DAMP meeting, June 2012: Special Edition

[Mike Cruz]

Wow, what a weekend. Where do I start? How about thebeginning?

I had a lot of prepping and shop clean up (honestly, about12 hours worth!) to do for our June DAMP meeting this past weekend. Because of a special order I had in with a special someone :rolleyes:, and that special order turned out to be much more than originally planned, and weighed much more than we had originally figured, and would cost as much for shipping as it would for gas money for hand delivery, and this special someone and I have talked about meeting up for quite some time now… we had a special guest at this month’s meeting. Actually, we had two special guests. The other special guest and I had been talking about getting together, too. But when and where? Well, when this second special guest had heard that the first special guest was coming to our June DAMP meeting, it proved to be too tempting to pass up… So, here’s the DAMP group after Saturday’sday of turning, chatting, and yeah…drinking.

(Picture courtesy of my wife) from left to right: Me (Mike Cruz), Peter Elliott, Jeff Nicol (special guest #1), David Keller (special guest #2), and Tony DeMasi.

Picture is in next post...sorry.



Dan Hintz is absent from the pic because we had a potential third guest (but local) that we were waiting on, but he never showed. By the time we took the picture, Dan had already left.

Jeff actually arrived on Friday at 10:30am (a little early…catchingme off guard :eek: ). So, admittedly, I wasn’t quite ready for him :o . It didn't take long before we were as comfortable around each other as lifelong buddies (I won’ts ay BFF’s…that wouldn’t be...well, manly :D ). In many ways, Jeff and I are cut from the same cloth…though I’m NOT a metalworker by any means (we definitely differt there). I gave Jeff the tour of the house, shop, and barn. We putzed in the shop a bit, had lunch, then we turned to the reason why he drove (other than to hang out with ME ;) ) over here to begin with. BTW, this has been a LONG time in the works. Jeff’s been a very busy man. If he hasn’t been able to accept an order from any of you, please understand that this order was placed quite awhile ago…so he was “obligated” to finish it…even though my name may have gotten frustratingly mumbled along with some choice words along the way :o .

Pictures are in the next post, sorry.

Yeah, she’s a bowl lathe, solid as a mountain, 28 1/2” swing, just waiting to get purdied up with paint (I asked him not to paint or primer it). When she’s all done, I’ll be sure to post some pics. Jeff did a fantastic job, and I couldn’tbe happier. Thanks, buddy!
Keller arrived (with his chauffeur, Peter…thanks Peter for picking him up from the airport!) at about 6pm. He got the shop tour, there was some chatting, then Peter (as I had expected and was waiting to say…) piped up and said, “We gonna turn something, or what?!?!” Someone said something about a NE, and I headed out to my wood stash and picked out a piece that Jeff and I had gawked over just a few hours before. We mounted it up, and Keller, Peter, and I took turns makin’ curlies.

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We were done turning it, and it was time for dinner.So, we headed to the house for burgers and…um…girlie drinks. Well, that’s what Keller has accused me of drinking when I’ve mentioned that, while posting in the later hours of the evening, I was partaking in a peach or strawberry daiquiri. So, along with the ½ lb burgers, I made everyone fresh peach daiquiris. I was assured I wouldn’t get ribbed for that again! I noticed that I was being watched very (almost TOO) carefully as I made the second batch…like the “recipe”was being “stolen” as I was “concocting” my “magic”. Okay, it is fruit, ice, rum, and sugar…and they are tasty as hell…what’s not to like. After those were gone, strawberry daiquiris were whipped up next!

Well, after dinner, Keller, Peter, and I just KNEW that if we didn’t finish that bowl, it would be cracked and worthless in the morning. So, we headed out to the shop (circa 10pm). Sanding, sanding, sanding, and more sanding (by me…voluntarily…what was I thinking?!) pushed me over the edge and I was toast! I threw up my arms after going through ALL the grits of micro mesh to see tool marks. I was “gently pushed aside” as the Peter and Keller took over and worked their magic to finish sand it. I’m pretty anal about sanding and tool marks, and have to say that they did a fantastic job getting that piece pretty. Done around midnight (with one coat of walnut oil),we headed back into the house to join the other snorers (probably one heck of asymphony that night…I’m not pointing fingers and I’m including myself), as Peter went home.

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Turned “greenish” (cut over a year ago, left sealed andunder a tarp since)and left to do whatever it wants, the NE was coated with threecoats of walnut oil, then Renwaxed and buffed(on Sunday). Sorry, I don’t have anyfinished pics right now. I’ll post them as soon as I can.

