BSMITH 101

Introduction to blacksmithing safety and techniques. Students will learn safety and shop etiquette. Basic skills will be explored which will include fire management, hammer techniques, hand and power tool use. Projects will include a three hook wall rack and a matching pair of candle sticks. Specific techniques include square and round points, twists, tenons, controlled texturing, and use of a torch. Students will produce at least 100 hooks of a specific design during the course and will be graded on time and accuracy.

Lab Work:  
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect skills learned in the introductory class. Students will need to demonstrate an ability to comfortably reproduce multiple hooks that match, tenons of consistent size, twists of consistent form, and strong attractive basic joinery.

BSMITH 102

Forge Building, Welding and Fabrication:  Modern fabrication techniques will be added to the student’s skills. Introduction to mig welding, oxy-acetylene torch work, and plasma cutting  will be the focus of this class. Projects will include a blacksmith’s coal forge.

Lab Work:  
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect fabrication skills. Students will need to be able to demonstrate an ability to accurately cut forms with modern tools, weld them together neatly and strongly, and finish them for strength and aesthetics.

BSMITH 103

Basic skills learned in the introductory class will be built on with the addition of basic bending and beveling techniques and layout. Introduction to bending forks and dogs as well as fullers and swages will be the focus of this class. Projects will include a wall mounted pot rack.

Lab Work:  
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect bending and reduction skills. Students will need to demonstrate an ability to bend consistently and accurately to a scale drawing.

BSMITH 104

Tool making techniques will be taught to the students with an introduction to power hammering. Students will learn about the differences in carbon and alloy steels appropriate for tools in the forge. Students will learn the safety protocols and benefits to power hammers. The manipulation of hardness in steel will be a focus of this class.  Projects will include top tools and tongs.

Lab Work:  
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect hardening and tempering skills. The student will need to demonstrate an ability to consistently produce power-hammered forms and tools of consistent and appropriate hardness.

BSMITH 105

Intermediate skills will be introduced to the student in the form of scroll-foliate design. The student will produce a full scale layout and accurately formed scrolls with organic leaf motif. The new skill introduction will be basic forge welding. Projects will include a “sketch in iron” reminiscent of a study in architectural ornamental form.

Lab Work: 
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect foliate and scroll forms. Students will need to demonstrate an ability to make consistent leaf and scroll forms, and seamless forge welds.

BSMITH 106

Forge welding, tenon joints, and scroll forming skills will be built upon during the introduction of trefoil design. The student will produce a tri-symmetrical full-scale layout and will add scarf forge welding to their repertoire. Projects will include a tabletop trivet with two scarf welds, three lap welds, and six tenons in a specific geometric form.

Lab Work:   
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect the formation of ring and trefoil forms. Student will need to demonstrate an ability to produce consistent and symmetrical geometric forms to a given layout, consistent forge welds, and consistent tenons.

BSMITH 107

Sheet metal repousse will be added to the students skills as well as beginning chasing techniques. Students will be introduced to the traditional as well as modern sheet metal cutting methods. Projects will include multi-piece roses with chased leaves and forge welded stems.

Lab Work:   
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect sheet metal skills and basic hot chasing work. Students will need to be able to demonstrate an ability to produce consistent floral forms with leaves with clean chased veining.

BSMITH 108

Students will now put all their accumulated skill into producing a fireplace set project. A common forge welded form will be taught and students will reproduce this form during the weekend class and subsequent labs to make a five piece (poker, shovel, brush, tong, and stand) fire set. Emphasis will be put on consistency of form and appropriate scale.

BSMITH 109

Students will now put all their accumulated skill into producing a fireplace set project. A common forge welded form will be taught and students will reproduce this form during the weekend class and subsequent labs to make a five piece (poker, shovel, brush, tong, and stand) fire set. Emphasis will be put on consistency of form and appropriate scale.

BSMITH 110

Common forms of blacksmithing business will be the focus of this class. Introduction to business management, pricing, accounting, taxes, zoning ordinance, building code, and other common issues will be discussed. In addition, scale drawing and sketching will be covered.

Lab Work:  
Twelve hours of lab work will be required of the student to perfect sketch skills and make test pieces. Students will need to be able to demonstrate an ability to draw a form on paper to scale, transfer that to full scale on a layout table, and forge and fabricate the form accurately.

BSMITH 111

Lab Work: 
Labs will be devoted to the completion of this work.

BSMITH 112

Lab Work: 
The final lab will be used to critique the final projects as a group.