AN IDEA

[stuarthesmith]

I have an idea. This forum boasts a membership of close to 15 thousand members. How about an IFORGEIRON National Conference? I think the attendance at such an event would be stupendous!

[edge9001]

I second that emotion! or at the very least a few regional conferencees. It seems like Iforgeiron has developed into an ABANA like group. we should definately all get together. just let me know when and where!!

[bajajoaquin]

I think that if we looked at usage statistics, we'd see that we're still a pretty small active community. Fewer than 10% of the members have posted more than 20 times total. I didn't go to see how many had 0 posts, but there are thousands. How many just created a user ID to see pictures?

I'd be curious to see how many members older than three months have averaged more posts than 1 per week.

Not to say I am not a fan of the forum: I am. I just don't see ourselves as having the critical mass for a meeting.

[edge9001]

you make a good point, but I still; stad behind my original "second that emotion"
while it might not be feasable to have enough members to actually have this event happen, I still think it is a good idea.

[thecelticforge]

I don't see why we can't at least try. Even of we begin with only 50 or so people. It would be easier to get all the kinks sorted out with smaller groups.

[CurlyGeorge]

I like the idea. The meeting could move around the country to a different place every year, giving more people a chance to attend. :D

[peacock]

The ABANA of today is not the same ABANA of the 70 &80's I have demoed at 2 ABANA conf. I am mainly a power hamer rebuilder/ tooling maker. The artisy types are my best customers. Also the majority at my tent in 2010 would consider themselves artist blacksmith. They are not of a minds set to figure out new tooling but are more than willing to learn about tooling and methods to move metal for they art stuff. When I make a small anvil I am not trying to teach people to make an anvil I am trying to turn them on to tooling to do thing many donot think are doable on a power hammer. I hope you will make an effort to become a part of ABANA. I do like your idea of getting together and I think an ABANA happening is the place to do it. Do you realize that the conference budget is about $250,000, takes 3 years planing and countless hours of volunteers time. I was disappionted to find out after I had returned home from Memphis how many from this site were there that I did not get to meet. Maybe a planned meeting is the place to start (Iforge tent or something). We have 2 years to plan let's not let this be forgotten.

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I have an idea. This forum boasts a membership of close to 15 thousand members. How about an IFORGEIRON National Conference? I think the attendance at such an event would be stupendous!

I agree, Stewart, but it could be an international event, not just a national event. One of the last international events I went to had 30 nations in attendance.

[Thomas Dean]

Sounds like a good idea but I have to agree with Phil on this due to the cost and volunteer time alone. His idea of having a "IFI tent" sounds like a good solution. I got to meet a few of you at the conference in June but I'm sure there were those I didn't meet. Clint tried to get us all together for a 'groupie photo' but that really didn't work out too well as not everyone knew about it. With a IFI tent we could post items of interest with times, places, etc. for all to check on during the event. Possible have Glenn to have some 'goodies' for sale.
Clint, no slam against you, man ya did what you could and I did appreciate the effort.

[Tim McCoy]

IMHO I really like the idea of an IFI tent at some other events ... start small, get some idea of the real (people actually showing up) interest and build on that. Or more of us start making it a habit to meet other IFI'ers while traveling and document that at this location ... photos, etc. Even if several people only got together here and there as they could and used their connection to the IFI community the larger blacksmithing arena would benefit.

Sometimes loosely knit groups never become formal even though there seems to be a large number of adherents. IFI numbers still remain divided into distinct groups comprised mainly of those that just "like to watch" and those that like to do and share information and ideas - maybe a 98 - 2% split. Neither group is more important, but it would seem that there are still too few doers to really put together anything like a conference.

We are fortunate in that we have our conference available to us every day here at IFI ... it's just that there isn't any bar-b-que here :D

[double_edge2]

ok....you can have it at my joint.....lol

[edge9001]

I'm going after my BBQ in blairsville oct 1st,2nd,and 3rd. anyone elso gonna go.

[Bad Creek Blacksmith]

I like the idea of a tent set up. Its short notice for this year but a tent at Quad State would be a good location. I see alot of t-shirt sales and some tooling sales.

[bajajoaquin]

I think the tent at an event is a more realistic idea. Now, if only they would move the events to the West coast!

[clinton]

Ya Thomas I tried to get the guys together and I was not very successful but it was fun trying to put something together. I would like to see a tent at the next Abana conference, if we could get enough volunteers together to man it and sell the goods it could work out well for the site, a good fund raiser. If it were set up in the tailgate section the cost would be minimal. And we have two years to plan like peacock said

[ThomasPowers]

A bunch of us off the net---dating back to the old KeenJunk days get together and camp/eat/BS at Quad-State every year. Lot more affordable conference for some of us.