Saturday morning was a pancake breakfast for guests #1 and#2. My morning started at 5:30 taking care of the horses, but my wife took over my “farm duties” for the rest of the day, so from there on out, I was “free” to enjoy my company. The rest of the crew arrived just before 9am. We had some chit chat (as a bunch of not-as-full-as-I-would-have-liked bellies digested (we had pancakes left over…I think I made too many). Then we headed to the shop.

We kinda went our own ways… Some started one project while others did something else. Little info… I have two working lathes: a restored PM90 with risers (18” swing) and a Rikon 12” mini lathe. As best as I can remember, while Keller and I were figuring out what we would use for a HF [kinda one of the things we wanted to tackle that day, since three members of DAMP recently got Monster hollowing rigs, was to see some hollowing from our two guest (who are quite proficient at it)], Keller noticed a piece of Pear that I had lying on the floor of my shop (purposefully placed…;)), with five limbs coming off the trunk. I cut out a blank for him, and he started evening/rounding her out. It was beating him to death, and since I don’t think he was having any fun with it, and was ready to throw it into the wood pile, we decided to get another piece. Jeff, ever the woodhoarder (as I am) couldn’t stand seeing it perish, so he loaded it in his car to take home.


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[Tim Rinehart]

Very cool...has to be among the most dynamic and rich stories of creeker meets I've heard in a while. Look forward to
"the rest of the story"!

[Mike Cruz]

For some reason, the first three photos didn't load properly. Here they are again...




I found a piece of ambrosia maple (yeah, go figure :rolleyes: ) that hadbeen cut round, sealed and has been sitting around for about a year and a half.We mounted her up, I cut the tenon, we flipped her around, and Keller startedshaping her. Jeff, Tony, and Peter took turns hopping in…creating the outsideshape of the HF. SIDE NOTE: This takes a lot of patience and understanding. Ifyou’ve done this sort of thing before, you know what I mean. If not, let me explain: You (Keller) start the form. You shape thetop 1/3 or so with a shape in mind, and hand over the gouge. The next guy picksup from there. He may or may not (most likely does NOT) see what you “saw” andmight change the shape COMPLETELY! Not saying this DID happen, but as the nextguy got up, it certainly took a different shape than what I thought it wasgoing to (though I wasn’t the one that created the initial top 1/3…I have noidea what Keller “saw”, didn’t ask and he didn’t say). Okay, back to the HF…





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[Mike Cruz]

With the form ready to be hollowed, Jeff stepped up to the plate to show us how to hollow FREE HAND. Mind you, this wood was anything but wet. Pretty darn dry actually. Beat him to hell, poor guy. Man was he determined and a trouper. I have to say that when he was done, he was pooped…but happy as lark! I think he really had fun! Though, he man handled that bowl long after most (if not all of us) would have given up. Kudos to you, Jeff, for winning that battle. Everyone that had a hand in the HF signed it. I put 11coats of WTF on it today. I’ll buff it in a couple of days. And it will get donated to the National Kidney Foundation for one of their silent auctions.

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At some point, I think Peter started losing it… Looks like he was threatening Tony (taking the picture) with a Cocobolo mallet that I hadsitting around!

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One of the things I did on Saturday was to turn some handles for the new lathe. I got two of them made…out of Bubinga. I still have one, maybe two more to make.

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During his downtime on the PM90, Peter took advantage of Rikon and turned a bottle stopper.

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[Mike Cruz]

And while Jeff was plugging away at hand hollowing the AM HF, Keller took to the Rikon and turned a bell.

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At about 5:30, we called it a day, I (and maybe some of the other guys…I didn’t take notice really) went in to shower up. Then we headed out to dinner to the place that gets written up for the best BBQ in the area every year. Got home before 10pm. Chatted ‘til about midnight, and headed to bed.

Sunday morning started off the same way for me… Up at 5:30, bringing in the horses, mucking the stalls, filling their water buckets, and making up their food. We needed to leave my house at 8am to head to Tony’s. While Tony is only just about an hour away, we ended up ½ hour late…someone got hungry and we “had” to stop. Later, I thanked him very much for that…

We got to Tony’s about 9:30. I’ve been there often, but Jeff and Keller hadn’t (obviously), so they got the tour. Lots of chatting, then we decided to mount something up. The piece of choice was some sycamore from Tony’s front yard (a tree that he and I had taken down some 6 weeks earlier). It had Keller’s name written all over it…while it didn’t have “voids” per se, it was wormy…let’s call it Kelleresque. ;) Keller did the outside, and inside (using Tony’s Monster HF Tool).

