Alan Longmire Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Sorry for the late announcement, but this year the event will be held on September 29, 30, and October 1, 2023. Same place as last year! More to come... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary LT Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Thank you Alan! Didn’t expect it this earlier…….Saved! Gary LT "I Never Met A Knife I Didn't Like", (Will Rogers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 You can find the threads about the location, amenities, and more from last year's hammer-in here: It will still be at Farmhouse Gallery and Gardens, the food will still be excellent, and the list of demonstrators will be similar. We will try to have a more coherent schedule for the benefit of the demonstrators, but I expect Stephen Fowler will remain true to form and show up unexpectedly to demonstrate whenever he sees the chance. Not that I mind, he's great. https://visitunicoicounty.com/farmhouse-gallery-and-gardens/ They are also a campground, if you do the RV thing, or even primitive. Here's where to book a spot: https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/tennessee/farmhouse-gallery-gardens/farmhouse-gallery-gardens And Facebook, if you do that: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Art-Gallery/Farmhouse-Gallery-Gardens-236566675582/ The Lynch family, who own the place, have a commercial kitchen and will be selling us food. Buy lots so they appreciate us! They also have a herd of buffalo, including a white one, if that's your thing. They are great folks, and it's a great place. We're lucky to get the space. Improvements: We will have hardwired 240V power at the demo area. No generator noise and no bizarrely variable speed from my single-speed grinder! We will also have the option of actually using my Evenheat oven, so this year Curtis Haaland can do his hamon thing. We will have a sound system, so the demonstrators who don't have my thundering voice-projection abilities will be able to talk over the noise and be heard in the back. We will have a new firepot in the coal forge, so Gerald can actually finish his demo! Last year the clinker breaker got clogged and broke loose from the shaker rod, rendering the forge unable to get welding heat. We will actually have the vendor who didn't show last year, https://www.blacksmithsupply.com/. Somehow he ended up at a hammer-in in Kentucky, and was properly embarrassed about it. We might have two sets of bleachers, and maybe a better tent in case of rain. Changes: This year it will be advertised more widely. That means more people. This may be good, this may be different. We'll see. Things staying the same: This is an official event of the Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths, https://www.AACBlacksmiths.org This event is completely supported by Iron in the Hat. And, we (State of Franklin Blacksmiths Guild) are a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit, so all donations are tax deductible. The original Bowie's was supported this way as well. All the makers would donate one (or more!) of their best pieces, the vendors would donate things like complete forges, exhibition-grade handle woods, salt pots, steel, and so on. It was not uncommon to see a bunch of thousand-dollar blades on the table. We want to continue that tradition. Bring your best work, a nice tool, good wood, books, or whatever you think it's worth to you (as long as it's legal, of course!) to get access to the collective knowledge of the event. I haven't made the hawk yet, but it will be a fancy pipe hawk in the $1000 (msrp) range. You could win it for a $1 ticket. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Drat, my employer has scheduled homecoming for that weekend. Seeing as how I ditched homecoming last year to go to the hammer-in, I don't think I can get away with it again this year. Go if you can folks. I drove 1000 miles round-trip to make it, and would do it again if I didn't have work a conflict. -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 Ooh, bummer! I was hoping you could make it again, since last year I wasn't able to be social after hours and hopefully this time I can. We'll hit the bar at the Carnegie one of these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Boggs Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Camping reservations made, I'll be at the same campsite. 3 hours ago, Alan Longmire said: We will have a new firepot in the coal forge, so Gerald can actually finish his demo! That will be nice :-) <p>Gerald Boggs <a href="http://www.geraldboggs.com">www.geraldboggs.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dougherty Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 14 hours ago, Alan Longmire said: We'll hit the bar at the Carnegie one of these days. That's a date for next year! -Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Hayner Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Not to bad of a drive from Knoxville. I'll see what the boss lady says and I'll try and get the days off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 10 Author Share Posted January 10 1 hour ago, Chase Hayner said: Not to bad of a drive from Knoxville. I'll see what the boss lady says and I'll try and get the days off. If you're on the south, east, or north side of Knoxville it's an easy hour and 45 minutes. If you're west of Papermill Road, 2 to 2.5 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Hayner Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 1 hour ago, Alan Longmire said: If you're on the south, east, or north side of Knoxville it's an easy hour and 45 minutes. If you're west of Papermill Road, 2 to 2.5 hours. Yea I'm on the North Eastern side in Powell so not bad all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Walker Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 36 minutes ago, Chase Hayner said: Yea I'm on the North Eastern side in Powell so not bad all. You would be welcome to visit our second Sunday regular meetings. Matt Walker https://www.youtube.com/@onedamascusmaker/videos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Hayner Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Yea id love to. When I first started I wasn't able to attend any of the clinch or other BS guilds in the area because I worked Sat and Sun. Now I'm off on the weekends so Id love to get out and to these meets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 11 Author Share Posted May 11 Things continue to happen on this! A complete demonstrator list should be up in a month or so, stay tuned... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Stuart Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 Campsite reserved, I'm looking forward to it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Boggs Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 Me too, I'll be at the same spot as last year. 2 <p>Gerald Boggs <a href="http://www.geraldboggs.com">www.geraldboggs.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary LT Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Wife and I have a reservation Thursday night through Sunday. She and I both enjoyed this last time. Gary LT "I Never Met A Knife I Didn't Like", (Will Rogers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Excellent! We continue making progress. Several confirmed demonstrators from last year, a few new ones for this year, but the biggest change (other than dedicated 240V outlets for the grinders and HT kilns and a PA system) is that the area over by Robin's shop where we did Green Coal classes last year will also be a dedicated blacksmithing demo area. Tired of watching me forge a hawk (if I can this time, my elbow is still giving me grief)? Don't need to see how to grind a blade? Wander over to Robin's shop and watch professional blacksmiths do traditional joinery and other blacksmith-type stuff! There was resistance to adding a second demo area, since that adds a layer of chaos and distraction not in keeping with the original Bowie's hammer-in, but there was demand for it. Kurt and I will be ringmasters of a two-ring circus, like it or not. The two areas are far enough apart that there shouldn't be noise interference. We won't add a third demo area, except for whenever we eventually incorporate a smelt or hearth melt. Then we'll have the alchemy zone, with smelting, melting, and other pyrotechnic arts, but that's for future years. A rough draft of a demo schedule should be out in a few weeks, once we have the blacksmiths lined up. For the bladesmiths, it'll be much like last year with most of the big names on Saturday. The antique Bowie lecture and slide show will be Friday evening, I'll do whatever I do Friday morning or right after lunch, Jason will probably be the closing headliner Sunday, Iron in the Hat will be Saturday afternoon right after lunch. Beyond that things are fluid, in the same laid-back gently controlled chaos of last year. If enough people bring stuff for show-and-tell we may do a knife show Saturday after the last forging demo. I don't have a lot to show since last year, but I bet some of you do! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 26 Author Share Posted May 26 https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/local-events/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/1759879-second-annual-bowie-s-memorial-bladesmithing-hammer-in-sept-29-oct-1-2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 And we have sponsors! AMK grinders will be there with examples of all their products, and Supergrit Abrasives is sending a pile of belts for the demonstrators. I'm trying to talk them into sending a sales rep. If you want to see a rep there, email them! https://www.supergrit.com/contact-us.html. Check out AMK: https://amktactical.com/ Full disclosure: I get most of my belts and all of my rhynowet paper from Supergrit, and I have an AMK disk grinder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hertzson Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 Just now, Alan Longmire said: I have an AMK disk grinder. Alan, How do you like your AMK disk grinder? I've been flirting with the idea of picking one up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 (edited) I have the old style with the extruded aluminum tubing frame, so I can't really speak to the new model. The new model looks like it can more easily swing between horizontal and vertical, though. And the price is still good! That said, it's nice. The table is less-frills than some, but the frame is rigid and the variable speed is excellent. I have it set up as a vertical disk. The nice thing about the table is it has positive stops for 90 degrees and 45 degrees. The not as nice thing is that those are pretty much your only options unless you make wedges to hold it steady at other angles. It could use a T-slot for a square or other fixturing, and possibly could have a slight wraparound, but for the price I am delighted. The 1hp motor is plenty powerful enough, I haven't been able to stall it once. I got the true flat disk rather than the 1-degree taper cone. The VFD can be slowed to the point where you can watch it step as each phase gets kicked on, or sped up to where it sounds like a turbine engine. I use Rhynowet sheets and 3M feathering adhesive, and can get ten or more sheet changes on a single application of adhesive, even months apart. As I said, the frame is rigid, but lightweight. I can see it might get in the way a little if mounted as a horizontal disk, but with the L-stops bolted to the frame to catch on the benchtop in vertical disk mode it doesn't need to be bolted down like the steel-frame one from Beaumont, or (I guess) the new model from AMK. It also runs off 115v, which is nice. That way I don't have to run a new outlet or unplug the KMG when I want to use the disk. The only cons are minor. The table as I described, and the FVD housing was not fully sealed. I sealed it with electrical tape and it's been fine for two years. Edited June 7 by Alan Longmire I have the old model, my comments on the frame do not apply to the new one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Thomas Posted June 7 Share Posted June 7 I wasn't able to make it last year and I'll be damned it looks iffy for this year too at this point, you never know though. I feel freaking doomed. I don't recall from last year's info if there were any showering/bathing arrangements in place? Guy Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 7 Author Share Posted June 7 No, no bathhouse yet, sorry. . I bet someone will let you borrow a hotel bathroom, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 Got a call from KMG yesterday! They want to come, but are not sure if they can make it due to several scheduling issues. We're getting popular all of a sudden... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 Beaumont Metalworks has confirmed they're sending a KMG-TX and a variable speed KMG classic for the demonstrations! If you guys are interested in seeing how the various attachments work, use the contact form at https://beaumontmetalworks.com/ and ask them to send it to the hammer-in. And if you are buying something, ask them to bring it, save on shipping! Same with AMK, of course. Link to them above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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