Today's meeting got started on time with Jim discussing the need for members to step up and help out with a variety of tasks as he has been doing most of them for years. Foremost was the monthly need for someone to open up and lock up the shop for every meeting and to prepare the coffee and clean up after. Secondly, we need someone to arrange for monthly demonstrators and to make sure that we have the needed supplies for the demonstrators by keeping track of the current coal and steel in stock. Lastly, we need someone to arrange (get commitments) for the June volunteers to demonstrate/discuss blacksmithing to the Albany School kids which is how we "pay the rent", making CDBA possible. This person will handle this extremely critical task of handling the details and coordination of lining up each volunteer with a time slot and class. Without someone stepping up for this task , our future at Normanside would be in jeopardy

We also had Rand Condell from the Adirondack Folk School in Lake Luzerne discussed in great detail the 2020 National ABANA Blacksmith Conference which will be held in the Saratoga area at the Washington County Fair Grounds. This is a VERY BIG event of national scope and will have some of the foremost national and Canadian smiths demonstrating all levels of smithing - from traditional colonial smiths to high end fabricators to master farriers who work on million dollar horses. There will be many merchandisers, tail-gaters, on-grounds lodging, food courts and several opportunities to actually make something yourself as well as working and volunteering along side some of the best in the blacksmithing field. See the ABANAor the Adirondack Folk School website and the soon to be up and running 2020 specific website. This is a complex event to put on and Rand spoke about how many hands and minds go into pulling something this grand off successfully. Consequently, many volunteers at all levels are needed. If interested, call Rand at the Folk School @ 518-696-2400

This meeting concluded with Jim demonstrating how to make tongs the quick and dirty way he just learned from a fellow smith.

Jim would also like to personally thank Gil Bullock, Paul Crosby and Doug Shepard for their terrific job of cleaning and picking up the forge after the meeting.

There were no takers on the two "auction" vises and are still available at the set price noted earlier. See pictures of them on the cdblacksmith Facebook page. Or, call Jim @ 518-439-5439.

NOTE: SEPTEMBER MEETING IN CENTRAL BRIDGE AT MIKE CATALDO'S HOME SHOP.