Coal Forge Blacksmithing Project Shop: Bottle Openers for Beginners

Join us for a one-day intro to the basics of blacksmithing at Dodge Nature Center's new smithy at Shepard Farm! CAFAC is thrilled to announce a new partnership that will extend opportunities to learn blacksmithing in the metro area.

Register here through Dodge Nature Center.

Questions? Get in touch with us at info@cafac.org.

Build your blacksmith skills with a fun and useful project: making a bottle opener. They’re quick to make and can incorporate all basic blacksmithing processes in one compact project. You'll gain basic knowledge of iron and its characteristics and an understanding of the dynamics of forging using a coal forge. We'll end class with a celebratory bottle-opening to try out your new tool - that means a beer or soda is included! No experience necessary. 

$95 (includes all supplies and materials)
Open to ages 16 and up.

Instructor: Jim Ricci is a jack-of-all-trades with decades of experience in woodworking and construction, who discovered his passion for metalworking right here at CAFAC. Once a student under David Mariette, Jim has been independently metalworking ever since. Some of his work can be seen in the gardens of the Circus Juventas Big Top. Jim attributes his love for craftsmanship in part to his grandfather, whose favorite saying was: “you can learn something new every day of your life.”