Make Sure You Don't Miss the Industry Event of the Year! Register for METALfab2016 While There's Still Time. 
NOMMA's Annual Meeting will be held March 16-19 in Greenville, South Carolina. This year's Annual Meeting will include invaluable education sessions, live demonstrations, a great presentation from keynote speaker Sam Wyche, and much, much more! To register online, visit www.nomma.org/?page=34.
National Geographic magazine ran an article in their December 2015/January 2016 issue about Greenville, South Carolina, METALfab2016's host city. If you'd like a sneak peak of this up-and-coming town, make sure you check out this article. There will be lots to do when you're not attending sessions, networking with fellow friends in the industry, or watching one of the live demonstrations.
The January/February Issue of O&MM Fabricator will be at METALfab in March!
 We have a great editorial lineup for 2016, and each issue will be full of industry-related material with a bonus of one or two business-related articles to help you with business management, marketing tips, and more! Visit nomma.org to access the digital edition of past issues of O&MM Fabricator.
This industry resource wouldn't be possible without advertiser support. We would love to continue growing each issue so that we can provide more educational and beneficial articles to you. If you are planning your marketing dollars for 2016, consider supporting
NOMMA and its publications by purchasing an ad. Not only will you be getting great exposure for your company, you'll be contributing to the success of NOMMA's national publications.
Act now to secure your spot by contacting publication director, Beth Palmer, for advertising opportunities. You can reach her by calling 352-333-3404 or by emailing bpalmer@naylor.com.
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Register Now for the 2016 ABANA Salt Lake City Conference!
The 2016 ABANA Salt Lake City Conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Utah State Fairpark from July 13-16. There will be demos of architectural and sculptural blacksmithing,
foldforming, and more. There will also be teaching tents with hands-on participation with the demonstrators, professional seminars, a fine art gallery with an auction, a marketplace, and so much more!
Reserve your hotel now and pay later! There will also be on-site camping available.
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NEF Pre-METALfab Continuing Education Class Offered at Discounted Rate for NOMMA Members
As a NOMMA member, you can save $100 on the registration fee for the one-day continuing education session organized by the NOMMA Education Foundation. Another 10% discount will be applied if multiple participants from the same company sign up. There are only 15 seats, so register now to secure a spot! The $250 fee ($350 for non-members) includes your class materials and a continental breakfast and lunch. To sign up, please contact Martha Pennington by email (martha@nomma.org) or by phone (888-516-8585, ext. 104).
Master craftsman, Bob Bergman of Blanchardville, Wisconsin, will be presenting the Power Hammer ABCs, which covers the following:
- How using industrial tools and techniques will transfer hand work at an anvil into high production;
- Forging basics that apply to all work;
- Using flat dies and hand held tooling;
- Texturing material (hot and cold);
- Making hand rail and collar stock;
- Tool and die work blacksmith style;
- and a Question and Answer session.
This high-regarded industry expert's presentation will be one you won't want to miss!
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Do You Have Exciting News to Share About Your Company or Information That Can Help the Industry?
If you do, please be sure to share this information with our NOMMA editor, Marbella Miller. We love to feature news, updates, tips, etc. from our members and friends in the industry in both the O&MM Fabricator and in the NOMMA Newswire eNewsletter. You can reach Marbella directly by emailing her at marbella@naylor.com.
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Interior Railings (Ferrous, Forged)
In order to be placed in this category, all railings must contain custom hand forged elements.
Gold Winner:
 Maynard Studios Inc.
Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
This interior stair railing was designed and created inside the Maynard Studios Inc. shop. From the basement-to-third floor, the stairs tower a total of +/- 45 linear feet in length. The primary material used was steel, the secondary material used was bronze. All were hand forged. The railing incorporates large, solid round forged newel posts with balusters that taper from rectangular cross sections at the bottom to round at the top. Each baluster goes all the way down to meet the treads and floor. Bronze accents were added throughout the design, and the hand grip is solid bronze which was been forged to a convex shape and ran the full length of the railing. It took five employees working full-time and a total of 12 weeks to create this railing. For the installation, the team had to travel to Annapolis, Maryland. The railing is finished with a clear enamel and wax finish.
