[TheForge] Simple, intriguing demo?

[Dick Snow]

I will be doing the Burlington Mini Maker Faire for the 3rd year in about 2
weeks. We keep it simple. We setup 2 propane forges, which are made by one
of the demonstrators, so that is part of the 'Maker' we are showing. We make
leaves with a brass brush finish, going from an inch of bar stock into the
leaf in just a few minutes. Useful things like hooks also get people
thinking how easy it looks. Last year, one of our demonstrators had an order
for fire starters so he demo'd making and using them. That was also a hit
with the Maker Faire crowd. Try to keep the demos short and simple. People
will hang out for 10 minutes to watch something made from start to finish
but probably won't hang out for an hour to watch you make a hammer head. We
make a lot of nails to hand out also. Our local maker group has other crafty
people involved so we have wood turners, fiber artists, glass artists, etc.
as well as the electronic folks.

Dick Snow
Datalytics, Incorporated
Efland, NC

-----Original Message-----
From: TheForge [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce
.
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 11:10 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: [TheForge] Simple, intriguing demo?

In a week, NJBA will be demonstrating at the Newark Mini MakerFaire.  (Look
it up if that means nothing to you.)

I want to come up with some simple demo that will show what blacksmithing is
good for -- to an audience that probably has no interest in traditional
forms and motifs, joinery, etc.

My thoughts are three-fold:

(1) To demonstrate that forging involves radical change of the shape of the
workpiece.  Normally I'd make a 3" piece of 1"x1/4" into a spoon about 10"
long with a 2"+ bowl, but I doubt that would interest this crowd.  I love
the illustrations of the projects in Lillico's book (bell cranks, various
locomotive parts, etc.) and may try doing one of these on a miniature scale
(he starts with 2" stock or larger!).  They involve considerable
drawing-out, but I may have a helper.

(2) To forge metals other than steel, such as bronze or aluminum.  I have
little practice with these, but have worked them in the past.

(3) To forge a piece in black iron, then brush it with a brass brush.  This
might catch the interest of the steampunk crowd -- which seems to overlap
the Maker crowd.

Now those are all well and good, but are only VERY general descriptions.  I
could use some specific projects to try.  Since this will be outdoors in
daylight, I won't be doing welding, but may punch and rivet, as mechanisms
will interest this crowd.  I'd love to do a twist then use it for something
functional -- like turning linear motion into rotary motion -- but I expect
I'd need to practice to pull that off, and I just don't have time.

Feedback welcome ...

Bruce
NJ
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