Hey
All three pours are done. Most of the participants have gone home either in Alaska or out of state. Last to leave was Donnie Keen and his Daughter Christy.
After the Kenai pour we took a couple of days off and just rested.Donnie started to get restless facing a long trip home. But we both felt we had one more thing to do. The monument for Wiseman was still in parts on the floor of my shop. Part of it was cast at Wiseman and the rest at the Wasilla pour. We got to work sandblasting and grinding until the monument was ready for the trip. We loaded it and all the tools we thought we would need and on Wednesday morning we headed back to Wiseman.
This time we drove straight through with only a quick stop at Fairbanks for food and fuel. About 15 hours later we were in Wiseman again. We checked in at the Arctic Getaway with Bernie and Uta. The next morning after a good breakfast of sourdough pancakes and eggs. We got busy with installing the monument.
The locals had approved the installation next to the flagpole at the community center. Using river water to mix concrete we made a base out of river rocks and set the first piece of the monument in place. Bernie and Uta along with their children Julia and Leo joined Kristen and Jack another local couple in participating in the assembly. We stacked the pieces filling them with concrete as we went until the last piece was installed.The completed monument is an obelisk about 6ft tall made up of sections stacked on each other. Butch Jack Professor at La Mar University in Beaumont Tx Designed the monument. The molds were made in Texas and hauled all the way to Wiseman in Donnie's truck.
In Wiseman the molds were opened and all the artists and local residents were invited to inscribe their own designs on the faces of the molds. When all the molds were inscribed the molds were closed for casting. The final result turned out wonderful. The monument is covered in designs both whimsical and classic.It truly reflects the personalties of the participants at the Pour. Photos will be added to the site asap.
Its hard to believe that its over. After a little more than a year of planning, a lot of work and some wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. We accomplished the goals we had set for ourselves. We poured Iron above the Arctic circle, Donnie and his group drove from Houston Texas to Wiseman Alaska a trip of approximately 4374 miles with stops at Clarenden Texas for a pour, and at Denver to participate in the Western cast Iron Conference.
While in Alaska we demonstrated that Iron could be poured successfully and Art could be created by an Ad Hoc group of artists, Professors and students. Not only above the arctic circle but across the state from north to south. All it takes is the desire and some ingenuity. It also takes a lot of work and effort. Iron seems to be a medium that attracts the kind of people who are passionate about their art and aren't afraid to get dirty making it.
There are so many people to thank for their help in making Iron Trail to the Arctic a successful and memorable event, from the residents of Wiseman who invited us to their beautiful village and showed so much hospitality. To the participants all who traveled long distances to join us in trying to accomplish something that had not been done in Alaska. To people who were unable to join us but were none the less crucial like Michael Cottrel who set up our website. Joe and Barbara Hettrick who were faithful and friendly supporters along the long road to Alaska and helped at every pour. Forrest Goodhue the photographer of all things Iron. Bruce Bush here in Alaska for use of forklifts and equipment. Carmen Summerfield and the Valley Arts Alliance for the organizing and promotion of the Art on Fire event. The sponsors who helped with materials and shipping.
Magic Metals Custom Fabricating Kenai AK
Keen Foundry Houston TX
Arctic Fires Bronze Sculptureworks Palmer AK
Bushes Bunches Palmer AK
A.B.C. coke Birmingham AL
City of Kenai Kenai AK
Spenard Builders Supply Kenai AK
Alaska Museum Transportation and Industry Wasilla AK
Ironpour.com
Again thanks to all who supported and participated in this adventure.
Whats next? Well Donnie and I were thinking....................
Friday, July 18, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
The final stop on the Trail, Kenai River of Iron pour
With the pour done in Wasilla we took a day off and went to the museum in Anchorage.
Forrest went to the airport and left the trail. D'j and Susan also left on Sunday night. Butch and Rhonda left on Monday. With our shortened crew we spent Tuesday loading the trailer and the trucks for the trip to Kenai. We decided we only needed two vehicles so we put the trailer on Joe Hettricks truck and loaded up the miscellaneous stuff in my pickup. We set out early Wednesday for the 200 mile trip south to Kenai.
On arriving in Kenai we unloaded and set up the mold making equipment at Scott Hamann's "toy box" This is a building where Scott keeps his "Toys" Hot rods, forging equipment,casting equipment, motorcycles, etc. Laura and Eric West from Fresno California where Laura is a professor at Fresno city College and Eric is a jeweler also arrived. We soon got busy making molds.
On Thursday we continued our mold making. That morning Wendy Croskrey from Fairbanks showed up and a little later 3 more people from Fairbanks Hannah, Aeron, and Tamara arrived. We were glad to see the crew from Fairbanks as we were short of experienced people for this pour. They were a big help in Wiseman and in Wasilla so were glad they made all the Alaskan pours.
Friday arrived with rainy skies. We had arranged with the city of Kenai to pour at the city's multi purpose facility. They had set up a sand covered area inside the building and another outside the building so we could pour inside or outside depending on the weather. We finally decided to set up the molds inside and the furnace outside. We had to move the outside sand but after a little scrambling around we got the furnace set up.
After the experience we had Gained running the furnace in Wasilla we decided to drill another slag hole lower in the well to allow us to remove slag at a lower level and tap when less metal had collected in the well. We got the furnace fired up and in a couple of hours we were ready to melt metal. With Scott tapping and the Fairbanks women pouring we made our first tap. The new slag hole turned out to be at the right height to produce a full but not too full ladle of good hot iron. We began pouring molds and after a few more taps we had all the molds filled in a couple of hours.
There was a pretty good turnout of spectators to watch the pouring. We had been advertised in all the city's newspaper ads about the fourth of July activities.
After the pour we cleaned up the smaller stuff and went to dinner followed by a relaxing evening in Scott's beautiful yard with its ocean view. On Saturday we were invited to Scott's again for a party in the yard with lots of locals , live cannon fire,a bowling ball mortar that shot 16 lb. bowling balls into the air until they were out of sight, and automatic weapons fire. But no fireworks as they are illegal in most of Alaska.
Forrest went to the airport and left the trail. D'j and Susan also left on Sunday night. Butch and Rhonda left on Monday. With our shortened crew we spent Tuesday loading the trailer and the trucks for the trip to Kenai. We decided we only needed two vehicles so we put the trailer on Joe Hettricks truck and loaded up the miscellaneous stuff in my pickup. We set out early Wednesday for the 200 mile trip south to Kenai.
On arriving in Kenai we unloaded and set up the mold making equipment at Scott Hamann's "toy box" This is a building where Scott keeps his "Toys" Hot rods, forging equipment,casting equipment, motorcycles, etc. Laura and Eric West from Fresno California where Laura is a professor at Fresno city College and Eric is a jeweler also arrived. We soon got busy making molds.
On Thursday we continued our mold making. That morning Wendy Croskrey from Fairbanks showed up and a little later 3 more people from Fairbanks Hannah, Aeron, and Tamara arrived. We were glad to see the crew from Fairbanks as we were short of experienced people for this pour. They were a big help in Wiseman and in Wasilla so were glad they made all the Alaskan pours.
Friday arrived with rainy skies. We had arranged with the city of Kenai to pour at the city's multi purpose facility. They had set up a sand covered area inside the building and another outside the building so we could pour inside or outside depending on the weather. We finally decided to set up the molds inside and the furnace outside. We had to move the outside sand but after a little scrambling around we got the furnace set up.
After the experience we had Gained running the furnace in Wasilla we decided to drill another slag hole lower in the well to allow us to remove slag at a lower level and tap when less metal had collected in the well. We got the furnace fired up and in a couple of hours we were ready to melt metal. With Scott tapping and the Fairbanks women pouring we made our first tap. The new slag hole turned out to be at the right height to produce a full but not too full ladle of good hot iron. We began pouring molds and after a few more taps we had all the molds filled in a couple of hours.
There was a pretty good turnout of spectators to watch the pouring. We had been advertised in all the city's newspaper ads about the fourth of July activities.
After the pour we cleaned up the smaller stuff and went to dinner followed by a relaxing evening in Scott's beautiful yard with its ocean view. On Saturday we were invited to Scott's again for a party in the yard with lots of locals , live cannon fire,a bowling ball mortar that shot 16 lb. bowling balls into the air until they were out of sight, and automatic weapons fire. But no fireworks as they are illegal in most of Alaska.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Next stop on the trail Art on Fire
Hey
our group left Wiseman on Sunday and drove straight back to Palmer to get ready for the next pour.
We got to Palmer about 4 am needless to say we didn't get much done on Monday.
On Tuesday we felt better and got to work organizing the stuff we were going to need in Wasilla. Some people started making molds others broke iron. Tuesday night about midnight Donnie and his crew rolled in having spent an additional night in Wiseman and a night in Fairbanks on the way to Palmer.
Wednesday and Thursday we continued to get ready making molds, breaking iron,,constructing ladles, etc. We also burned in the new copulette.
Scott Hamann and I designed the furnace using ideas from different furnaces I had been around and info from people who had built furnaces before. Scott built the furnace down in Kenai at his Fabricating business and had delivered it to me in Palmer a week or 2 before. With a couple of minor additions it was ready for Saturday.
