EVENTS

The next skills workshop topic, Power Hammer Techniques and Tooling, will be hosted at Ratho Byres Forge, near Edinburgh, led by Steve Rook, Pete Hill and Shona Johnson.

The workshop will begin at 2pm, Friday 15th May.

The Friday afternoon session will be focused on theory, discussion of process and tooling and will include demonstrations. Saturday will be hands on with practical exercises and tuition and run from 9am till 5pm.

Given the hands-on nature of this workshop, spaces will be limited to 6 individuals, and due to space there will not be any option to spectate.

Because of the practical approach and the topic, priority will be given to applicants who have at least some experience using a power hammer. You might be a graduate establishing your own workshop or a working smith wishing to expand their skill set, but due to the extensive focus on using a variety of power hammers and hand held tooling, participants will be expected to be familiar with basic use of these machines.

To apply for a place on the workshop, please submit a brief summary of your experience and how you feel you would benefit from attending. Please be sure to include your contact details and it shouldn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs.

Please email applications to design@baba.org.uk

The closing date for applications is Saturday the 14th March 2026.

All applicants will be informed of the outcome on Sunday the 15th March.

Successful applicants will receive payment information and will need to pay the fee promptly to secure their place.

The allocation of places will be decided based on the applications received. If there is sufficient interest and applications we will consider scheduling an additional workshop to repeat the topic.

BABA is subsiding these workshops to enable the participant fee to be only £25.00, with attendance open to BABA members only.

A sandwich lunch on the Saturday is included in the cost, and hopefully folk will choose to enjoy a meal together somewhere on the Friday evening.

Unfortunately we are unable to provide accommodation for these classes. However, there are various options close by. There is a camp site within 4 miles of the forge, offering space for camper vans and providing lodges, there are various budget hotels even nearer, camping pods or chalets at the “Lost Shore, surf resort” just outside the village and several other, more luxurious, options. Edinburgh is accessible by air at relatively little cost, if booked in advance, and we are less than 3 miles from the airport. There is also a train station nearby and we would be willing to collect and drop folk at either of these if needed. Please feel free to get in touch if you want advice on accommodation or travel.

Power hammer techniques and hand held tooling for hammers

Friday afternoon/evening session - max 6 participants

• Discuss basic techniques, do’s and don’ts, tapering on flat pallets, use of shaped pallets, making tooling on saddles to fit pallets
• Look at the common tooling used under a hammer.
• Discuss, stop or kiss blocks, taper blocks, hand held fullers, round backs, flatters, swages, set tools, Vee blocks and butchers, include sketches on white board or flip chart
• Mention material selection for these various tools, rough and ready or more considered, depending on job to be done and expected life span required of tool. Hot work tools steels, more robust steels, recycling steel for tooling, pros and cons.
• Discussion of options for forming tools, machining, grinding, laser cutting, forging etc.
  Options for securing blocks and tools under hammer.

Practical session,
9.00am
Demo basic techniques, using selection of tooling under different weights of hammer
Students to try hammers and some of these tools

10.30 tea
All to forge a round back from supplied tool steel, handle and harden. This could be at any size to suit students own equipment.

1pm lunch (included in cost) to end of day
Look at isolating masses with side sets and fullers to produce set tools with integral handles.
Produce Vee block or swage block
Opportunity to try other tooling or forge additional tools or try forging on variety of hammers from DP tyre hammer to 5cwt.

As access to a hammer will be at a premium, participants will be encouraged to try the different hammers -DP tyre hammer, 30kg and 50kgs modern air hammers, 2cwt and 5cwt Massey hammers, thus ensuring everyone can be working as much or as little as they wish.