SCHEDULE for : CanIRON VIII - Fergus Ontario - July 28 to August 1, 2011. The Canadian National Artisan Blacksmith's Conference, hosted by the Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association

CanIRON VII - FErgus

Last Revision - July 12, 2011

NOTE ADDITION OF NEW DEMONSTRATIONS AND A WORKSHOP

Conference Schedule

Feature Demonstration	Feature Lecture	Hands on Workshop	Public Outreach
Secondary Demonstration	Secondary Lecture / Panel	Other Activities	Logistics

	Time	Area	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	MONDAY
			July 28	July 29	July 30	July 31	August 1
MORNING	9 - 12		Registration Opens				Packing Down
		Gallery	Work Accepted	Members Only	Members Only	Members Only
		Public Demo	Iron Smelt	OABA Project	OABA Project	'Historic Forge'
		Demo A		Paul Allen Scrollwork for Acanthus Leaf	David Robertson Beyond Basics	Sandra Dunn Assembling - Chair
		Demo B		Jesus Hernandez Bloom to Bar	Kelly Smyth 'Chains Over Time'	Jake Powning Bronze Casting
		Hands On		Mike McCarthy Basic Toolmaking	Brian Russell Gate Elements	Brian Russell Assembling Gate
	(9 - 10:30)	Conference		Panel : Business of Blacksmithing	Workshop : Design Tricks Darrell Markewitz	Contributed video
	(10:30 - 12)	Conference		Smithing Science Kevin Peffers	Panel: How to CanIRON	Workshop : Working the Web David Robertson
LUNCH	(12 - 1:30 )			Meal Plan	Meal Plan	Meal Plan	Site Closes
	12:30 - 1:30	Gallery		Using the INTENET Neil Peterson	Mike McCarthy 19th C Blacksmiths	currently open
	12:45 - 1:30	Cafeteria		Sandra Dunn Design from History	Jesus Hernandez Japanese Bladesmithing	currently open
AFTERNOON	1:30 - 4:30		Programming Starts			Official Closing
		Gallery	Work Accepted	Public Access 'Meet the Artist'	Public Access 'Meet the Artist'	Remove Work
		Public Demo	Iron Smelt	OABA Project	OABA Project
		Demo A	Paul Allen Forging a Flower	Brian Russell Gate Elements	Sandra Dunn Joinery Elements
		Demo B	Mark Puigmarti Sculpting Mass 1	Mark Puigmarti Sculpting Mass 2	Jake Powning Pattern Welding
		Hands On	Jake Powning Basic Bladesmithing	Kelly Smyth Making Tongs	Paul Allen Making Acanthus Leaf	Forging Competition (public)
	(1:30 - 3 )	Conference		Panel : Canadian Artist Blacksmiths ??	Panel : 'Women of Steel'
	(3 - 4:30 )	Conference	currently open	Contributed Video	Contributed video
DINNER	( 5 - 6:30 )		Opening BBQ	Meal Plan	Thank You's Meal Plan	Equipment Pack-Up
EVENING	7 - 8	Cafeteria	Meet Demonstrators	Brian Russell Portfolio	Auction (public) 6:30 - 9
	7 - 8	Gallery		(possibly open)
	8 - 9	Cafeteria	Paul Allen Portfolio	Jake Powning Design from the Ancients	Auction (continues)
	8 - 9	Gallery	Mark Puigmarti Portfolio	Kelly Smyth Nautical Blacksmithing
	(6:30 - 9:30)	Demo A	8 - 9:30 Mike McCarthy Sculpted Head	Mike McCarthy Pipe Tomahawk
	(6:30 - 9:30)	Demo B	8 - 9:30 Dave Kritz Copper Leaves	Jesus Hernandez Japanese Bladesmithing
	( 6 - 10)	Hands On	Open Forge	Open Forge	Open Forge

Details of Specific Sessions:

FEATURE DEMONSTRATIONS - There will be two main areas equipped for your featured demonstrators. Details below by individual demonstrator :

