Monday, August 31, 2015

"So What -- if Grouse Mountain Resort uses Greenwash advertising for the Eye of the Wind Amusement Park

 “So what -- we fool tourists and most tourists don’t care.”
  Vancouver Steam Clock


Setting Grouse's Mountain Resort's SkyRide immediate electrical needs outside of this Post, does their 'Eye of the Wind' generate enough electricity to power the chair lift from their Lodge to the base of the Eye's elevator AND energize the elevator to the viewPOD?  Does the Eye of the Wind require electrical support to turn its head into the wind?  Is there proof positive that the wind turbine is generating 25% of their mountaintop needs as they claimed at the outset of their project or is it a mere 2%?

More to the point, why is the electrical data provided inside the viewPOD not passed onto Grouse Mountain Resort website of Facts?  The project was endorsed by BC Hydro and BC Energy Minister Bill Bennett and then launched with much fanfare by the Premier of British Columbia, Gordon Muir Campbell in 2010.

The Eye's wind location has historically received under 9 kilometres per hour:

 Cut-in wind speed: 9.72 km per hour
 Cut-out wind speed: 90 km per hour
Daily Wind Speed? The Eye rarely turns
Saturday, Metro Vancouverites (400,000) were given a wind storm that sucker punched BC Hydro Smart meter Grid system that lasted until late in the day, and for North Vancouverites (28,000) we had the added 'burden' of having to drag out the camp stove to cook our vittles.

Grouse Mountain Resort Wind forecast:
Lodge AND Eye

Base Level @881m AND Upper Level @ 1250m

Upper Level
Grouse Mountain Weather Forecast Thursday Aug 27th to Wednesday Sept 2nd

Grouse Mountain Weather Forecast Wednesday Sept 2 to Tuesday Sept 8th

Seven day weather forecast for Grouse Mountain
 ***********************


Grouse Mountain's "Eye of the Wind":  "A Beacon for Sustainability” NOT  
The electricity produced by the Eye in 2012 had, at BC Hydro’s highest residential selling rate, a monetary value of about $13,500 or about 2% of my estimate of the Eye's ($600,000 annually) 2012 tourism revenue. - Corrie Kost
Source:
Federation Of North Vancouver Community Associations (FONVCA)
FONVCA.ORG news clips
District of North Vancouver:  Grouse Turbine Council Application
  Grouse Mountain Wind Turbine Development Permit

Per Trip: 24 tourists bumped up to 36 (33% increase) = $600,000 Revenue per year




The DNV Development Permit included three sets of Before and After photos as to whether or not the Eye of the Wind would be visible to Council's naked ..... eyes.

GMR used an existing Red meteorological Tower as a comparison to the proposed Eye of the Wind using three viewpoints well OUTSIDE of the District of North Vancouver




1) West Vancouver's Dundarave Pier (south end)  Ten kilometres
Red Arrow pointing to the old Red meteorological Tower
2) City of North Vancouver intersection of 13th and Lonsdale

3) Vancouver's Canada Place Pier (north end)

Bird's Eye View

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corrie Kost:
      Grouse Mountain's "Eye of the Wind":
              "A Beacon for Sustainability” NOT  

From a few meters east of the electrically powered (steam) clock that pleases tourists, another tourist attraction is visible on a clear day – a tall white structure resembling a wind turbine. The “energizing” of that Grouse Mountain tourist attraction in September 2010 was marked by a BC Hydro press release. (BC Hydro, owned by the British Columbia government, is the principal generator and distributor of electricity in B.C.) Dave Cobb, BC Hydro’s CEO, declaimed:
"With this successful energizing of The Eye of the Wind [the name of the tourist attraction], Grouse Mountain is not only starting down the road to energy self-sufficiency, but is also providing a tangible example of the kind of strong working relationships BC Hydro enjoys building with partners committed to clean and renewable energy." 

Stuart McLaughlin, President of Grouse Mountain Resorts, boldly declared: British Columbia has a shining new beacon for sustainability.” 

And Bill Bennett, provincial Minister of Energy, opined: Vancouver's first commercially viable wind turbine … [an] icon … it will inspire [further] renewable energy projects.

