-3pm

Lunch: BBQ for a suggested $5 donation to help offset the costs.

Demonstrator: CHRIS WINTERSTEIN of Dirt Circus Iron Works, Yellin Ironworks, and current President of ABANA!!!!!! Click here for a look at some of his work: [ABANA] Chris Winterstein

The first photo shown will be one of the things he will be demonstrating. It is a 3 piece forge welded trivet.

Reminders: IRON IN THE HAT!!!!!!!!!!!! and bring a chair!

Directions: From 360 EAST or WEST Turn across from GOODMAN TRUCK AND TRACTOR onto business 360. Go to your first road on your right and TURN RIGHT. Continue on to the stop sign. Go through that intersection and proceed approx. 2 miles. The forge is on the right. There is a "Yesteryear Forge" sign in the front yard. Parking is behind the forge. The forge is behind the house...

****MAPQUEST WILL GET YOU EXTREMELY LOST***** use them at your own risk!

RSVP to Peyton Anderson: president@blacksmithguildofva.com

NEW HOTEL IN AMELIA FOR THOSE "ROAD TRIP BLACKSMITHS"!!!!!! Here is the number: 804-561-4220 This is where we put up the demonstrators for the events. It is only about 5 miles from Yesteryear Forge on 360.

YOU CAN ALSO RSVP BY REPLYNG TO THIS THREAD!!!!!!!

Hope to see y'all there
Peyton

Negative Space....to me...

I am in now way an artist or consider myself as someone who can understand the motives of a lot of artwork out there. That being said....here is how I think of negative space.


For a while I was really into photography and actually worked at a photolab at Winn-Dixie in high school. I would sometimes run several hundred photos a night and would see them as the original negative and as the actual photo. To me...the two were completely different to me. It was cool to see the negative images compared to the actual and what seemed to be left out of each.

I sometimes see the same thing in iron work today. It has already been said the open space in a scroll, or the hollow spaces in sculpture, etc...

For me the most important part of negative space is its role in symmetry. Having one equal or compliment the other. There is nothing worse than seeing two scrolls on a piece that are not identical...

just how I see it..

Peyton

Good to see you over here Bill!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Peyton

Thanks Aaron and Jeremy....and all the others who popped in to try it out.

Adam is super sharp when it comes to figuring this stuff out....I did not expect him to come due to some family obligations but I was really happy to see him. I don't think it would have gone with out him. He is a good Technical Director!

Big thanks to everyone who was giving him feedback during the "show". He was able to tweek everything and get it bettter.

We will try it all again next month on the 15th with Chris Winterstein demonstrating....we are working now to test out increasing the room size to about 30...When it gets closer I will throw the link and times out for everyone!

Thanks again. It is really exciting to be involved with such a knowledgable group of smiths and willing participants to "boldly go where no guild has gone before"...

Credit also needs to go to Mike Tanner. This was his idea...and Adam's determination to make it all work has been a real blessing!

Thanks!
Peyton

Hey y'all!

We are in the middle of our monthly meeting with Nol Putnam doing a traditional joinery demo. THE WEB CAM IS UP AND RUNNING LIVE!!!!!!!!!

It is now lunch time....starting back in about 45 minutes.....1pm EST!!!

Here is the link: yesteryearforge - Live Webcam with Free Chat

Only 14 people can be in there at once for this run.....so go there!

Let me know what you think! We are still in the research and development stage!!!!

The audio is a little behind, but you can't beat the quality for a live and free web cam!!!

ENJOY!!!!!! and post here what you think please!!!!

Peyton Anderson
President, The Blacksmith Guild of Virginia

Bill Epps using the one at the shop for dishing out his swan...also a photo of him using Mike's "adjustable wooden swage tool" for the anvil...

Hope this helps...

Peyton

7th grade Civic and Economics Teacher and High School Tennis coach...during the week.

All other times I consider myself an employee of Yesteryear Forge working in any capacity Mike needs...

But most importantly I make a living by listening to my wonderful wife and letting her do the money thing. The other option is being single and living under a pile of anvils...though the anvils would be nice, Sarah is a much better option for me.


Peyton

Dan.
Thanks!
The first attempt went okay...the sound is off at varying degrees throughout the sessions. Some places are worse than others. Adam is actively researching new equipment and connections to hopefully reach our goal.

There is a new forge being installed now with an electric blower to better enhance the demo experience. And I will be playing around with the PA system placement even more to make it even better. Hopefully a better mic, and other stuff too.

Bandwidth is an issue and it is all pretty much over my head. I have a general understanding that allows me to barely keep up with Adam when he is talking about it...but he is the man. Everyone is saying he is beyond what they can do....so we are "bodly going where no one has gone before."

We are determined to make it work...we just have to get all the bugs worked out!

It is good to know you are an IT man by day....thanks. We may need your help...I will let you know.

Peyton

Phillip.
We are currently in the process of "Research and Development" with filming and HOPEFULLY recording, AND ultimately having our meetings go "live" as a webcast people can subscribe to and watch as it happens.

We are lucky to have such a great group of smiths and demonstrators and we want to help anyone and everyone and think this is the best option to do so...I hope the bugs can be worked out on the technical side in the next couple of months to get this going.

But...our Technical Director is in uncharted territory with using webcam cameras and remote wireless networking....and lots of other things that are in orbit way above my head and understanding.

Stay Tuned...

Peyton

well put Thomas.

P.

business is business....

