Day Two starts colder than the first , but that won ’ t worry us . Working a few feet from a hot hearth takes the chill off !
Our project for the following two days will be a hanging basket bracket , this will be a much more complex task and will teach us more skills , such as ‘ Jumping Up ’ or ‘ Upsetting ’, ‘ Tenon Joints ’, ‘ Riveting ’ and my favourite , ‘ Leaf Making ’. The bracket comprises a ‘ Flat back ’, a ‘ Support Bar ’, with ‘ Hook End ’, a ‘ Curved Brace ’ and a ‘ Collar ’. This is an excellent way to experience many of the skills required to make a wide range of ironwork .
The work is hard and a key point I learnt today was that I had to hit the metal much harder , while still being accurate .
It is much easier to get it right the first time than to have to correct a mistake that is made due to rushing . My mistake ( lesson ), today was the one about not allowing beautifully curled thin ends of a Fleur-de-Lis to get too hot in the fire and burn off !
By the end of the third day we have all made the component parts for our brackets , mine includes a fish-tail scroll and a decorative leaf .
Now John shows us the final step , shaping and fitting a collar . This ( along with the tenon joint and the rivet ) pulls the disparate metal shapes into one completed piece and with it I suddenly feel an overwhelming sense of achievement .
We are all comparing work as we have throughout the course , picking up pointers from each other and wishing our work was as good as the next persons .
My back bracket and support bar , before assembly
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