Friday was a flurry of activity with everyone busy with making molds or breaking iron and making equipment, charging stand, ladles,and making up charges of iron and coke.
Saturday we were up early loading the furnace on the trailer and loading the trucks with all the equipment and off to the Alaska Museum Of Transportation and Industry we went.
The Museum is located on the northern edge of Wasilla and houses a large collection of trains ,planes and automobiles from Alaska's past. The collection includes outboard motors ,chainsaws and construction equipment as well as snow machines. We had thought that the museums Historical displays of Alaska's industrial past as well as nice grounds would be an appropriate venue for an Iron pour, as casting art from iron is an example of co-opting an industrial process for cultural expression.
I had Talked about the Idea of holding an Iron pour at the Museum with Carmen Summerfield the director of a local arts group the Valley arts Alliance. Carmen set up a meeting with members of the museum board and in the course of discussion at later meetings it was decided that not only was an iron pour a good idea why not expand the concept and invite other artists who use fire in the process of creating their art and call the whole thing Art on Fire.
Carmen and the Arts Alliance recruited raku pottery artists, encaustic wax artists and several blacksmiths to demonstrate their talents.Food vendors were also invited to make the whole experience a good opportunity for Families to spend an afternoon at the museum and enjoying the live demos.
Arriving at the Museum we unloaded the trucks and trailers and began to set up the equipment after a few false starts we got everything oriented and started up the furnace. This was the first time the furnace had ever melted metal and we didn't know what to expect. When the coke was hot we cut in the main blower and began charging.
After the first charge we had iron at the tap hole in 4 minutes. We botted the hole and kept charging, it wasn't long until we had slag at the slagger and soon after we had iron.
We Tapped and filled the first ladle until the pour team said they had enough weight, then botted in mid flow. The pour team poured that ladle and switched out and we tapped again, this time we filled the ladle and again botted in mid flow. After pouring that ladle we tapped again and got about a half full ladle. we estimate from the weight of the charges we were getting between 200 and 220#s of iron in the well when it showed iron at the slagger.
We continued pouring until all the molds were filled. We only had one mold that leaked and were able to still save most of that piece. All the other pieces poured successfully and the onlookers were treated to a good show and expressed interest in the process and the medium.
After we finished pouring we dropped the bottom and cleaned out the furnace without too much trouble. After loading up the smaller equipment we went back to Palmer for showers and relaxation.
our group left Wiseman on Sunday and drove straight back to Palmer to get ready for the next pour.
We got to Palmer about 4 am needless to say we didn't get much done on Monday.
On Tuesday we felt better and got to work organizing the stuff we were going to need in Wasilla. Some people started making molds others broke iron. Tuesday night about midnight Donnie and his crew rolled in having spent an additional night in Wiseman and a night in Fairbanks on the way to Palmer.
Wednesday and Thursday we continued to get ready making molds, breaking iron,,constructing ladles, etc. We also burned in the new copulette.
Scott Hamann and I designed the furnace using ideas from different furnaces I had been around and info from people who had built furnaces before. Scott built the furnace down in Kenai at his Fabricating business and had delivered it to me in Palmer a week or 2 before. With a couple of minor additions it was ready for Saturday.
Friday was a flurry of activity with everyone busy with making molds or breaking iron and making equipment, charging stand, ladles,and making up charges of iron and coke.
Saturday we were up early loading the furnace on the trailer and loading the trucks with all the equipment and off to the Alaska Museum Of Transportation and Industry we went.
The Museum is located on the northern edge of Wasilla and houses a large collection of trains ,planes and automobiles from Alaska's past. The collection includes outboard motors ,chainsaws and construction equipment as well as snow machines. We had thought that the museums Historical displays of Alaska's industrial past as well as nice grounds would be an appropriate venue for an Iron pour, as casting art from iron is an example of co-opting an industrial process for cultural expression.
I had Talked about the Idea of holding an Iron pour at the Museum with Carmen Summerfield the director of a local arts group the Valley arts Alliance. Carmen set up a meeting with members of the museum board and in the course of discussion at later meetings it was decided that not only was an iron pour a good idea why not expand the concept and invite other artists who use fire in the process of creating their art and call the whole thing Art on Fire.
Carmen and the Arts Alliance recruited raku pottery artists, encaustic wax artists and several blacksmiths to demonstrate their talents.Food vendors were also invited to make the whole experience a good opportunity for Families to spend an afternoon at the museum and enjoying the live demos.
