Tunnel Mill Craft Calendar, 2012
Updated: August 28, 2012
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Tom Latane' - October 12, 13 & 14, 2012
Wrought Iron Hammers
The two hammers pictured above were made for the armourer shop display at the Castlerock Museum of arms and armour in Alma, WI.
Students will forge one or more hammers of various sizes from wrought iron faced with steel. Pieces will be drawn
down from larger stock, upset from smaller stock or welded up from numerous small pieces.
(Students may bring their own wrought iron or they may purchase some during the class.)
When a block of the desired size is formed, steel faces and peins will be welded on either end and the eye punched.
Decorative details will be discussed before hardening and tempering.
TUNNEL MILL FALL GATHERING
OCTOBER 6 & 7th, 2012
It's that time of the year and we would like to
invite you to the mill
There will be plenty of interesting demos----.
(or just come and hang out, you are bound to learn something)
Iron - we will be running the 500lb Little Gaint
Saturday we will be running our ongoing Iron bloom project
(We've learned a different process in South Dakota)
Copper - learn some texturing techniques
Tie-dying, or bleaching - make your own t-shirt
(I will have some available for sale)
Fiber--lets make a different scrap rug, (not weaving, not braiding)
Bring some scrap pieces of fabric (at least 4" x 4")
Or shall we make rope wrapped vessels?(strip material needed)
Bring a Quilt to display in the barn
Bring something for SHOW & TELL
Wine and cheese has become a regular for Saturday afternoon.
(Bring a favorite bottle to share)
Directions to Tunnel Mill: Tunnel Mill is located 20 miles south of Rochester. Take Hwy
63 south to Stewartville, turn east on Hwy 30 to County Rd 1 (approx 5.5 miles).
Turn south on County Rd 1. Follow CO RD 1 6.5 miles to Tunnel Mill on the left side of County Rd 1.
(Call about camping on grounds) 507-378-4983
Lodging available in Spring Valley, 5 miles further south on County Rd 1;
Shady Rest - 507-346-2625; Spring Valley Motel & Suites - 507-346-7788
REGISTRATION -Please fill out and return by September28th, 2012
Name___________________________________Phone #______________________
Weekend admission fee $10.00 per person_______Daily admission $5.00 per person____
Meals available for these costs:
Sat morning_______persons @ $4.00 ea Sat lunch___________persons @7.50ea
Sat evening ________persons @$12.00 ea Sun morning ________ persons @6.00ea
Sunday noon_______persons @7.50 ea
POTLUCK FRIDAY EVENING ---- WEEKEND RATE-$45.00 ea
Send Registration to Carol Adams
4505 Hwy 63 N
Rochester, MN 55906
Questions call 507-289-4189 or 289-5246
NO PETS PLEASE
Nathan Robertson - August 4, 2012
Hand Forged Hammer class
We will be hosting Nathan Robertson again for a hand forged, heat treated hammer class.
The hours are: 9:00am to 4:30 pm.
$65.00 including lunch.
Come to this class and leave with your own heat treated hammer.
Size and style will vary. Nathan will bring stock to make 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 lb hammers.
Peter Ross.. June 4, 5 and 6 --- June 8, 9 and 10, 2012
***Note: These are corrected dates***
Peter is the legendary master metalsmith who spent 21 years as "master of the shop" at
Colonial Williamsburg.
Cage head brace, June 4, 5 and 6, 2012
Above are two photos of the antique brace that the class project will be patterned from.
The cage head brace is a traditional alternative to the more fragile wooden head braces
in many old carpenters' chests. In this class we will make an iron cage head brace
you will be proud to use in your smith's shop or wood shop for years to come.
This is a challenging forging, including upset corners, punched tapered holes,
tenons, careful fitting and cold assembly. We will cover a number of traditional
skills to use at the anvil as well as good filing and fitting practices.
The cage ribs can be made from a single piece or welded up at the anvil depending on
the experience level of the student. As with many of these early tools, the opportunity
to alter the basic design and add decoration is abundant.
Here's your chance to dust off those old bits that have been waiting to go back to work.
Cutting Class: Making a pair of Scissors, June 8, 9, and 10.
The upper pair of scissors were made by Peter Ross.
An antique pair are shown below them for comparison.
Students in this class will make a pair of scissors based on 18th century examples shown
in the accompanying photo. The larger size is a full 12 inches long.
These were originally used on fabric, but can be put to other uses as well.
The class will cover forging the basic parts, finishing the blades and handles,
heat treating the blades, assembly and final grinding.
This project can be approached from different skill levels.
Students with less experience may elect to forge each blade of one piece,
while more experienced students may choose to laminate each blade and forge weld the
finger loops. There is ample opportunity for filed decoration.
