Workshops

Workshops are hosted at Cascadia Center for the Arts and Crafts,

in Government Camp, Oregon on Mount Hood.

Beginner Blacksmithing I – Decorative Hooks

- June 11, 2022 – 10am-3pm
- July 2, 2022 – 10am-3pm
- August 6, 2022 – 10am-3pm
- September 3, 2022 – 10am-3pm

Learn some blacksmithing fundamentals from Joe Vachon, the Season 6, Episode 27, Forged In Fire Champion, in this 1 day, hands on course. Safety, body mechanics, tools, and the working properties of hot steel will be addressed, as well as various techniques, such as: tapering, scrolling, twisting, bending, drilling, punching, hot cutting, flat peening, upsetting and shouldering. Students will start out practicing the basics with the forging of a few decorative hooks for the first half of the class. After lunch, folks are welcome to practice making hooks or create something of their choosing with their new found skill-set, such as (but not limited to) a fire poker, meat turner, bottle opener, letter opener, necklace pendant, or an experimental piece. 45 minute lunch break.

Note about safety – Wear cotton pants and shirt (synthetics are potentially flammable). Make sure your pants fit over the tops of your boots so nothing hot can fall in. Safety glasses and ear plugs are available, or bring your own. Bringing your own leather gloves is a good idea. Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.

Beginner Blacksmithing II – Fire Tools

June 12, 2022 – 10am-3pm
July 3, 2022 – 10am-3pm

Dig deeper into the fundamentals of blacksmithing with Joe Vachon, the Season 6, Episode 27, Forged in Fire Champion, in this 1 day, hands on course. This class is for students who have taken “Beginner Blacksmithing I” or have comparable blacksmithing experience.

In this class we will be working slightly thicker bar stock (3/8’ – 1/2’) to make fire pokers, skewering forks and fireplace tongs while exploring the possibilities of forging decorative and functional steel handles and finials. This will include various types of forging, bending, scrolling, chiseling, punching, riveting, twisting and wrapping depending on what designs you choose from the samples provided, or come up with on your own. 45 minute lunch break.

Note about safety – Wear cotton pants and shirt (synthetics are potentially flammable). Make sure your pants fit over the tops of your closed toe shoes or boots so nothing hot can fall in. Safety glasses and ear plugs are available, or bring your own. Bringing your own leather gloves is a good idea. Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.