Bighorn Forge Workshops
2008 Curriculum
Taught by Dan Nauman

Where:  Workshops are taught at the Bighorn Forge studio in rural Kewaskum, Wisconsin, which is about 45 miles north of Milwaukee on State Hwy. 45.  Kewaskum is a farming community, located in the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The area boasts over 70 miles of hiking, snow-mobiling, cross country skiing, and horse trails.  Fishing, hunting, down-hill skiing, snow-tubing, and snow-boarding are also in close proximity.  Camping sites are abundant, as well as motels in nearby West Bend, and the Village of Kewaskum.

When: Workshops are scheduled by demand, and typically tailored to your schedule.  Two students are required to hold any workshop.

Instructor: Dan Nauman has been forging since 1979, and has been forging professionally since 1993.  He founded Bighorn Forge, Inc. in 1991, and has had up to 14 employees and three blacksmith shops (Kewaskum (1988-present), Baileys Harbor, WI (1996-2002), and Cedarburg, WI (2000-2006.)  Dan has demonstrated/taught at numerous blacksmith conferences, schools and colleges.  He served on the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America’s (ABANA) board of directors from 2000-2006.  He has had his work shown in many galleries, shows, magazines, newspapers, and books.  He has won two international awards for design and workmanship from the National Ornamental and Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA.)  Dan’s work encompasses many classic styles, (including repousse’), as well as pushes the envelope in developing original designs.

Bighorn Forge:  The shop is in a 35 x 45 insulated pole barn.  There are three complete coal forge work stations, as well as one gas forge work station.  The shop features a 11O pound Sahinler air hammer, in-line treadle hammer, MIG and Arc welder, oxy-acetylene torch, side draft chimneys, ample tooling, 5’ x 15’ HD steel layout table, steel lathe, dirt floor with a 10’ x 15’ concrete lay-out slab.

 Climate:  Wisconsin’s seasons are variable, and picturesque.  Spring starts out snowy, changing to mud, and can finish very warm, with temps in the 80’s.  The summers can be dry to humid, with temps averaging in the 70’s and 80’s, rarely in the 90’s.  Autumn, abundant in color, typically starts out warm, but can rapidly decline to below freezing temps overnight.  Winters are typically well below freezing, with snow cover typically in late December potentially extending through March, with occasional snow-storms into late April.  In other words, be prepared for several weather conditions.