This is a photo of the class with completed hand forged wrought iron tables for "Creative Metalsmithing" Hands on workshop which was given through the Central Carolina Community College at E. Vega Studios.
The "Creative Metalsmithing" workshop specifications required each student to design a table top within a 16" diameter area and to include a "penny scroll" and hand forged leaf in their design. Pictured here are to scale soapstone layouts of their designs on a steel worktable and portions of the forged elements.
Students working on their personal projects. Seems that my studio is adequate for 5 to 6 students at a time. There were very few times that anyone had to wait for the use of a particular tool.
This is Chris William's table top along with the partially visible soapstone layout on our worktable. Note the "penny scroll" and leaf specification requirements being met. Chris also learned how to set shoulders to get a singular plane from the 3/4" square corners and more...
Chris Willams also learned how to make tenons to join the tabletop with 3/4" legs that had nice upsets on the floor end of the table legs. You will also notice his use of collars that received a decorative set of lines.
Chris Williams with his finished hand forged wrought iron table made during the workshop at E. Vega Studios.
Donald Jones's partially completed table top shown on top of his layout along with some sketches and tools.
Here's a photo of Donald working on one of the forged legs for his wonderful table. I have to say that I couldn't quite understand how he was going to join the legs to his tabletop. But as you will see in the next photo, Wayne did a marvelous job in creating this beautiful table.
Donald Jones with his unique one of a kind hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" Hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
Since Lucas House's tabletop design included a three dimensional component, we are showing it here hanging off of the worktable.
Lucas House is one of two professional metalsmiths which took the Creative Metalsmithing workshop. In this photo, Lucas is playing around with some ideas for the forged legs to his table.
This photo shows the almost complete hand forged wrought iron table being made by Lucas House.
Lucas researching different textures using the treadle hammer at E. Vega Studios.
Lucas House along with his delicate and exquisetly designed wrought iron table made during the workshop.
Wayne Henderson likes pushing the envelop. His design was mostly three dimensional even though I forced him to design the table top in two dimensions so we could communicate his vision. Pictured here is the tabletop upsidedown in the foreground along with the table legs in the background.
Wayne is hot forging a long leaf form which will become one of the three legs for his wrought iron table.
Wayne Henderson with his sculptural three dimensional wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" Hands on workshop at E. Vega Studios.
I don't have a photo of Tamera's table top to show you but, as you will see, there is a reason why she is the other professional metalsmith that took this workshop.
Tamera is hot bending one of the legs to her table top. She's been use to making much of her past work using electric welding and plasma cutting techniques. One of the things she picked up from this workshop was the differences between techniques used to bend cold and hot steel using bending forks.
Tamera putting the finishing touches to her table. Here, she just finished leveling out the table feet using an oxyacetelyne torch, and she is wirewheel brusing the bottoms of the feet.
Tamera Lynn Mulanix with her completed hand forged wrought iron table.
So on the last day of the "Creative Metalsmithing" workshop we all played. I asked the students to bring stuff from home that they wanted to forge under "Zelda", my 4B Nazel hammer. Lucas brought a couple of cylender rods he had gotten at the local steel junk yard. Watch what he does with this first piece...
Lucas decided he was going to twist this hefty piece of metal while he had the facility and manpower to do it. Watch how these guys use the powers of a fulcrom to twist...
Lucas, Chis, Wayne, and Donald all get involved in twisting. It didn't hurt to have a solid acorn table to hold the piece either. ;-)
These guys had a ball twisting this rocker arm. I didn't think they could do it. So, I had to swallow my words and be amazed at what a lever and four strong men can do.
Donald is forging a faceted ball made from 2-1/2" by 4" solid steel under Zelda while Lucas is taking a little break from upsetting the end of one of his huge rocker arms. I don't know if you can tell, but these guys were literally having a ball!
Lucas decides to go for it and forge a second rocker arm under Zelda. Talking about heavy metal!
Tamera is being very careful with Zelda. She is doing a test piece for a bend that she wants to do. Watch her hand in the next photo...
Who ever said not to stick a hand under a pneumatic forging hammer needs to look at this.
Tamera had made this hand by welding several layers of sheet steel. Her hand was in a two dimensional state until she hot forged the center indentation using a v-block and fuller.
Tamera giving life to a lifeless object. She further refined the fingers with additional heats and forging on the anvil.
Wayne is having a ball using Zelda. It's not an easy thing to make a faceted ball, but seeing the power that Zelda has to mush metal is an exercise I wanted the students to experience. Moving this hot mass under the force of a 4B pneumatic forging hammer gave these students an idea of what can be done to hot steel with the right tools. Ask Wayne about the tongs he used while forging under Zelda...
So Wayne couldn't get enough from working the big stuff. Here, he has all of us helping hold a very hot 2 foot diameter disk. Thing about large surface heats is that they radiate out so much heat, that you have to position yourself away from the source.
Lucas House's hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
Tamara Lynn Mulanix's hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
Christopher Williams's hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
Donald Jones's hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
Wayne Henderson's hand forged wrought iron table made during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop given at E. Vega Studios.
From left to right Donald, Tamera, Wayne, Lucas, and Chris. Tables designed and made by each student is in front of the respective artist. Photo taken during the Creative Metalsmithing workshop given by Enrique Vega at E. Vega Studios in Apex, NC
 
Photo album taken during the "Creative Metalsmithing" hands on workshop through the Central Carolina Community College Occupational Program given at E. Vega Studios
Creative Metalsmithing 01 Workshop