Bentiron1946 Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 The "Great White Birch", ask Frosty as it is what kicked him the head. He was trying to milk it and well...... I'll let him tell the story. I can see an IFI tent at local meetings but it takes an awful lot of organizing to get a whole meet put together.Are we thatorganized? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Are we thatorganized? hmm, us organized? good question, I'ld say we are a organized disaster area, or maybe a good cluster F*&K but straight out organized, not so sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 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. I agree with your statement that the ABANA today is not the same as yesterday. In Arizona, in the 2000 conference was the last were a state chapter sponsored the conference with seed money from ABANA and then split the profits at the end. I believe this was the last year there was a profit made. Demonstrators volunteered there time and where not payed just compted for the conference and we had more demonstrators than needed apply. There was accountability for expenditures and volunteerism and no arguing among staff was a key to a successful event. If ABANA would return to this method I think the conferences would be more successful. A IFORGE conference is a great idea and could be successful with this in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 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. Last september 28 I was cutting firewood and while felling a tree it fought back by doing something I didn't see coming and I've been felling trees since 74 ir there abouts. Anywho the Great White attack nearly killed me outright and if it weren't for our dogs sounding the alarm loudly enough Deb heard and got the message something really BAD had happened in the house (She heard it in the house that is)and pointed out my bleeding broken self dragging itself out of the woods, I wouldn't've been alive in a few more minutes. Deb called 911 and EMS got here in under 3 mins. while she administered as much first aid as she could. Getting hit by the tree kicking back in a way I still don't understand, broke bones from my rt foot, ankle to most or all my left ribs, puncturing that lung, neck and two skull fractures with the added interesting phenom of contra coupe traumatic brain injury. pingpong ball in a shaken mason jar for a visual example. Anywho, after a week in a drug induced coma and at least two more months I don't remember of very combative recovery the me that is I woke up and Deb showed me how to access my accts from a notebook comp she'd bought to keep folk updated. When I started communicating with folk, the gang here being first on the list after blood family & inlaws I started referring to getting in the way of a falling tree as being attacked by a Great White . . . birch. There's more to it than that, some in the Prayer threads on IFI, some on Deb's Facebook page I think and probably more. It's hard for me to read. Deb was so scared, worried and hurting it really gets to me. Another aspect is how overwhelmed I am by the number of people who prayed for me, it's very humbling and something I need to step up to deserving more. I'm living proof prayer works and catching a falling tree with your head is a BAD idea. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 hmm, us organized? good question, I'ld say we are a organized disaster area, or maybe a good cluster F*&K but straight out organized, not so sure. And now you see why ABANA could now and has always had room for improvement. Organized for more than a couple blacksmiths is everybody running away from flying molten iron at the same time. Heck, I wouldn't BET on it either. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Last september 28 I was cutting firewood and while felling a tree it fought back by doing something I didn't see coming and I've been felling trees since 74 ir there abouts. Anywho the Great White attack nearly killed me outright and if it weren't for our dogs sounding the alarm loudly enough Deb heard and got the message something really BAD had happened in the house (She heard it in the house that is)and pointed out my bleeding broken self dragging itself out of the woods, I wouldn't've been alive in a few more minutes. Deb called 911 and EMS got here in under 3 mins. while she administered as much first aid as she could. Getting hit by the tree kicking back in a way I still don't understand, broke bones from my rt foot, ankle to most or all my left ribs, puncturing that lung, neck and two skull fractures with the added interesting phenom of contra coupe traumatic brain injury. pingpong ball in a shaken mason jar for a visual example. Anywho, after a week in a drug induced coma and at least two more months I don't remember of very combative recovery the me that is I woke up and Deb showed me how to access my accts from a notebook comp she'd bought to keep folk updated. When I started communicating with folk, the gang here being first on the list after blood family & inlaws I started referring to getting in the way of a falling tree as being attacked by a Great White . . . birch. There's more to it than that, some in the Prayer threads on IFI, some on Deb's Facebook page I think and probably more. It's hard for me to read. Deb was so scared, worried and hurting it really gets to me. Another aspect is how overwhelmed I am by the number of people who prayed for me, it's very humbling and something I need to step up to deserving more. I'm living proof prayer works and catching a falling tree with your head is a BAD idea. Frosty the Lucky. I only have a few things to say to that. 1. sorry to hear it happened 2. ouch 3. catching falling trees is always a bad idea 4. glad you are still here 5. and we were able to meet(kinda) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Hmmm..... I vote it be held at Glen's place. Being that I live up in Canada, I would have to make plans way in advance and justify it to the mrs. since she is never happy when I want to spend $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 I only have a few things to say to that. 1. sorry to hear it happened 2. ouch 3. catching falling trees is always a bad idea 4. glad you are still here 5. and we were able to meet(kinda) Stuff happens, it could've been a drunk driver or a moose attack. Something's gonna get me some day, glad it wasn't that day. Glad to meet you too. It's one of the reasons I hang places like this, I get to meet folk and tell tales. the gang has heard this before but if you're ever in Alaska look me up. Better yet, give a shout first and we'll see about getting you lined out on what you want to do/see/etc. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Hmmm..... I vote it be held at Glen's place. Being that I live up in Canada, I would have to make plans way in advance and justify it to the mrs. since she is never happy when I want to spend $$. Heck Dennis, Canada's only a day's drive from here. so, how's about dropping by for the Oct 1,2,3 mini hammer in at my shop? Heck, stay for the Oct 23 meeting too, we're a friendly bunch. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Hmmm..... I vote it be held at Glen's place. Being that I live up in Canada, I would have to make plans way in advance and justify it to the mrs. since she is never happy when I want to spend $$. What if you told your wife that you wanted to take your new forging partner with you i.e. your daughter. It would be good Father/Daughter time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 The MEMPHIS conference just made a pretty decent profit Even with all of the doomsayers predicting outherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee B Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 I'm new here and only have a couple of posts, Yet; I have already made plans to meet a couple of people here in two weeks at the CBA Octoberfest. I think just let others know what event you're going to and plan a meet time or describe your truck ect.. Then you get to know eachother and plan to meet again. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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