Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Bendigo Victoria
    Age
    80
    Posts
    7,471

    Default Timbertown Blacksmith

    On our recent FNQ trip we stopped off at Timbertown near Wauchope NSW, as the name suggests a heritage village themed around the timber industry of the area.

    One of the many interesting things to see there was a working village blacksmith.

    Some photos.

    IMG_7372.jpg

    IMG_7320.jpg

    IMG_7323.jpg

    IMG_7325.jpg

    IMG_7327.JPG

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,182

    Default

    Love the white shirt!

  3. #3
    Scribbly Gum's Avatar
    Scribbly Gum is offline When the student is ready, the Teacher will appear
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Telegraph Point
    Posts
    0

    Default

    I'm glad you enjoyed Timbertown Fred.
    Did you get up the hill to the Hastings Woodworkers Guild Shed.
    Great fellas and ladies and a wonderful clubhouse.
    The blacksmith's name is Doug and he has many a tale to tell about his time in the railway workshops.
    Here is a pic that I took of him back in January this year
    Cheers
    SG

    1-DSC_1356.jpg
    .... some old things are lovely
    Warm still with the life of forgotten men who made them.

    D.H. Lawrence
    Visit my BLOG

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    mid north coast NSW
    Posts
    92

    Default

    SG, Great photo perfect timing, I hope you were the only (other) one in the shop at the time!? Graeme

  5. #5
    Scribbly Gum's Avatar
    Scribbly Gum is offline When the student is ready, the Teacher will appear
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Telegraph Point
    Posts
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by anglesmith View Post
    SG, Great photo perfect timing, I hope you were the only (other) one in the shop at the time!? Graeme
    Thanks Graeme.
    As luck would have it - yes, at the time of the photo, all others had departed to somewhere else. Interestingly, neither Doug nor I saw the shower of sparks. It was only the slow shutter speed of the camera that enabled their trails to show up.
    Just lucky I guess.
    Cheers
    SG
    .... some old things are lovely
    Warm still with the life of forgotten men who made them.

    D.H. Lawrence
    Visit my BLOG

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    mid north coast NSW
    Posts
    92

    Default

    Very interesting comment on the shutter speed versus eye speed. SG Never really given it much thought but I guess I have wondered why some photos look more spectacular than the real thing no matter which side of the forge weld you were/are! Certainly confirms my long practice of not fire welding and even being careful with forging over hot steel when the public (especially kids) were in the shop or likely to walk/run around those doors!. Graeme

  7. #7
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,182

    Default

    Nowhere near as dramatic as the photo above but here are a couple of my BS photo favorites.

    The first one is of Instructor Carl and a student forge welding at the BS course I went to earlier this yesr, while the other 3 are from the 2010 World Blacksmithing championships in Calgary.

    DSC00060_red.jpgWBSC2010.jpgSparks2.jpgHotshoes.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Adelaide Hills
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post

    One of the many interesting things to see there was a working village blacksmith.

    IMG_7372.jpg
    Just spotted the name in that photo....

    That is Daniel Vickery White, my great-uncle.

    It's actually a recreation of his original smithy in Wauchope.

    Two stories to tell that might be of interest to the smiths on the forum.

    I have just completed some family history and can trace Dan's descent from a long line of blacksmiths that go back for over three centuries (to 1640) in Wales. There had to be a lot of metal dust in the blood by then!

    The other is less to do with smithing, but still interesting. At one time Dan was noticing some disturbance in the workshop when he went in first thing of a morning, but no evidence for the cause. This went on for some time, so he got up early one morning and found a waif sleeping near the warmth of the forge. Dan took pity on him, gave him a bed to sleep in and work. This arrangement lasted for some time and with the constant heavy hammer work young Wally grew into a very strong young man. One day Wally lost his temper over something and picked up the anvil and threw it out of the workshop into the road. G-uncle Dan quietly told him to go and fetch it and if he wanted to pull any stunts like that again he could go and join the circus, which he did... becoming the Strongman "Don Athaldo". I'm not sure if he was much good as a blacksmith, but was quite showman.
    Neil

    Time for a new signature line... just waiting on inspiration

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Adelaide Hills
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Members on this forum might like to see the sketch layout of Daniel White's blacksmith shop drawn by his grandson, David Stoupe who spent many hours in the workshop as a child. Here it is as a Word docx.

    Sketch from memory of D V White's Blacksmith shop by grandson David Stoupe.docx

    You might also enjoy reading Daniel's apprenticeship indenture agreement, dated 1899. Can't imagine an apprentice signing that nowadays, although some might benefit from doing so.

    Daniel White apprenticeship indentiure.docx
    Neil

    Time for a new signature line... just waiting on inspiration

Similar Threads

  1. SOLD: Blacksmith Book
    By Pac man in forum METALWORK - Machinery, Equipment, MARKET
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 12th Jan 2012, 05:25 PM
  2. Blacksmith book for sale
    By Pac man in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 9th Jan 2012, 01:18 PM
  3. QLD Blacksmith course/shop/centre
    By Clinton1 in forum THE SMITHY
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 28th Sep 2005, 11:30 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •