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Hello Everyone:

Due to "Ol' Man Winter" dealing us a heavy blow, we are canceling the Annual Dinner Meeting at the Baraboo Pizza Ranch tonight.  :-( 

Roads in our area are snow-covered and slick, to say the least!  Hearing from Roger Von Haden this morning, he already has trees coming down near his place.   We have 8 inches of the white stuff here at our place and trees are hanging heavy also, with some newly-planted young trees bending over & touching the ground.  We go out and shake the snow off of them quite often.  

As you know, we do not have a tour or meeting in December, because of the busy holiday season.   We will discuss having a meeting in January but have not decided on when or what we will do yet.  We will keep you all informed, with the next BATS Newsletter coming out toward the end of December or early in January. 

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Lloyd & Shari Koeppel

Hello Everyone:

I'm sure you are wondering if the BATS Dinner is still on for tonight at the Baraboo Pizza Ranch -- YES, it is!

We just had a delivery truck here and we asked the driver how the roads are. He said they are slippery but a person really needs to pay attention to their driving skills now. He said plows are out everywhere, trying to clean up the roads as quickly as possible.

So, if you can make it to Baraboo by 6 PM or so, we'll all be glad to see you.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel

Subject: August 2011 BATS Newsletter

Subject: BATS July 2011 Newsletter

Boy, the time really flies! Here it is July already and my woodpile is

down to zero. It's hard to think about winter on these 95 degree days -

but if you're a wood-burner, you know exactly what I mean.

We had a great turnout and a very interesting tour of Nature's Acres and

Four Elements Herbals in June. Our sincere thanks to Jane, David and

Forrest for their hospitality, and for sharing some of their knowledge

of plants and their uses. I will look at my weeds in a different light

in the future. I do have to admit, however, that I bought a tea that

helps improve one's memory. I'll let you know how it works, as soon as I

remember where I put it.

For the month of July, we are going to to have our summer picnic and

also be at the Sauk County Fair, building birdhouses, etc. Our picnic is

a little earlier than usual because our tour schedule is pretty well set

now for the remainder of the year. Lets hope we don't have 100 degree

weather to contend with.

*On Tuesday, July 12*^*th* *, we will be at Ochsner Park and Zoo in

Baraboo.* We have rented the largest shelter so everything is very

convenient. The shelter has everything we need including electrical

outlets, restrooms and protection from the elements. All you need to

bring is yourself and a dish to pass to help round out the menu - *we

plan to eat at about 6:00*. The BATS Club will be supplying the meat and

buns, beverages, condiments and table service. As always, you and your

significant other are invited to share in some good food and stimulating

fellowship. Ochsner Park and Zoo is located right on 8^th Avenue (Hwy.

33) in Baraboo. If you are coming on Hwy. 33 from the Portage side of

town, turn left onto Park Street; parking lot is on your right. The

shelter we'll be using is right by the parking lot. If you should be

coming from either direction into Baraboo on Hwy. 12, you will turn onto

Highway 33; Kwik Trip will be on your left and The Shoe Box will be on

your right. You'll go past Ochsner Park's sign and turn right onto Park

Street – the parking lot is just past the zoo area on the right.

*Then, on Friday, July 15*^*th* *, the BATS Club Birdhouse Project* will

be going into full swing. I won't go into great detail in this

newsletter except, even if you aren't directly involved in the project,

it is well worth a trip to the fairgrounds just to see the kids. If you

come as an observer, try to get there between 5:00 – 6:00 PM (*that's

when it gets crazy!*) If you would like to work at the grounds helping

the kids put things together, please contact me as soon as possible.

Anyone who has already agreed to help will be contacted directly by me

and supplied with parking passes and all details needed for the big

event. We'll be operating from 4 PM to 7 PM. During that time frame,

we'll be assembling about 175 wooden items which include birdhouses, bat

houses, tool boxes and a new game - one that isn't electronic!

Look forward to seeing you at one or both of our outings.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel

   BATS

Subject: BATS June 2011 Newsletter

body,html { overflow-y: hidden; overflow-x: hidden;} After a total wash-out to arrange a tour for May, the next couple of months are looking promising.

For our June tour, we will be going to Nature's Acres Farm and the home of Four Elements Herbals, located south of North Freedom. This is the home and business location of David and Jane Stevens. Both Jane and David have degrees in horticulture and since 1987, they have applied their skills and love for the land to give new life to 130 acres of woods and meadow in the Baraboo Bluffs. Without their intervention, this plot would probably have become like so many others and become overrun by prickly ash, sumac and the myriad of invasive species we see in this part of Wisconsin. Instead, on June 14^th, we will be enjoying a walk through their picturesque market garden, which includes a large variety of herbs they grow for their products. They received Organic Certification for the farm in 1990. The bounty from these gardens is then processed on site into an all natural line of products and sold under the name of “Four Elements Herbals”. Their product line includes herbal teas, soaps and an impressive array of skin care, health and beauty products. The original barn has been remodeled and retro-fitted to accommodate all phases of processing, packaging, warehousing and sales of the product line and will also be part of our tour. This little company is so impressive, that they received a Small Business of the Year Award from Sauk County in 2008. That is quite an accomplishment!

To get to the tour site, head for the Wal-Mart Store on Highway 12 in Baraboo. Take Highway W toward North Freedom (Wal-Mart will be on your left as you turn onto W). About ¾ mile from Baraboo, you will come to a double “S” turn where the road first goes left and then makes three more switchbacks. As the road straightens out again, you can already see the next set of turns about a half mile ahead. Follow the highway as it bears to the left and at the next curve leave Highway W and turn onto Happy Hill Road. Follow Happy Hill Road all the way to the end - it will intersect with Freedom Road. Turn left onto Freedom Road and travel only a short distance to Weinke Road. The tour site is at E8984 Weinke Road. There is a communications tower right across the road from the farm.

In July, we have two events planned: we are going to have our summer picnic at Oschner Park and Zoo in Baraboo on Tuesday evening, July 12^th. We will be at the Sauk County Fair on Friday, July 15^th, making all the wooden items with the kids for 3 hours. (Times will be announced in July's newsletter.)

One other detail before we get this newsletter off to you: the folks at Four Elements conduct themselves in such a way to leave a very small footprint on their part of our planet. They recycle foam packing peanuts and corrugated cartons to ship their products. If you have any of these items that you can part with, bring them along when you come for the tour. Obviously, any cartons will need to have the flaps intact and be in good enough shape to be reused. Cartons up to 3 cubic feet can be used.

Hope to see you on the 14^th at 7 PM

 Lloyd Koeppe

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                              BATS March Newsletter

If you were one of the 18 or 20 attendees of our February tour of the World War II History Museum in Portage, you just had to come away with a new or renewed appreciation of the price paid for our cherished freedom in this country. Our hosts, Bret and Bonnie Esse, have done an incredible job amassing all of the memorabilia to create such an amazing display. I was especially impressed with the knowledge both of them have to support their collections. Our sincere thanks to Bret and Bonnie for their hospitality. I also want to thank Mike Haller who was the driving force to get this tour-up-and- running. It was an eye-opener.

Jon Paskey has arranged for our March tour to a new fire station in Poynette. I'm told that the Poynette Fire Department personnel are very excited with their new, state-of-the-art facility. The tour is scheduled for Tuesday night at 7:00 PM on March 8^th.

To get to the tour site, head to Poynette and follow Jon's directions printed below. Jon says road signs are almost non-existent, but you should have no trouble getting to the site. Jon's number is 608-592-5777, if you have any questions.

Directions to Poynette Fire Dept. from the North: turn right off of Hwy. 51 onto Co. CS, past the railroad tracks go straight/west at curve (North Street – no signage). The fire station is on the right at the top of the hill – take the second driveway.

Directions >From the South: go through town on Co. CS, turn left/west at curve (North Street – no signage). The fire station is on the right at the top of the hill – take the second driveway.

We are still accepting dues for the 2011 year. They are $10.00 per year and can be sent to: Austin Munson, 5227 Co. Hwy. M, Waunakee, WI 53597 – make out your check to Austin and put on the memo line: for BATS Dues.