Arriving at the Museum we unloaded the trucks and trailers and began to set up the equipment after a few false starts we got everything oriented and started up the furnace. This was the first time the furnace had ever melted metal and we didn't know what to expect. When the coke was hot we cut in the main blower and began charging.
After the first charge we had iron at the tap hole in 4 minutes. We botted the hole and kept charging, it wasn't long until we had slag at the slagger and soon after we had iron.
We Tapped and filled the first ladle until the pour team said they had enough weight, then botted in mid flow. The pour team poured that ladle and switched out and we tapped again, this time we filled the ladle and again botted in mid flow. After pouring that ladle we tapped again and got about a half full ladle. we estimate from the weight of the charges we were getting between 200 and 220#s of iron in the well when it showed iron at the slagger.
We continued pouring until all the molds were filled. We only had one mold that leaked and were able to still save most of that piece. All the other pieces poured successfully and the onlookers were treated to a good show and expressed interest in the process and the medium.
After we finished pouring we dropped the bottom and cleaned out the furnace without too much trouble. After loading up the smaller equipment we went back to Palmer for showers and relaxation.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Iron above the Arctic Circle
Hey
Its been a while and many miles since the last update. the Wiseman pour was a success. It wasn't perfect but iron was poured and art was created above the Arctic Circle.
Our group left for the circle in 2 vehicles. Myself and Shane Morgan in the pickup and D'jean Jawrunner professor at Mesalands Community College and Susan Byrnes and the Wests Laura and Eric in the Tahoe. we left as early as any six people with different dispositions , multiple bags and various molds could manage.
After multiple stops we were actually on the road by 11 am Thursday. we proceeded at a good rate up the parks highway stopping at the Denali viewpoint to get a glimpse of the mountain. We made our way north to the entrance of Denali national park and drove in as far as they allow private vehicles. We saw beavers, caribou and eagles.
We arrived in Fairbanks about 7 pm and stopped for a nice meal at the Chena pump house. after that we gassed up and headed for the Dalton highway. The Highway was in pretty good shape with several sections improved over last year. We drove into the night. Though not dark, as at that latitude night is a concept more than a reality.
When we crossed the Yukon river we decided to stop and sleep a while in the cars, it was about 1;30 am and when we parked I noticed the flat on the Tahoe. Being tired we decided to leave it till morning another concept at this latitude. we slept until 4;oo am got out and changed the tire and continued on our way. We stopped at the arctic circle marker for photos and bathroom breaks. Then we continued on to Cold foot the only truck stop above the arctic circle. After much needed coffee and breakfast we had the tire repaired and pushed the last of the way to Wiseman.
When we arrived Donnie and Butch and Rhonda were already setting up the copula . We unloaded the stuff we brought and helped set up. we spread the molds into pour lines and assembled equipment . Butch burned in the copula for a couple of hours to be sure it was dry and ready for Saturday.
We checked in with our hosts Bernie and Uta of the arctic getaway lodge
and put our stuff in the charming 2 story cabin we had rented. Wiseman was beautiful ,the weather was nice though not warm enough for the non Alaskans.
The pour site was the yard of the Wiseman community center a large log building used for community purposes. We were about 50 yards from the Koyokuk river where we hauled buckets of water from to use in case of fire. Wiseman has about 13 full time residents and about double that in the summer. The residents are living the lifestyle of real alternative energy as the whole village is off the grid and all electricity is generated by each individual home owner by various means including water, solar ,wind, or gas and diesel generators or a combination of all depending on their needs.
After setting up, we relaxed and visited. The other group were staying at the Boreal lodge the other b&b in town . About midnight, still not dark. Wendy Croskrey and 3 of her students Hannah, Margaret and Tamara arrived from Fairbanks.
On Saturday we fired the furnace and began the preheat. set out the mold lines and prepared the ladles, after a couple of hours we began charging and in short order had iron at the slag hole. We tapped and poured the first pieces. We had a second successful tap and then the trouble began. On the third tap we couldn't get through to the liquid iron, after several attempts to tap
We tipped the furnace on its side and dumped the contents on the ground. We then knocked as much metal and slag out of the furnace as we could, cleared the tap hole set the furnace back upon its stand and refired it with fresh coke,after another preheat we were able to tap a couple more times before we had trouble again. We dumped it out beat on the inside and cleared it again, re heated it and got one tap before it froze up for the third time. We dumped it tried to clear it and finally admitted defeat.
