the new england our 40th year blacksmiths...

Fall 2018

To discover, to help

The New England Blacksmiths

Our 40th

Year

1978-

2018

VOL. 38 NO. 4

Toby Hickman Spring Meet Demonstrator

Photo by Rory McNamara

NEB Contacts ............................................................ 2

Around New England ............................................... 3

President’s Message ................................................ 4

Message from the new ABANA President ................ 5

Editor’s note ............................................................. 6

NEB Fall Meet ......................................................... 7‐9

Volunteers for ABANA Conference ......................... 10

Side Dra Forge Build ........................................... 11‐13

Halloween pumpkin decora on .............................. 14

Forged skull ........................................................... 15‐16

Horse Shoe Pumpkin ............................................... 16

Members’ Gallery .................................................. 17‐20

Drills & Drill Presses ................................................ 21

Cali Smith in Barnstable MA. .................................. 22

Hammers, Grips & Francis Whitaker ....................... 23

Obituary ................................................................... 24

Scholarship info & Applica on .............................. 25‐26

Membership Applica on .......................................... 27

Membership List ................................................... 28‐35

Cas ngs .................................................................... 36

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Fall 2018 New England Blacksmiths

Justin Morrell - President (19)

207 Greenfield Rd.

Colrain, MA. 01340

Phone: 413-624-1200

[email protected]

Bob Menard - Vice President (20) 56 Warren Ave. Suite 106

Portland, ME 04103

Phone: 207-878-2217

[email protected]

Jim Crothers - Secretary (19)

953 Tuckertown RD

Wakefield, RI 02879

Phone

[email protected]

Leigh Morrell - Treasurer (19) 207 Greenfield Rd Colrain, MA 01340

Phone: 413-624-1200

[email protected]

Karen Sims, Membership Chair. (19)

337 Rope Ferry Rd

Waterford, CT 06385

Phone: 860-442-3925

[email protected]

Chip Hastings - NH Rep. (20)

4 Oddfellows Rd.

East Hampstead, NH 03826

Phone: 603-329-6442

[email protected]

Nick Tomlin- RI Rep (20) 102 Calla St. Providence, RI 02905 Phone: 401-688-0255 [email protected]

Justin Mercier- RI Rep. (19) 144 Rebekah St Woonsocket, RI 02895 Phone: 617-816-3272j [email protected]

The New England Blacksmiths, an affiliate of the Artists-Blacksmith’s Association of North America, is devoted to the preservation and advancement of blacksmithing. Letters to the editor, articles, tech-nical tips, tools for sale, or other materials which furthers these ends, will be considered for publica-tion in this newsletter.

Nicholas Downing - ME Rep. (19)

22 Orange St Apt 1

Portland, ME 04102

[email protected]

Richard Tessier - ME Rep. (20)

367 Malbons Mills Rd.

Skowhegan, ME 04976

Phone: 207-474-8893

[email protected]

Thomas Cosgrove VT Rep. (20) 20 South Main St.

Vergennes. VT 05491 Phone: 802-449-7381 [email protected]

Judson Yaggy - VT Rep. (20)

846 S Rt. 116

Bristol, VT 05443

Phone 802-453-6005

[email protected]

Dominick Spano - MA Rep. (20)

P.O. Box 583

Westminster, MA 01473

Phone: 978-874-1367 [email protected]

Carl West- MA Rep. (19)

PO Box 541372

Waltham, MA 02454-1372

Phone: 781-608-0900

[email protected]

Nick Szlosek - CT Rep. (20)

3 Barnard Dr

Simsbury, CT 06070

Phone: 701-340-0759

[email protected]

Stephan Connor- CT Rep. (19)

141 Old Field Lane

Milford, CT 06460

Phone: 203-882-0965

[email protected]

Note: The number ( ) after each name denotes the year of term expiration of that Board Member.

The New England Blacksmiths disclaim any responsi-bility or liability for damages or injuries as a result of any design, construction, manufacture, use or other activity undertaken as a result of the use or applica-tion of information contained in the newsletter of the New England Blacksmiths.

Thanks to all

Contributors to this issue: Add your name to this list

Become a contributor!