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Keller hollowed it out, and I got lots of pics and video of him using the Monster.
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I tried to make sure I got his hands in the shots to show the motion and movement. He’s veteran at thist hing, making it look easier than I'm sure it is. Seeing and studying the intricacies of how he maneuvered the tool will prove priceless, I’m sure, when studying it back. I have to say it was amazing to watch both Jeff and Keller hollow…heck, just turn! There is NO thought about stance, position, tool orientation, approach…nothing. They just do it. It is so rote, it is literally like riding a bike for them. I think, no I KNOW we were awfully lucky to have had them here.

Peter showed up a little late, but I’m sure he had family things to take care of. I hopped on Tony’s PM3520 (the same lathe Jeff andKeller have, btw) to finish turn a Cherry burl that Ken Hill had given me few months back into a small ugly bowl. Didn’t really want to dive into anything that would take too much time, so I brought this little rough out with me… It has 2 coats of WTF on it now, I'll get a bunch more on it and buff it out in a few days. Ugly is as ugly does...:D
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[Mike Cruz]

Anyway, Peter and Keller embarked on a Cherry HF. They gotthe outside cut, and started hollowing. But alas, the chef (Peter) was calledto the grill to prepare the meal.
While we were all doing our thing, Jeff (and his drivingpartner in crime, Aaron) tackled some small projects on Tony’s Jet mini lathe.Jeff was teaching Aaron the basics. Aaron was a fast learner, and turned a nicelittle walnut bowl. Jeff had just gotten started shaping whatever it was thathe had envisioned, when it was time to break from the shop for food. I lookforward to seeing what Jeff finally made of that piece of crotch walnut…


Man, was THAT a meal! We had steak tips, shrimp, sausage,rolls, pasta salad, corn…I’m sure I’m missing something here. I know I stuffedmyself SILLY! Another group photo (courtesy of Tony’s wife). And right about4pm, everyone took off: Peter taking Keller to the airport, and Jeff hittingthe road.


All in all, an incredible weekend! We forged friendships,learned a bit from each other (yeah, even Keller learned something!...I’ll lethim explain that), and if the stars ever re-align, maybe we’ll do it again…
Thank you, Jeff and Keller, for taking the time out of yourbusy schedules to travel out here to spend a weekend with a bunch ofknuckleheads. You are both welcome back ANYTIME! Oh, and I came up with a newdaiquiri last night…
I’m sure I’ve forgotten some details. Please guys, feel freeto add, fill in, tell the real truth…whatever. And add pics, too!

[Dane Fuller]

Wow, Mike! I was envious of Keller when he told me what you guys had planned. Now I'm full blown jealous! Thanks for the pictorial and essay. It looks like you all had a great time.

[Roger Chandler]

Great story Mike! Fantastic that you, Tony, Peter, Dan, David and Jeff could get together..............man, that is a creeker visit of magnum proportions! Sounds like a lot of fun..........thanks for sharing and the pics!

[Russell Eaton]

Sounds like y'all had a blast. Beats what I did last weekend ...work.

[Rick Markham]

Looks like fun! Some of the pictures still aren't working. The creek must not be cooperating... now I am gonna have to check back later!

[Mike Cruz]

I'll see if I can go back and repost them...

Done, I think I fixed them...they aren't in order necessarily, but you can view them at least...

[Rick Markham]

Mike, that lathe is awesome! With swing away tail stock I see! Jeff has definitely out done himself! Now I just have to figure out how to convince him to make me one! Oh Jeff... :D

[Rick Markham]

I would also like to say that it is nice to see that you are actually using your lathes instead of running through the woods with your chainsaws...

Did you try turning on Jeff's lathe? How much did it end up weighing?

[Russell Eaton]

Mike I thought it was just me with some of the pics. It is worth a second post to Comment on the lathe. I look forward to seeing what you make with that beast. Nice stealth gloat. Congratulations.

[Peter Elliott]

It was definitely a great weekend. It did take a lot of planning with everyone meeting up in the MD/VA area. Keller flying in and Jeff making the cross country trek, it was a weekend of turning - food - beer - friendship.

