The search for such a place in the Boston area proved frustrating and expensive and the idea was shelved.

In the Spring of '06 Mike approached Metalwerx and asked about doing a blacksmithing demonstration or class in their facility. They politely declined the opportunity due to the percieved ludicrousness of such an idea, but suggested that the light industrial space that was for lease right next door might be an ideal location for such an activity.

We leased the space.

We officially opened Prospect Hill Forge on May 1, 2007 (after about a year of learning to deal with state and local bureaucracy and regulation). Our goal was to create a place where people could learn and practice blacksmithing. We have four 'work stations'; each has a coal forge, a bench, a blacksmith's vise, a machinist's vise, a collection of hammers, punches, chisels, measuring tools... just about everything that's needed. Each forge is a little different in construction. Some have electric blowers, some have hand-powered blowers, two are 'official' old-style made-for-the-purpose forges, the other two were hand-made right here in the smithy.

Our instruction and techniques are aimed at the garage/backyard blacksmith with limited tools and equipment... especially those with the need or desire to work off-the-grid, making as many of their own tools as possible (or necessary).
Many of the projects in the classes are done in ways intended to teach techniques and ways of thinking about how the metal works.
They are not necessarily the most efficient way to achieve the final result.

"I've come to believe that learning blacksmithing (like almost any other activity) can be approached as if learning a language: there's Vocabulary, Syntax, Grammar, Dialect, Accent, Pronunciation... and eventually... Fluency. And you can get there with practice and consideration." - Carl West, Blacksmith