Leigh Morrell

Eric Johnson

Don Pfaff

Bob Jenson

Tom Willoughby

Ed Grove

John Doherty

Mike Chisham

Karen Sims

Photo Credits

Eric Johnson

Don Pfaff

Bob Jenson

Tom Willoughby

Georgiana Silk

Evan Morrell

Mike Imrie

James Micarelli

Jim Ellis

Contact information for NEB officers and directors


Around New England Brentwood Teaching Center

New Hampshire The Brentwood Teaching Center will be open the last Sat. of the month through Nov.

Massachusetts Programs at Morrell Metalsmiths

207 Greenfiend Rd. Colrain MA

413-624-1200, [email protected] See more information on their website, morrellmetalsmiths.com

Feb 2 Anvil repair day, use this program to save your anvil.

Feb 4-March 11 Beginner Blacksmithing

Feb 23 Taste of Blacksmithing

2nd Tues. each month Open Forge 5:30p to 8:30p

Vermont No Submissions at press time.

Connecticut No Submissions at press time.

Maine Brentwood North

Feb 23 This popular winter program is hosted by the Ball & Chain Forge, 56 Warren Ave, Portland Maine. 4 instructors with 4 different programs through the day. A hot lunch is provided. It is capped at 12 students for a good student/teacher ratio. This program always sells out so sign up early. Want to teach? I have a few teaching spots available

207-878-2217 [email protected]

The New England School of Metalwork in Auburn ME.

newenglandschoolofmetalwork.com

10/29 - 11/9 ABS intro to bladesmithing

11/13-11/16 Beginner Blacksmithing

12/4-12/7 Tool Forging for the Blacksmith

12/11-12/14 Beginner Bladesmithing

12/18-12/21 Nuts & Bolts of Joinery

1/2-1/4 Basic Damascus


1/15-1/18 Intermediate Blacksmithing


1/29-2/1 Forged Botanical Forms

2/4-2/15 ABS Intro to Bladesmithing



Rhode Island

Join the Southern Bunch at South County Museum in Narragansett, RI on the 4th Saturday of the Month. Contact Jim Crothers 401-783-5400 or [email protected] for more information.

Every first Friday of the month, we have a 2.5 hour class called Sip & Smash. It is a 1.5 hour lesson where you forge a hook and bottle opener, and then a 1 hour beer tasting from a local brewery. We also have private lessons that people can book every Wednesday and Saturday.

Iron Mountain Forge & Furniture, LLC 122 Manton Avenue #105B Providence, RI 02909 (401) 648-7079 [email protected]


President’s Message for November 2018:

Hello, Hello, Hello,

I am going to start right in with… Holy Cow!!! What an amazing fall meet. Thanks to you all for coming out and making it awesome. We had great food, we had great a endance with over 150 people, we had the best Iron‐in‐the‐hat ever topping the standing record by more than $500. Last, but not least, Mark Aspry was amazing! He held the a en on of every level of smith, talking about the cra in such a well thought out way that not one person could walk away without taking knowledge with them. It is a very rare scene to have the Green Coal area empty during a NEB meet; yet with Mark inside, it was rather quiet out there. I can’t even tell you how happy I am with this last meet I am all fired up for meets to come.

Speaking of the next meet, I don’t have a lot of info to share about it. It is going to be on Cape Cod at Camp Greenough in Yarmouthport MA. June 7‐9 and from the conversa ons I had with John Doherty who is so on fire to host their first meet that it should prove to be another great meet. I am looking forward to hearing more about their plans for who is going to be doing the demo. Who is it going to be? I’m on pins and needles with the an cipa on: I can’t wait. But for real, I am happy to see a new place and hang out with all of you again.

I am going to take a minute to say congratula ons to my Dad (Leigh Morrell) on his being elected as presi‐dent of the board for ABANA. I am both proud and excited. I have a feeling that this is going to be a good thing for ABANA as a whole and for the rela onship ABANA has with it affiliates. Congrats, Dad! Well Done!!!!

I do have some business I would like to men on. NEB, ABANA and NESM (New England School of Metalwork) all have scholarship programs that are grossly under u lized. If there is a class that you would like to take, please apply! It will take you a li le me, but these groups are all here to increase the knowledge‐base of our members. I would love to have our scholarship commi ee complaining that they have too many appli‐cants. That is the kind of problem I would like us to have.

Have a great winter, and remember: warm your anvil up before you hit it, and have fun making beau ful things. If it doesn't come out the way you want the first me keep in mind the words of Thomas Edison :“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Jus n Morrell


FROM THE

PRESIDENT

of ABANA:

Yes, I have been

elected by the board

of directors to take

ABANA into the

future! I go into this

with trepida on, but

also with excitement.