Silver Winner:
Medwedeff Forge & Design
Murphysboro, Illinois
 This 49' Grand Stair Case Railing is for a remodeled Victorian home built in 1880. The fabricator's design is a blend of contemporary forms and techniques with traditional methods; riveted and forged elements of the period. The cap rail is made of solid 1.25" round bar that was hammered to 1" thick under a Nazel 3B. The scrolls were forged from .5" sq bar. The ginkgo leafs were laser cut from .25" plate and extensively worked under the 3B and by hand on the anvil, leaving no trace of the original mill surface. The bold 3D forms were laser cut and then formed hot in a series of jigs. The patterns and geometry of these parts plus the six very unusual jigs required to twist and bend them were incredibly challenging to design. Fitting the puzzle together and maintaining the 4" rule was a painstaking process for the team. The finish is an oxidized patina and lacquer.
It took approximately 1,200 hours to complete this project.
Bronze Winner:
Loyal Wrought Iron Co. Ltd. 2
Guangzhou, China 
This stair railing is made of Low-Carbon Steel by skillful forged and precision works. The post of the railing looks like a dragon, which is the traditional and lofty-position symbol of China. This railing has a smooth shape, well-matched of different material specifications, exquisite and stereo leaves, which make look of the railing like that of a boutique. It is not only a functional piece, but it's safe. This railing adopts different kinds of material specifications of Low Carbon Steel, 38*38˜10*10 bar, 40*40 and 100*100 tube, iron leaves and 1855Q, etc. Many processes were used to fabricate this railing, but the railing was mainly forged. The first and most important step is to make a railing template and get the exact measurements. Forging is the most crucial and professional part. Forged leaves with veins, strict curves and degrees, smooth lines of the whole railing and so on - these all have a huge effect on the railing. The stair railing is finished via sandblasting, spraying zinc, spraying paint by using unique paint from Loyal Wrought Iron Co. Ltd, which makes it elegant and protects the railing against rust. The railing was designed by the president and sales manager of the company.
It took approximately 320 hours to complete the work.
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Joe Digrado, a senior associate with the Danielian Associates architecture firm, and Richard Smith, of design-build firm RJ Associates, presented [at the International Builders' Show] what they consider the most prominent trends that residential designers should keep an eye on this year.
1. Copper Bathtubs
Copper bathtubs, especially freestanding tubs, were featured in several award-winning BALA designs. They can add a twist to a myriad of decors, from rustic to traditional designs, according to the presenters. "These freestanding bathtubs seem to be all the rage now. We're seeing them everywhere," Smith said.
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A record-breaking total of 106 skyscrapers over 200 metres tall were completed in 2015, and even more are predicted for 2016, according to new industry research.
The annual report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) has revealed that more tall buildings were completed in 2015 than ever before – smashing the previous record of 97 in 2014.
This brings the total number of skyscrapers worldwide to 1,040, exceeding 1,000 for the first time and marking a 392 per cent increase from 2000, when the total was just 265.
The year also saw building work complete on 13 so-called "super-talls" of over 300 metres. These include 432 Park Avenue in New York and Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building.
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It's Not Too Late to Set Your Goals for 2016
SMART Goal Setting 101
SMART goal setting is a popular technique for validating your goals. This is important because it helps you save time and energy by making the process of goal setting more efficient and productive. It helps you avoid spinning your wheels!
What is a SMART Goal?
There are several ways you can define the acronym SMART. This is the definition that is most appropriate for small business owners:
- Specific - You have clearly defined what you want to accomplish.
- Measurable - You have identified targets and milestones to track your progress.
- Attainable - Your goal is realistic and manageable.
- Relevant - You have identified a goal that fits with your business model.
- Time-Based - You have identified a specific period of time for the goal.
Learn more here...
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There is no doubt that fine wrought iron, much like a fine piece of wooden furniture or cabinetry, deserves nothing less than fine finishing that brings out the character and quality of the craftsmanship and materials. In the case of fine, hand-wrought metalwork, the finish should reveal, in a natural, uncontrived way, the joinery and surface texture of the metal. These elements are as integral to the overall composition as the scroll forms and leaf work that constitute the greater composition.
Ironically, though, the traditional oil and wax finishes which are most effective at achieving that goal, and most desired by knowledgeable clients and architects, are little understood by professionals and metal workers alike. As a result, there is a lot of mythology that surrounds such finishes, their effectiveness, their costs and their ingredients.
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