The first announcement is that the SD Show will
be the "International Framebuilders, Exposition"
next year. Same time and same location (but in a
larger building). There will be more hands on
demonstrations related to framebuilding skills and
techniques and frame fitting. We are working on
signing on a publicity agent who will handle the
job of spreading the news of the show. We are also
working on getting some of the best Asian custom
builders to join us here. We're pretty sure some
big Italian names will appear next year, a deal
that has been brewing for a while. Also some of
the smaller European custom builders are working
on coming to America to see in person what the
renaissance of lugged steel framebuilding looks
like up close.
The party that has been at Joe Bells' workshop for
the last two years is going to be at my new workshop
and (by then) newly renovated house. We are also
reforming the MotherFluxers, a framebuilder composite
band, that is planning a return performance sometime
during the show weekend. The members are Paul Sadhoff
from Rock Lobster on guitar, Stephen Bilenky on
electric bass, Jon Norstand of Thursday Bicycles on
lead vocals and saxophone, Ross Schafer (founder of,
and formerly Salsa Cycles) on guitar and vocals
(unconfirmed but likely at this time), and myself on
drums. If we do this, it's going to be a good show.
The final announcement is that an organization
whose purpose is to promote framebuilding and
framebuilders in every possible way, and to as much
of the general public as possible AND to insure that
the highest level of skills and traditions of the craft
are passed on to the next generation of framebuilders.
This group is the Independent Framebuilders Guild.
Information on how to support this effort is at
Framebuildersguild.org. This is a traditional
type guild and entry is open to pretty much everyone,
in various degrees. One of the first projects slated
for the organization is to begin the documentation of
the History of Framebuilding in America. That's a HUGE
project at it will require the contributions of many
people; I'm certain many of whom are on this list.
So that's about it.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
International Framebuilders Exposition in San Diego, 2011