If you are there this year stop in and say "Howdy"!

(I'm driving about 1500 miles each way for it.)

[Francis Trez Cole]

I like the idea of the tent at the ABANA confrence T shirts always sell

[Tim McCoy]

Maybe if there was a tent event some of us could donate some saleable items to generate cash to pay for the space and perhaps a little operating cash for IFI ... key fobs, crosses, candle holders, punches, etc. you know one of those USPS one rate boxes could hold a lot of stuff.

[Marksnagel]

The tent sounds like a great idea. I would like to meet the people that I have met here at IFI.

[Frosty]

I'm always up for meeting folk, here there or at whatever size events. Being on the far north west side of this continent puts us at a kind of disadvantage travel wise for making it to events. One of these days Deb and I will make it to a conference whoever throws it.

Be it an IFI tent at an ABANA conference or one of the many out there, I'd love to come. Some years ago a member of the (then) Artmetal list, dediced to hold a "shindig" and a bunch of folk showed up, Deb and I included. It was pretty informal with lots of metal artists showing, contributions in the kitty made it (I hope) not a red ink event for Rich. there was a pig roast and general good times. Deb and I intended to host the 2010 Shindig here in AK but the great white Birch attack put the halt on it here though Rich held it at his place again. It'll be here in 2011 though. Food fun and metal heads getting together in an informal manner, sharing metal manipulating techniques, food and tales.

An IFI get together is as doable as a bunch of folk getting together for a BIG potluck of metal head tech, stuff, food, tales, and whatever swappin. Be it there, here or where ever. Seriously, if a bunch of folk get together for whatever reason if any number are IFI why not just hang a shingle and be an IFI gathering?

A number of us in AK are planning on an informal little hammer in at my shop Oct 1-3 and a Number are IFI members Bryan of Naomi's Forge and Selden of Tribal Forge being I think the two sure to be here guys. Anyway, anyone else who wants to come you're more than welcome. I'll be more than proud to hang an IFI shingle on it, heck, maybe we'll forge an IFI shingle.

Seriously, a few years ago when Mark "Metal Mangler" and I were talking about organizing a blacksmith's club here in AK, it sure as red means HOT wasn't because either of us wanted to be prez or VP we mostly just wanted to get together with other metal heads and have a group to call on.

Another thing I do whenever we get together is recommend IFI to other metal heads as a place to join. So, what the hey, anytime a couple of you're going to get together post a notice here, invite the gang and hang an IFI shingle. Don't worry you don't have to worry about a couple thousand guys showing up wanting dinner and an open keg. I don't think anyway. What's more likely to show is a smallish group of folk living close and those are the folk you can get together with fairly regularly and those are the ones who'll lend a hand putting up your shop or call for a hand. Just like the old days.

Frosty the Lucky.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Yes, indeeddy I sure am going to be at Frosties for the weekend of Oct. 1-3. And with the other IFI members that will be there, I think this is a super idea for others.

Orginize small get togethers. They don't have to be huge, cost a quarter of a million dollars, or take 17 years to plan. They can be spur of the moment events that take no time to plan. Just 5-6 or so people getting together from the same state. Heck from the same county, parish or burrough.

A national event would be great. But is it necessary? I don't personally have alot of opportunities to hammer with like minded individuals. There are a few here in central Alaska but we are spread out and I don't know many. Just recently met a few. And they laugh at organizational blacksmithing. When I mentioned IFI to one here that has a shop at Pioneer Park. He just chuckled and said it wasn't his thing. So, since I can't make the Oct. 23rd event for the ABANA group here. I mentioned to Jerry (Frosty), that I could make it down for Oct 1-3 and what did he think of having a few others over as well? We both think its a great ideaa and will make it a great event.

Just some fellas, and any ladies of course, who want to get together around a forge. Learn from each other and have a good time swapping like intrests.

After all isn't that the spirit of what IFI is all about anyway?

[edge9001]

but the great white Birch attack

I've been avoiding the elephant in the room for a bit now, but I can ignorre it no longer. what is the great white birch? I have to know.

[jeremy k]

Stuart - There already "IS" an International IFI conference....... At Glenn Moon's in Australia, the end of OCT - approx 20 IFI members on deck for that. - JK

[Dale Russell]

Yep , approx 18 AUSSIE IFI members , 2 USA IFI members & 1 English IFI member to attend ,, look's " international " to me ...

Dale Russell

[edge9001]

I could see myself attending that, if only the plane tickets and time away from home weren't so expensive.