December 2001

Larry Crawford-President Gerald Pollard-Treasurer

Jerry Achterberg-Vice President Vince Herod-Editor Harvey Wise-Secretary

As most of you know, Balcones Forge traditionally does not meet in the month of December but this year Dave Koenig and HABA have invited Balcones Forge to join them on the 15^th in West, TX. Get more info below at the Coming Events section. REMEMBER! RSVP's ARE REQUIRED.

From the Prez

First I would like to thank our members for electing me and giving me the opportunity to lead this group. I will work to do a good job and give you all good blacksmithing and good fellowship.

I want to thank (as we all should) our past president, Vince Herod, for a job well done and all his efforts for the club as well as his still current work on the newsletter. On that note, I want to appeal to the membership to take an active role and contribute to the newsletter. Please share your knowledge and experiences with us. The better the newsletter, the better for Balcones Forge!

The November meeting was a week early, and I would like to apologize if that was an inconvenience to anyone. The meeting was held at my Hammerfest Forge in Marble Falls. The torrential rains from the previous day subsided and the weather cleared for our "Get-Together". One of our scheduled demonstrators had cancelled, leaving the bulk of the demo responsibilities on Mr. John Crouchet's capable shoulders. John brought his newly rebuilt Flypress and gave us a brief explanation and history of these amazing lo-tech machines. He then, with some shop-made tooling, demoed Slit and Drift, Bending and Straightening, Chiseling, Stamping, and several

Decorative Edgings. It was a well done demo and gave us a new appreciation for an old tool. Thanks, John.

Roster Corrections

John Korb: Old e-mail: jkorb@bluebon.net

New e-mail: bkorb@giddings.txed.net

Secretary’s Report

The site for last meeting was Marble Falls, Texas at Larry Crawford's Hammerfest Forge. New President Larry Crawford called the meeting to order around 9:30 am. There was some discussion on the Library and the Robb Gunter Demo that's coming up in Jan. 2002. John Crouchet reported that we have two new books and one new video in our Library. Gary Hilton gave a report on Robb Gunter demo and that we will need Volunteers to help set up on the Friday before the demo at Larry's Shop. Also we need to be thinking about who we would like to have in 2003 as some time is involved in getting someone for the Demos as some of the well known people are booked up as far as a year in advance. John Crouchet, Bob Pheil and Larry Crawford are going to make arrangements for the bleachers and Port a Potties again. Jerry Achterberg will make arrangements for our evening meal. We also need some things donated for our Iron in the Hat Auction the night of our Jan. Demo.

Larry also says there is almost a Ton of Coke at his shop that was left over from the last order and is for sale.

After all the talk about the upcoming Demo we got down to the business of having our monthly Demo, John Crouchet and Larry Crawford gave a very good Demo on the Different ways to use a Fly Press. They started out slitting a piece of 1/2 " square cold. Then Larry heated it up and drifted it on the anvil. They changed tooling on the Press and showed different styles of edging using a small straight chisel and double balled tool that has yet to be named, but it worked great. All in all it was a very enjoyable Demo and everyone present learned a lot.

Iron in the Hat was very good as we had 6 items that brought in $132.00 to the Treasury.

We were only able to get one Trade Item to the meeting and Mr. Charlie Stotle brought that one and it was a very well made Wish Bone that his wife is going to enjoy as he got to take it back home.

After lunch bunch of us got to playing with two pieces of tractor pin that Gary Hilton was going to make some hammer heads out of we heated them up in the forge and then Larry Crawford used his Hydraulic Press to upset them and square them up also.

There were 21 members and 4 visitors present.

There will not be a Dec. meeting the next meeting will be held in JAN. at Larry Crawford's in Marble Falls on the 26 & 27th it will be the Robb Gunter Demo.

See you all there, Harvey

Treasury Info

As you should know by now, we have a new treasurer. Please remember to make any checks out to Gerald Pollard because Balcones Forge does not have it’s own checking account just yet.

Gerald Pollard
14309 Friendswood Lane
Austin, TX 78737-9104
rgpollard@earthlink.net

From John Crouchet

At the last meeting, I encouraged everyone to think about what they could donate for our auction at the Robb Gunter demo in January. This is our biggest auction of the year, as the big annual demo brings in the big spenders from Houston, Dallas, and the hinterlands (where big spenders abound!). If anyone has duplicate tools, a few unwanted antique blowers or forges, or maybe an anvil collection that has grown too large for the garage, now is a good time to donate those rusty old things to the auction.

Also, if you are blessed with amazing tool-making abilities (like Bill) or have access to a world of cool machinery (like Stretch), now is the time to come to aid of your ABANA chapter. Books, tools, and forged decorative pieces always sell well.

Upcoming Events

December HABA Meeting:

The field trip to see the old Louis Snokhous blacksmith shop in West, TX on December 15 is picking up interest. Several RSVP's already arrived. Check the HABA website (use the link from www.balconesforge.org) for more info.

January 19 & 20, 2002: Johnny Stout hosts the 2002 winter hammer-in and knife-makers rendezvous. See attached flyer!

Robb Gunter Demonstration will be Jan 26th & 27^th, 2002 at Hammerfest Forge in Marble Falls starting at 9:00AM. Dinner and the auction will be at the Jamin House at 6PM. We will need the usual volunteers on Friday to set up the shop. The price is $45.00 for Balcones Forge members. We would like to see some nifty stuff in the auction, hopefully some handmade goodies. Tailgaters are welcome.

Tom Leining will host the February 2002 meeting of Balcones Forge at his place in Wimberley. He has some unusual hinges to demo and Charlie Stolte is finally going to show us how he makes his braided wire crosses.

The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association will host a treadle hammer workshop March 15 - 17, 2002. Clay Spencer will be here to coach us. This workshop will be limited to about 24 people. Les Cook will be coordinating the workshop activities for HABA. You can get in touch with Les in two ways: 281-481-2457 and anvil@flash.net.

APRIL 13-14, 2002 - Dancing Hammers in Plano Texas with Ward Brinegar from Santa Fe, New Mexico. DH'02 will be at the Plano Heritage Farmstead, 1900 W. 15th, Plano, Texas, <museum@airmail.net>.

Sponsored by the North Texas Blacksmiths Association and the Plano Heritage Farmstead Museum. Featuring blacksmithing demos, tools for sale, dancing, music, family fun. Free, no reservation required. NTBA home page http://www.flash.net/~dwwilson/ntba/. For more info, contact Verl Underwood, 613 N. Bailey, Ft. Worth, TX 76107-1005;
(817) 626-5909, <vaunder@aol.com>.

Dancing Hammers Hours:
Saturday, April 13, Blacksmithing Demonstration 9 am - 5 pm, Auction and barnyard dance with live music 7 pm - ?
Sunday April 14, Blacksmithing Demonstration 9 am - 1 pm.
Call John Forsman at 281-300-5184 for more details.

A Chance to Demo

We are interested in having a blacksmithing demonstration in conjunction with our annual art sale and fund-raiser. We are located in Kerrville and the event is in mid May.

Robbin Cowen
Cowboy Artists of America Museum
P.O. Box 294300
Kerrville, Texas 78029
830-896-2553 ext 224
robbinc@caamuseum.com

Balcones Library

Please remember to send any overdue materials to:

John Crouchet
Sycamore Creek Ranch
5828 FM 1431 East
Marble Falls, TX 78654

Can You Help

I'm looking for someone in the Central Texas area that makes outdoor rod iron fireplaces. My husband and I saw a man with some at a TPW conference in Austin 3 years ago, I believe he called them Texas toe-warmers. If you have any information concerning this item please e-mail me.

For Sale

Two Hay Budden Anvils. First anvil is 150 pounds and the other is 200 pounds.  Call Jim Wheeler at 281-259-8193 for more details.

Larry & John work the flypress at the November meeting. Photo by Gerald Pollard.

Johnny Stout at the October meeting . Photo by Gerald Pollard.

From the Home Office

November 8, 2001

BLACKSMITHING COURSES AVAILABLE AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.................

Registration is now underway for Spring semester Blacksmithing courses at Austin Community College. This is a very cost-effective way to get excellent blacksmithing instruction. These courses are truly "hands on" learning at the very well equipped blacksmithing shop at ACC's Riverside Campus. Blacksmithing instructors include our own Bill Bastas and Larry Crawford, talented teachers with many years of serious professional blacksmithing experience. Both day and night courses are available, as well as a special "Saturday Only" course. Instruction is available for anyone from complete beginners to advanced blacksmiths, including courses on tool making, powerhammer work, basic forging, and studio problems. Cost for one sixteen week course is only $132 for those in the Austin, Leander, or Manor school districts, and $279 for those outside the district. This is a real bargain for many hours of blacksmithing instruction at a fine facility.

File your application online at www3.austin,cc.tx.us/IT/student_app  or call 512-223-3126. (Hint: All blacksmithing courses are listed under "Welding / Metalsmithing") Don't just sit there. Get going and learn something!!!!

Blacksmith for Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) - Industrial forgings and custom tool making.
-Developed, along with Karl Schuler, the Recuperative Gas Forge - plans are available from ABANA
- Operated the FORGERY SCHOOL OF BLACKSMITHING for over 12 years offering
basic, intermediate and advanced classes.
- Produced a 5 hour basic blacksmithing course (which we have in our library) on video patterned after the basic course from the Forgery School of Blacksmithing.
- Proprietor of Forgeco Architectural Metals since 1993 doing custom architectural ironwork
†for private and commercial clients.
- Current Commission:†A private residence in Scottsdale, Arizona.† - 6 Railings, hardware for 52 doors, 10 chandeliers, 22 wall sconces, 6 fireplaces, and other misc. details.
He and his two sons have been working on this commission for 20 months.

Robb is also the master of “Junkyard Steel”.

Workshop/Demonstration

Ramada Limited, 1206 Hwy 281 North, (830) 693-5731, 800-2-Ramada

Best Western, 1403 Hwy 281 North, (830) 693-5122, (800) 528-1234

Cow Creek Lakeside Lodge & RV, Hwy 1431 East, (512) 267-3652

More info: Contact Jerry Achterberg (210) 661-3293, treefarm@swbell.net

R.S.V.P.- A.S.A.P – it may be S.R.O. and you may be S.O.L.