The BC Hydro press release quoted without reservation and thus endorsed Grouse Mountain Resorts' false claim that the electricity produced by the Eye of the Wind will be "enough to power up to 400 homes a year. (Note 2a)

The Eye's view room reached -- after buying a ticket -- by an elevator, has a terrific view from its windows and, more importantly for the purposes of this article, houses two computer screens showing statistics of the facility’s electrical production since inception.

Per the screens, 11 November 2012, lifetime production was 284,055 kwh indicating an annual production of ~133,000 kwh or enough for about 12 average British Columbian homes, not 400. (A kilowatt hour is 1000 watts for an hour and is commonly written as kwh. An average B.C. home consumes annually about 11,000 kwh.) (Note 2b)

The Eye of the Wind is located on a comparatively windless mountain as may be checked online in the Canadian Wind Atlas and as must have been known in 2010 by most regular users of Grouse ski runs, the president of Grouse Mountain Resorts, and key BC Hydro employees.

Web weather reports of actual wind speeds on Grouse and projected wind speeds for seven day periods rarely show wind speeds of over 10 kilometers per hour. The blades of the Eye require a wind speed of above 9.7 kilometers per hour before they will turn. (Note 2c)

A wind-turbine of 1.5 megawatt capacity, the Eye’s capacity, without an elevator and a view room, costs in energy terms about 4.2 million kilowatt hours (kwh) to manufacture and install when part of a wind farm. The Eye of the Wind will produce less than 3.5 million kwh in a 25 year period and will not repay its embodied energy over its lifetime, assuming a 25 year life. The Eye is not ‘sustainable’ in any ecological sense of the word; it is an energy sink. (Note 2d)

Sustainability has a range of possible meanings in our post-truth world and perhaps the President of Grouse Mountain Resorts was thinking of ‘sustainability’ in its narrow economic meaning of ‘profit center’ when he claimed that the Eye is "a shining new beacon for sustainability.” A ticket checker stationed by the elevator at the base of the Eye informed me that the viewing room had 11,000 visitors in August 2012. Conservatively assume 40,000 visitors a year paying $15 each for admission to the Eye's viewing room, then the tourist attraction (that I estimate cost a bit over two million dollars) brings in at least $600,000 annually in tourist revenue. (Note 2e)

The electricity produced by the Eye in 2012 had, at BC Hydro’s highest residential selling rate, a monetary value of about $13,500 or about 2% of my estimate of the Eye's 2012 tourism revenue.

The Eye looks like a wind turbine but in economic terms it is a tourist attraction whose attractiveness is dependent in part on greenwash advertising sanctioned and amplified by the provincial government and BC Hydro. Remember the previously quoted B.C. Minister of Energy's endorsement: “Vancouver's first commercially viable wind turbine" and the CEO of provincially owned BC Hydro declaiming: "With this successful energizing of The Eye of the Wind, Grouse Mountain is ... starting down the road to energy self-sufficiency.” And also think of the plaque on Vancouver’s fake “steam powered” clock.

Again, some BC Hydro employees must have known in 2010 that the top of Grouse Mountain, compared to other potential B.C. wind power sites, is windless. And those BC Hydro employees also must have known that a wind turbine of 1.5 megawatt capacity on Grouse would not produce “enough [electricity] to power up to 400 homes a year.”

And it’s not just ‘tourists’ who are lied to: the 2008 vote by the North Vancouver District Council to approve the development permit for “a wind turbine” on Grouse was 4 to 3, after “a passionate
debate.
” The District’s staff report on the “wind turbine,” presented to council before the vote and recommending approval of a development permit, reads in part: "The turbine ... is anticipated to generate ... the power used by 400 homes. This equates to an annual reduction of 1600 tonnes of carbon." (Note 2f)

If staff had accurately reported to the District Council that wind power generation on Grouse would be minimal, that the proposed project would be an energy sink and was economically viable only as a tourist attraction, possibly the District Council would have voted against issuing the development permit.

