1860cooper Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Hello all. My name is Jonathan, I'm what most blacksmiths I know call "young" at the age of 27. I've been a Civil War Reenactor for 13 years, which is what perked my interest in smithing. I did some self-teaching while doing a summer stint at Fort Sevens, years ago. It was... interesting... going at it not knowing hardly a thing. Now I'm going back into reenacting as a 19th century cooper but I'm getting boned up on blacksmithing as a sub-set of cooperage (the bands have to be made, sized, and punched somehow, and the rivets come from somewhere... that aint woodworking). So needless to say my interest is in coal-forge, bellows or hand crank blower stuff. If anyone has any cooperage knowledge at all I would love to talk to you, but I know that isn't the focus here... its just VERY HARD TO RESEARCH! I'm all about what makes for a good Civil War era blacksmith impression. I also might dabble in wheelwright after I get a grasp on cooperage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Cooper, Welcome to IFI! Where in Oregon are you located? The annual Powerland steam-up is going on in Brooks (about 8 mi North of Salem) this weekend and it's full o' folk who may be able to put you on to some resources. If you do make it by, stop by the blacksmith's shop and say howdy! I'll be working all weekend! Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 Hey Neil, Actually I was just at Antique Powerland... I only live about 15 miles from there. I did run across an old blacksmithing friend (Robert) and met a local guy (what's his name... gray hair, lives near the prison) whom I hope to meet up with so he can show me some things. Its a good looking shop there. Does that mean you're local too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! May I direct your attention to the top green bar...click on the "User CP" and update your profile stating you location. This will help later especially once you post in other threads or have other questions. AND you may find out that someone just 'right down the street' is a blacksmith. Now for your ?'s. Have you tried contacting the folks at Colonial Willliamsburg about cooper information? They have some very talented craftsmen up there and may be able to fix you up on where to look. Bellows or hand crank, That is the question... What part of the 19th century are you wanting to work in? The hand crank blower became mor prevalant in the last 1/4 of the century, IIRC. But I wouldn't put it as a matter of life and death as most folks don't know the difference. Now your reenactor buddies surely might know. Maybe just a matter of how authentic you want to be. Once again, welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I know that Strawberry Bank in Portsmouth, NH has a cooper named Ron Raiselis. I spent a weekend working with him using his grandfathers tools. He said that his grandfather used bought rivets and they were forged cold as were the hoops. That is how we did it that weekend. He is a good guy and would probably be willing to answer questions.strawbery banke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 @Thomas: I've thought about Williamsburg. They are very 18th century and about 100 years different then what I want to emulate, but it may yield clues. Although I think I could get away with a blower just fine (two other blacksmiths there use them) I'd like to take it a bit farther and be more like a living historian and continually improve my authenticity. So I'll probably start with the blower and work towards the bellows. @Doug: Interesting lead. I might try to get ahold of him. Yeah I'm afraid I'm going to have to make several of my own tools... they can be pretty specialized for cooperage. All the more reason to better myself at blacksmithing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Cooper, It sounds like you might be describing a fellow named Gary. He' a good guy. I'm about 22 mi SE of MT St Helens up in SW Washington. I've been working the steam-up for about 8 years now and it's one of my favorite demos to do! Good luck on finding the info you're looking for. It's a bit of a drive but you might think of hooking up with the Ft Vancouver site. They have a great apprenticeship program using 1840's techniques and an outstanding shop. It's a superb opportunity to learn mid 19th century blacksmithing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicForge Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Welcome to ifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Bennett Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Cooper, I also live about 15 miles from Brooks. I might make it there Sunday. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 Hey Jerry, I don't think I'll make it back for the steam up. I'd sure be interested in whatever other venues y'all haunt in the near future. Do you have regular OBA meetings or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Bennett Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 There is Blade west in Portland, in September. Nice little show. If you are studying cooperege, do you live near Newberg/Dundee? I have a friend and neighbor, who owns a winery, and I think he has a cooperege, but not sure. Got a nice flat bed of oak stave scraps a while back. Makes nice charcoal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Hey Cooper, Check out the NWBA's website - we've got a conference coming up in Stevenson Wa. at the end of September - It's a great opportunity to make connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 @Jerry: I don't live far from Newberg/Dundee (25 minutes). I'd be cool to see his operation. It's probably modern, but it would be useful nonetheless I'm sure. @Niel: Robert was telling me about that. Its a bit of a long haul but it sounds interesting. We'll have to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Cooper, What tools are you looking for. I have some old coopering tools I mean to use again someday that I could photograph and get dimensional data for you. They are all from the period your interested in, give or take a decade or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Bennett Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 @Jerry: I don't live far from Newberg/Dundee (25 minutes). I'd be cool to see his operation. It's probably modern, but it would be useful nonetheless I'm sure. @Niel: Robert was telling me about that. Its a bit of a long haul but it sounds interesting. We'll have to see. I know he had guys flown Over from France. So not sure how modern. Probably 50/50 I would guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 So with that date it would be the American Civil War and not the Engilsh Civil War, the Spanish Civil War, the.... This is a world wide forum...and even being in the USA I have friends in ECW groups, some even over on this side of the pond! Practical Blacksmithing by Richardson is a collection of articles from a blacksmithing journal from the years 1889, 1890 and 1891. This post dates the ACW but may be the closest in depth reference on how smiths were doing things back then: this is the time period where bessemer steel was taking over from real wrought iron. ACW you would be using real wrought iron of course with some blister, shear or cast steel for the high C stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 Cooper, What tools are you looking for. I have some old coopering tools I mean to use again someday that I could photograph and get dimensional data for you. They are all from the period your interested in, give or take a decade or two. I could use a lot of tools! You can count all the tools I have on your fingers, but I did manage to get some important (and expensive) ones. The most specialized things I need is a croze and sun plane. Also any curved drawknives (concave or convex). A good short adze. Truss hoops. A shaving horse. A short broadaxe. Compasses for measuring heads. Basically I need almost everything. I all have is the spokeshave, froe, and block plane (and a few sundry things). And I'm quite willing to pay what it is worth if it's something I really need and its a good sound tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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