Friday night, I think we shut off the lights at 12pm... I got home just before 1am. That NE Maple Burl was awesome!

Keller going at it:
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Saturday was just a huge day of wood, turning, beer, food, beer, turning, wood, beer, beer.
Jeff got his workout Saturday doing a hollow form.

Sunday, well.. I slept in a bit and got a late start.
More turning, food and beer.

Hopefully this week I will finish up the cherry hollow form me and Keller started.

OH, I am first inline for that Nichol Lathe... Jeff was adamant about not taking orders, he is just swamped right now but somehow I will bribe him to make #2 in 2013.

But I got some goods delivered too. A custom banjo for my Jet that is a TANK.

Great time and nice to learn a lot of different styles of turning.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks, Tim. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the story, and maybe you got to see the photos...

Dane, Keller told me he told you about the trip. I think he was just trying to rub it in... You know Keller!

Roger, we had a great time. Not sure if that will ever happen again, so I just soaked it all in...enjoying every moment I could.

Russell, so do I!!!! I have a couple of blanks that, believe it or not, I'll have to cut down to fit on the lathe! But they've been sitting around...waiting for this thing. It'll probably be a month or so before she's painted and up and running.

Rick, yeah, the swing away tailstock was his idea. I had a bunch of "Jeff, how about"s, but I also told him to feel free to add anything he would want on it that he would want on it if it were for himself. That lead to the swing away tailstock...and some other fun things. I'll elaborate when she's all done... You cracked my wife up completely with your comment about me running through the woods with my chainsaws! Guess that one hit close to home... :o And no, we did not turn on it. Couple of reasons, the foremost being that I hadn't built the base for it yet. Notice that this thing is just sitting on my work bench (way too high to turn on). Even if it had been completed, I'm not sure that a day inbetween turning would have been enough to completely mount her and wire her...motor and all. There is a lot to do, including the tach, switches, VFD, etc. And as Peter noted, Jeff is busy, busy, busy and he made it clear that he is really trying to not take on more jobs right now. He's got his hands more than full, and has to be careful not to keep loading them up. So, please don't get me in trouble by ordering one! I'm sure if he ever decides to make more, you'll hear about it, and can put in an order. How much does it weigh? Gotta be about 200-250 lbs. The base/cabinet I'm making will be about 150 lbs. I'm adding over 750 lbs of weight to the base/cabinet. So, with the motor, it will be about 1,200 lbs. The weights are removeable (for WHEN the lathe needs to be moved...I say "when" because eventually, everything needs to be moved...).

Yeah, Peter, that NE was something else, wasn't it? I really need to get pics of it. But it is at Tony's right now. I'll work on that. And you summed it up pretty well with your wood, turning, beer, food...lather, rinse, repeat...

[Kathy Marshall]

Looks like you guys all had a heck of a weekend! and a new lathe to boot! Doesn't get any better than that!

[Rick Markham]

Mike, I promise I won't get you in trouble ;) Jeff has some time, might be a few years before I have room for another lathe! Gotta build a workshop out back first. (I'm working on that idea) As for your wife, she must have an impeccable sense of humor :D

[Roger Chandler]

Geez Mike............talk about getting sucked in the Vortex............you really got it bad! Which is a good thing of course! :D

[Mike Cruz]

What is worse, Roger, is that I just found a Delta midi lathe WITH extension table on CL yesterday. When Jeff's lathe is up and running, that'll be 4 working lathes... I look forward to having a day when all four are running at once! :D Would have been cool to have done that this past weekend, but alas, I didnt' have the Delta yet, and I just yesterday I started on the base/cabinet for Jeff's lathe.

Yeah, Rick, she's got a GREAT sense of humor...she married me!

Thanks, Kathy. Yeah, I've been looking forward to this lathe for a while. I'm really getting excited about it. Might just be my go-to lathe...:rolleyes:

[Roger Chandler]

Hey Mike..........how did Keller like turning on the PM-90 green monster? Man I would like to have a go on that one myself! You did such a great job on the restoration.........turning on vintage iron must be a thrill!

[Mike Cruz]

You'd have to ask him!

You know you are welcome to come here, Roger, we just have to figure out when...

[Jim Adkins]

Mike....looks like you guys had a great time with your "creekier" meet-up. Only problem is that Keller looks naked without his beard!!
Good thing he had that "Hog" tee on, otherwise I'd never recognized him. BTW, nice looking bowl lathe. Thanks for posting.

