Hands-on education is just one of the three 'strands' planned for the 2008 Spring Conference in Vista (the others are fabulous demonstrations for all, and workshops on the business of blacksmithing for pros and pros-to-be). We'll have opportunities (and inspirations) for smiths of every skill level, from rank beginner to master, to get into the fire during the conference! Pack some hand tools and plan to join us for some of our events.

Workshops: instructor-led forged projects

Join us in the big workshop barn on the hill for some real hands-on learning. Each half-day workshop will include a thorough lesson on how to forge the project, and provide you with plenty of time to give it a try! We'll provide metal to bang on, a great instructor, and plenty of help to get you through any bumpier parts. These workshops are geared to beginner and intermediate blacksmiths, though they may be of interest to all. Bring your hand tools and get in the fire!

Tentative Schedule
Gate Latch	Georg O'Gorman	Friday morning	Details Below
Barbeque Fork	Dave Carroll	Friday afternoon	Details Below
Colonial Finials (Arrow, Bean,...)	Gary Brown	Saturday morning	Details Below
Forge Welding Workshop	Staff	Saturday afternoon	Details Below
Bottle Opener	Beth Holmberg	Sunday morning	Details Below
Remember to show up on time if you don't want to miss the lesson!

Tool Try-Out
Repousse	Heather McLarty	Friday morning	Details Below
Bowl Sinking	Jay Burnham Kidwell	Friday afternoon	Details Below
Fly Press Use	Jim Riddle	Saturday morning	Details Below

Special Events
Friday Lunch:	Announcement or Under-18 Competition in the Blacksmith's Barn
Friday 7:30 PM:	1 Hour forging competition in the Blacksmith's Barn
Friday & Saturday 1:00 - 3:00 PM:	Taking the Fear out of Drawing and Designing, Workshop Professional artist Bill Matthies and "California Blacksmith" editor, Eden Sanders will be leading a workshop specifically geared toward smiths who feel awkward putting pencil on paper. They will offer up some tools that (in a non-threatening way) will increase confidence about drawing, sketching and designing their own projects. "Our goal is that smiths will come away with a basic understanding of how to recognize good design and the confidence to generate their own design ideas and be able to confidently translate those ideas onto paper."

Bring together a bunch of those core blacksmithing skills to make this handsome classic 3-piece gate latch. Draw out, scroll, turn eyes, bend right angles, and...try to do it all to accurate measurements! Only basic tools and a decent eye are needed to try this one, especially with such an experienced instructor. Turn 2 feet of 3/8" round into a great piece of hardware. Appropriate for anyone who's hit hot metal before.

Suggested tools:
    Forging hammer
    3/8" round/vee tongs
    Hot cut
    Ruler
    Soapstone
    Wire brush

Gate Latch Sketch (PDF)

If you do not have Acrobat Reader to view PDF file, you can download it for FREE.

Forge this great-looking fork, and show off your smithing everytime you grill. By starting with a heavier stock and drawing down, its easy to end up with a nice beefy handle and plenty of material to split into the tines. Dave will teach you how to use a hand-held fuller to make the base of the slit really impressively smooth and rounded (and material will be available for making your own fuller, if you like). You can do a simple twist on your handle, or play with more complex twists. You'll also learn about a cool way to get an amazing finish on your fork. No extensive experience required, but because you'll be drawing out a lot, it may be frustrating for folks who can't swing a 2+ lb. hammer hard for a while.

Suggested tools:
    Forging hammer (a rounding face may help)
    Tool-striking hammer (not usually the same!)
    Hot cut chisel or slitter
    Twisting wrench (1/2 inch)
    Hand fuller, if you've got one
    5/8" round tongs, if you want to make your own tooling
    Hot rasp and/or file
    Ruler
    Soapstone
    Wire brush

Classic Colonial American hardware is recognisable by those nifty bean- or arrow- shaped ends (think of latches, door handles, strap hinges, etc.). If you've tried to make them, you may have experienced some frustration... Come learn from a master how to do it the right way, and make all your hardware even more handsome! Get a workout with your cross-pein. Learn how to pre-form for various end results. Really move the metal around to where you want it. Simple tools can lead to beautiful results! Worth a try for anyone; accuracy in placing your hammer blows will lead to more success.