There is a lot to be

done but I am

confident we can do

it! However, this will

not in any way

diminish my

commitment and

responsibility with

NEB. This affiliate,

New England

Blacksmiths, was my

first ini a on into the

field of ornamental blacksmithing at the Spring 1979 conference held in Lawrence, MA. I have been a

con nual member of ABANA since 1981, and have a ended many of the bi‐annual conferences around the

country. The first being the 1984 conference in DePere, Wisconsin.

As the newly elected president, I brought to the board of ABANA new direc ons, new ini a ves, and ac on

points for the board commi ees to consider. Foremost on my agenda is to be a more ac ve partner with

the local affiliates. NEB is only one of 86 worldwide. To that end, I encourage each and every member of

NEB to be a partner with ABANA and those within our membership to become members of ABANA as well.

With 4 issues each of the Anvil’s Ring and Hammer’s Blow annually, much informa on, picture galleries, and

guest ar cles are presented to be viewed and appreciated by all smiths, from beginner, novice, intermediate

and advanced levels of smithing. An applica on to join is always published along with our own near the last

pages of the newsle er.

I ask the members of New England Blacksmiths to help me as I seek to further the goals of blacksmithing in

New England, the Na on, and Worldwide!

Leigh Morrell


Editors Note;

It is always with a heavy heart that I must announce the passing of one

of our members. Doubly so when it is more than one. Page 24 has the

obituaries of Rick Mongeau and John Boughton, both of whom died

suddenly.

This starts a conversa on that few seem to want to have. Our group is

aging. Members of our leadership, both official and un‐official are

ge ng older. Present company included!

NEB has the dis nc on of being one of the few entry level programs for

the under 18 crowd. Few educa onal programs and organiza ons have

a place for “under aged par cipants” with any regularity. Our group has always embraced youths interested

in trying a hand at smithing. I am a proud supporter of this ethic. The Teaching Center and green coal at the

Meets hear ly encourages the younger genera ons. The result is a growing popula on of maturing smiths in

their 30s and 40s that are either serious amateurs or budding professionals. I believe as an organiza on we

con nue to support and encourage these smiths as well.

This is now directed to the younger genera ons. Your turn is at hand in guiding the future of blacksmithing in

the Northeast and in the world. As a group of cra s persons we have never been more connected than we

are now. The knowledge and power of the internet has many of us connected to smiths in far flung parts of

the country and the world. It is producing knowledge bases in an unprecedented fashion. Younger smiths

have insights far above their years. Where it goes in the future is up to YOU. NEB now has a strong need for

younger leadership, both official and un‐official. The gray hairs, (myself for one), want to not only mentor

your blacksmithing skills but mentor your leadership skills to prepare for the day when you own it.

Some of you are thinking, sounds a li le esoteric, what does it mean? Anyone ever heard the theory if you

really want to understand something then teach it to others. Want to become a demonstrator on the

na onal stage? This happens by learning to teach and demonstrate under the tutelage of an experienced

teacher and demonstrator, say like at the Brentwood Teaching Center. Some of you may not know this but

programs like the expanded green coal, youth sponsorship program, and the cas ng program were created

by mo vated state reps. What future do you envision for NEB and how does it become a reality?

There will always be leaders and followers but for a group such as ours some more leaders need to raise

their hands and say, “I’ll take the first step.” New England Blacksmiths has always been the go to place for

knowledge and equipment within our realm of influence. We are not everything to all people but we have

been a consistent resource to set smiths on the path. Where that takes them has always been up to them.

The important players in NEB are always searching for their own replacements. Not sure where to start?

Have a goal, reach out to someone on the second page of this publica on, do a li le hard work, reap the

rewards!

I have always go en more back from NEB then I ever invested. Modern blacksmiths are like that. If this is

your passion then get a li le more involved and buckle up. You will be surprised at the benefits that await.

Your editors, Bob & Debby Menard


Fall Meet at Morrell Metalsmiths

There is no ques on some members did not make it to

the Fall Meet but it sure felt like everyone was there. It

was a record a endance level at over 150 par cipants. It

turns out the combina on of Mark Aspery and Morrell

Metalsmiths was an even bigger draw than the organizers

expected. The spectacular weather all weekend didn’t

hurt either.

Jus n chose his caterers wisely and they had no trouble

scaling up for the larger crowd. The food was just great

with a pig roast on Sat. night.

As we have become quite used to having plenty of helping

hands the set up and tear down was smooth and orderly.

Having only set up the new larger green coal tent once it

s ll went up very well. The extra space it provides is

quickly becoming a luxury. Seven forge rigs were

established and no one was bumping bu s as they worked. The forging compe on had all the space it

needed for what turned out to be a packed house of spectators and 7 rocking teams. The theme was

anything nau cal. What that meant was le to the imagina on of the compe tors. Interes ng projects were

the result.

As always Mark was very entertaining and held the crowd

enthralled. During the demo green coal was a bit deserted. Even

with our bleachers and 50+ chairs and a couple li s of staging it

was s ll standing room only.

The iron in the hat was a reflec on of the large crowd. 100 cups

were pressed into service ini ally and it s ll was not enough.

Probably another 30 had to be added. Some of the highlights

included a welder and an anvil. The final take on cket sale was

also a record at $1722.00

The tailga ng was also well stocked and bargains abounded. The

last 2 mechanical power hammers from the Esson collec on were

sold by silent auc on with spirited bidding occurring. They both went to good homes and will be put to good

use. As for the rest of it, if it was useful to a blacksmith it was likely represented and for sale. I am always

telling new members, “If you are looking for equipment, the Meets are the place to find it. And never are the

words vintage or an que used to describe them.” We already know it is old.

I will let the photos tell the rest of the story. Suffice it to say I for one am happy I didn’t miss this event. See

you in the Spring.


Fall Meet con nued

The final part of the story was that Blue Moon Press made an appearance with Judy Berger and her

daughter, Tinka. The book sales were brisk and the selec on was enormous. She has added some new tles

as well as the old favorites. Of course Mark’s book were selling out as folks took advantage of ge ng them

signed by the man himself. Thank you Judy and Tinka for making the drive and feeding some of our book

addic on habits.

The Endless Iron in the Hat It was a Good Piggy

Mark Cha ng with the Smiths Dessert Looks Yummy An Uncommon Sight

A er Dinner Socializing Some of the usual suspects Green Coal


Fall Meet Forging Compe on

Josh won the donated

apron for his wife, she’s

the Smith

Renee and Tinka teamed up for

their first forging contest Josh and Amanda focused on the project

First place winners Alex Yaggy &

Auden L’Heureux

Frenzied ac vity racing the clock Russ Jennings

Some of the projects Boat Building


ABANA 2020 update

It goes without saying there will be a need for volunteers to help out at the conference, With a broad

enough slate there won’t be undue pressure on any one individual or group. The goal is to have a large

number of volunteers and only u lize each person for a defined period of the conference, an cipa ng a

single half day block commitment. That is unless a member has a burning desire to extend their

commitment.

Here is a list of poten al jobs;

Help at each demo site

Help at the youth teaching area

Help at the lecture series site

Help with direc ng parking

Help with registra on

Help stuffing a endees swag bags

Help with conference sales

Help at an informa on booth

Help moving items at the auc on

Help with iron in the hat and raffle sales

Helping the setup crew with what ever they might need

Help se ng up audio and visual equipment

Picking up and dropping off people at the airport

Finally, the tasks that have not as yet been dreamed up

NEB con nues to produce the leaders that will make this an event we can be proud of. 2020 may seem a

long way off but to the organizers of the party me is passing very swi ly The volunteer coordinator, Dana

Flanders will be organizing and assigning tasks. The earlier you volunteer the be er chance you have to

express your choice. Reach out to him directly to get on his lists. [email protected]


Side dra forge build by Eric Johnson

This is the side blast forge I built this past winter, and

a couple images of the dimensions associated with it.

The material bill was one 4x8' sheet of 11GA, some

scrounged angle iron for the legs (1.25x.125), and a bit

of 5" and 1‐1/4" black iron pipe for the tuyere. The

blower is out of a clothes dryer, and generates about

2" of pressure, and is regulated by a 2‐1/2" blast gate.

