Tunnel Mill Crafts Calendar, 2016

Updated: November 18, 2016

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Watch for our updated Class Announcements!

Tom Latane's next class will occur in April or May of 2017

Upcoming Classes and Events

Community Education Classes Being Held at Tunnel Mill

Info and Registration for these Rochester, Mn Community Education Classes

Taught by John Adams

Blacksmith Beginning: Three classes:
April 11, 18 and 25, 2016, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
April 12, 19 and 26, 2016, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
May 14, 2016, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Blacksmithing II:
May 3, 10 and 17, 2016, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Taught by David S. Cargo

Brick Oven
May 7, 2016, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM

Hand Forged Coffee Mill
Tom Latane'

Tom Latane at the forge for the coffee mill class

May 20, 21 and 22, 2016

This class will be the final session for the construction of a coffee mill similar to the one the Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths made at the 2014 ABANA conference.

This session will cover the lower portion of the mill with the drawer to collect the ground coffee. Though students may forge whatever they wish for the columns on the corners,
John will make a die from a pattern prepared by Tom and die forge columns for all who want them.
Students will forge open face dies to produce moldings to trim to their drawers.
It is not necessary to have finished all the parts from the first two sessions to attend this session. Though students making coffee mills will be given first registration,
anyone else wishing to construct a small box using the techniques taught may fill available student slots.

An inspirational page from the Dover book, "Decorative Antique Ironwork"

Tom had to make a special fixture to facilitate brazing the cone. Here are two pictures of the fixture and Tom's comments about it:
Coffee Mill Cone Fixture Coffee Mill Vise Clamping Cone
"I made this tool because no clamp I had would pinch the joint together in the cone shaped hopper for the coffee mill the Patient Order of Meticulous Metalsmiths is making at the ABANA conference. The clamp was made to pinch the joint together before beating down the dovetail overlap. The clamp is heavy enough to put into the fire while brazing the joint."

coffee mill hopper
Here is the completed prototype Hopper

Make Damascus (layered steel)
Ric Furrer-Door County Blacksmith

August 26, 27 & 28, 2016, 9:00-?? each day

Note!!! Just Posted~!!! We have openings for this newly scheduled Ric Furrer Damascus class !!!
Don't miss out working with this master blacksmith and sword smith

We have invited master metalsmith and sword smith Ric Furrer to come to Tunnel Mill again to help us create the damascus steel of the early eastern world.
Recently Ric did a Nova presentation "-Recreating the Viking Sword".
For those of you who have some blacksmithing experience and want to do hands-on, let's do it.
We will be making steel Friday and Saturday.. Later Saturday, (Saturday evening) and on Sunday, we will continue by making tools from our steel.
Damascus Knife

Just in:
Some attention to Wootz Crucible steel will be a part of this workshop.
Wootz is the steel used in many of the famous Persian and Indian sword blades and research into its creation spawned the field of Microscopy in Europe.

With the steel you have made you can make a tool of your choice, (send blue prints to us prior to class) a chisel, gouge, or cutting edge tool.
In addition to the class we will be working on the $500# Little Giant Hammer. We will use it to forge and weld a heavy damascus billet..

Class cost:

Since we have some students who don't need meals or sleeping accomodations, we are offering 2 class price options:
-3 day hands on workshop: $350.00, or:
-3 day hands on workshop, including room and meals: $400.00
-

Contact us for more information....www.tunnelmillcrafts.com
jc-adams@msn.com or 507-289-4189
Hosted by John & Carol Adams
Check out Ric Furrer at http://www.doorcountyforgeworks.com/
Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/user/RicFurrer

Directions to Tunnel Mill: Tunnel Mill is located 20 miles south of Rochester. Take Hwy 63 out of Rochester to Stewartville, turn east on Hwy 30 to County Rd 1 (approx 5.5 miles). Turn south on County Rd1 Follow CO RD 1 6.5 miles to Tunnel Mill on the left side of CO RD Call about camping on the grounds. 507-378-4983 or 507-289-4189, John or Carol. Lodging available in Spring Valley, 5 miles further south on CO RD 1.
Shady Rest 507-346-2625---Spring Valley Motel & Suites-507-346-7788

Class Contact Information

For more information on any of the classes contact us at
jc-adams@msn.com, or call 507-289-4189 John or Carol Adams.

We are located in southern Minnesota. Tunnel Mill was an old water powered mill. Built in 1869. Retired in the late 1920's..
Located on the Bear River north of Spring Valley, MN.
Wooded 50 acres with a stream that runs through it.

Now, it's a place for crafts people and friends to congregate, relax and learn some of our forgotten crafts.

Watch for more classes!!