Hope to see you at the Poynette Fire Dept. on March 8^th at 7 PM.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel & Jon Paskey

Badger Area Technical Society

Newsletter Promoting Education and Idea Exchange in Industry & Technology
http://www.bats.50megs.com/

HOME -- MEMBERS -- E-Mail

Subject: BATS February Newslette

Reports are that the tour of Encapsys/Appleton Papers was a big success. I'm sorry that I missed it. Our thanks to Kyle Paskey for making the arrangements and for the staff at the tour site for their help and hospitality.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8th at 7:00 PM we will be going to the World War II History Museum in Portage. I probably have the name wrong but I don't think you will have a problem finding it. Mike Haller has been so kind as to make the arrangements for this tour. This is an effort of Bret Esse and it sounds like he is doing a great job in developing the museum to commemorate World War II and a very anxious time in our history.

Tuesday, however, we will learn more about the strategy and equipment that was used in this very difficult and costly war. I don't think we have any WW-2 vets in the BATS, but there are some of us who were kids when it was going on. My Dad always listened to Gabriel Heatter on the radio every night, to follow the progress the US was making in the battle. Gas was rationed - I seem to remember Dad buying 5 gallons for a dollar. Car tires were almost impossible to get and if you wanted butter, you might only be able to buy a quarter-pound at a time.

The museum is at 119 West Cook Street (Highway 33). Coming from Baraboo on Highway 33, the site is between the first and second traffic light on your left. Parking is on the street.

There is a fee charged to help with the cost of operation for the facility but Bret has offered us a discount of $5.00 a person (normally $7.50). The BATS Club will pick up the entrance cost for members and their spouses (significant others). Guests certainly are welcome to join us and we ask that they make a $5.00 donation to cover these costs.

Of course, if you want to join BATS between now and the evening of the tour, it will cost you $10.00 for the year and the tour cost will be covered. We are still accepting membership dues for the year 2011. Make any checks payable to Austin Munson and include the words “BATS Membership” on the memo line of your check. You can give your dues to Austin, or mail them to him at: 5227 Co. Hwy. M, Waunakee, WI 53597.

Hope to see you on Tuesday at 7 PM.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel & Mike Haller

November Newslette

With yesterday being Election Day, I guess now we can all breathe a little easier.  According to all of the promises made during the campaign, our country is now in much better hands.  I'm sure that right now this morning, our new leaders are making plans to do exactly what they have said they will do. (Yeah, Right!)  Enough said.
Last month, the folks at Synergy Metalworks in Baraboo opened their doors for us. I had a last minute problem filling out the tour schedule for October but Landis Brozaki, and Melanie and Carl Burgi came to our rescue.  It was a really interesting tour and I learned a little about how one gives a dairy cow a pedicure.  Synergy maintains a very nice, well-equipped facility and their product line is quite impressive.  Our sincere thanks to Melanie, Carl, Landis and Don Blausey for their hospitality.
The November meeting is considered the last meeting for the calendar year and we celebrate the evening by having a meal together and brainstorming to establish the path we want to take BATS in the next year.  Our location for the dinner is the Pizza Ranch on the edge of Baraboo between Baraboo and the Dells.  We have the private dining room reserved for the meeting. It is   All-You-Can-Eat of any kind of pizza you can think of (they will make specials as well) plus, broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.  They have a very nice salad bar which includes the Soup-of-the-Day and dessert pizza. Cost is $10.32 per person or $9.44 each for seniors.
The date is November 9th at 6:30 PM.  Directions to Pizza Ranch on Highway 12 in West Baraboo:   take Highway 12 north toward the Dells.  As you are leaving Baraboo, the Pizza Ranch is on your right, on the hill overlooking the highway.  If you are coming from the north on Highway 12, the restaurant is on your left as you are coming down the hill into town.
This is a family affair for members, significant others, friends or someone you might know that could be a BATS wanna-be.  The more the merrier - we are starting the Holiday Season early!   We are always looking for places to tour and sure can use your input, so, come prepared with ideas!
 

Hope you can make it!
Lloyd Koeppel
 

BATS August Newsletter
Fair Valley Performance & Repair
E9688 County Road B – Sauk City
 August 10, 2010 – 7 PM
We had a great turn out at the Sauk County Fair again this year. I wasn't able to come up with a completely accurate number of items assembled, because there are always a few extra parts that never get counted in at the last minute. I do know from my preliminary inventory that we did at least 174 units. I actually believe, however, the number is probably a little higher. Regardless, it was a great day and a special day for a lot of kids. I can't thank all of you enough for your help with this project each year. Those of you who cut out the various wooden parts did a super job – they fit! If you were one of the many in-the-trenches at the Fair, my hat's off to you. I always feel that the class and integrity the parents see in the BATS Members as they help their children, sends a really strong and refreshing message, one that is lacking in today's society. All of you helped to take advantage of a great opportunity.
For our tour this month, Jon Paskey was my life saver. Jon has set up our tour for Tuesday, August 10th at 7:00 PM. It will be at Fair Valley Performance and Repair at E9688 County Road B, Sauk City. Jon has provided the following details:
FVP was established in 2001 and officially became Fair Valley Performance and Repair in 2006. Dennis Frey, his wife Jennifer, and staff operate FVP out of Sauk City. The renovation of their current facility was completed in August 2007. It is a diesel performance and repair facility specializing in tractor and truck pulling diesel fuel injection, fuel supply, turbocharger, water injection and data acquisition systems parts. They are also a distributor for diesel pick-up truck performance products and accessories, and they also service, repair and overhaul original (stock) diesel fuel injection systems, turbochargers and diesel engines.
Dennis has an extensive background in diesel technology, as well as developing a data acquisition system for truck and tractor pullers. He also, with his brother, Danny, owns and operates a pulling tractor – “Agent Orange” (Allis Chalmers, 190XT). His experience with pulling tractors has provided knowledge that allows FVP to assist their customers in many ways.
Directions to Fair Valley Performance and Repair – take Highway 60 West from Sauk City to County B (on right). It is the first place on the right on County B.
Hope to see you all on Tuesday, August 10th at 7 PM.
Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel
                                   BATS June Newsletter
We sure had a enjoyable evening at our May tour of Don Blausey's Workshop. It is always encouraging to me to see craftsmen who don't let a little thing like a broken casting stop them in their tracks. Don sure has a lot of talent and his work shows it. A big thank you to Don and Kathy for giving us such a nice tour.
For the month of June, we are planning our Summer Picnic. We normally have the picnic a little later in the year, but I guess there is no bad time to have a picnic.
Charlie and Donna Schwoch from Poynette have invited us to come and enjoy a meal and take a look at some of Charlie's collections of Gas Station Memorabilia, etc. I understand there may even be a car or two that ran at NASCAR. We will be in a shelter, so weather will be no problem (short of a sunami or something crazy like that!).  

We will be having brats, burgers and beverages. The basic meal and table service will be supplied by the BATS Club. We ask that you bring a dish-to-pass to help fill out our menu. We will start eating at 6:00 PM, with the tour to follow the   meal. The date is Tuesday, June 8th. Our summer picnic is always a highlight of the year, in which we encourage you to bring your significant other to join us. I'm sure it will turn out to be an enjoyable evening.
There are certainly more than a couple of ways to get to the tour site, but I'm going to give you the simple way.  (I get lost easy, so simple is a good plan I think.)  Come on Interstate 90/94 to Highway CS and head toward Poynette. Turn right onto Wilson Road. Take the first driveway on your left to the home of Schwoch Estate. The fire number is N2862 Wilson Road - now, see how easy that was?    ;-)
In July, we go to the Sauk County Fair for our annual Bird House Building Project. If you don't already know about this annual event, come to the picnic or call me, and I'll fill in the details. Even if you don't become involved in the actual project, you owe it to yourself to come as a spectator. The kids are amazing!
Hope to see you all on the 8th.
Sincerely,
Lloyd Koeppel
 