I ini ally backfilled the forge tub with bricks to take up

volume, but have removed them as coal dust and ash

has built up. The tuyere is cooled with 1:1 an freeze,

and has been well behaved over the winter, and is

only about half full right now. I made a wooden lid to

keep fly ash out. The fire is well behaved, and with we ng around the perimeter, I can keep as small a fire

as I want, or one the size of a basketball. Something new on this build was the use of a metal cu ng

skilsaw blade; I ran into these at FABTech last year, and was impressed by them. This blade came from

Home Depot for about $40, and made all the cuts shown on the sheet breakdown. Toward the end the cut

resistance went up and cut quality declined, but overall it was worth every penny, given that the other

op ons in my shop were spending days with an angle grinder, or butchering the sheet with a gas torch. I

used a clamped cu ng guide, and did not regret the me spent to set it up.


Fabrica ng the tuyere was interes ng, I

cut gores about 8" long in the 5" pipe,

and then heated the midpoint of the pipe

in a fire to where I could knock in the

corners and form a rough cone that just

passed the 1‐1/4" pipe through. I then

opened up the spaces between the gores

with a burr to get space for weld

penetra on, and welded it all up ‐ some s ck and some MIG. No leaks yet or burn‐through, so I must have

done it mostly right. I then put holes in the tuyere tank, slid

the whole assembly in, and welded both pipes in. I filled the

tank to leak check it, and fixed a few pinholes ‐ one was

hiding under a silica puddle in the end of a MIG weld; sneaky.

I tapped a

small hole in

the corner of

the tank to

install a plug

so that I can drain the tank someday without needing a

siphon or pump. Not seen in photos is the chimney, which I

have yet to build and install (very smoky starts...) and a 2.5"

x 12" notch I took out of the side of the forge body to allow

a straight‐in shot to the heart of the fire instead of angling

down. Also there is a plain steel cover for the forge to keep

driven rain out (as you can see, it lives under a roof, but no

walls in the smithy yet)

Side blast forge build con nued


Side blast forge build con nued


Here are some Fall projects culled from different sources around the

country.

Reprinted from the

Pi sburg Area Ar sts

Blacksmiths Associa on


Bob Jenson’s demo for the California Blacksmiths

Associa on

This is short on text but long on photos. The Smith should

be able to figure it out easily enough.

Happy Halloween


Bob Jenson’s skull con nued;

If you have more horse shoes laying around than

you know what to do with you can make a

pumpkin. This is Tom Willoughby’s version.


MEMBERS’ GALLERY

Larry Ligge Photo Credit Georgiana Silk


MEMBERS’ GALLERY

Morrell Metalsmiths


MEMBERS’ GALLERY

Mike Imrie


MEMBERS’ GALLERY

James “Mic” Micarelli


Drill Presses and drills by Ed Grove

These may be my most used machines in the shop, other than my coal forge

blower. There are two in use. A table model Atlas and a floor model South

Bend.

The table model half inch chuck Atlas is mounted on a homemade angle iron

stand which has two wood drawers that slide on angle iron rails. This drill

press was well used when I purchased it 60 or 70 years ago. A homemade

collar supports the drill head so the head can be swung for use on the drill

press table or over the floor. Though this feature is common on more modern

presses it was not part of this machine. A large sheet of moderately thick

aluminum is bolted to the drill table. This allows drill bits, work and

accessories in use, to be nearby.

Over the years I have acquired numerous drill bits. Most bits were purchased

at second hand sales and auc ons years ago. A set of numbered drills are kept

in a holder to make accessing the right size quicker. Inevitably bits start

accumula ng in soup cans. This is where a metal drill bit sizing guide with

deeply embossed numbers is invaluable. The metal guide is inexpensive

enough to make it the right choice over a cheaper plas c one. Many of the bits

are well worn but can be checked with a drill gauge to confirm their cu ng

angle.

Drill bit edges are examined and sharpened prior to use therefore assuring clean quickly drilled holes. I do

this grinding freehand. This is a valuable skill to hone (see that li le pun there?) A pedestal grinder will

work but a belt sander/grinder is be er. The drills cu ng edge lengths determine the accuracy of the hole.

One edge longer than the other will make an oversized hole. Some mes this may be what you want.

Gauges are available to check sizes and angles when one thinks their use desirable. When accurate holes

are required just drill a smaller hole first. It is the center of the drill bit that makes the hole that determines

hole size.

The floor model South Bend drill press is in our basement workroom. This is only one of a few large tool I

have purchased new. I purchased my 25# LG new in a crate many, many, years ago. I had wood heat in my

shops, so nice tools were kept where it is warm.

There are many drill bits here as well. I have been able to drill and tap hardened steels with this tool. This

drill press originally had 2 step pulleys. The arrangement was not op mal as it didn’t go slow enough for the

biggest bits. I modified it with a third step pulley to offer be er speed control.

It is never a good idea to force the drill to cut faster. Feed slowly with low to modest pressure. A sharp bit

will do it. Both drill presses are made to produce one inch holes. Start smaller holes to make big ones.


Blacksmithing at the Barnstable Fair, Barnstable MA by John Doherty

This year and over the last 32 years, Smiths

demonstrated the ancient and honorable cra of

blacksmith at the Barnstable County Fairground. Thirty

years ago a building was built by the fairgrounds to

house the blacksmith shop. The last couple of years just

due to the shear numbers of Smiths par cipa ng the

demo has been under a tree.

This was ini ally was organized by Jim Ellis. In the early

stages the shop was adequate to the task. Now it has

out grown the space from the early days. The Smiths

helping out this year include J Doherty, Jim Doherty,

Norah Bourbon, Ken Kurtz, Dick Menkello, Dale Benson , Dean Rantz , Kai Arnold, Scoot Widman , Cian

McEnearny.

A note about one Smith in par cular, Ken

Kurtz. He is a friend of Jim Ellis and a member

of the California Blacksmiths Associa on. He

lives in Anaheim Ca.

Ken emailed Jim early this year to learn the

dates of the fair. Ken wanted to plan his

vaca on to be here and be available to

demonstrate to the crowds that a end

Barnstable County Fair. Mr. Kurtz’s passion

for Blacksmithing is unequaled, he is a true

cra sman and also a blade smith. Ken is

excellent at explaining everything from the

metal, the coal, the fire and all the subtle

techniques to the many spectators. The

crowd o en is 6‐8 people deep, and always

seems to be a favorite. Many stop by to show off keepsakes given to them years ago by Jim Ellis.

Jim has said he greatly appreciates all of Ken’s help at the fair. He knows Ken doesn’t get this far east very

o en. It is heartening that he makes a effort to Smith in the New England Blacksmith smithy when he

comes.

Thanks to all that helped spread the interest in Blacksmithing and NEB now and through all the years.

Ken Kurtz

Ken Kurtz entertaining a younger genera on


Notes on Francis Whitaker’s

Ideas About Hammers & Grip

Reprinted from the California Blacksmith’s Assoc.

July/August newsle er

I read the comment about Francis cu ng off someone’s hammer handle. As far as Francis Whitaker’s be‐

liefs concerning a hammer go, I have had many such encounters while in his presence. I, myself, have been

scolded over and over by him. I learned hammer control from Beau Hickory, who was considered the maes‐

tro of hammer control. I s ll use his protocol to this day, but not with the blessings from Francis. No ma er

how I tried to explain why I use Mr. Hickory’s concepts, Francis would not budge. When I asked him why, he

always held his hammer as far down as possible, he would consistently state, “Because it works! And that’s

the way I do it.” And for him it did. At this point I need to offer my personal observa ons associated with all

the mes I worked with him. First of all, he never forged cold metal, unless it was to straighten it. The defi‐

ni on of forging is to change the shape or form of metal by using heat and a hammer. Straightening metal

when it’s not at a forgeable temperature will allow the smith to change the shape of the already forged

piece without changing its form, even under heavy hammer blows.

Second, Francis always used a very light‐weight hammer, 11 2 to maybe 13 4 lb. He used a 2 pounder when

straightening stock over 3 /4" diameter. On occasion, he would forge using a 2 pounder for the first one or

two heats, just enough to get it to a size that he could use a lighter hammer to finish. By holding the ham‐

mer as far down as he could, he increased the length of the arc of his hammer stroke. This increased the

velocity of the hammer stroke which greatly increased the force of impact. Thus, he was able to hammer at

a faster rate because of the light weight which allowed him to move hot metal a lot faster without a lot of

energy expended to control a heavier weight hammer. The drawback was that he had to return the metal

into the fire more o en, as not a lot of work was accomplished in each heat. When I confronted him on

this, he stated, “Pu ng the metal back into the fire gives me me to rest and think what I am going to do

next before I bring it out.” He had a different style of hammer control. Instead of allowing the hammer to

rebound up into a star ng posi on while flexing at the elbow, he would keep his elbow ght, bend at the

waist and use his back muscles to raise the hammer. On the downward phase, he would keep his elbow

ght and bend at the waist to bring the hammer down toward the anvil for the first half of the hammer

stroke. The last part of the hammer stroke he would ghten his wrist and snap the hammer down to com‐

plete the hammer blow to the awai ng metal. This could be observed as if he was bobbing up and down on

each hammer stroke. He used the velocity of the hammer to do all the work instead of the forearm muscles

to provide the power. With his style of forging, a handle that extended past the li le finger on his grip

would hit the face of the anvil. This style of forging puts a lot of wear and tear on the smith's back. Francis

was more concerned with results than procedures. There’s no arguing with Francis. Different strokes for

different folks.