Why has the Eye of the Wind’s failure to produce 5% of its advertised electrical output received no attention from main stream commentators? Why has no employee of a climate change non-profit blown a whistle? (The David Suzuki Foundation has 57 full time employees per a 2011 Revenue Canada filing.) How come no professional journalist or climate change academic has mentioned publicly the Eye of the Wind’s non-viability as an energy producer? The computer screens showing kilowatt hours of electricity produced must have been viewed by hundreds of people who understand the numbers displayed and make part of their living writing or talking about ‘green technology,’ ‘sustainability,’ and ‘climate change.’ The post-truth statement “… enough electricity … 400 homes” is etched into the glass opposite one of the Eye’s computer screens. The usually non-turning blades of the iconic virtual wind turbine are visible from downtown Vancouver. (Note 2g)

(2a) The BC Hydro press release: http://www.bchydro.com/news/press_centre/news_releases/2010.html -- on page 2 of that site : September 22, BC Hydro Congratulates... For Grouse Mountain Resorts own press release: http://www.grousemountain.com/press_releases/bc-hydro-congratulates-grouse-mountain

Also see: http://www.grousemountain.com/press_releases/the-eye-of-the-wind-welcomes-the-world

At 100% of capacity the Eye would produce about enough electricity for 1200 average BC homes - for more on “capacity” see note 2b.

(2b) The screens showed life time production of 284,055 kwh on 11 November 2012.  The Eye was “energized” about 22 September 2010, 2.14 years earlier.  Divide 284,055 kwh by 2.14 and the result is annual electrical production – roughly 133,000 hours. (On 20 May 2013, six months and nine days after the screens showed life time production of 284,055 kwh, the figure for life time production was 333,492 kwh.)

An average B.C. home/ household consumes annually 11,000 kwh: Google: BC 11,000 kwh quick facts. (An average UK household consumes 4800 kwh annually http://www.carbonindependent.org/sources_home_energy.htm )

(2c) Canadian Wind Atlas: http://www.windatlas.ca/en/index.php
For wind speed reports: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/
[BC Wildfire Wind Speed  http://bcwildfire.ca/Weather/Maps/wind_speed.htm]

The blades of the turbine require a wind speed of above 9.7 kilometers per hour to turn:
http://www.grousemountain.com/posts/the-eye-of-the-wind-revolution

Often actual output of new wind turbines is lower than anticipated output. The Eye's electric output, I have been told, is significantly less than anticipated due primarily to the unforeseen icing of the blades in winter. But, even supposing projections of electrical output before the Eye’s “energizing” were a wildly optimistic three times current annual output, that projected output would not have been sufficient for 40 average B.C. homes let alone 400.

In the windiest B.C. locations, say Cape Scott on Vancouver Island, a wind turbine with the Eye’s capacity (1.5 megawatts) might operate on average at one third of capacity and produce annually enough electricity for 400 B.C. homes. (Wind speeds are seldom optimal even in windy locations and turbines do need maintenance.) At 100% of capacity an imaginary 1.5 megawatt wind turbine would produce about enough electricity annually to service 1200 average B.C. homes.

(A megawatt is 1000 kilowatts -- a 1.5 megawatt capacity wind turbine running at full capacity for an hour will produce 1500 kilowatt hours of electricity. Running at 100% of capacity for a year a 1.5 megawatt turbine would produce about thirteen million kwh (1500 x 24 x 365). Some readers may find the Wikipedia article on electrical measurements useful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilowatt_hour )

The language of the Grouse Mountain Resorts quote in the first paragraph of the main text is slippery: "up to [my italics] 400 homes." In the Eye's view room slightly different language is used: "... can generate enough electricity in a year to service the needs of 400 homes." (See photo p 6 of text and note that the words “can generate” have a different meaning than the words “does generate.”) Organizations (and individuals) communicating in good faith do not use slippery language to fudge facts.

(The disinformation about the Eye’s ‘green’ credentials disseminated by Grouse Mountain Resorts is not typical of the Grouse Mountain approach. Staff at the resort are well trained, the second floor bistro is good value, the organized free activities are worthwhile -- after my first visit to the Eye I bought an annual pass.
Currently Producing ZERO

(2d) For a turbine’s energy cost see “Net Energy Analysis” section:

(2e) Fifteen dollars per visit is a low estimate of actual revenue generated by the Eye. For some a visit to the Eye is the tipping point motivation for an ascent up Grouse and those visitors will, unless they trek up, need to pay not just for the entrance to the Eye’s observation room but also for gondola tickets and perhaps for parking. And possibly those “tipping point” visitors will also choose to buy a souvenir, food, a ticket to another attraction, or an annual pass. For ticket prices: http://www.grousemountain.com/eye-of-the-wind

(2f) For the staff report and the “400 homes” quote: http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Council_Agendas_Minutes/cm081006.htm and on that web page go to “Council Matters #2” and then click the link to the September 23, 2008 report and see p 3.