                 May News Letter
If you missed our April tour at Capital Brewery in Middleton - TOO BAD! We had a great time and, to my knowledge, the were no DUI incidents by BATS members recorded for the evening. Many thanks to Austin Munson for his efforts to get this tour arranged.
For our May tour we will be going to member Don Blausey's open house of his facilities near Baraboo. Don has a very nice, well-equipped shop by his home, where he repairs and restores Hit and Miss engines of the type seen at the Badger Steam and Gas show every year. In fact, Don does a lot of work for members of the Steam and Gas Club. One of his first loves though is working on Pre-1920 tractors.
Don has invited the BATS Club to attend his open house for our monthly tour on Tuesday, May 11th at 7:00 PM. Unless the weather between now and the night of the tour is exceptionally wet, Don would like for us to park on the large lawn area in the back of his shop buildings. If the weather does not cooperate, we will make adjustments to that plan at the last minute.
Our tour site is on the east edge of Baraboo at E12305A Man Mound Road. Coming into Baraboo from the east on Highway 33, turn onto Highway T and travel about a mile to Man Mound Road and turn right onto Man Mound. Don's place is the first place on the right.
Our summer picnic is going to be held in June at the home of Donna and Charlie Schwoch in Poynette. Details to follow.
In July, we will going to the Sauk County Fair for our annual Bird House building project. The date is Friday, July 9th from 4-7 PM.   If you can help, either in cutting out the parts or helping the kids assemble the houses at the fair, please let me know. It takes about 20 people alone to help on the night of the fair.  It is really fun watching the kids swing a hammer (true, they don't always hit the right nail!).
Hope you can make it on Tuesday, to see Don Blausey's Shop.
Sincerely,

Lloyd Koeppel 

                        April News Letter

Our March tour of Epic Systems in Verona was a little surprising for most of us. While it is true that Epic is a software company that provides services and solutions to the medical field, the company has also provided a unique and awesome facility in what once was a cornfield. Epic is not a factory or even an office building.  It is more like an indoor theme park that boggles the mind. As you walk through their complex of buildings and tunnels, one encounters rooms and areas designed and decorated in motifs featuring an old farm, a circus, Grand Central Station, the New York subway, and the list goes on and on. There is art and creativity all around you!  The tour was really great. Thanks to Sally and Austin Munson for making the arrangements.
Austin has again come through and made arrangements for this month. Our April tour will be a little different than any in the past, since it is the first tour in BATS history that you may need to bring along a designated driver. On Tuesday, April 13th, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, we will be touring the Capital Brewery and Bier Garden in Middleton.  I can only guess what they do there but you can check out the details on their web site: www.capital.brewery.com.  I think they make beer, really GOOD beer!
To get to the tour site, take Highway 12/14 to University Avenue. Turn toward downtown and go to Parmenter Street. Turn right onto Parmenter and again turn right onto Terrace Avenue. The address is 7734 Terrace Avenue, Middleton.
In our May tour, we will be going to the home and workshop of member Don Blausey, just a short distance from Baraboo. This is a tentative date but we will keep you posted.
See you at the BEER GARDEN!
Lloyd Koeppel
Badger Area Technical Society October 2008 Newsletter

If you made it to our September Tour of Carl Dobrovolny's Workshop, it was

probably an eye opener for you.  Carl continues to push the envelope with shop

capabilities and his creative approach to offer high tech to smaller shops and

individuals.  A big thank you to Carl for opening his door for this tour.

For our October Tour, we will be going to the barn/shop/studio of Dave Ogren,

located in the hills overlooking Rock Springs.  His business is called Baraboo

Valley Windsors.  Dave is a true craftsman, who makes Windsor replicas and

Windsor inspired furniture.  You are advised to go to his web site at

www.baraboovalleywindsors.com to get an idea of what you'll be seeing at his

shop.  You will be impressed!  The tour had to be moved to one week later than

our usual 2nd Tuesday night, so we'll be going to Baraboo Valley Windsors at 7

PM on Tuesday, Oct. 21st.  PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE!

As many of you probably know or have heard, Rock Springs received a fair amount

of damage from the flooding this past Spring.  As a result, some bridges may

not be repaired by the 21st of October.  The actual tour site is at S4597

Highlow Road, about a mile West of Rock Springs.  Coming from the South, I

would advise you to come into Baraboo  to the intersection of Highway 33 and

12.  Go straight through the intersection onto Highway 136 (past Sears) toward

Rock Springs.  If we are lucky, the road might be open.  The odds are you'll

have to take the Highway 136 detour through North Freedom.  You are heading for

the main street of Rock Springs, which is Highway 154.  The main street of Rock

Springs is only a couple of blocks long and there are no cab drivers to ask

directions.  About a mile out of town, take Highlow Road to your right (head up

the mountain) and the driveway is on your left.

If you are coming from the North, I would advise you to come South past Trinity

Baptist Church on Golf Course Road, which is at the East edge of Reedsburg,

across from the country club.  As you travel down Golf Course Road, you'll come

to a stop sign - take a left onto HIghway 154 and then left again onto Highlow

Road.  The driveway will be on your left.

AUCTION -- there is a big auction coming up that many of you will want to

attend.  Jim Rowsam's estate auction will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25th in

Plainfield, WI.  Space doesn't permit me to itemize all of the incredible

things going up for sale, so go to Gavin Bros. Auctioneers web site for the

listing and driving directions to the site.  If you collect guns, old tractors,

antique engines or black-smithing equipment, you will want to look into this

sale.

 FINALLY -- I want to shift gears a little to ask all of you to turn your

thoughts and prayers to Gene and Adele Buelow.  If you remember back about two

years ago, Gene had major surgery and a long recovery as a result of bladder

cancer.  Well, cancer has again surfaced in his life.  It is still associated

with the bladder cancer but it is now affecting other parts of his body.  By

the time you receive this newsletter, Gene will be nearing the end of his

radiation treatments and they will find out soon if chemo will also be

required.  This is a challenging time for them and I'm sure they will

appreciate any support we can give them.  Gene and Adele live at E6971 Highway

D, Rock Springs, WI  53961 and their phone number is:  608-727-3400.

Hope to see you on the 21st at Dave Ogren's Baraboo Valley Windsor Shop.

Sincerely,                                  

Lloyd Koeppel                          

2008 NEWSLETTER

BATS May 2008 Newsletter

Our June tour to Universal Die & Stampings in Prairie du Sac was great! Thanks to Bill Johnson, BATS Member & employee of our host company, for making all the arrangements for this tour. 

There will be no tour in July, as this is the month of the Sauk County 4-H Fair in Baraboo. On Friday, July 11th from 4-7 PM, we will be setting up once again, in a tent at the fairgrounds to help kids build more wooden projects. If you were there last year, you saw how they line up at least a half-hour beforehand, ready to learn and build things. This is the 5th year for the BATS Project, and kids, as well as many adults are really excited to see us there. In past years, we've had tiny little kids wanting to build something, with some as young as 2 — even "big kids" such as teenagers, grandpas and grandmas show up. This is always a fun time for the BATS Club and I personally want to say thank you to all who have been so helpful with the projects, even before hammers & drills hit the wood! BATS

 Annual Summer Picnic: With Pete Leibsle's help, we have a place secured on August 12th at the Old Farmers Antique Club in Friendship, WI. This is a fairly new club and they are inviting the BATS Club to come and see their collections and museum they have set up at the Adams County Fairgrounds. This is usually an early evening event but time and other details will be announced soon. Here's a novel idea: with gasoline being so high, maybe several members would like to car pool to get to the picnic. So, mark this date on your calendars - it's always a great time of eating, laughing and visiting with each other. If you would like to help with the picnic, let me know at:koeppel@chorus.net or phone me at: 608-522-3381.

North Freedom Engineering

Our May tour to North Freedom Engineering LLC was great!  Our host, John Hallis, 
told me later how much he enjoyed the exchange of ideas and the interest shown 
by all of you that made the tour.  John has put together a very nice facility 
with unique capabilities.  His skills are a real asset to the area.   Our best 
wishes to John and his future endeavors. 
 

On Tuesday, June 10th at 7 PM, we will be going to Universal Die & Stampings  in 
Prairie du Sac (www.unidie.com).  I want to thank Bill Johnson, a BATS Member 
and employee of our host company, for making all of the arrangements.  Universal 
Die & Stampings manufactures stainless steel transfer belting, which they market 
worldwide, and also do contract metal stamping for other companies. 
 

Universal Die & Stampings is located at 735 15th Street in Prairie du Sac.  If 
you are coming from Baraboo and points north, take Highway 12 toward Sauk City 
to Highway PF and turn left onto PF.  There are traffic lights and a large 
implement dealer at this intersection.  Coming from the south, go through Sauk 
City, stay on Highway 12 and turn right at the PF intersection.   They are on 
the corner of Highway PF and 15th Street.  We are to park in the employee 
parking lot.  
 

DON'T  FORGET!  The Midwest Renewable Energy Fair at Custer, WI on June 21st.  
You may still be able to make reservations with Able Trek Tours at 
1-800-205-6713, if you hurry!  
 

ALSO:   The Sauk County 4-H Fair is fast approaching!  If you are interested in 
being a part of it and  helping the kids build some wooden projects, contact 
Lloyd at: 608-522-3381 or Email at:  koeppel@chorus.net.  We are scheduled to be 
at the fair on Friday, July 11th from 4-7 PM --- kids are always lined up at the 
tent, ready to go by 3:30!  So, if you love working with the kids, contact me as 
soon as possible - we can always use help.  This will be our 5th year with the 
BATS Project at the 4-H Fair. 
 

Hope to see you on Tuesday, June 10th at 7 PM at Universal Die & Stampings in 
Prairie du Sac. 
 

Lloyd Koeppel 
 

3 KB

I'm sure you will agree that Audrey and Jerry Jensen love what they do and are 
very, very good at what they do.  Their spinning wheels and accessories are 
works-of-art.  About 30 people attended the April tour at The Spinning Wheel 
Shop north of Wisconsin Dells.  It is quite evident that they put a lot of love 
and extraordinary talent into producing their product.  We want to thank the 
Jensens for a memorable tour of their facilities. 
 

So, now it is May and we are going to a one-man job shop a few miles west of 
Baraboo. North Freedom Engineering, LLC is owned and operated by John Hallis.  
While John has the usual lathes, milling equipment and is gravitating  toward 
more CNC capabilities; he provides some special grinding and sharpening services 
that I feel, are unique.  The fact is, I don't have a clue of how his grinders 
are used. Also, if you are a Monarch Lathe fan, you need to see the one that 
John has!  I believe it will be an interesting evening. 
 

The tour will be on Tuesday, May 13th at 7:00 PM.  To get to North Freedom 
Engineering, get on Highway 12 on the west side of Baraboo and turn west onto 
County Highway W.  The Wal-Mart store is located on this intersection and will 
be on your left once you are on W.  Go 2 ½ miles to Happy Hill Road (it only 
goes left) and travel 2.3 miles to S6204 Happy Hill Road.  The driveway will be 
on your right and there is no business sign out front. 
 

Don't forget the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair at Custer, WI on June 21st.  You 
have to make your reservations with Able Trek Tours at 1-800-205-6713.  Cost for 
admission and travel by tour bus will be $45.00 per person. 
 

Please send any changes in mailing or Email addresses to Lloyd Koeppel at S6695 
County Hwy. PF, North Freedom, WI  53951-9621.  You can also call or FAX us at 
608-522-3381 or Email us at koeppel@chorus.net. 
 

Quote of the day:  You may be on the right track but you will still get run over 
if you just sit there. 
 

Hope to see you at North Freedom Engineering, LLC on Tuesday, May 13th at 7 PM. 
 

Sincerely, 
 

 
Lloyd Koeppel 
 Channel 15 Studios 

We had a very interesting tour at the Channel 15 Studios in January. A special thanks to Chief Engineer Tom Weeden of Channel 15 and to our own Mike Haller for making the event happen. On Tuesday, Feb. 12th, we will be going to GoodCo, LLC in Windsor. The tour will start at 7:00 PM. GoodCo is a relativity new company (2 years old) that specializes in custom remodeling and woodworking. They make curved millwork, custom moldings, mantels, bars, and cabinets for kitchens and baths. Owner Brent Goodman says he is not set up with all of the state-of-the-art equipment yet, but that will come as GoodCo grows. He is very interested with the exchange of ideas and networking with members of the BATS Club. This might be a good opportunity to share a little of your experience and ideas to help out a new business. GoodCo is not far from the intersection of Interstate 90/94 and Highway 19 just north of Madison. Take Highway 19 East to the first traffic light, which is Lake Road and Highway CV. There is a Mobil Gas Station at this intersection. Turn left onto Lake Road and travel between 1/2 to 3/4 miles, until you see an ALLSTORE building on your right - it will be a large white building with blue awnings. Take the next driveway past ALLSTORE. The GoodCo sign will be on the side of the building; not in front. The address is 6474 Lake Road, Building G. Several times I have mentioned that we are going to try to get in on an Able Trek Tour to the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair at Custer, WI in June. Well, the schedule is out and the Fair will be Saturday, June 21, 2008. It is billed as the world's largest renewable power, energy efficient and sustainable living educational event of its kind. Cost is $45.00 per person, which includes admission to the event. The bus will pick up and return riders from points in LaValle, Reedsburg, Baraboo, Sauk City and Portage. You will have to secure your spot for this event on your own by contacting Able Trek directly at 1-800-205-6713. Attendees will be at the Fair from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. More details and a reminder of this trip will be included in next month's newsletter. Austin Munson is still accepting dues for the 2008 year. Send $10.00 made payable to Austin Munson with the words BATS Membership - 2008 in the memo line on your check. Mail your check to Austin Munson, 5227 County Trunk M, Waunakee, WI 53597. (You may want to jot down his address for future reference.) Lets hope the weather cooperates for Tuesday, Feb. 12th. Hope to see you then. Lloyd Koeppel

We hope you had the best Christmas ever. Our annual business meeting/dinner held in November at Dino's in Portage was well attended. During the meeting, Lavern Penberthy was elected to the office of Vice President and Austin Munson accepted the positions of Secretary and Treasurer for another term.  Both men will serve in these capacities for 2 years.  Roger Von Haden has 1 year remaining in his term as our President. We wish them well as they carry out the duties of their respective offices. Other business discussed were tours for the new year, making a donation to our good friends at the Badger Steam and Gas Club and plans to make name tags for all members to be worn during meetings. Your comments and suggestions on these topics or others related to the function or operation of the BATS Club are always appreciated. This is the time of the year when we collect dues for the new year.  The dues collected pay for the expenses of the monthly newsletter, cost of some of the food and beverages for our annual picnic, and for other projects in which the Club may decide to become involved.  If you are interested in becoming a BATS member, make your check for $10.00 payable to Austin Munson.  In the memo line please place the note (BATS dues 2008).   If you have changed addresses (mailing or Email), please inform Lloyd Koeppel at:  608-522-3381, or S6695 Co. Hwy. PF, North Freedom, WI  53951, or Email him at:  koeppel@chorus.net. Our tour for January is going to be at the NBC-15 (WMTV) Television Studios at 615 Forward Drive in Madison.  We will be touring parts of the station and learn about the switch from Analog to Digital Programming, that is set to go into effect in early 2009.  This information will be invaluable if you are planning to buy a new TV, or hope to keep your older TV sets from ending up in the trash. The tour will be on January 8th at 7:00 PM (try not to get there before 6:45, if you can).  Parking may be a little limited, so car-pooling will not be a bad idea.  To get to NBC-15 (WMTV), take Highway 12 into Middleton.  Coming from the North, get off Highway 12 and head South (right) on Gammon Road.   You will travel about 3/4 mile to Schroeder Road.  Go left on Schroeder Road for about 1 mile to Forward

Hi Again: Just thought I'd add a follow-up note to your January 2008 BATS Newsletter.  If youaren't already and are interested in becoming a BATS Member, I want to give you   Austin Munson's address, so you can mail your check (for $10 a year) directly to him:  5227 County Trunk M, Waunakee, WI   53597.  Remember to put this on your memo line:  BATS Dues 2008. Hope to see you soon! Sincerely, Lloyd Koeppel

 BATS Sept. Newsletter 2007

Hi Again:

Just a reminder for the BATS Dinner and Meeting on November 14th at Dino's in Portage. This is a couples night out & you can bring your significant other, or a friend to this event.

Remember: get your reservation to Roger Von Haden by Nov. 9th AT THE LATEST! Contact him at: 608-742-7210, Email him at: roger.vonhaden@verizon.net or Snail Mail him at: W9779 Grotzke Road, Portage, WI 53901.

Hope to see you there!

