[TheForge] Sacred cows are better eaten than catered to.

[Jeffrey Polaski]

I'd just like toad my $0.02 here...

I like seeing the power hammers at conferences and don't have any
problem with paying for them to be there. 

It helps the demonstrators, for one thing. Most of the demonstrators
I've seen have used power hammers during the demos. I think the main
reason is that they are generally used to using power hammers and it's a
natural thing for them to use one at a conference.

Plus, they are really cool to watch! That right there is a draw for me.
And it's good to see other techniques, even if I can't use them
directly. 

I'd like to add that I don't have any problem with vendors sponsoring
equipment. I like it when vendors show up, and seeing their wares just
lets me know what's available. I think it's important that events
*encourage* vendors. I'm not saying we need to pay them to show up or
anything, but I don't know of any vendors who are getting rich off of
it. They seem to be doing it because they love blacksmithing, too.


Jeff Polaski

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of ries
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 1:09 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Sacred cows are better eaten than catered to.


On Mar 15, 2007, at 12:55 PM, Bruce Freeman wrote:

Reis,

I don't argue with your point of view.  My point (in a separate sub- 
thread) was that if 50% of your people HAVE power hammers, then a  
goodly number of those have shops in which power hammer work can  
easily be demonstrated.  Have such demos there, not at a fairgrounds  
or college campus.

However, if someone WANTS to bring a power hammer to an out-of-shop  
conference, more power to him.  No pun intended.  There's nothing  
wrong with doing so, it's just a lot of trouble.

Bruce
NJ


Bruce-


we usually have our NWBA conferences at a fairground- but every 5th  
one or so is at somebody's shop. The problem is that even though a  
lot of people, including me, have big machines, we dont have 40,000  
sq ft under cover like the skagit county fairgrounds does, or parking  
for 200 cars.
Believe me, my wife would kill me if 150 blacksmiths came over for 2  
days.

Not to mention concession stands for food, bathrooms, and all the  
other amenities.
I dont know a single smith who has a shop big enough for even 50  
people to watch a demo, or room for bleachers behind his hammer.  Or  
a room big enough for the members art show, or another room big  
enough for the hands on beginners area, or for Louie Raffleour, who  
has been doing Repousse workshops, free, at the last 4 or 5 NWBA  
events. Plus room for the tailgating.


Nope, up here anyway, it makes a lot more sense to have the demos at  
fairgrounds.

We usually end with a sit down dinner for a hundred and twenty or so,  
with beer drinking well into the night.
I dont know many private shops that have the room for that, either.


Ries Niemi
Industrial Artist
http://www.riesniemi.com/