Paul Allen
Thursday	1:30 - 4:30	Demo A	'Forging a Flower'	A "three dimensional flower with fire welded stem and leaves made using pure forge work techniquesî.
Friday	9 - 12	Demo A	'Scrolls for Acanthus Leaves'	Illustrating making the scrollwork for mounting an acanthus leaf. (This will be a preamble to his workshop session.)
Sandra Dunn
Saturday	1:30 - 4:30	Demo A	'Joinery Elements'	Forging basic elements for a chair combining wood and steel.
Sunday	9 - 12	Demo A	'Assemble a Chair'	Completion of the chair project, assembling the individual elements.
Jesus Hernandez
Friday	9 - 12	Demo B	'Bloom to Blade'	Illustrating the process of converting a raw iron bloom into a working bar, prepatory to forging a blade. This all done utilizing tools and methods from the Japanese working traditions.
Friday	6:30 - 9:30	Demo B	'Japanese Bladesmithing'	Completing the bar to blade process, including showing the process of clay coating and quenching.
Mike McCarthy
Thursday	8 - 9:30	Demo A	Sculpted Head	A shorter demonstration of how to use punching and shaping to produce a specific sculpted face / head terminal, which then can be applied to a wide range of objects.
Friday	6:30 - 9:30	Demo A	'Pipe Tomahawk'	Forging a late 1700's style pipe tomahawk.
Jake Powning
Saturday	1:30 - 4:30	Demo B	'Pattern Welding'	Illustrating some of the steps that go into the creation of a composite pattern welded sword billet.
Sunday	9 - 12	Demo B	'Bronze Casting'	Showing the process making bronze decorative fittings, from carving the wax to gravity poured casting & finishing.
Mark Puigmarti
Thursday	1:30 - 4:30	Demo B	'Sculpting Mass 1'	The demonstration will focus on hand forging larger stock using simple tools. While creating components for a free form sculptural piece he will explore the possibilities of design, and describe his approach to working.
Friday	1:30 - 4:30	Demo B	'Sculpting Mass 2'	Expanding and continuing working processes with larger stock and hand tools.
David Robertson
Saturday	9 - 12	Demo A	to be determined
Brian Russell
Friday	9 - 12	Demo A	'Gate Elements'	Brian will undertake the making of a simple gate for CanIRON VIII. This demonstration session will be followed up by two hands on workshops.
Kelly Smyth
Saturday	9 - 12	Demo B	'Chains over Time'	Showing her distinctive "Chains Over Time" motif. " This is an example of how using a traditional technique found in heavy ships' hardware that with a slight turn becomes delightful & useful where only the practical existed.

SECONDARY DEMONSTRATIONS - Extras to pack full your time! Details by individual demonstrator

Dark Ages Recreation Company
Thursday	9 - 5	Public Demo	Iron Smelt	Ongoing all day Thursday as you arrive, DARC will demonstrate the easy to build 'Econo-Norse' iron smelting furnace. Expect the bloom to be extracted about 5 pm!
Dave Kritz
Thursday	8 - 9:30	Demo B	Copper Leaves	A shorter demonstration showing a simple method to work with copper tubing, cold, to create decorative leaves.
OABA - Dave McCord
Friday & Saturday	9 - 5	Public Demo	Bench Project	Watch as members of Ontario Artist Blacksmith Association work on elements for the second Fergus Park Bench.
David Robertson
Saturday	9 - 12	Demo A	Beyond Basics	Now that you have basic level skills at the forge, what comes next? A look at some interesting techniques to expand your possibilities, including a peek at working with pipe and structural shapes.
Robert Wagner
Sunday	9 - 12	Public Demo	HIstoric Forge	See a modern interpretation of a War of 1812 version charcoal fired forge in operation.

HANDS ON WORKSHOPS - This separate area has one 'masters' forge plus six additional forge work stations.

1)Three hour long sessions run Thursday afternoon, plus both morning & afternoon of Friday / Saturday, plus Sunday morning.
2) Those interested should already have basic level forge skills as a minimum. Although some basic level tools are available, those wishing to participate are strongly suggested to bring their own personal hand tools. Forge suitable clothing and safety glasses are a requirement.
3) Participants will be chosen by lottery before each session. Names will be drawn from those submitted, to occur after the evening meal, the night before a particular session. Those names will also be posted on the central notice board.

Of course others will be free to observe these sessions from outside the rope line.

Paul Allen	Saturday	1:30 - 4:30	Forging an Acanthus Leaf	6 students, basic level, a materials fee may apply
Mike McCarthy	Friday	9 - 12	Laminating for Tool Making	6 students, intermediate level (forge welding experience not required)
Jake Powning	Thursday	1:30 - 4:30	Basic Bladesmithing	6 students, intermediate level
Brian Russell	Saturday	9 - 12	Gate Elements 1	6 students, intermediate level (different class than Gate 2)
	Sunday	9 - 12	Gate Elements 2 / Assemble	6 students, intermediate level (different class than Gate 1)
Kelly Smyth	Friday	1:30 - 4:30	Forging Tongs	6 students, basic level

In the evenings (Thurs/Fri/Sat) The SIX work stations will be available for pick up work, inspiration, or just plain messing around. There will be teaching supervision provided in the evenings from 7 - 9 pm only.