Lloyd Koeppel
We had a nice turn out with great food and stimulating conversation at our annual picnic, held at the Badger Steam and Gas Grounds in August.  Thanks to everyone who helped make this a successful event.  A special thank you to the Badger Steam and Gas Club for the use of their facilities. On Saturday, September 8th, we are invited to Resonance Research, Inc. for their open house.  They manufacture electrical gadgets that are used for research and demonstration purposes.  There will be a 2-million volt Marx Generator, a 3-million volt Tesla coil and many other smaller devices on display and WORKING!  Let me tell ya, the sparks really fly!  The event runs from shortly after 2 PM until 11 PM on Sept. 8th.  After dark, things really get awesome!!!  You are welcome to come and go at any time throughout the day and evening.  There will be lots of food at the site, to be served at about 5 PM.  We ask that you plan to either make a cash donation or buy a T-shirt to help defray the cost of the food.  This will be our only September Tour for BATS. Resonance Research, Inc. is located between Baraboo and Wis. Dells, 1-1/2 miles east of the International Crane Foundation, at E11870 Shady Lane Road.  From Baraboo, take either Highway A or Highway 12 towards the Dells, turn right onto Shady Lane Road.  There will be lots of people at this event (an estimated 300!), so parking may be a small issue.  You will most likely have to park along the road, so car-pooling might be a good idea. If you have trouble with loud noises, you might want to bring along a pair of ear plugs.  Also, the noises and flying sparks might scare small children.  In spite of the noise, this is an amazing display you won't want to miss seeing. Hope to see you on Saturday, the 8th. Sincerely,

BATS

Badger Area Technical Society Newsletter

Flambeau, Inc.

911 Lynn St. - Baraboo

7:00 P.M. - March 8, 2005

BATS member, Gene Buelow, setup our tour this month. It's been quite a few years since our group last visited Flambeau. There are close to 500 employees working there ... in three shifts. Flambeau started in Bruce, Wisconsin in 1947 and operated there until 1951. when W.R. and Ed Sauey moved the company to Baraboo. They moved into an old county shop and started injection molding of parts. In 1957 they built the 801 Lynn Ave. building.

Gene mentioned that there are 3 or 4 new CNC mills and we may see their Italian High Speed Machining Center in operation. Other areas will include their mold repair department, the automation center, and their blow molding operation.

We will meet at the Technology Building on the SW corner of Moore Lynn & Carpenter Street

Badger Area Technical Society Newsletter February 2005

President - Ted Chesney - Portage • (608) 742-6286 • Secretary/Treasurer - Jim Tooley, Lodi • (608) 592-7892

BATS member, Mike Haller, arranged our February BATS meeting at the famous H. H. Bennett Studio in Wisconsin Dells. Dale Williams is the director.

There will be a $4.00 at the door admission charge but BATS will take care of $2.00 of that for you. Just bring along a little pocket change and expect an interesting evening.

A magical landscape of craggy rock outlooks

rising above the swift waters of the Wisconsin River provided a bountiful canvas for H. H. Bennett's artistry. In this idyllic setting the unlikely

pioneer ... a new breed of settler who packed a camera, not plowshares ... built a simple brick-facade photography studio in the little village of

Kilbourn City. The year was 1875. Bennett would id live there all his life. And except for a few

photographic forays into neighboring Midwestern

states, he spent his career capturing the magnificence of this place with cameras he made by hand. Kilbourn, of course, became Wisconsin Dells - a name that better defines its distinctive geographic features. Bennett would make the name known nationwide. He returned to its fairy tale vistas time and again, painstakingly photographing each one ... and carefully placing human figures, often nattily dressed in Victorian finery, in the context of wild nature. As much entrepreneur as artist, Bennett saw that he could use his craft to lure legions of visitors. His pictures of the Wisconsin Dells and scenes of life among the area's native Ho-Chunk people, particularly his three-dimensional stereo views, drew tourists by the trainload. In his studio they saw more stunning Bennett photos ... rural  Wisconsin landscapes, raftsmen hauling lumber down river, and street scenes of Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul. Come discover "the soul of the Dells" through the eyes of Wisconsin's most famous photographer!

BATS DUES for 2005 - Are now being accepted - Only $10/year. The mailing list will be updated after the March newsletter and after that only paid up members will be receiving this newsletter.

Next Month: Flambeau Plastics - Baraboo 
Arranged for by  Gene Buelow

-----------------------------------------------------------

Kalahari Resort / Water Park
January 11, 2005 - 7:00 PM
Wisconsin Dells

Ted has arranged a tour of Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The address is 1305 Kalahari Drive Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin 53965. We'll be able to see how they do all that neat stuff. This should be a very interesting tour. Kalahari's location does not come up on Mapquest so I can't furnish you a map. I believe Kalahari is on the Wisconsin Dells side of 194 - at the intersection of Hwy 12 and 194.

608-254-6810

Beg, Borrow, or Steal ...

Jon Paskey is looking for a 390 or 401 engine for his 1958 Rambler American. If Jon can locate an engine, he will next be looking for a front windsheild for said Rambler.

Ted Chesney is looking to help an Amish family. e saw with a burnt out motor.

If you have something you are looking for ... just email your request to Jim Tooley at jim@ticketsandmore.com. I'll be happy to post it in our monthly newsletter.
Badger Area Technical Society Contact Information:
President - Ted Chesney, Portage - (608) 742-6286
Secretary/Treasurer - Jim Tooley, Lodi • (608) 592-7892

__________________________________________

BATS Annual Dinner Meeting - November 9, 2004

The BATS Annual Dinner Meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov.. 9th at The Farm Kitchen. Social Time will begin at 6 PM, with dinner to follow at 6:30 PM and the meeting to start at about 8 PM. We encourage you to bring your wife or ignificant other to this relaxed meeting dinner. This is an informational, planningtype meeting, where the election of a new resident will take place, we plan tours for the new year and enjoy each other's company. The menu will be the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner with roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes gravy, mixed vegetables, salad, rolls, dessert (pumpkin torte or apple crisp), coffee, tea or milk (alcohol, beer soda will be an extra cost). The cost per person: $13, which includes the tax tip.

Your reservation must be in to Lloyd Koeppel by Tuesday, Nov.. 2nd you should make out your check to Lloyd send it to: S6695 Co. Hwy. PF, North Freedom, WI 53951-9621. DO NOT SEND PAYMENT TO THE RESTAURANT! If you have any questions, contact Lloyd at: 608-522-3381 or Email: koeppel@chorus.net.

The Farm Kitchen is located at: S5718 Highway 123, by Hwy. 159 DL by Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo. If you need specific directions. contact Lloyd.

If it is easier for you ... you may call or email Lloyd to make your reservations and then bring either cash or a check made out to Lloyd Koeppel to the dinner and he will collect the money there. Please take a minute to get this taken care of today. Deadline ... November 2.

Badger Area Technical Society Contact Information:
President - Jon Paskey, Lodi • (608) 592-5777
Secretary/Treasurer - Jim Tooley, Lodi • (608) 592-7892

Blue Star Dairy
N1399 County Rd. Q - Arlington
September 14, 2004 - 7:00 PM

Blue Star Dairy is owned and operated by the Meinholz family.

Their original dairy setup, in Middleton, still milks 480 cows. In 1994 they opened a 750 cow dairy operation at their DeForest farm. Their brand new facility, operational in 2003, is in Arlington where 900 cows are milked -- and were we will be treated to an exceptional tour next Tuesday. Operating in 3 locations with over 2100 cows to milk and manage every day is quite a feat and the success of Blue Star Dairy is quite a standing tribute to one ofWisconsin's finest farming Brothers Walter, Arthur, Louie along with Louie's sons - Craig, Dean, and Brian, will be our hosts and manage the operation.

From the intersection of 194 Hwy 60, travel East to Hwy Q. Turn right on This should be interesting ... let's Hwy Q. to the farm. It is so big ... you can't miss it! have a good turnout.

Badger Area Technical Society Contact Information:

President - Jon Paskey, Lodi • (608) 592-5777

Secretary/Treasurer - Jim Tooley, Lodi • (608) 592-7892

Capital Newspapers in Portage

Our tour for May is at Capital Newspapers in Portage. This is a new facility in the Portage Industrial Park. They print most of the newspapers and shoppers in our area. Presses run on Tuesday night, so we are in luck!

Directions: From 139/51, exit at Exit 89B, onto Hwy. 16, West to LaDona Drive (right turn). The building is to your right, on the corner.

On the evening of April 27th, several of us attended a meeting in Portage, hosted by the Columbia County Economic Development Corporation. A number of us from Sauk County were invited to attend because both Columbia and Sauk Counties are involved in the planning of an entrepreneurs and inventors club, to encourage the development of new businesses and function as a spring-board for inventors and wanna-be entrepreneurs. These groups have valuable connections with state and federal offices that offer all sorts of help to small business and those wanting to start a small business.

