I only managed to attend one seminar - Somehow I always wind up missing them Usually because I pull someone out of the aisle and sit them down to learn how to wrap or shape or something - so I should thank the lovely young women who sat down and tried (sorry guys if you've lost some lathe time). The one that I did attend was fantastic.
Bill Stevens, Ed Smith and Ralph O'Quinn managed to cover every aspect of "how to" using three different techniques all in an hour. The information was professionally presented with excellent graphics, demonstration pieces of the three techniques and two different nylon fiber lengths. Thank you, thank you, thank you - no question was left unanswered -- and Ralph went out of his way to demonstrate how not to discharge the electrostatic flocking device - sure hope that blue stuff is out of the beard!

I understand that someone told him to go flock himself, at which point he promptly did.

..............

He did have that "Papa Smurf" thing going...

The Rod Building "Blue Beard" He Is!
Joe

His Rod Shop
Joe Kassuba

One look at Ralph's face completely covered in blue flock almost knocked me to my knees. I asked Ralph to step out the back door of the seminar room and remove his glasses. I, with a straight face, took a paper towell and brushed all the stuff off his face, out of his eyebrows and beard without making any smart remark. All of a sudden he completely cracked up and started laughing his head off - What A Guy!

The highlight of this years show to me was having the opportunity to work closely with Ralph in developing the material for the workshop - he truly is a treasure for the rodbuilding community!

Bill Stevens

Long Live the Legend, Ralph "Papa Smurf" Oquinn!!!!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!