Ha! Paul you talk of a flood. Perhaps we should start on an Arc as well...does stainless float?

NBC next eh?

The ark is going to have to wait I'm afraid.

As for NBC, well I'm game, so if anyone out there knows anyone, please let them know I'm ready and waiting!

Cheers,
Paul

Ha! Paul you talk of a flood. Perhaps we should start on an Arc as well...does stainless float?

NBC next eh?

Calling all Blacksmiths from all over,We can Help,Lets grow a Tree from our Fires in Honour of all the volunteer Fire Fighters.You can make one or as many leaves as you can send with your own mark,the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Victoria) Australian Blacksmiths Association (Vic) Inc. - Welcome could co-ordinate the lot,make the trunk and branches and fix the leaves.the Tree could then be placed in one of the burnt out towns in country Victoria as a sign of our sincere thanks
regards
Salty

What's the scale? Size of leaves?

G'day Frank
all the info about the Leaves is on our site The Tree Project
we would really appreciate your help mate.
all the best
Salty

No worries Bully I was just going to ask around and if there was any interest I was going to point them in the direction of the project web site and they could email Paul;). I see Paul's posted some details so I'll mention those.

G'day Frank,

Like Salty said, the details can be found on The Tree Project website, and if you have any further questions, just shoot me an email, I'd be more than happy to help. My contact details are all over the website.

Thanks,
Paul

What's the scale? Size of leaves?

We had very successful day today at a festival east of Melbourne. Salty gave us a call thinking that the commissioning a leaf idea, to help with materials and consumables, might just kick off and he wouldn't be able to handle the load. He was right. And btw thanks must go to Salty for giving up what would otherwise have been a profitable event for him, instead devoting the event to the Tree Project. So the project is now gathering interest among non blacksmiths as well and good on em. To tell you the truth we had no idea how big this thing would get, nevertheless BRING IT ON.

If you know a non-blacksmithing expat Aussie in your part of the world perhaps they'd like to sponsor a leaf. Heck if you have a non-Aussie mate who'd like a leaf made on their behalf more the better. Just point out the March 17th news at

http://www.treeproject.abavic.org.au/news.html

for details

Saturday wasn't the only day that Strine was belting out leaves, I managed to get him and a couple of other ABA(Vic) guys along to the Hildebrand Festival on Sunday, where we made not only a lot of leaves, but put a lot of smiles on peoples faces once they heard about what we were doing and heard the ringing of the anvil. I hope I didn't wear them out, as it looks like we're going to be busy little beavers for the next few months making leaves.

Cheers,
Paul

Nearly forgot to mention the interviews I did this week...
I did a live cross on BBC 5 Live's program Up All Night with Rhod Sharp (BBC iPlayer - Up All Night: 19/03/2009) and got a good plug in for IFI. You need to skip through to about 3h20min in to hear my 5 minutes of fame, but it was good to get a bit more media coverage.
I also did a TV interview for Southern Cross Ten's program State Focus with Peta Burton, which will go to air all across regional Victoria this coming Sunday morning, so keep your eyes peeled for that one.

Cheers,
Paul

Leaves for the Gum Tree Project. Will be mailed shortly.

Thanks Gary,
Very nice work, much appreciated.

Paul

Leaves for the Gum Tree Project. Will be mailed shortly.

Great leaves Gary as are the ones I saw in the flesh on Sunday. By the looks, you have Eucalyptus Ficifolia ("Flowering Gum") in the back yard.

Hi, this is Amanda, Paul's (Quang0's) partner-in-crime. I've been involved in the Tree Project since Salty started the ball rolling, creating the Tree Project website and photographing the leaves coming in and writing the press releases.

There's a couple of things I'd like to say to all the blacksmiths who have contributed:
Firstly, things have been horrible here. Over 7000 people have lost their homes and over 200 perished in the fires. The land is black with dead trees and remains of people's houses, some with coroner's notices and flowers indicating where people have died. I have been working at a local relief centre and seen the people who have lost everything, including their children. Many local people have approached me with tears in their eyes to thank the blacksmiths for this incredible project. The leaves you are all forging and sending to us are making a huge impact here. Thankyou so much for giving your time and skills to this project.

Also, I would like to thank Salty for starting the project and his continued enthusiasm, his gorgeous gumleaves and his hounding the local media to give us some publicity. Strine, Quang0 and Rick for coming along to the Hildebrand Festival and spreading the news to the local people here about the project and helping Salty out at the Warrandyte Show. If you haven't heard, we're allowing people to sponsor a leaf, to be made on their behalf by a blacksmith and stamped with their name. Many people are having leaves made on behalf of their family or in memory of someone who died in the fires. One of the things I noticed at these demonstrations is how amazed people are at the fact that blacksmiths around the world are involved. Local people who were born in England, America, Holland and New Zealand are so proud that their countrymen are supporting the people here.

I'll be updating the website soon with a new leaf gallery, a sponsorship page and an email newsletter. I'll let you know when it's done. Thanks again for your incredible support for this project.

Amanda

I got around to mailing the leaves yesterday, also I included 1 american dollar, just felt like doing it, not sure why, but if a lot of us did it.... God bless you all down under.

I got the SS and made 1 leaf yesterday evening, more to come and will get pics asap. Going try to get em done and mailed out first of the week.

I got around to mailing the leaves yesterday, also I included 1 american dollar, just felt like doing it, not sure why, but if a lot of us did it.... God bless you all down under.

Fantastic. And the dollar divermike... you've got an idea then, how we feel when asked to forge a leaf for somebody, especially when they commission it for someone else rather than have their own name put on it. You wonder about the background story and just say it would be an absolute pleasure to do the little job, hoping it alleviates the pain in some way.

It's been a while since I've posted as I've been living 1000 miles from my poor anvil for 6 months, but I'm heading back to her in 3 weeks. This is a great idea, and I'll certainly contribute as many leaves as I can get away with. It'll be great to be back at the forge, and even better to kick off a reunion with the steel by helping out a worthy cause. Best wishes to everyone affected by the tragedy, and best wishes as well to everyone who's putting their time and hammer blows into this project.

I posted an address to send the leaves to, I just realized that we're not receiving leaves there any more (some weird postal issue) could you please change it to:

The Tree Project
c/- Paul Mills, Sefiira Forge
PO Box 542, Hurstbridge
Victoria, Australia 3099

I sent mine to the old address on the 2nd, hope they make it!!!!

I'm sure it will be fine, there is some problem with storing volume mail for the other address that's all.
Paul

I sent mine to the old address on the 2nd, hope they make it!!!!

I just had a quick look at the new leaves in the project gallery. I particularly remember the one by Richard Provan at Hilderbrand. He is a raw novice who seemed interested in forging. So, to give me a spell he had a go. I have been playing with the forge for years but if you asked me to make a really realistic leaf complete with a grub eaten edge I doubt I could do it. Richard just got sidetracked for a second and eh presto, a perfectly burnt edge. Beginners luck eh?

Edited April 10, 200917 yr by Strine

just looks like a metal eating catapillar had its way with it!

Hello folks..
My contribution to a cause that breaks the heart.
In post shortly.
Michael.

Did my first 304 SS forging tonight, and learned a lot from it. Whole different animal from the mild steel I've been working with. Anyway I did one leaf for practice . Not as good as I had hoped for but I will get more this weekend.
Dick

Great work Dick and Michael. How are the gumnuts attached Michael?