The main speaker for the evening was Terry Whipple, Executive Director of the Juneau

County Fn(' and Chairperson of a club started one year ago in Juneau County. This CLUB

now boasting nearly 200 members, has already been instrumental in the start-up of several business and the incubation of a number of future endeavors.

BATS Members have been invited to one of the Juneau County meetings to see the club in action on May 27th. The Social Networking Period starts at 5:30 PM and the program starts at 6 PM. The location of the meeting is at the Lemonweir Telephone Company Building on Highway 12/16 at Camp Douglas. There are a number of people carpooling to the meeting. I will try to have details by this coming BATS Meeting.

Lloyd Koeppel

2004 Chicago Design Show Plans

February 24, 2004 is the scheduled date for the 2004 BATS Design Tour in Chicago. There is no other tour scheduled for this month.

Bus Departure Time Schedule:

1st Stop: 5:00 A.M. - Trinity Baptist Church (Corner of Hwy 33 Golf Course Road) - Reedsburg 2nd Stop: 5:30 A.M. - Farm Fleet Parking Lot - Baraboo. Please park away from the building. 3rd Stop: 6:00 A.M. - Wayside on Hwy 33 1-94 - Portage

4th Stop: 6:15 A.M. - Park & Ride Lot - Corner of the intersection of Hwy V 1-94. (Near the gas station with the "pink" elephant) - Deforest.

PLEASE NOTE: These are DEPARTURE TIMES ... the bus will not wait.

Don't forget your Show Pass. A Pass will cost you $40-$50 at the show if you don't have one.

There is no need to carry your coat around the show. Whatever you leave on the bus will be safe. - On the return trip we will stop for dinner at the Hometown Buffet in Rockford. - Return times should fall between 8:00 to 9:30 PM.

AT McCORMICK PLACE: Please take a good look at the bus when you get off. You may have to pick it out of a line of dozens of buses when we get ready to head for home.

Be ready to hoard the bus for the trip home not later that 4:30 P. M. Try not to be late! The Traffic People at the Convention Center will sometimes limit the amount of time the bus can stay in the Gate Area. It's a mess if the bus has to leave the Gate and we have to send out a search party to find someone.

Do you have your Show Pass??? We have acquired a couple of "free" passes. Call Jon Paskey (592-5777) or Jim Tooley (592-7892) if you need one or haven't signed up and would like to go..

Want to BUY .... Want to SELL .... Need to KNOW SOMETHING ... If you would like to list equipment for sale, need equipment, or just have a general question on any topic that you'd like to throw out to the group - email them to Jim Tooley (jtllodi@yahoo.com) and I'll try to include them in our next newsletter.

BATS DUES: $10 - 1year dues are now being accepted. You are paid thru the date at the top of this newsletter. The mailing list will be updated in mid-February and those not paid up by then will be dropped from the mailing list.

BATS NEW OFFICERS FOR 2004

                            
President: Jon Paskey - Vice President: Roger Von Haden - Secretary/Treasurer: Jim Tooley

In accordance with the terms of the By-Laws adopted at the BATS Annual Dinner Meeting, held on November 11, 2003, officers were elected and the results are as follows: Jon Paskey, President (Term Length: 1 Year), Roger Von Haden, Vice President (Term Length: 2 Years), Jim Tooley, Secretary/Treasurer (Term Length: 2 Years).

We had a wonderful meeting and Dinner at the Farm Kitchen in Baraboo. Those attending the November Dinner Meeting were:

Ted and Barb Chesney, Carl Cotrone, Carl Dobrovolny, Richard Donahue, Bob Gilles, Mike and Angie Haller, Al Harris, John and Penny Imray, Lloyd and Shari Koeppel, Austin Munson, Don, Larainne, Jon and Martha Paskey, LaVern and Mary Penberthy, Gene and Rochelle Robkin, Roger and Joanne Schluter, Richard Schulze, Jim and Donna Tooley, Bert Jr. and Bert Sr. Vaillancourt, Dean Voelker, Roger and Joan Von Haden, Bob Windscheigl and Paul Young.

Big Gain of Wisconsin, LLC.

Tuesday, January 13, 2004.7:00 PM

NE Corner of Juction of 1-94 & Hwy 60, Lod

Our next meeting will feature a tour of BIG GAIN of Wisconsin. Big Gain is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Interstate-94 and Hwy. 60. This is about 6 miles east of downtown Lodi. Access to Big Gain is found just off Hwy 60, east of the Interstate ... just look for the big grain storage facilities. Big Gain is an agricultural feed manufacturing plant which specializes in pelletizing, extruding, and expelling soybeans. Please dress warmly as the plant facility is not heated.
2004 Chicago Design Show Plans

February 24, 2004 is the scheduled date for the 2004 BATS Design Tour in Chicago. The bus has been reserved and all we need to do now is to fill it up. Departure times and places will be listed in the February newsletter. As in years past, we will have scheduled pickups in Reedsburg, Baraboo, and DeForest areas. On the return trip we will stop for dinner in Rockford. Return times should fall between 8:00 to 9:30 PM.
Trip Costs: BATS members - $20.00/seat if paid on or before February 10, 2004, $30.00/seat thereafter Non-members: $30.00/seat.
National Design Engineering showcases the most comprehensive display of the latest design technology, motion control systems, electro-mechanical components, formed components and engineered materials to improve product development and system design.
You'll see: CAD, electric motors, electrical, electronic components, fluid power control, formed components, industrial design, instruments and controls, mechanical components, motion control, packaging, performance properties.
Putting this tour together is quite a bit of work (Jon Paskey took on the duty this year). It would help a lot if each member made an effort to take care of this as soon as possible. In years past, Lloyd and Jon did an awful lot of calling trying to get commitments from members. Cost-wise this is a very good deal and traveling to Chicago via bus with other BATS members is well worth it. Please think of others in your community/school who might enjoy traveling with us. Please call Jon at 592-5777 and let him know you're going.

ANNUAL BATS DINNER MEETING
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003
The Farm Kitchen 
S5718 Highway 123 • Baraboo, WI 53913

We want to thank John Crahen, Owner/Operator of The Evergreen Glass Works near Baraboo, for the tour on October 4th.- It was very-nformative, colorful, creative and we never-knew so much could be done-with stained glass, fused glass, etc. Those attending were: Roman Leibsle, John D. Imray, Jerome L. Thiessen, Gene Buelow, Lavern Penberthy, Vern Kolb, Jon Paskey, Roger Schluter, Donald M. Paskey, Arlan Dunse, Harlan Buelow, Jon Rowsam, Kay Falk, Jim Tooley, Carl Cotrone, Ron Green, Robert Rosencrantz and Lloyd Koeppel.

The BATS Meeting for November is always an informational, planning and dinner meeting. It will be held on Tuesday, November 11th at The Farm Kitchen Restaurant Resort, near Baraboo (directions below). We will be voting on adoption of the set of By-Laws for BATS, as well as having our yearly election of officers and having a wonderful dinner together. Be thinking of who you would like to nominate for the Offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary Treasurer for the coming year. Why don't you invite your significant other, or bring a friend to the dinner meeting - they are most welcome to come along. Plan now to attend -- here are the details:

The Farm Kitchen

S5718 Highway 123 • Baraboo, WI 53913
(Located south of Baraboo on Hwy. 123 at the intersection of Hwy. 159.

You pick up Hwy. 123 on South Blvd. across from the Municipal Pool.)

6:00 PM -- Social Time (Main Bar Area)
6:30 PM -- Dinner (New Front Banquet Room)
8:00 PM --Annual Meeting/Election of Officers

MENU
Roast Turkey - Dressing
Mashed Potatoes - Gravy
Mixed Vegetables - Salad - Dinner Roll
Apple Crisp or Pumpkin Torte Dessert
Coffee, Tea or Milk
Cost: $12 Person (Includes Tax Tip)
(Alcohol, Beer and Soda are Extra)
The meal will be served family-style.

Reservations must be in Lloyd's hands no later than Nov. 3rd
Please handle this TODAY

RESERVATIONS
Your reservations must be in to Lloyd Koeppel no later than Monday, November 3rd. Send your check or money order, payable to: Lloyd Koeppel at S6695 Co. Hwy. PF, North Freedom, WI 53951-9621.
 DO NOT SEND YOUR PAYMENT TO THE RESTAURANT!

