I get requests almost daily from folks all over the country asking how to find other folks that share blacksmithing interests. Fifteen years ago it was hard to find any information. Fortunately today you have the ABANA web site www.abana.org which will direct you to a world of information. I have put together a preliminary list of places that you can ask questions or give answers related to blacksmithing.

In no particular order, there are at least four e-mail lists that you can subscribe to.

• The Anvil, 152 members, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Anvil/
• The Forge, 350 members, http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
• Blacksmiths @ Yahoo, 562 members, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blacksmiths/
• Blacksmiths @ Metal Shapers http://groups.yahoo.com//group/blacksmiths?yguid=62887795
• There is also the News Group .alt.craft.blacksmithing that I reach through Google,
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&group=alt.crafts.blacksmithing
• There is the KeenJunk's Junkyard Forum http://www.keenjunk.com/junkyard.htm
• There is the ABANA Forums http://www.abana.org/resources/forums/index.shtml
• There is the AnvilFire's Slack Tub Pub Forum http://www.anvilfire.com/slacktub/
• There is the ArtMetal Village Forums
http://www.artmetal.com/village/BBS/bbs_entrance.cgi
• There is the E-Z Town's Blacksmith Forum http://www.e-ztown.com/blacksmithing.htm
• There is also The Iron Man News http://www.ironews.com/
• And if you speak Swedish, there is the Antracit Forum http://www.antracit.nu/
• And if you speak Australian, try Metal-Crafts Australia
http://www.yp-connect.net/%7etcents/metal/
• You can find an extensive list of links at ABANA’s
http://www.abana.org/resources/links.shtml
• The 2004 ABANA Conference Registration
http://www.abana.org/membership/conference/index.shtml
• We also have the Affiliate Liaison Representative e-mail list that I strongly encourage the Affiliate Reps to join,
http://www.abana.org/affiliates/index.shtml
this list will become the basis for the Affiliate Liaison Program.

Conference Updates Dave Koenig asked that we spread the word to you all about a few things happening with the conference. The latest issue of the 2004 Conference newsletter is out and can be found at:
• http://www.abana.org/membership/conference/newsletter.shtml You can also download the Adobe PDF file to include in your printed newsletter. The link is on the page listed above.

Many Affiliates are taking advantage of the Free Conference Registration offer. All you need to do is have 10 of your members who have not been ABNANA members before or have not renewed their membership over the past two years send in their membership to the Central Office. Make sure that they mark their affiliate name and mention on the form that it is for the 2004 Free Conference Registration offer. Once your affiliate has reached the ten members needed your affiliate will receive a coupon worth one free registration. You can use this offer for your affiliate auctions, raffles, Iron-in-the-Hat or whatever you deem fitting. Here are the affiliates that are currently participating.

Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association
Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac
Balcones Forge
Western Canadian Blacksmith's Association-South Alberta Chapter
Blacksmith Association of Missouri
Western Reserve Blacksmith Association
Gulfcoast Blacksmith Association
East Texas Blacksmith Alliance
Michigan Artist Blacksmiths Association
North West Blacksmith Association

Speaking of TWO FREE conference registrations, don’t forget to encourage your members to enter the ABANA Conference Poster Contest. For more information visit:
http://www.abana.org/membership/conference/poster_contest.shtml
or contact Dave Mudge for details.

Also included with this mailing is an announcement from Al Butlak of the New York State Designer Blacksmiths. Al wants all the ABANA Affiliates to make banners for the 2004 Conference, see his letter for details and get involved! We will also be posting this on the ABANA website.

More News

Last but not least we would like to welcome three new ABANA Affiliates to the list. Their applications were approved by the board yesterday, February 18, 2004. The new affiliates are the Capital District Blacksmiths’ Association, which will represent the capital district area of New York; Chespeake Forge Blacksmith Guild, which will cover the Washington, DC area and the Baltimore and Annapolis areas in Maryland; and the OKI Forgers which will serve southwestern Ohio, southeastern Indiana and northern Kentucky. Welcome all!

Dave Mudge, Affiliate Liaison
Member Services Division
Chairman Internet Committee
985.735.0049
davemudge@abana.org