Torch,

It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier today. I'm excited that you're interested in having a meeting at the park and I look forward to working with you to make that happen.

I wanted to share a couple of dates with you - these are all for events where we try to have the blacksmith shop open:

Harvest at the Homestead - Sat & Sun, Sept. 27-28.

Iron Pour - Sat, Nov. 15.

Christmas at the Cabin - Sat, Dec. 13.

Feel free to pass my information along to anyone in the group who may be interested in Blacksmithing at the park or helping with any of our other programs/events.

Thanks,
Interpretive Ranger, Red Top Mountain

Contact me if you are interested in working with the park on one of the dates or just want to go up and help out. He did let me know that the shop needs some repairs.

I asked the ranger about who handles the iron pour and here is his response.

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Our staff and some dedicated volunteers handle the pour.

Here's a schedule of activities for the day:

12-5:30 pm - Friends of Red Top is selling food and yard games will be set up

2 pm - scratch blocks go on sale (supplies limited; limit 5/person). We have two different sizes; the small size is about 5x5 inches and is $8 and the larger size is about 15x5 and is $15. Visitors can buy a mold and etch a design into it, then when we start the pour we'll pour the iron into the molds and visitors get to take home a unique piece of cast iron art.

6 pm - Iron Pour starts (usually lasts 1.5-2 hours)

8-9:30 pm - Free bluegrass concert at the log cabin

In terms of the pour itself, we use coke as our fuel and instead of iron ore (like would have traditionally been used), we reduce recycled cast iron to molten iron.

Linda,

I acutally did a site visit over the weekend.
Their regular blacksmith shop is in excellent condition.
I discussed with them about us having the meeting on site that day and they were extremely enthusiastic about the idea.

The area of the iron pour is enclosed in a fenced area for safety.
They mentioned that they sell the scratch blocks, about 150, and they sell out in minutes.

This looks like a good site to bring the trailer, and set up for the open forge.
A day similar to May at Mountain park.
I will continue talking with them and confirm more details.

They did mention having additional blacksmiths come out and work in their shop.
The shop is a good walk behind the Nature Center.
If you want to visit, view and possibly use the shop, contact me.
They are encouraging period reenactment of the 1860's.

My guess on the scratch blocks is that they are made from something like wax. You crave your image into it. It is then used as a mold. ONce the iron hits it, it melts or burns up leaving a cavity for the iron to fill.

Thanks Torch.

Dan is correct.

Attached is the flyer and a couple of pictures of former blocks.

A "scratch block" is a hard, brittle sand mold. It's hard enough to keep it's shape but brittle enough for people to carve designs into. I've attached a few pictures of what they look like. Hope that helps.

Flyer:


Example Blocks:





Looks like a great chance to have your touchmark poured in a cast block.

Added 1 minute later:

Tomorrow is the May pour.

November the schedule is exactly the same.

Linda, the blacksmith shop is behind the dogrun cabin. It's not in perfect shape, but it would a cool spot if we could get them to let us demo there.