Any questions, contact Lloyd by phone/fax: 608-522-3381 or Email: koeppel@chorus.net.

Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, October 14th 
at 7 PM at 
The Evergreen Glass Works
Between Baraboo and Reedsburg

Our October meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14th at 7 PM at The Evergreen Glass Works, located between Baraboo and Reedsburg. John Crahen, owner, will be our host and will show us the techniques he uses

to make stained glass windows, suncatchers and art pieces using the Slump Glass Process. John also teaches classes on stained glass in the MATC System.

To get to The Evergreen Glass Works, take Highway 33 running between Highway 12 north of Baraboo and Reedsburg. About midway on this stretch of road, Highway 23 intersects Highway 33 coming from the north and

heads to Reedsburg. The entrance to Evergreen Road heads south from this same intersection. At the "T" intersection,

The Crahen's work out of a building located on the same property as their home.

Don't you just love picnics?   

On September 9th, about 50 people made a trip to Hancock to enjoy the hospitality of Cotrone and Pete Leibsle, for an unforgettable meal and a very interesting tour. I never saw so many potatoes! It must be quite a place when they are fully operational. Anyway, our sincere thanks to Carl and Peter for their hospitality and generosity as our hosts. I also want to thank Vern Kolb and Carl's neighbor, Bob Windscheigl for all of their culinary efforts. They did the cookin'!

In spite of all our efforts to get everyone to sign the register, I think we still missed a few. My apologies if you were not included in the list of attendees: Wayne Hutchinson, Patty Hutchinson, Ted Chesney, Barb Chesney, Jerome L. Thiessen, Ron Green, Roger R. Von Haden, Edwin E. Paepke, Al Harris, Lyle Bohlman, Bob Gilles, Bill Haupt, Jim & Jessica Tooley, Gene Buelow, Roger L. Schluter, Arlan C. Dunse, Roman Leiblse, Gerald Schroeder, Al Schroeder, Jon Rowsam, Kay Falk, JoAnne Schluter, John D. Imray, Gene Russell, Adam Russell, Zachery Russell, Don Vogel, Jeremiah Vogel, Lavern Penberthy, Mary Penberthy, Donald Paskey, Jon Paskey, Martha Paskey, Dave Grzadzielewski, Vern M. Kolb, Neil Zimdars, Jeanne Zimdars, Harlan Buelow, Carl Cotrone, Carl Dobrovolny, Arvin Langjahr, Eleanor Langjahr, Bob Windscheigl, Donna Windscheigl, Lloyd Koeppel.

Now, this is probably a first for BATS! Many of you that attended the picnic, raved about some pickles that were graciously supplied to Pete for our enjoyment. I want to make sure we maintain the technical air expected of a Tech Club, so, what I'm including in this newsletter is the FORMULA, as supplied to me by Pete. 

Thanks, Pete!

3-DAY PICKLES - Use small cucumbers or quarter some large ones. Wash cucumbers and layer with dill in 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon glass jars. Add some sliced onions, garlic, peppers or hot peppers. After packed in jars, make a brine of 2 quarts water, 1 cup vinegar (5% acidity) and 1/2 cup of canning/pickling salt. Bring brine to a rolling boil and pour over pickles to cover them. Lay 1 slice of rye bread on top and let stand on counter for 3 days. Take rye bread off and put pickles in refrigerator. These are not canned pickles, they are refrigerator pickles only. Any questions, call Pete at: 715228-4313.

Hope to see you at The Evergreen Glass Works on Tuesday, October 14th!

Badger Area Technical Society Newsletter

BATS Annual Pictic -- 5:30 PM

Frito-Lay Potatoe Washing Tout -- 7 PM

Last month, Paul Quinn of Baraboo started our tour by showing us his construction project using the CELBLOX Forming Systems, manufactured by Cellox in Reedsburg. PLASTIC FOAM FOR CONCRETE FORMS? QUITE A STRETCH! The truth is, the results are quite amazing. From Paul's home, we then headed to Cellox in Reedsburg, to see how the forms were actually made. Steve Paske and Tom Wirtz gave us an inside look at Cellox and the products they produce. Our sincere thanks to our gracious hosts.

Those attending the August tour were: Gene Buelow, Jim Tooley, Harlan Buelow, Roger Schluter, Lyle Bohlman, Bill Haupt, Gene Russell, Zachary Russell, Adam Russell, Jerry Katzner, Jerome Thiessen, Jon R. Paskey, Martha Paskey, Arlan Dunse, Al Schroeder, Douglas Boyd, Adam Goldmann, Ted Chesney, Roger Von Haden, Bert J. Vaillancourt, Bert Vaillancourt, Carl Dobrovolny, Lloyd Koeppel.

BATS Annual Pictic -- 5:30 PM

On Tuesday, September 9th, it's our Annual Picnic! This is a perfect time to bring friends and family to a very interesting BATS Tour. We've been invited by Carl Cotrone Pete Leibsle to come BACK TO HANCOCK this year. If you remember, we were at Carl's facility a couple of years back and it was great! These 2 guys have amassed a very interesting array of old wrenches, tractors, blacksmithing equipment, blow torches, barbed wire and the list goes on. It's worth the trip to Hancock just to see this collection, but there's more we'll be going to a facility, owned by Frito-Lay, that is designed exclusively to wash potatoes. MILLIONS OF THEM! On top of all that, prepare to enjoy some great food! And, the BATS Club is paying for the meal!!!

To get to Carl's Muffler Shop, take Hwy. 51/1-39 North to the Hancock Exit. Cross over the freeway and turn left onto Hwy. V. Travel a mile or two on Hwy. V until you get to Hwy. C, then turn right onto Hwy. C. Carl's Shop is a couple of miles on down the road, on the right, at W14296 County C.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL IN HANCOCK

CELLOX

Out trip to Ellis Manufacturing in Verona was great. This is always such an interesting company to tour, because they are very successful without being the textbook model of a business operation. They build good, simple and reliable equipment with traditional machinery and sell it without attending trade shows or maintaining a fancy sales network. Our sincere thanks to Pep at Ellis for his candid presentation of the Ellis product line. Those attending the tour were: Roger Schluter, Jon Paskey, John Imray, Harlan Buelow, Arlan Dunse, Gene Buelow, Roger Von Haden, Don Blausey, Jerome Thiessen, Ron Green, Bert Vaillancourt, Dean Voelker, Carl Dobrovolny, Bert J. Vaillancourt and Lloyd Koeppel.

Next Tuesday, August 12th, at 6 PM, we are going to start our tour at the building site of a new home being constructed by Paul Quinn of rural Baraboo. Then, at 7 PM, we will tour Cellox in Reedsburg. Here's why:

There is a fairly new system (at least to our area), of building foundations and entire homes using what is called the ICF System. An Insulating Concrete Form made of two slabs of polyurethane or polystyrene are assembled with separaters (form ties) to create a channel, which will later be filled with concrete. These form sections, 16" high and 48" long, are stacked up and snap together like Legos, to become the interior and exterior surfaces of the wall. Rebar is added, both horizontally and vertically, as the forms are being placed. After the concrete is poured, the foam forms are left in place. They become the insulation of the home with R-Values of between 18 and 26. A wall with a 4" core of concrete becomes 4 to 6 times stronger than a typical stud wall using 2 x 4's.

Cellox, at 1200 Industrial Street in Reedsburg, has entered the building field by developing their own line of insulated form called Celblox* and Paul's home is using their system. Their website is www.celblox.com.

To get a first-handiooK at this new concept, come at 6 PM to the building site at E11595 North Reedsburg Road, between Baraboo and Wis. Dells. Take Highway 12 North of Baraboo, to the Ho-Chunk Casino. North Reedsburg Road crosses Highway 12 on the north boundary of the Ho-Chunk parking lot. Turn at this light and go past the Ho-Chunk parking lot, following North Reedsburg Road for about 1.6 miles to El 1595. The drive is at the top of the hill on your right. Be careful where you park; this is sandy country! Paul Quinn is the owner and will be our guide of the home.

By about 6:45 PM, we will need to be heading to Cellox. If you come in on Highway 33 from the East, come to the 2nd traffic light, which is North South Dewey Avenue and head toward the Industrial Park. The 3rd left turn is Industrial Street. Cellox is the first place on the right.