Gary Brown will explore how to make various the "finials" used as decoration on hinges and latches. Like the: arrow; kidney bean; round; and spade shape. All of these endings are finished at the anvil with no need to trim with the file or chisel. This was a great time saver in the 18th century as well as today. We will also cover a leaf shape that does require chiseling and punching, if time allows.

Suggested tools:
    Cross-pein forging hammer
    Flat or box tongs (1/4")
    Ruler
    Soapstone
    Wire brush

Stock sizes: 3/16 X 1 inch; ¼ X 1 inch; ¼ X ¾ inch.

Having trouble with your forge welds not always sticking? Join us for a forge weld troubleshooting session. Bring your welding problems and we'll try you get you to the next level. We will start with a thorough discussion of various forge welding theories. Then we will break out the borax and go to it. Goat sacrifices are not anticipated to be required in this session.

Suggested tools:
    Forging hammer
    Forge welding hammer (really light, really)
    Tongs as needed
    Borax
    Wire brush

Learn the tooling and basic techniques for making a classic 'church key' style bottle opener. It really does make a great gift for your beverage-quaffing friends and relatives (especially the ones who drink the good stuff that lacks a twist-off cap). We'll start by focusing on the working end, for those who have their own ideas about the handle, then go through making the forged reverse twist and scrolled handle end. We'll have the necessary punch available for use, but we'll also have appropriate metal for those who'd like to forge their own to take home. Formulation and use of Superquench in the making of tools will be addressed, as well. Handouts will be provided to participants. Appropriate for anyone who's hit hot metal before.

Suggested tools:
    Forging hammer
    Tool-striking hammer (not usually the same!)
    Twisting wrench (1/4 inch)
    Hot cut
    3/8" round/vee or 1/4" flat tongs
    5/8" round tongs, if you want to make your own tooling
    Scrolling pliers, if you have one
    Hot rasp and/or file
    Ruler
    Soapstone
    Wire brush

Beth Holmberg has been playing with hot iron for six years. She likes using traditional, low-tech methods to do everything from reproductions to contemporary designs. She demonstrates blacksmithing for Old Town San Diego State Park, Stein Family Farm, Pioneer Village Yosemite, and other historic sites, and teaches CBA Basic II classes at the Vista Forge. Her home forge is charcoal-fired and in the driveway.

Whether you'd like to add a little to detail to your...er...armor, add sculptural panels to a fireplace screen, or just get through your Basic II nameplate requirement, you're talking about repousse. How do you get flat metal to do cool 3-D stuff? What tools do you need, and how do you do them? What's the difference between working on plywood and using a stake? How do you use pitch (and why)? What should the top tools look like, and how do they work? Heather will have a variety of backing materials, top tools, hammers, and some copper to try 'em out on. Is this your future, or just a new way to get tendonitis?

If you've ever wanted to make a wok, ladle, or bowl, here's your chance to see what tools are needed. If you've ever done a bit of this, you probably want to try some other tooling to see what will help you do it better! Sinking and raising hollow forms is a whole different way of thinking about moving metal. Jay will have a variety of rings, stakes, hammers and mallets, and a bit of copper to try them out on. Are you a sinker or a raiser?

The fly press is a great 'power hammer' option for the small (or traditional or cheaper...) forge. A small one can perch on a corner of the workbench, ready to be your striker whenever the need arises. It's quiet when in use, so your neighbors won't have any complaints, either. With the right tooling, it can make lots of now tedious tasks quick and fun, too. Jim will have our shop fly press out with some nifty tooling he's made, and a pile of steel for you to try it out on.