Gather your fellow Harry Potter fans and plan to attend The Fantastical Festival at the Metal Museum on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will be guided through the magic of metal in the wizarding world, with plenty of free-with-admission activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Embark on a wizard-y game of I-Spy, use your trusty Marauder's Map to solve riddles on the museum grounds, and more. Plus, register for Make Your Own workshops and Create & Take activities. View the event page to learn more.
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Make plans to attend Curved Railings: From Field to Fabrication.
Pinpoint Solutions’ Terry Barrett and MDO Welding & Fabrication’s Matt Olseng will lead this exclusive, hands-on workshop. Class size is limited to 30 participants, so don’t wait to register.
• Discover field measuring techniques and success tips from experts.
• Learn how to transform measurements into shop drawings, and then get the project off the paper and into a physical form.
• View live instructional demonstrations on curved rail fabrication.
• Tour the shop: Living Design Studios (just outside of Denver, CO).
A big thank you to our host, Jonathan Falk, Living Design Studios, Inc.
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Gasoline Savings for NOMMA MembersNOMMA Savings on gasoline expenses - Owners and Managers turn to WEX (formerly Wright Express) for savings up to 15% and waived card fees. Register and start saving today.
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FenceSense is a quarterly, electronic publication that offers trends and analysis that directly and indirectly affect the fence industry.
This exclusive publication is available to NOMMA members, and has information that can add value to your business and project strategies.
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Thank you to all our NOMMA members who participated in the readership survey this spring! Your feedback on our publications was invaluable, and we look forward to bringing you more of what you love, plus some new features, in the months ahead.
Missed the survey? We still want to hear from you! Contact info@nomma.org to share your thoughts.
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Tariffs: How Do They Affect Us and the Industry?
Some American companies raised prices so high after tariffs were announced that the Chinese prices weren’t so bad. Other companies had to rethink their strategies: a large Taiwanese company restarted a mill in Arkansas, which gave it an exemption from the tariffs.
There are certain trade partners now coming into compliance with previously uninformed trade deals that have been helpful to America.
This is the first time that tariffs have been this political, and they are proving detrimental for the American consumer. But as tempting as it may be, don't rush to hit the panic button. Remember that it's important and valuable to stay educated within our industry. Understanding your company's needs will give you the tools you require to contend with the tariff challenge.
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NOMMA was deeply saddened to lose several extraordinary members this spring. Michael Mittler and Bob Cooke will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by their families and friends.
As we mourn their passing, we also celebrate their wonderful achievements, both within the metalworking industry and beyond, and are grateful that we had the chance to know them.
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Gold: BELT
Title of Entry: Old Post Office, Washington, D.C.
Finish Type: Polished bronze and paint on iron
Total Labor Hours: 12,500
Materials Used: Bronze and iron
This breathtaking bronze and iron railing in the historical old post office in Washington, D.C. was restored to its former glory by BELT, from Hollywood, FL.The company had to work carefully to protect the cultural heritage and distinctive Romanesque Revival architecture of the early 20s, and to preserve the timeless details of the stairwell's classic style.
The design was proposed and developed by BELT, in collaboration with the designer, the owner, and historic landmark guidelines. Countless concepts, sketches and shop drawings culminated in this stunning staircase, which has natural polished bronze and iron with black semi-matte paint finish. The biggest challenge they had to overcome was time. The design for the stairwell actually began about three years before the start of the project, and the team had to be patient throughout the long process of obtaining special permits and final approvals. After all of that preparation, BELT only had 12 weeks to craft 234 feet of railing. The total craftsmen labor totaled about 12,500 hours, with processes including forge, assembly, casting, polishing and finish.
To learn more about BELT and its projects, visit http://www.belt.com.co.
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For the second month in a row, output of U.S. manufacturing accelerated in June, according to a recent report from Reuters. The Federal Reserve noted that June manufacturing production was up by 0.4%, higher than the originally-predicted 0.2% increase.
While this is encouraging news, the manufacturing sector overall is still down; in the second quarter of 2019, it saw its largest quarterly decline (2.2%) since the second quarter of 2016.
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The famous blacksmith shop next to the Heritage Museum of Orange County burned down on July 4, and the shop is noted as "closed indefinitely due to fire." Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the museum's historical materials were also unharmed.The Orange County Blacksmith Guild, which offered regular classes and hosted about 18,000 students each year at the shop, is temporarily out of business. But there are plans to rebuild: with the support of the Heritage Museum, the community, and the statewide blacksmith organization, fundraising is already in full swing. More information is available online at heritagemuseumoc.org.
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A new exhibit at the Smithsonian museum titled “Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths" dives into the history of blacksmithing on the African continent, and details the forging methods that in many cases predate Western blacksmithing practices.
Highly renowned blacksmith, sculptor and MacArthur Fellow Tom Joyce spearheaded the project, which took years to complete.The exhibit encompasses 225 objects from 49 separate collections, and features 100 ethnic groups from 19 different African countries.
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Earthquakes are a regular threat for many U.S. fabricators and other industry professionals. In addition to the concern over personal safety, there is also the matter of determining whether buildings are stable after the event. New technology available can be a valuable asset for evaluating potential damage. For example, some systems utilize sensors installed throughout a structure to pull reports on seismic activity and assess risk and potential damage. Although companies would still do well to invest in an expert structural engineer, these tools can be a good place to start.
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The IRS has released a mid-year article with tips on how to prepare for next year's tax season. Points covered include tax credits and deductions from activities such as parttime jobs, home purchases, and volunteering; potential deductions for summer day camp costs; and correctly reporting worker classifications.
Taxpayers can also sign up for the IRS Tax TIps email service and find further information online at: www.IRS.gov.
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