Kempton Gunmaker's Fair; Who's Going?

[springfield art]

I'll be going. Taking my avatar to sell. It's a Lehigh mountain rifle in .54 swamped Colrain. Can't shoot it since I lost my shoulder to an injury. Sadly, it's virtually new. Nice inlays. Made in PA. I'd offer it here but I prefer to hand deliver. No skills to make a proper box.

Yikes, that is one fine looking rifle!

 

[springfield art]

Thanks for sharing this. Never got to the Dixon run event, but am curious how different it's going to be in the new facility. Will be looking for thoughts from the long-time attendees down the road.

I'm hoping it "jump starts" it after the shutdown and change from the former loaction. Maybe will attract new vendors and attendees and become a staple of the hobby again.

 

[CyrusP]

I’ll be there early Saturday. I’d like to meet you all there, wondering the best way. I have Muzzleloading Forum stickers I just received. Maybe I’ll incorporate one into a badge of sorts to wear on a lanyard.

 

[pajeepman]

I will be going Saturday. My wife needs more polished horns for scrimshawing(is that the right term?)

 

[springfield art]

I will be going Saturday. My wife needs more polished horns for scrimshawing(is that the right term?)

I believe it is! The guy who has the big pile of raw horns I believe is the master horner and historic building specialist, Roland Cadle. (If I'm correct!)

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

cant wait.. be there friday and saturday maybe sunday too. i will have my B.P.M.S. pin on my hat.

Thanks for wearing that button...
I wanted to take the video cameras with me and attend also, but, I can't this year.
Good thing is...the weather shouldn't matter anymore.
Its on my bucket list for next year.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

What is the BPMS initials? Drawing a blank. BTW, I always go to such things early, would never go Sunday as little stuff that I like would be "picked over"!

The BPMS is that shooter from Kentucky...LOL.....

 

[dave_person]

Hi ,
I've viewed a number of videos by folks and I have a complaint. They all focus on the vendors as if that is the heart of the fair. The heart of the fair as promoted by Chuck and Brenda Dixon for over 30 years is education. That is the focus of the new fair. Every video I've seen ignores the seminars and demos that are the soul of the whole fair. The fair is so much more valuable that just the vendors but you would not know that from those videos on You Tube.

dave

 

[2 shots]

must agree with dave.. much to learn there. lots of talent , all willing to share. cant wait

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I'm looking forward to the seminar on tuning a lock. I'm terrible at working on a lock. I lack confidence in this area so a seminar like this is key. Looking at other seminars as well but some are way above my head.

 

[springfield art]

View attachment 148291I’ll be there early Saturday. I’d like to meet you all there, wondering the best way. I have Muzzleloading Forum stickers I just received. Maybe I’ll incorporate one into a badge of sorts to wear on a lanyard.

I was thinking I should have one of those big hand-lettered signs on my car, "Gunmaker's Fair Or Bust!"

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Every video I've seen ignores the seminars and demos that are the soul of the whole fair. The fair is so much more valuable that just the vendors but you would not know that from those videos on You Tube.

dave

While I agree with your complaint, as an amateur video maker, making videos of seminars are tough to do...especially if you want to keep the viewers watching. Most viewers these days won't watch 30-45 minutes of any seminar without some camera movement regardless of how well its presented. That's why when you see a professional ( TV ) seminar, there are usually 2-3 cameras from different angles showing the presenter. Those cameras are usually on tripods too. The editor will bounce from one camera to another during the editing process to break up the monotony. I've done that too.
I'm not against filming seminars, I want to expose some of the issues needed to get one put together. Here are a few other things to ponder:

For a great video, once you get those 1-2 cameras set up, you'll also need 1-2 tripods & a clear open place to set them up. If the speaker moves around, you'll need a cameraman on each of those cameras moving it left & right to keep up with the presenter. This presents a whole new set of challenges.

Things such as guns, accessories, a little blacksmith work, etc. are much easier to film for a fellow with 1 camera to keep a viewer interested in watching the entire video. I did that in the video posted of the Dixon Gunmakers Fair from 2018. I broke that video up showing barrel work at the forge, the barrel making machine in action, some of the guns, the cannon fire, interviews with gun builders, etc.

Another thought.....the cameraman probably has to get permission to use a camera during their seminars. I've run into that problem before. I had a woman at a show here in KY a few years ago **ABSOLUTELY** didn't want any of her tables filmed and shown on the internet and she let me know about it! That's no problem with me, I simply deleted all footage of her table. Some presenters doesn't want you using cameras during their time on stage or at gun shows.

I'm not against presenting seminars on video, I'm just exposing some of the problems amateur videographers run into getting that done. Keep on burning that powder my friends.

For those interested, here is the 2018 Gunmakers Show video I was talking about:

 

[BoomStick]

Planning to go Saturday. There are a few seminars and demos I'd like to attend, unfortunately a couple at the same time.
I think the reality is most people in the hobby/sport are not builders or craftsmen (I certainly am not) and we all appreciate the skill involved, but we're often attending these events to get some specific supplies, or just browse and maybe find something cool, new or unique. The number and variety of vendors brings more attendance, so probably why the organizers give it some focus.

 

[chuck1956]

I'll be there first thing Friday morning to check it out then I must head up to State College area for a get together.

 

[springfield art]

Planning to go Saturday. There are a few seminars and demos I'd like to attend, unfortunately a couple at the same time.
I think the reality is most people in the hobby/sport are not builders or craftsmen (I certainly am not) and we all appreciate the skill involved, but we're often attending these events to get some specific supplies, or just browse and maybe find something cool, new or unique. The number and variety of vendors brings more attendance, so probably why the organizers give it some focus.

I'm in that exact category; but it is a wonderful meet-up for the very craftspeople you mention.

 

[springfield art]

I believe it is! The guy who has the big pile of raw horns I believe is the master horner and historic building specialist, Roland Cadle. (If I'm correct!)

I've also seen it referred to as "scrimshanding" .

 

[Killerangel]

Ill be the round gray bearded guy with the bald head. I should be easy enough to spot. probably be wearing a ALR shirt or a Pa Federation of Black powder shooters shirt.

I was there today...my first time...your description narrowed it down to 80-100++!!

 

[excess650]

I was there today and will say the new venue is sooooo much better! There is lots of parking, and most of the vendors are inside 2 adjoining buidings on dry concrete. It would have been nice if there were some large fans to move some air, but the concensus was that it is a success.

I did find a unicorn there-a Lyman .550 roundball mould at a bargain price!

 

[Jim K]

I was there today too. My first time so I have nothing to compare it with. I enjoyed it but I had a list of things I was looking for and only found a few things. We hit Dixon’s on the way back and I found the things I was looking for and some stuff I wasn’t!