For the “passionate debate”: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=ee92c5cc-e56b-4d05-b1a6-f438419fcf8d&k=68621

(2g) Art Wilson -- now dead apparently (I did try to track him down) -- in web comments under a Georgia Straight piece celebrating the Eye's "energizing" presented the basic numerical analysis that I flesh out. A sample of Mr. Wilson’s comments: “The production and installation of this wind turbine carries a considerable carbon cost which would have better been spent by locating it at a more productive site … if Grouse Mountain really wanted to be Green then they could just turn off their lights when there is no night skiing. No cost, carbon or dollars, but that would be like turning off the lights on a billboard ... Can we please get some investigative journalism instead of Press Release regurgitation?” (To access Mr. Wilson’s full comments, google: "journalism instead of Press Release regurgitation" Straight and then scroll down the Straight’s web page.)

In September 2012, inside the view room of the Eye, after a short conversation and sensing a similar world view, I exchanged cards with another visitor. Only after leaving the structure did I read the card and realize I had been talking to the author of Green Illusions, Ozzie Zehner. A chapter on wind power in the book is titled “... Flurry of Limitations - Wind Power.” Zehner's central thesis that resonates with my own view: “We don’t have an energy crisis. We have a consumption and leaky bucket crisis. The supposed clean energy sources have real problems.”
See/ hear Zehner at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ9-jYfpwfw

************************
BBC NVG
If Grouse Mountain Resort is serious about going alone on their electricity needs why not install three more turbine rides and then call themselves a Farm and be self sufficient year round?

Public Safety
A spin off of  Wind Turbine

Demographically, and ignoring overseas visitors stats, Grouse Mountain Resort's repeat customers are from Metro Vancouver.  Wouldn't it be 'nice' for GMR to donate refundable containers purchased by all customers .... to needy, and local, public school programs from the District which issued the development permits without the (November/Min. 30 litres per $1) Chevron strings attached?

Recycling
Grouse Mountain recycles. We operate a proprietary recycling station separating non-refundables (glass, plastic, metal) and a battery recycling program for employees. Our cardboard is recycled weekly. Every Tuesday, Grouse Mountain’s refundable containers are donated to Collingwood School. All employees use re-usable cups for beverages and there is an environmental fund for those who use disposable cups. Tickets for General Admission, Download and Winter Lift are made from recycled stock from Canada Ticket.

GMR stationary Eye of the Wind, a subliminal message using the Mercedes-Benz logo?
This star reflects the overall philosophy of the brand and domination at sea, air and land. In other words Mercedes logo means that it produces products which are perfect not only on land, but also at sea and in the air. It inspires engineers of the company to master even the hardest challenge.



Every 30 seconds the turbine reorients itself to face into prevailing winds ..... oh yeah

Inside Vancouver:

Inside the new wind turbine at Grouse Mountain

.... I was surprised to discover that the viewPod platform actually moves. Every thirty seconds, the turbine reorients itself to face into prevailing winds. As it slowly turns, so does the platform, creaking around hundreds of feet up in the air.  ..... Remy Scalza in Green City on August 19, 2010


https://www.flickr.com/photos/grousemountain/albums/72157621243105154 


Occupational safety and health in the wind energy sector 

Page 59 of 77
          4.9 Waste treatment and recycling
In the life cycle analysis for both onshore and offshore wind turbines, it is assumed that most of the materials of the wind turbine will be recycled at the end of their life cycle (Spinato, 2009; Cenifer, 2012; Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, 2008; Byon, 2010; Global Wind Organisation, 2012). In these assumptions, the tower and nacelle will be transported to a recycling plant and the blades will be sent to landfill.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

If one Drone can keep fleet of firefighting planes at bay, why go for the $45.8 Billion dollars for 65 F-35s?

Have Drones been dropping cigarette butts beside the road to start the massive BC fires this year?

