Dave Budd Courses

[Dave Budd]

Following an earlier thread (thanks Danzo) it's been decided that I WILL be coming up to the Midlands to teach some courses in the summer!

I figured that the best time for me to run courses all the way up there would be when I'm in the area anyway. So I thought that the week before or after the Midland Game Fair would be the best time.

The Game fair is 15th-16th of September (i think :rolleyes:) I would like to run at least a couple of courses to make it worth while setting the forges up, so I need to know a few things:

When would you like us to come?
What would you like to do?
Where can we run the courses?
Where can we stay?

We can do a full knifemaking course in two days (not sheathes though) or we could do a day of just bladesmithing. Spear heads, arrowheads, cooking/eating kit, maybe axes (I have to try that out first to see how feesable it is with a group). Have a look at my website (http://davebudd.com/courses.html) to give you an idea of what I'm doing at my place too.

A fair few folks expressed an interest before, but a new list with these new details would be good.

Thnkas for looking and I hope this comes off!:)

[dtalbot]

Yep, me and probably eldest rugrat Sophie (12 by then) are up for it whenever and whatever it turns out to be.
How much space do you need and what facilities for a suitable venue, that'll give us somthing to work on in coming up with a possible venue.
Cheers
David

[Dave Budd]

venue details. good point :D

I need a place that two small firepits (about 20" square and 5" deep) can be dug. I think two forges will be the limit (so a 6 person course) and they need to be about 10 feet apart. Also need a space to put workmates up for the handle work. Shelter may be a good idea as the British weather can be a sod (sun bad for forging and rain bad for everything!) The area I use at home is about 5x7m and is enough.

Also will need some water for cooling things down in and a local source of charcoal. To gve an idea of charcoal quantities, each forge will burn between 15 and 25kg per day of use. So a two day knifemaking course with two forges running for one whole day will use somewhere in teh region of 40kg! I can't carry all that charcoal in the car with everything else! :O

I'll put you and youngen down then :)

[dtalbot]

I'll have a chat with little sis, she may be willing to lend us a corner of one of her fields if we clean up after and there is a barn or two for shelter up there. Just depends what she has on on the date I guess.

[Shinken]

cooking/eating kit,

What sort of kit are you planning on eating?:D

[Danzo]

I'll see what possible venues I can come up with as well. I'm certainly up for attending the course.

Danzo

[Wayne D]

I'm certainly up for it

[dtalbot]

Any more news on this yet?

[Dave Budd]

Ah yes, I may have a venue near Coventry for the week followin the Midalnd Game Fair. I need to work out a few finer ponts and sort stuff out with the landowner, but it looks promising :)

I think what I'll do is have two 2-day knife making courses with a sharpening course at the end of the week. That's assuming I have enough poeple to wrrent two courses? (max of 6 per knife making course)

[pennillion]

Im interested Dave......i think it may be time i learnt how to forge......even if i dont ever make anything, i may learn a little about what you lot are always on about :lol:

[dtalbot]

Excellent news, I'll certainly be there. Need to learn how to hammer things out then have a play with the japanese multilayer stuff I have!

[dtalbot]

And if Coventry doesn't work out the place we have held the EMCCU bushcraft weekends at would be brill if it could be set up.
Cheers
David

[paul hardwick]

Could i please be considered for your course i will keep in touch.
Cheers Paul

[dtalbot]

Any more news on this yet, we are getting close to midland gamefair time!

[Dave Budd]

Good news, we are set for two knifemaking courses straight after the Midland Game Fair! :happy14: :happy14: :happy14:

I am alloting 4 (maybe 5) days to courses, so depending on how many people are interested, we have several options:

2 day knifemaking using the Iron Age forges - max of 6 people. You will get the blade forged and heat treated on day one, then on day two the handles can be fitted and finished. If time allows then you can also sharpen it there and then, if not I'll show you how with waterstones ;) (though you don't have to listen to me :D ) Max 6 people, £100 including materials

3 day knifemaking - as above, but the third day can be dedicated to making a leather sheath for your knife. Max 6 people, £140 including materials

2 day Axe making course - forge a small axe head from scratch, heat treat etc on day one. Handle and sharpen on day two. Max 6 people, £100 including materials