[Glenda Marais]

Now that is what I call a club meet!

[John Spitters]

Looks to have been some serious fun you all had ..... maybe I need to organize a similar meet-up in my neck of the woods.
Anyone up for a BBQ, wood butchering get together Canadian style. :)

John

[Jim Burr]

Coors Light? Really?...wow!:p;)

[Mike Cruz]

Jim...Keller with a beard? Can't imagine it... That lathe looks nice now...can't wait to have her painted and purdy!

Glenda, thanks. It was an especially nice one. One I won't forget.

John, yes we did. And I really suggest you do your best to do the same. Heck, everyone should. That's why I post these things. I hope to encourage others to do the same. I've forged some great relationships, made some great friends, and have learned a lot. A little info, we 4 local DAMP members are not all that close geographically. Tony is an hour in one direction from me, Peter and Dan are 1/2 hour and 1 hour in the other, respectfully. So, Dan and Tony are about 2 hours apart. Meeting at my place is right in the middle, and no more than an hour for anyone, though we've met at everyone's houses. Find people local to you...

Jim, no, I wasn't drinking Coors Light, but it was on hand in case anyone didn't want the high test 8-11% stuff that was the other option. Of six pack, I believe 3 were consumed over the entire weekend...

[Tim Rinehart]

It just kept getting better and better...great story on that DAMP gathering.
I do look forward to hearing some other specs on the bowl beast...i.e spindle diam/bearings and such. I expect it's built VERY well, if Jeff did it.
I think I'm in same camp that I'd like a bit more space and solid foundation (concrete vs crawlspace) to set a lathe bigger than my 3520 on.
Looking forward to seeing your progress pics and final photos of it when finished.

[Jeff Fagen]

Wish I could have gotten away when Jeff invited me to go.Looks like too much fun!

[Mike Cruz]

Thank you, Tim. With over 700 views and only 28 replies (which includes all my posts and replies), I'm glad to hear when someone appreciates the OP. I don't write reviews of our meetings to see myself write...I do it to share and encourage others to do the same and have this kind of fun. I will be sure to post pics and give specs when I'm done.

Jeff, would have been great for you to come with Jeff. Put a word in his ear that when/if he does this again that you'd like to be his "driving helper"!!!!

[Jeff Nicol]

Well I finally got a minute to gon the computer and check out the "DAMP" thread and as expected Mike did a great job of getting all the particulars listed in the post. So as this goes Mike and I have been on the phone with each other for more than a year now hammering out info on many things and as you all know Mike can't pass up a good deal on Craiglslist! In many of his purchases, extras that Mike had no use for ended up getting shipped to me as trade or for the "Bowl Beast" escrow account, so needless to say Mike has a way about him that hooked me deep on the building of the bowl lathe. He figured out fast that I have a hard time walking away from a new challenge, and this one was a big one and he knew how to bait me in! I have some other things to work on that should have been done weeks ago for my daughter and we had a big storm that damaged my house and fence a couple weeks ago so I have a bunch of repairs to do also. Then I will finish the rest of the little things for the "BEAST" so it can be put into service.

Once all these little finishing bits are done, I have a honey do list as long as my arm and my buddy and I have started building a firewood processor that we hope to put into use this fall........or it may just be wishful thinking on my part! Then to add to the work, pain and normal life we have 2 new grand babies on the way so that will add to my joy and life!

I will post some more later,

Jeff

[Doug W Swanson]

Great post! Looks like everyone had a good time....

[Mike Svoma]

I'm going next time....darn it! Both kids are graduated now so that can't get in the way any more. Sounds like a great time. Turning, camaraderie, food, drink, laughter, sharing of ideas. It doesn't get any better than that.

[Mike Cruz]

Jeff, I've said it to you in person and on the phone a million times already, but I have to say it again...thank you, thank you, thank you. You built a beast of a machine. And taxed yourself in the process. Though, I'm sure you had a little fun...;) I look forward to your next post.

Thanks, Doug, we did!

Yeah, Mike, I was sad to hear you couldn't make it. Next time we'll have to work on making sure you can... And the only way it COULD have been better, is if we had more people! Though 7 of us were making some heat in my shop...didn't help that the AC took a dump toward the end of the day. I've got a new more powerful unit to put in...sitting in the middle of the floor right now...in the way. :o

[Mike Cruz]

Here are some pics of the NE maple burl that Keller, Peter, and I turned on Friday.

