Hello Smiths,

Many of you know Sergiy and Olga Polubotko from their published articles, ABANA conferences and most recently the 2008 CBA Spring Conference in Vista California. Their Blacksmith Shop was flooded and severely damaged by floods in the Ukraine last month.

Michael Bondi has volunteered to collect funds to send to them for assistance in recovering from this disaster. Please send checks made out to Michael Bondi, clearly marked Polubotko Flood Appeal, to his address:

Michael Bondi Metal Design
2801 Giant Rd. Unit I
Richmond Ca 94806


All funds received will be forwarded to Sergiy and Olga. I encourage everyone to help our friends in this time of need and share this e-mail with others who know Sergiy and Olga.

Thank you!

Herb Upham
President, California Blacksmith Association


The situation, as described by Olga, also see the attached photo:

So , the water came to the shop at night , the night guard was caught on the 2nd floor because he even couldn’t escape- the transformers and electricity was on. SO in the morning Sergiy bought special fishing boots till your neck (almost) and he went in the water ( at that moment it was 150cm) to switch the electricity off.

After the flood there was about 20 cm of dirt mixed with paint, oil, coal everywhere, so it took one week of cleaning the shop from the mud.

so now comes the workshop:

electrical equipment:

1. rewind engines of pneumatic hammer, compressor, rolling press ( about 90 US dollars per one)

2.Engines for the forges. ( about 15 )

At the attempt to switch the first ones after they have been dried, 2 out of 3 burned, and we decided to buy new ones . Now we bought 4 engines for the forges in the shop that are needed for the work.( $100 each)

3.All electrical starters for all machine tools need to be changed

4.All electric tools( grinder, perforator, drill machines), lost their 3-year warranty but now work so far after drying and cleaning up.

5.one of the contactors at the entry transformer was spoiled- maybe two of them will be needed to be replaced soon -it will cost 500 euro

6.Some of the details need to ne replaced in the electrical boxes (not sure about my translation , but hope you understand- you have the similar equipment)

7.plasma machine was dried , washed

8. 3 MIG -welders were in water, after in all welders the spirals were replaced, 2 started to work.

9. All welding machines , (turning) lathe , all forges-- we had no time to look at them. Actually there is a lot of working places for about 20 people with all electrical equipment fro each brigade were in water.

10. After cleaning and fixing started to work cutting machine, band-saw, siccoors, twisting machine, rolling press, 3 air hammers, 2 drilling machines, plasma, compressor, car( was also in water up to the highest point of the steering wheel;

11Some machines need to be changed all bearing(s), chock;

12. A lot of time was spent for cleaning up - all people were working for about 14 days only for cleaning, producing nothing, the schedule of works was broken, nothing was produced during these days, and the problem where to find money to par salary was very big.

So , getting out the mud, cleaning up of all things, claenin gup th e territory, cleaning from rust, and oil that was in the water and then covered everything, cleaning of the ready and already made forged items, store of the materials, expensive paints were also turned and the paint , coal was in the water. Because of this all hose, hose pipes were replaced at all reductors, gas torches, oxygen equipment.

so, this is quickly I gave some facts that we wrote . Actually about 20 people in the shop were working to return their work places to work. But th e electrician says the equipment will be not working as it should be working even if it started to work, it may burn and go out of order quicker and more often.


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