Thanks, Mike Chisham

In a recent edi on, we had a hearsay story about

Francis Whitaker. That prompted this response

from author, blacksmith and teacher,

Mike Chisham


OBITUARY

Richard (Rick) A. Mongeau passed away unexpectedly on Thursday,

August 16, 2018 at his home in Mansfield Center, Connec cut. He was a

beloved husband to Debra (Bigelow) Mongeau for 35 years.

Throughout his life Rick was a passionate blacksmith, crea ng art from wrought iron. He owned and operated Windham Forge and was s ll crea ng art up un l his death. He loved talking to and educa ng the public about his art and he was a vendor demonstra ng his cra at many local events. He recently had the opportunity to make an audio narra ve about the art of blacksmithing for The Blue Slope Country Museum in Franklin, Connec cut. He was also an ac ve member in the New England Blacksmith (NEB) and The Ar st Blacksmith’s Associa on of North America

(ABANA).

Rick was a kind and generous man who blessed his family and friends with many of his ar s c crea ons which will forever keep his spirit alive in our hearts. He also loved watching the UCONN Woman’s Basketball games and a ending the BIG E every year with his wife.

He is survived by his sister June Konopka and her husband Frank of Lebanon; Sister‐in‐Laws Sandy Barbero and her husband Mark of Maryville, TN; Bobbi‐Jean Evans of Mansfield; Brother‐in Law David Evans of Boynton Beach, FL; and one niece and many nephews. Rick was predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Eileen (Jubin) Mongeau, his sister Lorraine, and nephew Ryan Evans.

Po er Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, the burial will be private, in lieu of flowers, dona ons may be

made to The Blue Slope Country Museum, 138 Blue Hill Rd., Franklin, CT 06254

John A Boughton of Branford died Wednesday November 14, 2018 at his home. He was the beloved husband of

Jus ne Pieper Boughton.

John was born December 18, 1951 in New Haven, son of Ryta Wozniak of Florida and the late John F. Boughton. He

was a proud United States Marine Corps veteran and served his country in the Viet Nam War. Upon his return from

Viet Nam he met his soulmate, Jus ne. For the next 45 years they built an amazing life together. They worked hard,

they loved deeply and never stopped dreaming together. John worked for 28 years as a tool & die maker for the Lee

Company in Westbrook un l re ring in 2016. John was an old soul, he had a passion for blacksmithing and folk music.

He played the banjo and belonged to the New England Blacksmiths and the Connec cut Blacksmith Chapter. He was

also an avid crossfi er at Shoreline Athle cs in Branford, where he loved to par cipate in the 5:00 AM CrossFit class.

He valued the camaraderie of the Shoreline Athle cs community ‐ it was a place where he truly felt he belonged. John

also loved a good cra beer and enjoyed traveling around to many of the New England Breweries. On the weekends,

you could usually find John si ng outside his home Blacksmith shop in his favorite Adirondack chair enjoying nature

and a beer.

Besides his wife and mother, John is survived by his daughters, Kerry (Jeff) Haynes and Jessica (Anthony) Marchi o,

both of Branford; his grandchildren, Hanna, Jeffrey, Mason and Maddox; and his brother Warren (Lori) Boughton of

East Haven, as well as, many nieces and nephews. John also leaves behind his loyal companions, Jake & Joey.

Rela ves and friends are invited to a visita on Monday evening from 5:00 ‐ 7:00, with a prayer service at 7:00, at the

W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford.

In lieu of flowers, memorial dona ons may be sent to the Ben Callahan Memorial Founda on, 161 Maple Street,

Branford, CT 06405.


NEB SCHOLARSHIP

The New England Blacksmiths (NEB) have a scholarship program open to all members — (a full year of mem-bership is required to apply). Apply now for financial aid to improve your blacksmithing knowledge & skills. NEB offers educational scholarships to cover up to $500 of the cost for NEB members to attend blacksmithing hands on classes.