We did manage to get about half the pieces poured including several scratch blocks made by the locals some of which were very nice pieces. The weather for the pour was typical Alaska summer, bright warm sunshine for awhile, cloudy for a while, rain for about 20 minutes and then clearing to partly cloudy . All in the same day. We had about 16 participants about a dozen from outside and the rest from Alaska. The locals came out and watched and participated in making scratch blocks . Bernie and Uta even brought the participants coffee and cookies after the rain storm. We estimated about 50 people at times between participants and spectators. If we include the mosquitoes we had over a million . Yes the mosquitoes were thick.
Like I said , the pour wasn't perfect but we did melt and pour iron in the village of Wiseman.
We had a good time and the locals including some from cold foot and Nenana enjoyed watching and participating. All in All we put it down in our book as a success.
Its been a while and many miles since the last update. the Wiseman pour was a success. It wasn't perfect but iron was poured and art was created above the Arctic Circle.
Our group left for the circle in 2 vehicles. Myself and Shane Morgan in the pickup and D'jean Jawrunner professor at Mesalands Community College and Susan Byrnes and the Wests Laura and Eric in the Tahoe. we left as early as any six people with different dispositions , multiple bags and various molds could manage.
After multiple stops we were actually on the road by 11 am Thursday. we proceeded at a good rate up the parks highway stopping at the Denali viewpoint to get a glimpse of the mountain. We made our way north to the entrance of Denali national park and drove in as far as they allow private vehicles. We saw beavers, caribou and eagles.
We arrived in Fairbanks about 7 pm and stopped for a nice meal at the Chena pump house. after that we gassed up and headed for the Dalton highway. The Highway was in pretty good shape with several sections improved over last year. We drove into the night. Though not dark, as at that latitude night is a concept more than a reality.
When we crossed the Yukon river we decided to stop and sleep a while in the cars, it was about 1;30 am and when we parked I noticed the flat on the Tahoe. Being tired we decided to leave it till morning another concept at this latitude. we slept until 4;oo am got out and changed the tire and continued on our way. We stopped at the arctic circle marker for photos and bathroom breaks. Then we continued on to Cold foot the only truck stop above the arctic circle. After much needed coffee and breakfast we had the tire repaired and pushed the last of the way to Wiseman.
When we arrived Donnie and Butch and Rhonda were already setting up the copula . We unloaded the stuff we brought and helped set up. we spread the molds into pour lines and assembled equipment . Butch burned in the copula for a couple of hours to be sure it was dry and ready for Saturday.
We checked in with our hosts Bernie and Uta of the arctic getaway lodge
and put our stuff in the charming 2 story cabin we had rented. Wiseman was beautiful ,the weather was nice though not warm enough for the non Alaskans.
The pour site was the yard of the Wiseman community center a large log building used for community purposes. We were about 50 yards from the Koyokuk river where we hauled buckets of water from to use in case of fire. Wiseman has about 13 full time residents and about double that in the summer. The residents are living the lifestyle of real alternative energy as the whole village is off the grid and all electricity is generated by each individual home owner by various means including water, solar ,wind, or gas and diesel generators or a combination of all depending on their needs.
After setting up, we relaxed and visited. The other group were staying at the Boreal lodge the other b&b in town . About midnight, still not dark. Wendy Croskrey and 3 of her students Hannah, Margaret and Tamara arrived from Fairbanks.
On Saturday we fired the furnace and began the preheat. set out the mold lines and prepared the ladles, after a couple of hours we began charging and in short order had iron at the slag hole. We tapped and poured the first pieces. We had a second successful tap and then the trouble began. On the third tap we couldn't get through to the liquid iron, after several attempts to tap
We tipped the furnace on its side and dumped the contents on the ground. We then knocked as much metal and slag out of the furnace as we could, cleared the tap hole set the furnace back upon its stand and refired it with fresh coke,after another preheat we were able to tap a couple more times before we had trouble again. We dumped it out beat on the inside and cleared it again, re heated it and got one tap before it froze up for the third time. We dumped it tried to clear it and finally admitted defeat.
We did manage to get about half the pieces poured including several scratch blocks made by the locals some of which were very nice pieces. The weather for the pour was typical Alaska summer, bright warm sunshine for awhile, cloudy for a while, rain for about 20 minutes and then clearing to partly cloudy . All in the same day. We had about 16 participants about a dozen from outside and the rest from Alaska. The locals came out and watched and participated in making scratch blocks . Bernie and Uta even brought the participants coffee and cookies after the rain storm. We estimated about 50 people at times between participants and spectators. If we include the mosquitoes we had over a million . Yes the mosquitoes were thick.
Like I said , the pour wasn't perfect but we did melt and pour iron in the village of Wiseman.
We had a good time and the locals including some from cold foot and Nenana enjoyed watching and participating. All in All we put it down in our book as a success.
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