Firebrand Amazon to deliver UPS packages?
CBS News  AND Video


65 F-35 costs


Pete McMartin on Drones

Pete and Derek's example of a Drone


Letter to the Editor    Vancouver Sun
Re: Drone grounds aircraft fighting fire near Oliver, Aug. 17

The incident of a drone prompting the suspension of aerial forest firefighting for five hours is unacceptable. But rather than “the RCMP working to find the drone … or its operator,” why didn’t they use a shotgun to quickly take the illegal drone out of the air? The same shoot-first-ask-questions-later approach should be taken for drones within the Vancouver International Airport no-fly zone.

DEREK WILSON

Port Moody


Then there is the Amazon Drone Flight School near Abbotsford Airport

Below Red Line to within 2,000 feet USA border
                 (Americans refused to allow Amazon Drone test flights)

Only in Canada


It's a win-win situation for Canada's security forces.  Amazon Canada gets to test their Drones on Canadian Soil where they are not subject to USA stringent regulations on the weapons of mass destruction while at the same time technicians at Abbotsford Air Port get to track the devices knowing where they are exactly.

According to Transport Canada, the testing licence given to the Canadian-owned arm of Amazon went into effect on Dec. 17 and is good for a year. It specifies the drones' maximum altitude, minimum distances from people and property, operating areas and requirements for co-ordinating with air traffic services.  CBC

Amazon has acquired a plot of open land lined by oak trees and firs, where it is conducting frequent experimental flights with the full blessing of the Canadian government. As if to underline the significance of the move, the test site is barely 2,000ft from the US border, which was clearly visible from where the Guardian stood on a recent visit.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Flood Plains of BC and in particular, heavily populated Metro Vancouver, Bella Coola, Pemberton

2021-11-16

 ~~~~

This started out to be a Post about Kinder Morgan pipeline Washout Anomalies and then the thought process came around to Rivers overflowing their banks near a Rocky Mountain coal mine, or at least trying to wash away Man's endeavors to control Mother Nature's wrath (Climate Change).

Rusted area was Never Painted, Pitty

The plain truth though is that all it would take to throw a monkey wrench into the grand schemes of the BC Liberals economic wealth in our time would be for one those LNG tankers heading for, or away from, WesPac Tilbury LNG plant Turntable to punch a hole through a Richmond Dike.


Flood Plains of British Columbia KMZ file    UPDATED 2021-12-24
~~~~
or
Flood Plain Maps
Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Post 2014
  ~~~~

Metro Vancouver and points East

Behind Dikes (not prepped for Climate Change)
In the Mauve
In the Wet and in Debt if ....

 ~~~~
 
 



Steve, for clarification on flood plain control Bella Coola

Orange Lines on Mauve are 'Dikes'


