I was very interested to receive in the mail today a "save the date" sort of preview for the 2014 SOFA Quadstate conference September 26-28, 2014. I was further surprised to see Dave Custer listed as one of the presenters. He posts on Iforgeiron.

Greetings Etown,

 

What a line up of demos.  Clay a long time friend..   Dan and Derrick fellow Michiganders.  Derrick spent the summer with me and completed his first grill project and later went to work for Dan on a large railing project... I always look forward to SOFA and now more than ever..  Looking forward to meeting more of IFI folks in September...  See ya there...

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

 

Jim

As does Patrick Nowak; I still remember him as a college student walking up to the forge on a rainy OSU Medieval Faire and saying he was interested in bladesmithing...

 

I really must try to attend just to heckle!

Thomas, be sure and come by my hospitality canopy and visit with Jim and me (I know he will be around close).

 

Also all you other guys and gals.

Looking forward to the conference. Last year was my first time attending and I had a blast.
Clay agreed to work with me on this, after I acted as his assistant instructor at JCC a few weeks ago. So glad he did. Clay is a good guy.
We often use VERY different methods to accomplish the same end, so spectators will get to see these methods side-by-side.

We will be focusing on traditional iron work, working together on a single project. We have been discussing what exactly we want to demonstrate. If anyone has some suggestions of what they'd like to see demonstrated, please feel free to message me with suggestions.

Thanks for posting Andrew!

I will be there.  I just made my motel reservation.  No more sleeping on the ground for me.  Been there, done that.  I will have some Fisher t-shirts and mini FISHER anvils to sell, if there are any left after ABANA/Delaware.

I am hoping to make my first SOFA event this year. I have heard it is one of the best events to attend!

I am just getting started in smithing and have heard this a very good event to watch demos and talk to smiths and learn.   I plan on attending for the first time this year. Can anyone tell me about camping at the fairgrounds. I don't mind camping and are there showers available at the fairgrounds?  I am really looking forward to the tailgate sales . I need some more equipment for my shop. I have been looking for 2014 show info and schedule of events times etc but have not found much. Who would I contact to get a schedule? 

 

Thanks

Dan

I'm coming down either thursday night or friday morning, my pal Bob Trout is coming down from Rochester NY, it is the one time of year I can get together with him. Looking forward to seeing Clay, and Jim and Wayne and all youse other guys!! Wonder if Black Frog is coming down? I will have my Iforgeiron shirts on!!

Dan, there is primitive camping where you just throw your tent out and then there is camper camping with electricity.  Yes there are showers. 

 

Come by and visit.  You will see my banner on the main drag.  Jim Coke will be around close as well as others.

There are showers located in the fair building bathrooms.  Tailgating is located closest to the buildings, then camper connections, then primitive camping starts about 100 yards further away. The later you arrive, the further from the buildings you will have to camp. Back away from the paved road is also further from the Vet's office and kennel of barking dogs.

 

This leads to some funny  walks early in the morning. "Gotta go, gotta go. Ohhh, nice leg vise! Cheap too! Come back later, gotta go, gotta go...."

Conference officially starts Friday night. There will be one demo then and many demos sat and Sunday till noon. We get there wed about 5 pm and there are more than 100 on the grounds some are already tailgating most visiting and story telling. Hope to see you I will be riding bicycle with 600# anvil.

Probably the most important thing about camping on-site at Quad-State is to make sure your vehicles shocks and springs are up to load carrying.  (We had a fellow from NM go to his first Q-S and he had to buy a trailer to get the *30* anvils he bought back home)

 

A lot of us camp/cook in groups; the old Keenjunk crew (The Blacksmiths Virtual Junkyard---long gone and well missed), various blacksmithing groups/ABANA affiliates, etc.  Some folks prefer to be in the outback; some close in.  Nobody likes the dogs barking all night that I know of...

 

Blacksmiths tend to be friendly folks don't worry!   Weather can range from in the 90's to one Q-S there was ice in the top of my water bucket.  Rain from light to torrential is not unknown.  

 

I'm leaving the Saturday before Q-S; but have a bunch of kids and grandkids to visit along the way and so hope to be getting on-site Thursday morning.

It does not look like they have release the registration and detailed schedule packet yet. It is supposed to come out the first week of August so it should be available anytime now. However, as the guys posting before me have mentioned the general schedule stays the same from year to year. I think that I am going to buy and Iforge Iron tee shirt so I can hopefully try to connect with people who post on this site.

Baring weather issues I should be wearing lederhosen and an aloha shirt and the disreputable red hat on Friday at Quad-State---so I will blend in with the crowd...

I am really looking forward to the event. Watching demos and the tailgating as well as meeting more like minded folks. I plan on getting there Thursday pm sometime. I also plan to attend the Black Iron days event at Hartwick Pines in Michigan in August. I am slowly picking up tools and such After having the chance to work and learn from Jim Coke in a beginner intro a few months ago I realize I have so much to learn and the correct tools help a ton. The info that everyone has shared on this thread is appreciated. I hope to meet some of you during the event.

Thanks

Dan Zak

Greetings Dan,

 

It was a pleasure to give you your first introduction to blacksmithing..  You have a natural talent and will do well...  I will again demonstrating at Hartwick Pines ( my 25 year ) and will introduce you to some very talented smiths in our area... Derrick who will be demonstrating at SOFA will be there also .  Two years ago he spent the summer with me and completed a few projects .  He left me and went to work with my friend Dan on a large railing project and than a trip to Italy for a competition and travel... He is a very talented young man.    I am looking forward to SOFA and will help you any way I can..

 

The forge is always open if you need another smithin fix... Ya just never know who will show up at my forge.. Maybe one day I can get the Frog Man over the pond to stop by.. 

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

A lot of us get there Wednesday and find that others got there before that.

I would like to get there Wed but I only have so much vac time. Jim I look forward to catching up with you at Black Iron days if I get a chance to stop and visit prior to then I will give you a call. 

 

 

 

Dan Zak

They have released the registration form. It is attached.

http://sofablacksmiths.org/quadstate/2014/quadstate2014.html

You can also go to the above web site to review the list of demonstrators and general information.

2014_Quadstate_Registration_Form.pdf

I have family plan that weekend, but could probably head towards Troy Saturday evening. Is anything going on at quad state Saturday evening and Sunday morning. I thought about just waiting till Sunday morning and heading out real early, but it looks like a 4 hour drive. Will there still be enough going on Sunday to justify the early morning drive. I would really like to hit the tailgate sales, but don't want to show up and have everyone packing up. Any advice would be helpful.

From the last two years experience, Sunday morning is not a good time to visit.  Many vendors pack up Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday morning, it is mostly the clean-up crew.  Even Saturday evening is iffy at best for tailgating. 

Many of the vendors are not local, and have been there since the middle of the week, or Mennonites who pack up to be home by sundown Saturday.

 

There are still demos going on Saturday night and Sunday morning. And I hear tales of some kind of carousing going on in the campground, but it's not like Burning Man.  :huh:

I think demonstrations are 9 till noon on Sunday but like earlier poster said most Tailgate are packed up buy sat night. We are still there but may not put anything on table Sunday morning.

Well that is sad news. The earliest I could be there is probably 6:00 Saturday evening. Looks like I may have to wait till next year. Quick question, you say some vendors come in the middle of the week. I didn't think anything started till Friday? If vendors are in town on Thursday, that would be a possibility for me. Thanks for the info.