Engraving and friends in Las Vegas at the gun engravers show 2014

[Barry Lee Hands]

I brought my "Frankengraver" or " lunar excursion module" aluminum engraving stand to the show, and while many fega officers performed their duties, I did a bit of engraving for the public when I could sit down for a bit:




Betty Strosin and Norma Evans discuss FEGA history:



on the left,Carlos Lopez, one of our auction donors, and purveyor at www.knifetreasures.com stopped by for a look:



answering a question:



Thanks Carlos for the great auction donation!



A stock carver stops by and joins FEGA!




Lynda Shreck stands her post at the auction table, note the autographed book by Jimmy Carter on hunting and fishing at lower left:



lots of interest in the silent auction items:



Van and Betty keeping track of the sales, updated in real time, great work!





While I am still engraving, Jerry Fisher, on the left, makes a point:



The castings display on the FEGA table:



on the left, Andrew Biggs, ENGRAVER Editor, and FEGA art director and BOD member,makes a point. I can tell you, he took care of a hundred details, thanks Andrew:



Donor Carlos Lopez and Donor Michael Donato of www.knifepurveyor.com drop by while Tim George and I talk tools:



The start of the FEGA museum collection, Tommy Kayes hat, where the first dues were collected, in Dallas? before my time:





Still engraving, as Lee Griffith stops by:

 

[dlilazteca]

Thank you for sharing.

I love your portable set up.

Could you share more info?

Carlos De La O III

 

[Roger Bleile]

Good times!!!

 

[Keith]

Great pictures, one year I will have to fly out. Last time I was out west was to your place Barry.

 

[SamW]

Thanks Barry...the first passing of the hat was in Vegas in '80 and the second in Houston in '81 when we voted to incorporate.

 

[atexascowboy2011]

That makes 2 of them, Barry.
My work station is also called " The Lunar Module" as it is capable of doing many tasks.
1- Hammer and chisel engraving station.
2- Sawing station
3- Rowel filing station
4- Spurband filing station
5- 30 ton Hydraulic press

My bandsaw is called "Jaws" as it chewed up my finger on New Years day several years ago.
My 90lb. trip hammer is called " The Big Bang!"
And last, but not least, my Kohlswa 275 lb.anvil is named "Dixie". :biggrin: After my ex.
I have found that naming my equipment seems to help form a bond for me, thereby seeming to make the equipment function better.

 

[Darren]

Barry, Very nice set up you had there, wish I had the chance to just sit at it and see how it felt.
It was very cool to see you again, I really enjoyed the seminar as well. Had a plane to catch,
sorry didn't get a chance to say good by. I'll catch you next time.

 

[rod]

Barry,

This is a great set of photos!

Your rig is unique, appears to work well, give a 360 degree view for demos, placement of the video monitor is ideal for the interested viewer, as they can look at the screen and the real life engraver at the same time, it is collapsible for transport, and best of all, it was placed right at the entrance to the engraving section of the exhibition area, so that new visitors could see how engraving actually happens.

Rod

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks Rod, was fun!

Thanks Barry...the first passing of the hat was in Vegas in '80 and the second in Houston in '81 when we voted to incorporate.

Thanks Sam, I knew someone would straighten me out, at least in regards to the hat!

I have found that naming my equipment seems to help form a bond for me, thereby seeming to make the equipment function better.

Makes sense to me. . .

Barry, Very nice set up you had there, wish I had the chance to just sit at it and see how it felt.
It was very cool to see you again, I really enjoyed the seminar as well. Had a plane to catch,
sorry didn't get a chance to say good by. I'll catch you next time.

Thanks Darren, we go way back, what a long strange trip. . .

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Great photos thanks, Barry. Some very fond memories and great people.

It was fantastic show and proved to be a good move for everyone. There's no doubt about it, Las Vegas has a Wow factor and is a great setting for the FEGA Gun Engravers Show. It made all the hard work well worth while.

It was lovely catching up with everyone again. The friendship, fellowship and inspiration of other engravers can never be underestimated. It was great to meet up with some fellow Cafe members as well like Layne and Bill.

The auction was a blast and far exceeded our expectations. There really are some generous people in the world that support FEGA. The commercial tables did well and we got good positive feedback from them.

As for the award winning guns, they were all superb. The Sam Welch guitar is nothing short of a national treasure. It was worth the trip to see that alone.

And of course there was the Las Vegas night walk. Now that was a lot of fun. My jaw is still sore from dragging on the ground.

Am I looking forward to next year..........damn right!!!!

Cheers
Andrew

 

[mrthe]

Thank you for Share!

 

[Roger Bleile]

The Vegas strip "night walk" was great fun. I think it may become a tradition for those departing on Tuesday.

Regarding Barry's engraving set up, he made quick, elegant, and precise cuts look as easy as pie. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the spectators buy engraving equipment thinking they can do the same in short order.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

The Vegas strip "night walk" was great fun. I think it may become a tradition for those departing on Tuesday.

Good idea Roger............It's now officially on the program for next year. It was relaxing, fun and a great way to finish the whole weekend. Plus after all that hotel food it was great to get a bit of fresh air and exercise

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Then Saturday night- the banquet, first you had to get up the elevator to the Penthouse floor, and the "Top o The Riv":



the room starts to fill:



folks peruse the auction items, they tell me Sinatra sang in this room, note the view of the strip out the window:



The ratpack partied in the penthouse across the way, back in the day. . .


The view down the strip:

 

[Bama]

Barry you must be a pipe fitter at heart, I know you had a pipe wrench hidden in you engraving tools didn't you! HA! Thanks for the photo's and your efforts at the show.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Hi Bama, close, not a pipefitter, but I was a member of bridge structural and ornamental iron workers 1313.

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Wow barry I would have never known that you was a Iron head. I went through my apprenticeship with Iron workers Local 75 out of Tucson, AZ and became a welder following Bechtel Corp around the country working on Mine jobs, Bridges and Structural buildings. I had allot of close calls and finally went on to do something different.

 

[monk]

barry, if iweren't so lazy, i'd build an engraving "rover" like yours. my lowly scope cart-- it's on wheels. i have to push the dang thing, not ride around in it ! thanks for what you do. i hope your demo has inspired a few people to become newbies.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Wow barry I would have never known that you was a Iron head. I went through my apprenticeship with Iron workers Local 75 out of Tucson, AZ and became a welder following Bechtel Corp around the country working on Mine jobs, Bridges and Structural buildings. I had allot of close calls and finally went on to do something different.

Thanks Bill, yes, I built bank vaults in San Francisco.

barry, if iweren't so lazy, i'd build an engraving "rover" like yours. my lowly scope cart-- it's on wheels. i have to push the dang thing, not ride around in it ! thanks for what you do. i hope your demo has inspired a few people to become newbies.

Thanks Monk, mine does not roll, but it only weighs about 20 lbs minus tools. . .it was a lot of fun.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Our MC, Bruce Farman got the awards and auction started,



we had many awards,and presentations here is a small sample of the winners:

our newest FEGA MASTER! Gordon Alcorn of Bozeman MT



Andrew Biggs presents Katherine Plummer with an editors award:



Mike Dubber:



Sam Welch:



Lee Griffith:



Mikey again!



Jerry Fisher:



Gary Goudy, and many others that I don't have pics: