Ouch! That sunburn hurts. It’s on my forearm and on my neck. Wish it was from being at the beach in sunny Florida, but its not. It’s from welding on the hydraulic press needed for Spring Fling to hydraulically press and weld billets for pattern welded steel that will be made by one of this years demonstrators. Two of our members have been kind enough to let the BGOP work in their shop on the weekends to build this press. A good group of members have been volunteering their weekends to join in on this project. If you were at the meeting where I brought in the little press using a hydraulic jack, just blow that up by 10 times and you will have the press we have built. (see show and tell photos)

A special thanks to the members who put on such a good show at the Nature Center open houses. Those are key events for the Guild and are great times to allow the public and those kids to see the shop open and working. Now with the added signs the Park has put up for the shop, the cabin, and the pond we will continue to get more and more visitors which is great news both for the Park and the Guild.

This also is the beginning of the various public demonstrations we will all be doing throughout the year. I encourage the members to try to participate at one of the demos. You have all learned from the regular shop meetings what you need in your bag of tricks to keep the audience involved, informed and interested in what you’re demonstrating. Just remember safety first! Be careful in what you do and protect your visitors. Well, you should be all set for Spring Fling 2008. Got your Iron in the Hat stuff ready and auction items or display items loaded up? And don’t forget the most important item. . .please remember to bring your safety glasses!

Hope everyone has had a safe and healthy Winter. Let Spring come in like a Lion and I look forward to seeing you all at Spring Fling 2008.

Keith Kuch
President