Red Line on Mauve 'Protection'  the high and the low of Bella Coola


 ~~~~~

Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton




Saturday, August 1, 2015

Part II: Hard Rock Cafe @ 30.96 Hastings: Mike Ma MetalWorks Forum; Torch Fired Enamelling; SilverSmithing; Forging (Blacksmithing)


Bauble, Bangles, Beads, Forging, and Rings


Metalworks-Diatoms




Working Silver

Setting up your Silversmithing Workshop Studio
New Westminster        British Columbia      Canada


Flame Painting Copper



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ford Hallam                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM0VnL30rDc





August 18, 2015 8:29am  Metalworks
Ford Hallam Tiger Video




.........  Plum and Waterflow (video)

July 21, 2015 9:40am
      Metalworks-check out: Harufumi Shiraki




July 16, 2015
Metalworks-if you have Cold Feet and Wonderment something is going Right

--Dear all,

... have just recently become a fan of Facebook (a few months-seriously) ... became friends with Michael David Sturlin ..it reminds me that sometimes we want to make things 'as quick as possible. and in the end ..methinks, are we really so enthralled at what we accomplished that we would bolt out of our bed and run down onto a cold frigid concrete floor in the workshop to view at our creation and stare in wonderment ...when i was younger person taking several jewelery courses with Olga H. (at her home) the techniques she taught me from the old schools in Europe and the fierce austere manner of her teaching created for me by her guidance jewelry that gave me such moment-truths (and many times) ..today I could never reproduce the patience and discipline she wanted to impart onto me to make these pieces ..so going back to Michael David Sturlin see his timeline of Facebook and as attached a picture of 6 saw pierced/carved bezels in .999 silver ...using file and saw and imagination / patience and discipline to do it right. He has given the right to copy these patterns from his postings on Facebook (he teaches his students these tasks).. they are a joy to look at ...a way to do this same project but at a relatively macroscopic way is to forge half round wire from round stock using a swage block (could solder up into bangle or leave it flat) and just using your needle files play with patterns (maybe even saw pierce edges/rounds/triangles et.al.)



..it'll take a while to finish the project but maybe you'll experience the cold feet in the early morning and gap in wonderment at your work like a child who has first walked onto a horizon with no end in sight... 

Michael Sturlin Studio


PS ...discovered if you want to check out /follow jewelers works specifically...type their, name.com and you'll more than likely get to their works directly...discovered this looking through Metalsmith mag.

cheers

mike


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 20, 2015   9:57am
     Metalworks -next HRC today at 09:00 AM- 2:30 PM...

Hi all,

--brought piano keys for distribution to attendees...tooling for wave bracelet...and todays DVD will be etching with Lexi E...also brought a home made sinusoidal stake and will show that tools you need to make and the book where the patterns are to make this tools as well on youtube can find the info required to make the speculum/anti/synclastic jewelry as Beth Wicker Per, Michael Good / hope to see you today

cheers

mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

July 20, 2015  10:19pm
Metalworks- Museums/craft schools/ museums/ general interest/ summer camps from Metalsmith magazine volume 334/ no.2/ 2014


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

July 21, 2015 9:40am
      Metalworks-check out: Harufumi Shiraki




--Dear all,

promised some people i would put a link to the fine jewelry works on youtube of saw piercing .... youtube:  Harufumi Shiraki ....one can check out his use of the templates/stylus, positioning of templates and his Bench pin is composed of ebony and/or iron wood which is hard/slippery (which allows more subtle mobilty of his project to the saw position) and his kerf on the bench pin is thin which allows a better singing of the blade rather than the chatter if both sides of the fine sawing is not supported properly...

cheers

mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 22, 2015  11:02am
    Metalworks-   enamelling starter kit  Eugenia Chan

I think the attached are the very basic for Enamelling, plus a few colours on enamel powder.
You don't need a tripod if you don't have one, the stainless steel Spatula is a new design that makes shifting and picking up the piece a charm. The Torch is easy to use and the butane canisters can be bought at the Chinese grocery for a pack of 4 for $5.00.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 July 22, 2015, 11:22
     Metalworks- another website on Southwest Indian Jewelers works

Dear all,

-check it out: Stimulating ... www.collectionsouthwest.com remember to bookmark your most valuable URLs saves time ...classic -- contemporary designs... 



cheers

Mike
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 22, 2015 12:08pm
    Metalworks- a Compendium of Indian Artist's names (google)...Jewelry Sources-websites


--Dear all,

    ... try to find the best in class of books on a subject matter and immediately go to the end of  the book..seeking out references/sources/institutes..these 4 sheets of information should act as a stimulation for designs in the Indian motifs... hope this helps should you wish to explore this design further or if you dry up for ideas explore in your down turn of a busy lifestyle..

