Heart Of Dixie Metalmeet 05

[bigpink187]

Hello all...
Kerry and Kris (me) will be having a Metalmeet at our shop May 20-22. Our shop is in Harvest, Alabama, near Huntsville. We will have our full line of wheels available for use, as well as the rest the toys (Pullmax, etc.) Feel free to bring your tools, and remember eye, ear, and hand protection! Jim Spratley will be there with his Henrob torches. Looks like we will have a big crowd. Camping is available. Please post or PM if you are coming so we can get a head count. We look forward to seeing everyone!

[Boogiemanz1]

Kris, I'm sure going to try and be there.........john

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Folks are encouraged to bring their personal machines, ewheels, phammers, etc as well as hand tools. We'll also have a swap meet area also so if you have any 'stuff' you'd like to sell/trade feel free to bring it. If it needs covering, bring that too. Roofed space will not be available although we can probably find space for a table full of hand tools.

The only catch is that anything you bring and don't sell/trade you can't leave here!!! We have WAY too much stuff as it is! In fact, the reason I thought of this is that we have some 'stuff' we'd like someone else to own!

We have a Niagra 36" stomp shear (20 ga), A Wellsaw Model 8 bandsaw, some woodworking tools(radial arm, router crafter), Bear wheel balancer. More as we find it. We're cleaning out the shop before we unload the trailer and just finding stuff that we don't use and taking up space.

[Bob Baisden]

Kerry,

Can you recommend a near by hotel? Looking forward to the meet!
thanks
Bob

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Just got an email from a regular reader in Atlanta who did not know about the upcoming MetalMeet at our shop this month May 20-21.

We have several folks already committed:

John "Boogiemanz" Brown
Bennett Chapman
Jim Spradley (Henrob Jim)
John Jordan
Bob Blaisen
Rickey Barber
Lewis Gilleys and a friend
David Miller (the Huntsville David)
Ed Hanish
Jack McGee our webmaster and his son
Richard Hudgkins
Larry Bishop (atlanta, met at SunNFun)
Marty Sims (Birmingham)
Robert Kempka (Wyoming met at SunNFun)
Rick Martindale (In the neighborhood)
Draper (Nashville)
Brent in TennUhSee and some of his guys
John Staincamp (NC)
Brett Thomas (NC) Are you and John going to carpool?
Jimmy (Saltydog, Atlanta)

My wife asked how many were coming? I told her somewhere between 30 and 130!!! We'll find room, come ahead but please let me know. Parking shouldn't be an issue unless we have a major soaking. When you get here, don't block the driveway. Honk and someone will direct you to a parking spot.

A liability waiver will need to be signed and a name badge worn at all times. I'm too old to remember my own name half the time and wasn't any good at them when I was younger. See what you get to look forward to?

I need to know if you are going to camp.

There are DOZENS of motels about 10 minutes away. You want to be on University Drive. That is where all the motels and eateries are. Some of the motels are:

Comfort Inn 256-533-3291
Hampton Inn 256-830-9400
Holiday Inn Express 256-721-1000
Knights Inn 256-864-0388
la Quinta 256-830-2070
Madison Inn 256-890-0700
Red Carpet Inn 256-539-8448
Super 8 Motel 256-539-8881

Our address is 284 North Day Hill Rd, Harvest, Al 35749. Mapquest should get you right to the door. If you get lost you can call at 256-859-2999. Please don't call after 9pm CST.

I also need to know if you are bringing any machines or tools. We'll have several ewheels to play with but I'd like for folks to bring some different type machines so folks can experience different designs.

We'll probably do cold cuts for lunch and fend for yourselves for supper. We might do burgers and dogs Saturday night but it will depend on how busy we get. My long suffering wife will be watching the Chairman of the board (Grandson) so she won't be able to cook. Maybe someone will volunteer. The Piggly Wiggly is about a mile away. Not too many eateries nearby, a Delissimo Deli at the Sursave pharmacy has Subway like stuff and there is a good Mexican place about 3 miles up the road. Also a local restaurant about 4 miles west. Everything you'd want is about 10-15 minutes away in Huntsville.

I'll have a couple portapotties set up also.

I have ewheels, a Pullmax with Clay Cook thumbnail dies and some beading dies in "Nadia" toolholders, (If someone knows how to set up the cutting function, I'd be thankful. I have some tool steel). A ShopDog hammer with tooling. Ivan the Red Planishing Hammer and perhaps a CP style hammer. Bob Blaisen may finish and bring his as well. We have shears, Migs, Tig, Plasma, Henrob, regular OA, hand tools, etc.

Bring your personal safety gear. Gloves, eye and ear protection. NO SANDALS. Bring your welding helmet if you want to play with the Tig/Mig/OA etc or you can use ours but we only have 3.

I have plenty of 18ga CR. If you want to work with Aluminum, bring it. If you have a small project bring it also. If it's large, please contact me first. Jack McGee is bringing a pickup cab. I've got a 71 GTO that needs some patch panels. A couple of the airplane guys want to make some leading edges using the gokart slicks. We can turn special profile wooden anvils pretty easily.

We need to talk about projects. I'm open but there is a space issue. We'll have about 1000 sq feet and can also work around our fab area if I can get it organized enough to not be a safety hazard. If I can't, I'll have to block it off. We can also roll a couple cars out of a carport and use that space if we need to.

We'll have plenty of bag stands and tucking tools. Need some beater bags. I only have 3 and don't want to use the bags I sell. Bring your favorite hammers and stuff but be sure and label EVERYTHING.

Some folks are planning on getting in early to help set up and start playing. No problem. If you get here too early, we'll just put you to work grinding frames.

I'll plan on doing the "Metalshaping 101" Seminar both Friday and Saturday. Probably around 10am. We can start making noise about 9 and will need to hold it down after 9pm. Don't want to abuse my neighbors goodwill too much.

[GTmike400]

Im going to try and head my way over, I might talk to one of my buddies and see if he wants to go. He doesnt shape metal, but he's interested in the area. I'll bring what I do have if I come; welding helmet, couple of hamers and dollies, and unfortunately I think thats all I have.

EDIT:

I just talked to my buddy, he has no interest, then talked to my parents and got a big ol' "Im not drivin' three hours". So, I guess thats a negative.

[r_barber]

I am still planning on it. Probably be there friday morning bright and early and leave saturday. Planning on bringing my p hammer, the started wheel and some 16 ga. aluminum. I am on for sure unless some disaster happens.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Spoke with Dan Shady today. He will attend the event and has offered to open his shop for a visit on Friday night for anyone interested. After a day in my cluttered shop, a visit to Dan's will be like walking into a hospital Operating Room. I really don't understand how he can keep it so clean but he does and turns out amazing work also.

[Boogiemanz1]

Hey Kerry, Is Jim Spradley bringing his sidekick Rob (Great Day) Murray?

If anyone else is interested, best call or contact Kerry......its next weekend............

I'm planning on bringing my bead roller and my portable helve hammer................john

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Originally Posted by Boogiemanz1

Hey Kerry, Is Jim Spradley bringing his sidekick Rob (Great Day) Murray?

If anyone else is interested, best call or contact Kerry......its next weekend............

I'm planning on bringing my bead roller and my portable helve hammer................john

Don't think Jim is bringing anyone but himself. I did get a call from James Chapman, the Martin Hammer guy. He will be there with his hammers but mainly to play. Looks to be about 35 people excluding the local folks.