Bob Fredell, June 2 & 3, 2012
Crucifix Making Workshop
A number of years ago Bob saw Bernard Heer, a former Guild of Metalsmiths member who apprenticed in
Switzerland, forge a crucifix. Having now made several himself, Bob now wants to share with others the
making of a crucifix using this specific process.
Bob, former Guild President and a firm believer in blacksmith education, will be teaching this
Crucifix workshop.
Keeping with his beliefs, Bob Fredell has volunteered
to teach this class at Tunnel Mill for a nominal fee, and so we are able to offer this 2 day class
(food and lodging included (one night's stay)) for the fee of $135.00.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to make this beautiful 1 piece crucifix orginally taught by Berhard Heer.
The 18" tall crucifix is made with one continuous piece of steel from the crown of thorns down
and up to the three tips of the cross.
Participants need to have basic forging skills because the demonstrations will use modeling clay, not hot forged steel.
Short demonstrations with modeling clay allow more time for the participants to work on the project.
Build and Bake in a Portable Brick Oven May 5, 2012
Join David S. Cargo at Tunnel Mill to learn how to build a portable stacked-brick oven.
After the oven is built, it will be fired up while students learn how to make dough for flatbreads, pizza and bread.
Bake (and eat) all these in the brick oven.
Class runs 9am-5pm. Bring a light sack lunch; we will sample products made around mid afternoon.
You will leave with knowledge in baking and building and also plans. See you there.
Preregistration is necessary.
Fee to be collected at class is $60.00 per student.
Tom Latane'.. April 20, 21 & 22nd, 2012
And
Due to popular demand, we have added a second class, May 11, 12 & 13th
Tom Latane constructed his first forge in his parents' back yard in Baltimore ,MD in the early 1970s.
After graduating high school in 1973 he produced wood and ironwork to sell at art fairs and consignment shops.
He also produced items for Avalon Forge, a supplier of colonial reproductions to reenactors.
Tom and Catherine established their current shop in Pepin WI in 1983 where Tom repairs antiques and produces work in
iron and wood using traditional hand technology.
Tom teaches several times a year at various craft schools and has demonstrated at six ABANA conferences, five times
with the Patient Order of Meticulous Metalworkers.
Seventeenth Century Battle Axe or Hewing Hatchet
Tom Latane's Norse Style Axe
Tom Latane' Hot cutting Axe Blade
Tom Latane's Axe Class Students
Students will forge an axe with a tapered rectangular eye socket. This shapely early form is made up of three pieces
rather than the two used to produce an axe with a simple wrapped eye.
Parts will be forged to shape from 1/4" and 1/2" thick mild steel, forge welded together and further forged to refine.
A high carbon steel bit will be welded between layers of low carbon steel, shaped, hardened and tempered. Students
wishing to create a hewing hatchet may leave the blade thicker and less broad with the high carbon steel welded to one
side rather than in the center of the edge.
The low carbon body of the axe will remain soft enough that it can be decorated cold with punches (at home if there
is not time in class) as the early ones were.
Kitty Latane' April 21 and April 22, 2012 (Two-one day classes)
Tinsmithing
Kitty Latane',Samples of Tinsmithing Projects
Kitty's Tinwork Class Hard at it
Come to Tunnel Mill and learn a centuries old craft, Tinsmithing, with Kitty Latane' from Pepin, Wi. Design and make your
own one of a kind tin cookie cutter and/or other simple tin project, including flour scoops and candle sconces.
In this one-day workshop you'll learn traditional techniques for cutting, shaping and soldering tin plate.
$65.00 per day plus $15.00 material costs. Limit of 10 students. Class 9am to 5pm. Bring a sack lunch.
Directions to Tunnel Mill: Tunnel Mill is located 20 miles south of Rochester. Take Hwy 63 out of Rochester to Stewartville, turn east on Hwy 30 to County Rd 1 (approx 5.5 miles).
Turn south on County Rd1 Follow CO RD 1 6.5 miles to Tunnel Mill on the left side of CO RD
Call about camping on the grounds. 507-378-4983 or 507-289-4189, John or Carol.
Lodging available in Spring Valley, 5 miles further south on CO RD 1.
Shady Rest 507-346-2625---Spring Valley Motel & Suites-507-346-7788
Class Contact Information
For more information on any of the classes contact us at
jc-adams@msn.com, or call 507-289-4189 John or Carol Adams.
We are located in southern Minnesota. Tunnel Mill was an old water powered mill. Built in 1869.
Retired in the late 1920's..
Located on the Bear River north of Spring Valley, MN.
Wooded 50 acres with a stream that runs through it.
Now, it's a place for crafts people and friends to congregate, relax and learn some of our forgotten crafts.
Watch for more classes!!
Hosted by TDS