Mines hosts national ABANA conference events

Please see the press release from the school about their involvement in this year's conference:

http://news.sdsmt.edu/press/196317/

It was a great team effort!

A Fitting Close to a Great Conference

The last day of this year's ABANA Conference was full of the conflicting emotions being together with old friends, and getting ready to leave those same friends, will bring to the surface.  Some sadness, much more happiness as the past four days are reviewed.

 

Following a great dinner which included buffalo and a spread of desserts aimed directly at the waist (few cared as they filled their plates) and just before the auction a passing thunderstorm left a glowing rainbow arching across the fairgrounds.  It was a fitting end to the gathering and a promise of more good things to come.

Rob Fertner signed his winning poster entry, which later was a highlight of early auction action.

The Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths finished their Skandanavian door.

Jim Garrison picked the first winning ticket in the Iron-In-The-Hat drawing.  All three winners not being in attendance, President Peyton Anderson called them in Texas, Pennsylvania and Rapid City respectively.  

Arrangements for delivery were quickly made.

Four full days of massive collective effort produced the beautiful sculpture which Claudio Bottero designed and directed.  It was the center of attention in the dinning hall.

Look for more details on this incredible conference in the upcoming issues of the Anvil's Ring.

The Fun Continues in Rapid City

Lee Gunderson, from Buffalo, Wyoming, summed up the value of the teaching tent when he said, "You can watch all you want, it's getting hands-on experience that teaches best."  He was taking a class from Mark Aspery in chisel making .  

Earlier in the day Gerald Boggs had his class turning out workable wizard head bottle openers.

 

Another bloom was cooking Friday at the iron smelting demonstration.  Lee Sauder had made a sculpture from the first bloom.

 

Claudio Bottero's team is in the final stages of forging his giant sculpture.  Ribs were being fitted this afternoon.

 

Rod Lange pointed out the titanium nail on the nail tree while he helped pound in son Scott's large and fancy nail.  The tree is near the fine arts center, which houses this convention's gallery.

It was another great day in Rapid City!

Even 105 Degrees Can't Slow Down this year's ABANA Conference!

Under the direction of Claudio Bottero an eight man crew forged through three sessions to bring shape to the giant sculpture he had designed.  

Moving big iron in the photo and a very short video to give a sense of the sound, and cadance, of multiple large hammers swung by a well coordinated crew.

Lenny Ledet drew a crowd for the first iron-in-the-hat drawings, a task he will happily continue Friday and Saturday.  Lenny was recognized at the opening ceremonies Thursday evening for the many years he has coordinated these drawings and for the many thousands of dollars he has brought into the ABANA scholarship program.

POMMs - the Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths - also devoted the day to their project, building a Scandanavian door.  Tina Chisena was watched closely by a group as she etched finishing details in figures which will be used on the door.

The gallery reception and official opening began at 6.  Very large crowd.  Walking around the grounds we all see extraordinary works coming together, but to view so many beautiful, completed pieces in one space is a treat for the senses.  Spend some time in the gallery before you leave.

The team led by Lee Sauder, Shel Browder and Steve Mankowski who started building a smelting furnace yesterday created their first bloom today, pulling out the hot chunk of new iron about 3:30.  Another smelt will take place Friday and result in a forged axe.

As you can tell from this amazing array of activities, the 2012 ABANA Conference in Rapid City is a great place to be.

School of Mines Lecture Schedule

At this years ABANA Conference, lots of exciting things are going on at the School of Mines, so make sure not to miss those events!

The schedule highlights for the next couple days are:

Thursday
10 AM – Student Success in Blacksmithing at SDSM&T (Classroom Building – Room 204)
1 PM - Tour Metallurgy Dept
2 PM - Cocktail Napking to CAD Workshop (Classroom Building – Room 326)
2 PM - Tour Metallurgy Dept
3 PM – Tour Metallurgy Dept

Friday
10 AM – Smithbusting – Science of Blacksmithing (Classroom Building – Room 204)
1 PM - Tour Metallurgy Dept
2 PM - Steelmaking for the non-metalllurgist (Classroom Building – Room 204)
2 PM - Tour Metallurgy Dept
3 PM – Tour Metallurgy Dept

Shuttles will be running back and forth from the college to the Fairgrounds continuously and will usually leave from the Fairgrounds around 15 minutes prior to each event.

Forges, iron and conference all heat up today

There were lines at the registration desk most of today as a majority of the expected 800 attendees arrived through the day.  Demonstrators set out their equipment and tools.  Many began forging and instructing soon after the opening ceremonies were over.

Highlighting the opening ceremonies were the presentations of the Alex Bealer Award, two were given, and the Joe Humble award.  Daryl Nelson and Toby Hickman were honored by the ABANA membership for their years of contribution to blacksmithing.  Each a Bealer Award recipient.   Chris Holt was the Joe Humble winner.

A stunning table of beautifully crafted copper and silver vessels greats you in the Northwest corner of the grounds where the Abdon Punzo family is demonstrating their mastry of metal work.

At the exact opposite corner of the fairgrounds the furnace for making an iron bloom was in its first firing stages, being readied to make it's first smelt Thursday about mid-day.

Nearby Jill Turman has begun an art project which looks very much like a large wall decoration, though we didn't ask her about specifics.  You can see for yourself if you visit her demo area between one and four Thursday.

And finally, Claudio Bottero and his large team have embarked on a huge piece which they will be forging all of the day Thursday. 

Preparing the Site

The 2012 ABANA Conference is well underway for the setup crew and the demonstrators are working feverishly to finalize their preparation for the big event.

It was the day before the conference started, but Nathan "I am not an artist" Robertson had a dozen blacksmiths ringing anvils in his hammer making class.  Just so nice, as you walk onto the grounds, to see forges aglow, hear hammers pounding.

Nathan is on the right in the photo above

Take some time before you leave to head over to the Apex Gallery at the school of mining.  Ellen Durkan's exhibit looks at the hard side of women's fashion with larger-than-life wire and iron sculptures of dresses and shoes that look like they could have come out of an ancient torture chamber or off the pages of a new-age comic book.  If you need another inducement the gallery is air conditioned.

Ran into Eric Green, he of the well-tended mustache, who noted that he'd been to every conference since Albany.  We figured that went back about twenty years.  Let us know what your earliest ABANA conference was by commenting below.