[Jeff Nicol]

If we do it again next year it may have to be moved to a larger venue! Or maybe a big tent set up with open air sides and lots of stuff to work on, maybe we could get some of the local tool dealers to to donate some stuff for the cause! Big dreams for a little mind, but it does not hurt to dream a little now and then.

Someone asked what size the spindle shaft is and the bearings, the shaft is 1.5" Stress Proof steel which is very nice to work with and machine and is a pretty standard product for this type of application. The bearings are made to handle radial and axial loads with a wide race and a longer collar with a set screw to hold them to the shaft. There is a threaded nut on the nose to preload the bearings just a little. Here are the specs for the bearings and as you can see the load capacities should handle what Mike tries to load on the "BOWL BEAST"!


Bearing Design
Type
Wide Inner Ring External Self Aligning

Application
Agriculture; Automotive; Pump; Sporting and Consumer Goods; Construction, Manufacturing Equipment

Dimensions

Design Units
Inch

Bore
1.5000 inch

Outside Diameter
3.1496 inch

Outer Ring Width
0.8248 inch

Overall Width
1.9370 inch

Load Ratings

Static Radial
4100 lbs

Dynamic Radial
6660 lbs

Rolling Element
Steel

Seals / Shields
Double Seal

Quality
ABEC-1; ABEC-5

Lubrication
Prelubricated; Relubricatable

Features
Self-aligning; Snap Ring / Snap Ring Groove

Operating Temperature
-40 to 250 F

Should keep Mike out of trouble for a while,

Jeff

[Tim Rinehart]

Pretty cool Jeff. I wasn't familiar with the wide inner ring bearing, but looks much better than the normal radial brgs most of us have in our lathes. I hope to see this in person sometime ...Especially after Mike has had a chance to put it through its paces.

[Mike Cruz]

Now THAT is info I couldn't have provided!

I hate to question you, Jeff, but I think the spindle is 2" stock, isn't it?

I asked Jeff to make the threads 1 1/2" x 8 tpi to match my PM90 and all the accessories that go with it. So, IIRC the spindle is 1 1/2" and the collar is 2". The bearings are simply massive...

[Mike Cruz]

Tim, I've been hard at work making the base/cabinet. One option was to get steel and have it all welded together. If Jeff were in my backyard, I'd probably have him do it, but seeing as how he isn't, while I still though about getting steel (at the scrap yard) and going that route, I've opted to go with doubled up 3/4" plywood. With trippled up 3/4" plywood for the top of the base. Honestly, it will be at least a month before she's up and running... But I'll keep plugging away.

[Mike Cruz]

Here are some pics of the AM HF that we all took turns on.

[Roger Chandler]

That is nice Mike.........now........who gets to keep possession of that masterpiece? :D;)

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, it will go to the National Kidney Foundation for one of their silent auctions.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks for the report!! Had to pack a lunch just to get through the thread!! Sure looks like you guys had a bunch of fun!! Nice work on all the turnings!!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Did I hear someone say "Big Tent"? Now that's right up my alley. I have them big enough for a couple hundred lathes and turners as well as a lunch room. Maybe Mike should start a yearly turning jam for anyone who wants to come.
faust

[Mike Cruz]

I could have made it longer, Steve... Thought I would shorten it down for those with short attention spans. ;) Actually, there was a LOT more than went on, or at least I could have elaborated a lot more on each "going on". I'm long winded and that was as short as I could make it...sorry.

Faust, I only have 200 amps run to my barn, so I AM limited! But let's talk!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mike - I wasn't complaining about the length - just have to plan ahead when getting ready to read the thread!! ;) Personally - I like the in-depth descriptions of what was going on! As close as it gets to actually being there! I do appreciate the time you put into the thread!

[Baxter Smith]

Sorry I missed it Mike. I was lucky enough to sit beside Jeff at the Creeker dinner last year in Saint Paul and listen to his stories. I would have loved to have been able to watch him in action and pick his brain over a two day period. Someday I will have to meet that Keller guy too!

[Mike Cruz]

That's okay, Steve...I figured you were just deservingly yanking my chain. Being a man of few words is something I've never been accused of. Maybe next time I have one of those really long threads, I'll try to warn everyone right up front. I suppose it ended up as more of a blog anyway...

Baxter, would have been great to have had you there. If we do it again next year, maybe you'll get to meet him! That is, if we can get him to revisit the land of banjos...:D