Upcoming Blacksmithing courses in WA

[BobL]

The Forest Heritage Centre is sponsoring a number of short courses in wood and metal work in the next few months
Specifically for folk interested in smithing are following two courses.

INTRODUCTION TO BLACKSMITHING with Master Blacksmith Carl MacMillanSaturday, 6th April
TOOL MAKING (Intermediate Blacksmithing) with Master Blacksmith, Carl MacMillan
Saturday & Sunday, 4th & 5th May

These courses will be held in Carl's own Studio in Dwellingup. He is a highly skilled blacksmith, having worked for 10 years as a blacksmith. Participants of the course will benefit from his excellent teaching and great artistic design skills in blacksmithing. Carl spent several years working in England with James & Sons on restoration work for English Heritage Houses and is currently working on several projects. These workshops are always popular so get in quickly to book, as places are limited to 6 participants.
Cost: Intro Blacksmithing course $175. Intermediate 2 day course $285.

Time: 9am - 4pm each day

If you are interested please contact [email protected] to register and for more info.
Also see Courses

The reason I am providing this info here is that contrary to the blurb above I have tried to attend these twice in the last few years and both times the course has been cancelled because they have been just 1 or 2 people short.

[BobL]

Well I finally got to attendthe first of the blacksmithing courses today.

The one day course was run by Carl Mcmillan who is a professional smithy in Dwellingup (about 100 kms out of Perth) and does mainly art type work and a few restorations and special jobs.

Here is a pic of his workshop at the old railway yards at Dwellingup.

As you can see it's pretty rustic but that just adds to the charm.
The big guilllotines made mincemeat of round stock we were using.

This is the forge - the glass panels are just old louvres and the fume hood is made from old kero tins.

There are 4 anvils and 3 forges but all four 4 students could easily operate from this larger forge
Carl had only two of us at a time belting metal so he could keep an eye on us

Here he is showing us how to draw a point.
The anvil is English and is dated 1837

After demonstrating a bunch of techniques we spent the rest of the day made an eye bolt and hook, a fire raker and a cold chisel from a suspension spring.

Here Carl is cutting the suspension spring for our cold chisel




Next month I get to attend the Smithy toolmakers course also run by Carl - this one is two days long.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I'm now really glad I am building a forge.
I bought along all manner of PPS along but as you can see there's not much happening in that space - it seems a lot safer than any other form of MW perhaps because machines are involved.

If anyone is interested I can really recommend it. You learn a lot in a short space of time.
Just contact the Forest Heritage Centre in Dwellingup for details of the next course.

[BobL]

Got back last night from the 2 day blacksmith tool making course. We made a pair of "tongs" and a "hot set" (axe for chopping hot metal) all made in the traditional way. We had to do a fair bit of heave-ho with the sledge hammers" especailly working the tool steel to make the hot set - gives one a serious respect for the effort required for trad smithy work, especially for the tool making.

Will post some more phots when I get them from the other students meanwhile here are a couple of mine.

Instructor Carl point out something to Julie


Julie on the smaller sledge.

Carl "giving it some Wellie with the big sledgie"

[whemand]

I just read this forum. How sad, I think I missed it. Are there any schedules?

[BobL]

I just read this forum. How sad, I think I missed it. Are there any schedules?

They are only held once a year in WA.
I'm sure you can find some courses closer to home - maybe check out your local blacksmithing association.

I can thoroughly recommend this course, Carl is a good teacher and even though it is very physical it is a lot of fun.