I prepared a fun blacksmithing adventure for two young brothers who are enthusiastic students and back for their third artistic blacksmithing lesson. In my lessons, we do more than make nails.
Materials
Processes
SAFE and ARTISTIC PROJECTS
I designed an artistic and complex project - a candleholder with four types of leaves, a bowl-shaped base, and a cup with a candleholder. The challenge for the day was to make a candlestick holder that incorporated leaves, a bowl, and a central candle cup with a hollow stem to tie into the cupped base. Rather ambitious, you may think, but these two brothers were up to it. I wanted them engaged with something exciting and complicated that would keep their interest.
Challenging Projects keep their interest
In addition, I taught them leaf-veining and how to neck down a pipe to narrow it and create the candlestick cup.
I showed them how to weld the parts together. The boys had welded up a bi-float plane and tealight holders in previous lessons. So, welding was not new to them.
The boys were genuinely enthusiastic, full of fun and beans. I knew they were tired and sore by the end of the lesson from hammering - because I was, too.
