Iron Smelting/Bloom Making

One day Course: Based at the Discovery Centre. The day will be spent learning about the use of iron and how to smelt it and produce a bloom, tutored by experts in their field.

 

Iron smelting and Blooming - Introduction to metallurgy

This talk looks at the evidence for the first use of metals. It reviews the archaeological evidence and considers the problems for those wishing to reconstruct the processes.

Pulling swords from Stones: The smelting of minerals.

Working in groups of 2-3 this session provides you with the opportunity to transform  minerals into iron. You will reconstruct some of the earliest processes used by humans to win metal from the earth.  Once the iron is smelted, using hand operated bellows to produce the 'draft' required to power the furnace, the iron bloom is produced and removed from the furnace. It must then be immediately consolidated by forging while it is still ho,t this will be done next to the furnace.

Depending on the amount/success of the smelting process, there will [hopefully] be a piece of the bloom to take away with you as your 'Iron Age Smelting product', a 'keepsake' of early years metal smelting. This process takes time but is rewarding and shows just how difficult it would have been for the iron-age blacksmith to make the first iron, and how they were held in great esteem and seen as almost having magical powers to be able to produce something so hard and useful from a large spongy mass.

The tutor will provide an insight into the skills and complexity of early iron-age smelting/forging, showing just how difficult it was to produce the first iron and how valuable this material was, once produced.

Use 'reproduction equipment/tools' to smelt Iron Ore & Charcoal into iron bloom, using iron age techniques and tools using a clay chimney/furnace. Assist in the process of consolidating the bloom into a potentially useable piece of 'wrought iron'.

Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee) No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course.

It is essential to wear hard shoes. No open toed sandals/trainers etc.

It is essential to wear old clothing full length trousers/jeans and long sleeve top.

What will be provided: Leather aprons and gloves and safety glasses for people forging.

All tools and material:  You will need to bring a packed lunch - drinks are provided! wear suitable clothes for working outdoors."