 Southwestern Indian Jewelry - Crafting New Traditions



cheers

mike




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 22, 2015  12:19pm
    Metalworks- two more websites for you- Schiffer and Brynmorgen

--Dear all,

 this will be my last postings for this week until our next meeting July 27 - 2015 at the Hard Rock Cafe- 09:00 AM-2:30 PM the websites are: 

1) www.schifferbooks.com/arts-crafts-catalog-957/arts-crafts-828/jewelry-874/ this is an independent publishing outlet..featuring - Art Jewelry Today (collection of 3) which are books for Designers/Collector-99.7% pictorial delight and another one is -Art Jewelry Europe ..a nice publishing site that caters to a wide audience . 

2) www.brynmorgen.com/resources.html you will find pattern sheets for ring sizing and a circle divider for free and a wonderful palet presentation on patination..its simple and concise...check it out 

Hope to see some of you next Monday

..take care

 mike



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
July 29, 2015 
 Metalworks-next meeting the Day after BC Day.. www.schifferbooks.com

--Dear all,

 just because there's a holiday doesn't mean i'm going away..the next day after BC Day.. i will be at the same place same time (spst)  09:00 AM-2:30 PM...i will be re-showing my accessory drill bit block/some sinusoidal stakes...and whatever suits me to make things interesting..because of the US dollar reversal value I need to conserve my habit of ordering goods from the USA ...but finally i'm going to get myself the orca / beluga / EZ torch 

Otto Frei torch equipment  


 ...maybe i can start some soldering finally..most of my torches failed don't know whether it was due to dirty gases or faulty torch head design..frustrating to say the least..so join me if you can.. 

picked up two more books from the Library...modern jewelry (1930-1960-egads-really ??) and Modern Blacksmithing (some of the designs are a means to an end-wrought iron fences can provide ideas for your jewelry-check it out) will be bringing these books to the Hard Rock Cafe the day after BC Day holiday...by the way these books are from Schiffer Books as mentioned from one of my earlier emails www.schifferbooks.com 

cheers 

mike 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
July 31, 2015
    Working silver Newsletter


Here's a site that provides studio space in the lower. Area...provides some educational material as well...maybe a trend starting here ...anyone knows of others please forward... @ Hard Rock Cafe we will be discussing several books that have come to my attention from...hope to see you on Tuesday after bc Day ...

Working Silver




Cheers

Mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

August 1, 2015
    Metalworks- www.Schifferbooks.com Contemporary Blacksmith & Modernist Jewelry-1930-1960


dear all,

Here are 2 books from: www.Schifferbooks.com - see attachments... Contemporary Blacksmith..a host of ideas from the very large to the small...how many an anvil has smitten a hammer unless of course you're using a 40 tonne hammer press...

Modernist Jewelry- 1930-1960... i knew i was in a time trap but why is it that this Era (1930-60) seem in tune with today's styles... these 2 books can be loaned thru the Inter-library request on your VPL card will bring these 2 books into our Hard Rock Cafe gathering this Tuesday, August 4th-2015...  join me at your convenience anywhere between 09:00 AM until 2:30 PM ....

there i sit lonely hearted,
braved the winds of discord un-delighted

...even the perseverance of the slug gets to the Ark

.. cheers

mike 
Marbeth Schon
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dona Z. Meilach
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
August 17, 2015   10:57pm
   Metalworks- Fwd: [FWD: invitation to guild re: upcoming bead & jewellery show]
Vancouver Bead & Jewellery Show is a 3 day event being held from 11th September to the 13th September 2015 at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver, Canada. This event showcases products like Bamboo Beads & Bling, Beadsmart, Gemantra Gems & Minerals, Pink Gargoyle Design, Serenity Pearls, Silvia Findings, Stephanie Ann Studios, The Painted Cookie and much more etc. in the Gems & Jewelry industry.

cheers

mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
August 18, 2015   7:39am

    Metalworks-Compendium on forming speculums and other fluid forms..next meeting


Dear all,


not sure you got this information..for the next year i am going to patiently acquire equipment from Fretz/NCBlack and otto frei to make this subject metal forming /shell forming and speculum shaping do-able...the forming blocks that Andrea Kennington makes seem like a nice purchase along with her Bad Betty/Cindys hammers...apparently she likes to name her hammers after people in her company ...unlike Fretz hammers which are named from a textbook on mechanical engineering and more cryptic and seemingly impersonal although when you have them in your hands ..awesome/delicate and poetic...a poem in motion so to speak

cheers

Mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
August 18, 2015  8:01
    Metalworks- Ford Hallam video

 
Dear All,

have a look at this video...the skills/patience are incredible...look at the toolbar...> Video and you have 2 choices...all good..love the Katsuhira's Tiger.. http://www.fordhallam.com/


Katsuhira Tiger

Katsuhira's Tiger Video
 
cheers

mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
