About this course
Using mild steel become familiar with the basic skills of the blacksmith to develop your designs and make successful objects.Course Description
Using mild steel, become familiar with the basic skills of the blacksmith to develop your designs and make successful objects.
This course is intended to introduce you to the basic skills of the blacksmith, the techniques of working hot metal in the forge and to the implications of these skills for design and form.
You will work on the following: detailed use of the fire, drawing down tapers, upsetting, bending, punching, twisting, welding, and splitting.
By the end of the course, you will have had a good introduction to the techniques of the blacksmith and you should feel more competent with understanding and recognising how these techniques are applied in decorative and sculptural metalwork. You should be able to confidently undertake further explorations of this fascinating and rewarding craft.
If you wish, bring ideas with you in draft form and, if time allows, tuition will be given on a one-to-one basis according to the ideas presented. Ideas may need to be adapted for the time available.
Timetable
Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above
Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.
Daily timetable
Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.
From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).
Evening working - students may have access to workshops, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Last day
Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.
Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.
(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)
Course Materials
Included
- All fuel costs and mild steel stocked by the College.
- Students must wear goggles (provided) and suitable protective clothing for this course. Leather aprons, welding gauntlets and goggles can be borrowed from the Forge. Other protective equipment – e.g. welding helmets, ear defenders – are also available in the Forge.
What students need to bring
- Clothes suitable for workshop use:
- You will need clothing suitable for workshop use, wear layers as the forge can be cold – please note that cotton or wool clothing is preferable to nylon or other synthetics. A pair of cotton jeans is far more protective than a pair of nylon trousers.
- For your safety it is mandatory to wear steel toe capped safety boots when undertaking a course in the forge. Students must bring their own footwear to wear on the course. If you fail to bring suitable footwear, you will not be able to take part in the course
- Safety boots can be purchased from most tool hire shops and builders merchants as well as online.
Available to buy
- Available from shop:
- Drawing equipment (ie. sketchbook, pencil, pencil sharpener, rubber)
Tutors
Andew, an experienced artist, craftsman and tutor, trained at the Royal College of Art. He has a large portfolio of architectural and public art commissions, from sculpture to functional metalwork. Andrew has substantial teaching experience at University level and has been teaching metalwork at West Dean College since 1987.
Accommodation
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
Courses of interest
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Blacksmithing and metalworking
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Blacksmithing and metalworking
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Blacksmithing and metalworking