What you do

Decide on a class (anywhere, but it must be a real blacksmithing class or hands-on workshop, not a sit-on-duff work-shop or conference).

Procure the application form from the newsletter, our website or from a Board of Directors member.

Fill it out and return it,

If possible, include a class curriculum or brochure.

What we will do

Evaluate your application.

If you are chosen, we will notify you that you will receive an NEB scholarship

After your class, NEB will reimburse you the amount of the scholarship upon receipt of a copy of your receipts and certificate of completion.

What you owe NEB

Within one year of completing your class, you will provide:

A 2-hour demo of the skills you've learned in the class

A 2-page illustrated article to the New England Blacksmiths Newsletter on what you've learned.

Contacts

Any Board of Director Member or

Fred Mikkelsen Scholarship Chairman

23 Waterman Drive

N. Scituate, RI. 02857-2036

[email protected]


Name of applicant Date / /

Mailing address

Phone Fax. Email

Name and loca on of the blacksmithing school or sponsoring organiza on you wish to a end: (Please include a contact name,

phone number, Email)

NOTE: This must be a hands‐on class or workshop. No funding will be provided for sit‐on‐the– duff conferences !

Title of “hands‐on” class or workshop, dates and tui on cost: Include a copy of brochure or flyer if possible

Amount of scholarship applied for ($500 maximum) $

Please write a few lines as to what you hope to gain from a ending this class/workshop. Include any addi onal info you see fit.

Your commitment to the NEB, if you receive a scholarship award is to write a 2 page illustrated ar cle for our newsle er and

give a 2 hour demonstra on at a NEB workshop of a skill you learned in this class/workshop. Please give deadline dates you

expect to fulfill these requirements . (must be within one year of class/workshop)

Ar cle deadline commitment date:

Workshop Demo deadline commitment date:

Mail to: Fred Mikkelsen, 23 Waterman Drive, North Scituate, RI 02857‐3086

New England Blacksmiths Scholarship Applica on

Applicants must be dues current paid and have been

paid members for the year prior to applica on.

All applica ons must be received by September 1st

and commi ee approval will be by December 1st for

use during the following year.

You must print clearly !


ABANA Membership Application Primary ABANA Chapter Affiliation:_____________ Name: _____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ City: _________________________State: _______ Phone: ( ) ___________________Zip: ________ New Member Renewing Member Includes a Subscription to the Anvil’s Ring and The Ham-mers’ Blow magazines Regular Member ..............................................$55 yr. Senior Citizen (Age 65+) .................................$50 yr. Full time student ..............................................$45 yr. Overseas airmail ..............................................$80 yr. Overseas surface mail ......................................$65 yr. Contributory ...................................................$100 yr. Public library ....................................................$45 yr.

ABANA Central Office 259 Muddy Fork Rd, Jonesborough, TN 37659

NEW ENGLAND BLACKSMITHS MEMBERSHIP FORM

Dues are $30.00 USD, and due January 1st of each year.

Send checks to: NEB Membership – 337 Rope Ferry Road- Waterford, CT 06385

Please Print Clearly and check whether New member __ or Renewal __

Name ______________________________________________ Date_______________

Business name, if applicable___________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________ Phone _____________

City _______________________ State_______ Zip________ Fax _______________

E-mail__________________________________Web Site___________________________

Occupation________________________________________ Year of birth______________

Check forging skill: __Beginner __Intermediate __Advanced

Blacksmithing areas of interest ________________________________________________

Check all that apply:

__Teach Blacksmithing __Teach Related Metalworking Skills, which skills______

__Do you do Public Smithing Demos __Demo Fee (Amount: ) __Require Travel $

__Would hold NEB Office are you an ABANA Member Yes or No

Any demonstrator or demonstration requests for NEB Meets?_________________________


New England Blacksmiths

Bob Menard, ‐ Editor

Ball & Chain Forge

56 Warren Ave #106

Portland, Maine 04103

TIME SENSITIVE

NEB CASTINGS

Anvil Cone $70

Fire pot with Clinker Breaker $215

70 lb. Swage Block $180

Can be picked up at 4 different loca ons

in New England or shipped. Contact Bob

Menard, [email protected]

for more informa on

Visit us on line

www.newenglandblacksmiths.org

the new england our 40th year blacksmiths...

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