FEATURE LECTURES - Sessions by our feature demonstrators, offered in either the Cafeteria or the Gallery presentation spaces.

All	Thursday	Cafeteria	7 - 8	'Meet the Demonstrators' / Panel
Paul Allen	Thursday	Cafeteria	8 - 9	Portfolio
Sandra Dunn	Friday	Cafeteria	12:45 - 1:30	'Designing from History' / the chair project
Jesus Hernandez	Saturday	Cafeteria	12:45 - 1:30	'Japanese Bladesmithing'
Mike McCarthy	Saturday	Gallery	12:45 - 1:30	'19th Century Blacksmiths'
Jake Powning	Friday	Cafeteria	8 - 9	'Design from the Ancients'
Mark Puigmarti	Thursday	Gallery	8 - 9	Portfolio
Brian Russell	Friday	Cafeteria	7 - 8	Portfolio
Kelly Smyth	Friday	Gallery	8 - 9	Nautical Blacksmithing

SECONDARY PROGRAMING - Sessions of general interest, offered by both blacksmiths and those outside our regular community.

Note - at this time there are still some empty slots still to be filled!

'Canadian Artist Blacksmiths ?'	Panel	Thursday	Conference	3 - 4:30	An open session to discuss the possible development of a Canadian National organization.
'Business of Blacksmithing;	Panel	Friday	Conference	9 - 10:30	An open session to network and discuss working at Blacksmithing (as a living?). Come share tips and problems.
'Smithing Science'	Kevin Peffers	Friday	Conference	10:30 - 12	An overview of how basic physics and material sciences applies to the practical shaping of metals in the forge.
'Using the Internet'	Neil Peterson	Friday	Gallery	12:45 - 1:30	A beginner's introduction to the internet, e-mail and web sites, for fun and profit (?)
'How to CanIRON'	Panel	Saturday	Conference	10:30 - 12	A bull session with current and past CanIRON organizers, discussing what works - and what doesn't.
'Design Tricks'	Darrell Markewitz	Saturday	Conference	9 - 10:30	Can't draw? There are tricks you can use to develop your ideas and get them down on to paper. A practical working session.
"Women of Steel'	Panel	Saturday	Conference	1:30 - 3	Women often face different problems when it comes to male dominated blacksmithing - an open bull session hosted by Kelly Smyth.
"Working the Internet'	David Robertson	Sunday	Conference	10:30 - 12	How can you use the internet to promote your work as a blacksmith? A general discussion and working session to look at what works - and what doesn't.

FORGING COMPETITION - Love it or hate it, forging competitions done on the spot between teams of participants are always a big part of any gathering of Blacksmiths! Our hope is to allow the general public to be able to observe the goings on 'from behind the ropes'. This event will take place in the Hands On area on Sunday afternoon.

AUCTION - In keeping with our mission to inform and involve the public in selected aspects of CANIRON, we are hoping to open up participation in the fund raising auction to those with fatter wallets! The Auction is scheduled for Saturday evening.

GALLERY - The best way to inform the public to what we REALLY do is to allow them access to the Gallery. Bring your best and most inspiring work, make sure you include a stack of business cards. The layout of the site at the Fergus Sportsplex is ideal in terms of both layout and large size. Security and close supervision will be provided for all the work. Remember members of the general public can view the Gallery (free admission) from 1:30 - 4:30 each day. Sign up for a 'Meet the Artist' session.

VENDOR'S AREA - Browse and Buy at our commercial sales area. Companies with products and services of interest to the blacksmithing community will be displaying in a separate area, also open (free) to the general public. Hours are : Thursday 12 - 5 / Friday & Saturday 9 - 5 / Sunday 9 - 12.

TAIL GATE SALES - What would a gathering of Blacksmith's be without a chance for us to sell and swap stuff that was gathering dust in the corners of our shops? This area is limited to conference members only, available any time after 12 noon Thursday, from 9 AM Friday / Saturday / Sunday (till noon only).

OPENING BBQ SOCIAL - All registered participants are invited to join in for an informal BBQ on a Bun dinner on Thursday - hosted by OABA. (Included with your paid registration.) Come meet the other conference members!

PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS - A special area is being set aside, accessible to the general public, to illustrate just what Blacksmithing is all about:
Thursday - A demonstration of a bloomery iron smelting furnace by members of the Dark Ages Re-creation Company.
Friday & Saturday - Work on creation of a larger artwork project, undertaken by OABA members under the direction of Dave McCord.
Sunday - 'HIstoric Forge' - Robert Wagner demonstrates his 1812 'Gun Carriage' style portable charcoal forge.