Chris Jones Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hi, Just a quick hi as I've managed to login. I've been learning Blacksmithing at Hereford College at night classes for the past 2 terms and it's been fun. I'm looking to keep going but maybe somewhere a bit closer (not an hours drive away) so might get myself a forge (convincing the wife and neighbours may be the complicated bit) Anyway nice to be here. Chris Abergavenny, South Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Welcome Chris - Glad to have you join us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 hi chris! glad to have you on here - how long have you left at hereford, and how have you found it? what kind of stuff have you learned ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 hi , and welcome aboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Chris; I'll be showing up in Cardiff around the 19th or 20th of April, Hope to be staying at the River House; been smithing for a bit over 31 years now mainly doing historical and pattern welded blades. If you are around there let me know and perhaps we can go out for a pint! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 hi chris! glad to have you on here - how long have you left at hereford, and how have you found it? what kind of stuff have you learned ? Hi Beth, I'm only doing the night classes so it's just the practical side of blacksmithing with no formal qualification from it. The night classes are done on a term by term basis so you sign up for a term and then decide if you want to keep going. I've done 2 terms so far, taking a break this term as I have some holidays and work commitments that mean I'd miss a lot of classes, I'll be back in September though. I've had a great time, my background is metalurgy and engineering (I have a Masters degree in high temperature materials in the aerospace industry) but this is a real step into the practical which is brillient. The first term was the basics - couple of lessons on moving metal with different methods, making tongs/punches/pokers etc The second and further terms you do what you want - I repeated some of the first terms work and then went on to make some more chisels and punches for myself, some of the guys are into the artistic side and make whatever they want to. The instructors are great - always willing to let you have a go. I just need to find somewhere closer to home to do more - the 2 hour round trip is a bit of a pain for 2 hours blacksmithing. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Chris; I'll be showing up in Cardiff around the 19th or 20th of April, Hope to be staying at the River House; been smithing for a bit over 31 years now mainly doing historical and pattern welded blades. If you are around there let me know and perhaps we can go out for a pint! Hi Thomas, I'm not in Cardiff often, and I'm trying to prep for a house extension so not getting out much currently. I've seen the River House - it's just over the Taff from the stadium, nice location. If you want some idea on where to go give me a shout - I'd suggest St Fagans is worth a trip - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/ It is the museum of Welsh life, lots of historical buildings and items from around Wales, main draw for you might be the working forge which is an original 18th century forge which was moved to the site. Also try and squeeze in a Rugby match - Cardiff RFC is just over the way and are playing Neath on the 21st April - always a good way to get into Welsh life. Enjoy the trip. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 chris that sounds like a really good thing, just the practical side - a total difference like you said to your hi tech metal background! i understand about the traveling though, i have something similar here, you need your stuff nearby dont you! good luck with it all, massive resource for blacksmiths of every level on here :) the courses john b on here runs at westpoint in dorset for the blacksmiths guild are great too, and well worth doing if your in the area. thomas, cardiff is great - i lived there as a student and am very fond of the place - st fagans is good, you should go if youve time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi Chris, Welcome to the site, as Beth says we run one, two and three day courses and hold forge ins at Westpoint which is actually in Devon not Dorset see www.blacksmithsguild.com for the kind of thing we do, We also attend some craft shows and support the National Blacksmithing Competitions which are held at various County Shows like the Royal Welsh Show and Three Counties Show where you can see some of the best pieces and smith's in live demonstrations/competitions. Good luck and enjoy your new ventures and if you want to come along and join us anytime, feel free to do so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 John, Looks like you aren't far from my Grandmother - who is in Newton Abbott - I'll try and arange a trip down there on one of your forge in weekends..;) I must get to the Royal Welsh or Three Counties one day, my wife goes as part of her job but I've never made it myself. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 thomas, cardiff is great - i lived there as a student and am very fond of the place - st fagans is good, you should go if youve time. Beth - if it's not an inappropriate age related question - when were you in Cardiff and what course did you do? Just interested as my wife went there in the late 1990's/early 2000's doing ecology and we have lots of friends still from Cardiff Uni. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 not inappropriate at all chris ! im 38 now, and was on the fine art course at the art college at howard gardens, the year eek ... terrible at this sort of thing, but it would be early 90's so 92 - 95 or something? it was a great place to be as a student, ive very fond memories of the places i lived, esspecially Splott, which had the most imaginative street names of any place ive lived and whenever i go back i still like the place. we used to spend a lot of time on the glorious and spectacular tourist attraction that is penarth beach ( in the rain) i had a special kind of nuclear defence type huge black rubbery cloak i used to wear which i got from the army surplus, and i could be seen every weekend in it looking fabulous, i imagine ;), collecting pink alabaster and other interesting bits :) i think the art college as it was on a different part of town to the university did not tend to meet many from the uni, although we must have crossed paths at clwb ifor bach or whatever it was in welsh! also did you use that mad little italian shoe box sized eatery in i think castle arcade, where he palyed classical music and everywhere was papered with music score and all that. he used to serve a very good Hot Slipper :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomN Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Welcome Chris! I live not too far away, over the border into England, in West Oxfordshire. Glad to see another rugby fan on here! I have been looking at the Hertforshire college courses as well, as the design parts of the course would be useful for me. I've learnt all my forging skills at the blacksmiths Guild and can't recommend them highly enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I'll try to look into St Fagans; this trip is mainly my wife's she's been teaching spinning for over 35 years now so it will be heavy on the sheep and textiles---we're a Steel Wool couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Jones Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 I'll try to look into St Fagans; this trip is mainly my wife's she's been teaching spinning for over 35 years now so it will be heavy on the sheep and textiles---we're a Steel Wool couple. Well there is also a woolen mill from the 1700's there which she may be interested in. Or if you are heading further West - about 2 hours or so from Cardiff - there is the National Wool Museum http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/wool/about/ I'm starting to sound like the local Tourist info office. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 And I appreciate it greatly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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