 August 20, 2015  4:30pm
Metalworks- invitation to guild re: upcoming bead & jewellery show

dear all,

For anyone else who was tempted to take the flame painting on copper class for $67, but not sure you have a spare $67... http://www.vedicvaani.com/Round-Cotton-Wicks-%20Big and Flame Colouring Copper
 also, these folks make some amazing designs!
Apologies if you folks already know all this; I thought it was neat, and I will spend my $67 on propane and copper :D.
Now to hunt up some vids about how to make those pretty bracelets!

cheers

mike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
September 28, 2015   3:45pm
Metalworks-Flexshaft 4 classes on CRAFTSY 

Dear all,
go to http://www.craftsy.com/search?query=flex+shaft&type=&categoryUrl= and sign up for an account... pick jewelry and topic search for flex shaft ...there is an introductory free DVD posting on the uses of the flex shaft done by the technical director Mark Nelson at www.riogrande.com

4 dvd shorts on the maintenance of the flex shaft/ tooling heads/cutting/polishing/tool making and the use of assorted burrs/buds.spiders and others...a wonderful entry to the world of the flex shaft....all hands on !! will be at the Hard Rock Cafe for our round table talks on much ado about nothing..

see ya'll there hopefully...

enjoy and cheers

 mike

 &

Dear all,

    have a look of the works of Pam Caidin...really interesting...intricate and voluminous...she layers and contrasts nicely..for me she speaks volumes without saying another word...

                                                       www.pamcaidin.com

More


    cheers
Mike


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 4, 2015  4:42pm
Metalworks-meeting tomorrow October 5th-2015 between 10:00 AM- approx. 2:30 PM

--Dear all,

.... will be present at the Hard Rock Cafe roundtable; bring your flash drives ... able to upload Kim St.Jeans -stone setting ..    YouTube   also will be showing the Wavy Bracelet video on www.potterusa.com and show you the actual tooling for this task .... Joni Kisro who works for "potter usa" is a good presenter check out her website at: www.jonikstudios.com (Get Hammered Metalsmith Studio LLC.) the bracelet on top 3rd from the left to right is her 



wavy bracelet made from the tooling which I will be presenting at our meeting
... see you all

mike

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 October 7, 2015  10:17pm
Metalworks-CRAFTSY.COM-DVD's and ..and...and

--Dear all,

.. there are 3 DVD series 5-7 short video feeds per series on the Flexshaft and others...locate on www.craftsy.com get free registration (email/password) type into the search bar  FREE MINI-CLASSES ... FLEXSHAFT by Riogrande's own- Mark Nelson and WIREWORKS and MICRO TORCHES...you check out like invoice and shows total....$0.00 and its yours...to view anytime/anywhere... search site and the videos are HD and perfect....there are other videos which are costed and when on sale probably worth it...especially going to purchase...Gollberg's soldering video (love her books "Ultimate Jeweler's Guide..lovely layout) and Victoria Lansford's DVD series on Granulation (expensive at 40 dollars but its a keeper in my estimation)....check out her website www.victorialansford.com Her repousse line of tools (eight in total) and DVD series are on my radar as well as her Filagree DVDs...old world jeweller..Eastern repousse and chasing style.

enjoy your craft and remember this month-October at Van Dusen Gardens....from Mushrooms to Art in the Garden ..I love Van Dusen Gardens in the Fall and Winter. Its the time i stroll/meditate and get to see nature in its true and inglorious state of hibernation...and just breath and sigh...sigh and breath..visit the library and have a hot chocolate drink...

 mike

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October 22, 2015  12:18pm
 Metalworks-Diatoms


Dear all,

 a question was brought up in the Creative Jewellers Guild about where to get inspiration for one's jewelery's works.. suggestions given were from Nature ...from Architectural design motifs.. from alphabets (African motifs) and Diatoms... attached is a scanned micrograph of Diatoms which rival every notion of shapes unimaginable...line drawings of this group puts to rest ovals/rounds and squares found in the template sheets in Lapidary shops ...other suggestions ..???..... Mandalas . Zentangles . Doodles ... Dover Publications (1000's of motifs)... but in our everyday lives we need observe design. its everywhere if only we could take the time..at the Van Dusen Gardens unravelling christmas lights for the Christmas Lights Festival..while in the gardens saw an Umbrella Magnolia which had leaves the size of a breastplate. I'll be there for the next few months observing their demise and an opportunity to silently; be silent. will send picture of it to all tomorrow

cheers

 mike



Scanned Micrograpah Diatoms



Mike Ma
 Part I Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings  MetalWorks Forum; Torch Fired Enamelling; SilverSmithing  

Mike Ma
Part II Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings  Torch Fired Enamelling; Silversmithing; Blacksmithing

Mike Ma
Part VI Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings  MetalWorks Forum:  Mike Ma



Part III Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings   Books

Part IV  Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings  Days of Old, Days of Gold

Part V Hard Rock Cafe 30.96 Hastings  Annual Rock and Gem Show : Children Activities too


 Hastings Centre Community Rockhounds