Aaron J. Cergol Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Hi all, I've been doing all sorts of metalworking ever since I was around 13 or so. I got into all of it because I was a huge fan of Lord of the rings. I started filing knives from old lawn mower blades, then saved up and bought my first gas forge my freshmen year in HS. around that same time, my parents got divorced, but my father moved out to the country purchasing an 1840's farm house, 12 acres, a pond, and most importantly, a barn. The bottom half is where I set up my shop. I began to forge more than just knives, I began to work on lots of theatrical things, tons of hardware, decorative hooks, holders, pulls and the like. I also began to make armour. Since I had no access to a welder, I raised everything from sheet, or from a billet form. 5ish years later, I'm 19 years old and I just moved into a new shop in an old warehouse building in the heart of Milwaukee. I'm making a masonry coal forge utilizing salvaged cream city brick complete with arches, soldier courses and other decorative elements. It will be a triple forge for when I start teaching again, as well as have a (melting) furnace in the rear for casting, heat treating, and possibly glass blowing. as of late, the theatre industry is keeping me busy, as well as the people whom I rent from; making lots of signage, interesting contraptions, and giving me lots of good connections. I work full time at a hardware store, but sometime in the next year or so, I hope to be self employed. I've just started working with bronze and copper-doing vases and forms, as well as repousse-fun stuff, and *just* like the leatherwork I do. I'm really hoping to start connecting with some more smiths in the midwest soon. I've heard of these swap meets and hammer-ins (I've hosted several for armouring) but would really like to get involved. any ways that I can start? is there any events in the areas coming up soon? I'd really like to get involved and work with others as well as connect and add to my shop. any suggestions are welcome. Also, this is an open invitation to anyone who wants to stop on by my shop and work-you are more than free. PM me on here and we'll talk. I generally have an open shop night every wednesday starting at 6pm as well as any weekend day that I have off. Thanks, Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 hi aaron - your work sounds very interesting and diverse - if i was anywhere near you id def take you up on your offer of a look round your shop - post up some work pics when you got a minute for us to see. welcome to the site :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 The local ABANA chapter is www.umbaonline.org There next hammer in is in Aug near Janesville, WI Also there is one in Aug at the John Deere historic grounds in IL They also meet at Centar Forge in Nov I am the librarian for the group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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