I have learned and still learn a lot from anvilfire....it has been a long while since I have been in the slack tub pub...but chats usually turn into conversations about the weather so I try to stay away from most of them. But his site hols a copiuos amount of great information.

I frequent several forums...this one gets most of my time....but they all have something good to offer with different rules. I consider myself "a guest in their house" and follow the rules to the best of my ability on all out of respect and appreciation.

I am here on IFI because of the beginnings on anvilfire, and found forgemagic because of IFI(I think Thomas posted a link years ago) and b/c of Glenn helping when it was down, and found MAF because of IFI. All in all I say I tend to feel lucky they are all out there for me to learn from.

my .02
Peyton

When: February 16th 2008
Where: Yesteryear Forge Amelia VA 23002 (Directions: Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home )
Time: 10am-3:30pm
Lunch: Provided with $5 suggested donation. Fried Chicken

The Blacksmith Guild of Virginia is very excited to have:
NOL PUTNAM come and demonstrate a project he is formulating specifically for us to show some TRADITIONAL JOINERY techniques.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND IRON IN THE HAT!!! This is how we fund the monthly demonstrations and the newsletter!

Bring a comfortable chair!!!!!

RSVP so we can get an accurate lunch count!
Reply to this post
email me: president@blacksmithguildofva.com
call me: 434-390-6203

Everyone is welcome no matter your skill level, or if you are a member or not. We would love to have you join us for this special meeting by one of the most accomplished professional smiths in the country.


Looking forward to see you there!
Peyton

This is a great look at Alwin Wagener making a "drop tong" weld of his shovel blank to the handle.

You can see the scarfs...and the color is great. This photo is a good learning tool for me!

This photo is by Jerry Jones AKA "JWJ". He really has an eye for photography ans is a great asset to our guild.

Mark your calendars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2/16/08 10am-3:30pm

Nol Putnam will be the demonstrator at our February meeting. Nol has been featured in several issues of ABANA's "Anvil's Ring" magazine over the years. And has been instrumental in the continuing education of smiths throughout the country. He has also been recognized as a featured blacksmith in the back of "New Edge of the Anvil".

This should be one of the most informative meetings to date. He has a lot of knowledge and experience to share with everyone on all levels.

It will be at Yesteryear Forge Amelia VA you can get directions here: Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED

!!!!!!Iron in the Hat!!!!!!

Bring a comfortable chair!

Please RSVP if you are coming ASAP for a lunch count!
Thanks.
Peyton

Nice job.

Peyton

maybe if you can't think of the name it isn't time for it yet....sometimes pushing one out just to have one will make you rethink it later on and want to change it. Then the hassle of changing everything with the old name, etc.

I say when it smacks you in the face thats what it is...until then. just wait for it. it will come to you in due time.

Peyton

Travis I will be at Boones for sure! I am a CVBG member also so I can't miss that one! LOL!

You guys from Tidewater are ALWAYS welcome anytime!!!!!!!! I hope to see ya there!!! Let me know if you need anything.

saintjohn- no problem. I made one Monday and it turned out really nice. Keep the back part thicker when thining out the pedals. It will keep it from wanting to break apart on ya!

Life is good.

Peyton

uh.....maybe 14-16 inches....3/8" material also.

Dan- it was good to meet ya man! Hope to see you in February. And I am glad you had such a good time!

Peyton

ABANA has detailed plans available for purchase.
Here is the link:
[ABANA] The Store

Peyton

Hey ya'll.
I wanted to post this here for everyone and allow anyone and everyone to see how capable he is!

He is teaching a course at John C. Campbell, and after spending the day I am seriously thinking of having his course be my first at John C. His teaching style is easy and informative for people of all skill levels.

We had smiths from instructors to professionals to beginners there and they all commented on something different that they learned from the meeting.

Here are a few photos from the day. There are also about 90 more over in the gallery at Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home if you would like to take a look. They are in the gallery as "January Meeting 2008" There are 3 pages worth...saves me from uploading everything two or more times...

This was his warm up.....one piece rose. Pictured is his demo board to show the steps...


His wizard is the most realistic I have seen. And I think one of the best things he had there on display for us to look at. He based it off of a Yellin piece he had seen.


Alwin Wagener in the flesh! It was also neat to have him be....how shall I say it....hmm....younger! It is encouraging for me.


Nol Putnam next month.....gonna be a good time!

Peyton

Thanks Randy.
You beat me to it. I was going to copy over your email for everyone.

THIS SET OF VIDEOS IS GREAT!!!


it was also good to see you at Gichners!

Peyton

The voices in my head talk too loud to hear any music even if I did play it!..........ya'll hear something?.......


Peyton

Me and Sarah's rings were made by Mike....pretty memorable time. We sat in the machine shop while he turned a few out. Did some test fittings until they were just right. It was really cool to have watched them get made, and by my future father-in-law. Being stainless I have less worries of it wearing thin of getting bent up like gold or silver....

...it also quieted a few of my fears of him wanting to kill me too! The guy made the wedding rings so how could he want to murder me? LOL!!!!! I will try and upload a photo of it tonite if anyone is interested.

Peyton

No protocol......come as you are. We ask if you would consider an item for Iron in the Hat....or buy a few tickets....or both.

We leave it up to the members. What they put into it is what they will get back out.

So Dan.....Come as you are and you will be welcomed! $10 bucks in tickets may win you a few things to go home with too.....

See ya'll there!

Peyton