We will never get to see this building process any more up-front-and-personal, as we will on Tuesday. Bring your friends.

* Celblox is a Registered Trademark

July 8, 2005

On the evening of Jiine 10th, 19 of us had the opportunity to tour the DRMA Electrocoating facilities in Reedsburg. All I can say is, it was impressive to see how far DRM has brought this operation in slightly over a year. I think we all learned a lot about this fairly new and innovative process for metal finishing. Our sincere thanks to Randy Winchel and his very helpful staff for such an interesting tour. Those in attendance were: Ron Green, Lloyd Koeppel, Arlan Dunse, Doug Boyd, Roger Schluter, Dean Arcoraci, Harlan Buelow, Adam Feldmann, Ray Rogers, Roman Leibsle, Ted Chesney, Gene Buelow, Dick Goddard, Carl Cotrone, Roger Von Haden, Jim Tooley, Lyle Bohlman, John Fletcher, Al Schroeder.

On Tuesday evening, July 8th at 7:00 PM, we will be touring Ellis Manufacturing in Verona, Wisconsin. We were at this facility a few years ago and were pleasantly surprised with the scope and quality of this company's product line. Ellis manufactures metal cutting drill presses, band saws and belt sanders. Their equipment, though quite different in design than most of their competitors' products, is extremely functional and reliable. Ellis has expanded operations and facilities since we were there a few years ago, so even if you were there at the first tour, you may be surprised.

Coming from the north, you can get to Ellis Manufacturing by taking Highwy M to Verona. At the traffic light, turn right -- go 2 blocks to South Marietta Street and turn left onto Marietta. You will come to a 4-way stop intersection - go straight through the intersection to Ellis Manufacturing, Building #3 (the one with the Company Sign).

Hope to see you on Tuesday.

Note!

In the June Newsletter, we had scheduled our Annual Picnic at Carl Cotrone's place in Hancock for the month of August. That has been changed to September, 9th, so the potato washing facility we plan on touring will be in full operation.

Tuesday - June 10th, 2003
DRM Electrocoat Corporation
Reedsburg - 7:00 P.M.

On Tuesday, June 10th at 7 PM, all roads lead to DRM Electrocoat Corp. in Reedsburg. DRM has a web site atwww.drmindustries.com that gives all of the details about the facility and the state-of-the-art process they have brought to our area. If you have computer access, go to DRM's home page and click on Electrocoating for more information. (You can go to any library in the South Central Wisconsin Library System for free computer use. If you print out directions to DRM, there is a small fee for copies at the library.)

To get to DRM Electrocoating, take Highway 33 to Reedsburg. At the traffic signal, turn onto South Dewey Avenue toward the Industrial Park. (Turn left if you are headed downtown, or right if you are coming from downtown.) Turn left onto Commercial Avenue -- after about 1 block, Commercial Ave. takes a sweeping turn to the right and Prothero Drive continues straight. The drive to DRM is to the left of the intersection. The building is painted twotone in tan and light blue and is at 1305 Prothero Drive.

WHEW! Not a single member of BATS was detained during our May tour of the Sauk County Law Enforcement Center! What an impressive place TO VISIT!! Residency would be a whole different issue! Our sincere thanks to Sheriff Randy Stammen and his staff for giving us a very informative walk through the facility. They made a special effort for us, one that we really appreciate. Those attending the tour: Bert Vaillancourt, Bert J. Vaillancourt, Jerome L. Thiessen, Gene Buelow, Harlan Buelow, Don Blausey, Roger R. Von Haden, Ron Green, Bob Danner, Ray Rogers, Hazel Rogers, Mavis Schulze, Dick Schulze, Donald Paskey, Jon Paskey, Martha Paskey, Kyle Paskey, Eddie Paepke, Paul Young, Lloyd Koeppel.

Plans for next few months are as follows:

? In July, we are going to Ellis Manufacturing in Verona. We have been to Ellis in the past but they have added facilities since our last tour. Ellis makes band saws, drill presses and belt sanders for metal.

? In August, we will be going to Carl Cotrone's facility in Hancock for our annual picnic and a tour of the potato washing facility near him. We will also be able to see the museum quality collection that Carl has ammassed. Pete Liebsle and Jon Rowsam usually add some of their neat things, so it will be a great evening.

? September has not been filled yet.

? Touring a stained glass facility is tentatively planned for October.

? In November, we will be having our annual meeting to be held at an area Pizza Hut.

Last Month

Monday - May 12, 2003

7:00 PM

The new Sauk County Law Enforcement Center in Baraboo

THE TOUR DATE IS MONDAY, MAY 12th AT 7:00 PM!

Special Monday Night Meeting !!!

This month, Dick Schulze arranged the tour and we are all going to jail! The new Sauk County Law Enforcement Center in Baraboo is now complete and we will be able to tour the place before the tenants arrive. This will probably be the only time we can make a tour like this happen, so we have gone ahead with arrangements.

We had to move our normal Tuesday night meeting to Monday, because Tuesday is going to be moving day for the facility.

It is located on the far west side of Baraboo at the end of Lange Court.  It's a tan (sort of) building that is highly visible from Highway 12 but Lange Court does not come out to Hwy. 12. To get to Lange Court, take either-South Blvd. across from Wal-Mart or Sauk Avenue by Perry-Judd Printers toward downtown. Turn onto Industrial Ct. and Lange Court is about in the middle of the block. The World Headquarters of Best-Ex, Inc. is at the intersection of Industrial Lange.

Don't forget -- we have moved our meeting date to Monday, May 12th for this month only. Hope you can make it!

Badger Village Blacksmithing

Grove Street in Merrimac, WI

I really enjoyed our April meeting at Badger Village Blacksmithing in Merrimac. Our host, Steve Hackbarth was able to give us a very tiny glimpse of his talent, by demonstrating his skills at forge welding, making scrolls and creating a pineapple twist in a 3/4" square piece of steel. I'm sure that all that attended this tour were impressed. Those attending were: Dean Arcoraci, Gina Arcoraci, Tim Reppen, Don Blausey, Douglas Boyd, Gene Buelow, Harlan Buelow, Travis Buelow, Carl Dobrovolny, Ryan Dobrovolny, Richard Donahue, Arlan Dunse, Dick Goddard, John Imray, Lloyd Koeppel, Jon Paskey, Martha Paskey, Kyle Paskey, Don Paskey, Gene Russell, Zach Russell, Roger Schluter, Burt Vaillancourt Jr., Burt Vaillancourt Sr., Roger Von Haden, John Fletcher, Allen Schroeder, Milton Powell.

Steve has asked that if any of you took pictures, especially with a digital camera, to let him know. He would like to post them on his web site. Email him at www.badgervillage.com for instructions. I know he will appreciate your help.

    
Steve Hackbarth the Master Blacksmith 

PICTURES AT BADGER VILLAGE BLACKSMITHING

www.badgervillage.com

I had lots of good comments from those of you who were able to make the March 11th meeting and tour at Aeschbach Maintenance and Machining in Poynette. Those attending were: Dean Arcoraci, Scot Adams, Douglas Boyd, David Brown, Gene, Harlan _Richard Buelow, Ted Chesney, Carl Cotrone, David Davidson, Richard Donahue, John Imray, John Larson, Roman Leibsle, Austin H. Munson, Jon Paskey, Ray Rogers, Roger L. Schluter, Allen Schroeder, Roger R. Von Haden and Paul S. Young. I want to thank Rich for setting this evening up on very short notice. I have received a sample of the BATS cut-out that was made that evening (thanks to David Davidson) -VERY IMPRESSIVE!

On April 8th at 7:00 PM, we will be in Merrimac at the blacksmith shop of Steve Hackbarth. Steve is a very talented artist who creates hand-forged ironwork under the name of Badger Village Blacksmithing. I had an opportunity to see some of his work last fall and it is absolutely beautiful. But don't take my word for it! If you have internet access, log on to www.badgervillage.com. Click on St. Mary's Oratory and you will see some of the things that Steve is presently making for this church.

The shop is on Grove Street in Merrimac. When you get to Merrimac, head toward the dock for the car ferry. Turn left onto Grove Street. The shop is a gold-colored metal building, with a sign "Badger Village Blacksmithing" in the front window.

I hope to see you in Merrimac next Tuesday, April 8th.

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