The dates for the courses depends on whether we go for 2 or 3 day choices, but the week will start on Tuesday 18th of September. Places are on a first come first served basis and I would ask all thouse who are interested to sned a deposit (£50) to ensure they have a place. :) I have yet to source my charcoal, so I don't know how much it will cost. If it turns out that it is far more than i am paying down here then I may have to add a couple of quid (I can't see it being as much as a fiver) to the prices to compensate for that. I'm running these courses a little cheaper than I do at my own site becuase I won't have the same full setup around me. ;)

Sorry it's taken me so loing to get this organised, I got there in the end :rolleyes:

[Danzo]

Sounds fantastic Dave. Unfortunately my current financial situation won't allow me to attend, but I'm sure there will be plenty of takers.

Danzo

[Yorkshire Blade]

How much£?

[Andy]

I'd be interested in the 2day axe course but will need to know costs before I confirm

[Pikebite]

Dave - do you have any idea of costs and where is the course going to be?

[Dave Budd]

oh yeah prices. Good point :D I'll just go edit the post :)

[Dave Budd]

Is there no interest in this afterall? If I haven't got enough to fill at least one course, then I can't do it :(

You will all just have to come down to Devon afterall! :D

[narsil]

I'm definatlely interested but I would need an idea of the cost before I comited myself.

[Dave Budd]

See Post #15:
Good news, we are set for two knifemaking courses straight after the Midland Game Fair!

I am alloting 4 (maybe 5) days to courses, so depending on how many people are interested, we have several options:

2 day knifemaking using the Iron Age forges - max of 6 people. You will get the blade forged and heat treated on day one, then on day two the handles can be fitted and finished. If time allows then you can also sharpen it there and then, if not I'll show you how with waterstones (though you don't have to listen to me ) Max 6 people, £100 including materials

3 day knifemaking - as above, but the third day can be dedicated to making a leather sheath for your knife. Max 6 people, £140 including materials

2 day Axe making course - forge a small axe head from scratch, heat treat etc on day one. Handle and sharpen on day two. Max 6 people, £100 including materials

The dates for the courses depends on whether we go for 2 or 3 day choices, but the week will start on Tuesday 18th of September. Places are on a first come first served basis and I would ask all thouse who are interested to sned a deposit (£50) to ensure they have a place. I have yet to source my charcoal, so I don't know how much it will cost. If it turns out that it is far more than i am paying down here then I may have to add a couple of quid (I can't see it being as much as a fiver) to the prices to compensate for that. I'm running these courses a little cheaper than I do at my own site becuase I won't have the same full setup around me.


;)

[ubermeister]

It looks like this may well take place at our woods if everything goes according to plan and the place fill up.
Have a bump.

Ant

[scruff]

I'm REALLY interested in coming down for the 2 day knife course...and possibly axe course too, accommodation permitting.

How soon before you need deposit Mr B and is there anywhere else I should be putting my name down?

Can anyone give me an info aboot places to stay pretty please?

Thanks in advance

scruff

[dtalbot]

Need to check if I'm single parent that week will do that when I'm back at work on Tues.
Cheers
David

[Dave Budd]

I need to have deposits by the 10th of September, that gives me a week before heading up to the Game fair to prepare the kit.

So far I have NO FIRM BOOKINGS! If I can't fill at least one of the courses, I'm not going to drag all that gear up with me I'm afraid :(

Hopefully as time draws closer everybody who was interested before will come forward :)

[paul hardwick]

Dave i will have to pull out this time as i have an operation on my shoulder on sep11, so i will be without the use of my right arm for a few weeks, sorry i only found out when i got back from Canada.
Cheers paul hardwick.

[Pikebite]

It looks like this may well take place at our woods if everything goes according to plan and the place fill up.
Have a bump.

Ant

Ant - any chance we could stay onsite for the middle night?:D

[Dave Budd]

Well, I'm afraid that my great forging adventure upcountry has to be called off! :( Despite the requests and level of interest earlier in the year, I've not had any bookings. So I ain't dragging the forge gear out for a holiday :mad:

Who knows, one day I may try again. But for now, if anybody is still interested in a knifemaking or other course, then Devon REALLY is a nice place for a holiday! ;)

[ubermeister]

Dave just pm'd me to let me know this, and I think it's a proper sh1tter, and after I'd arranged for the use of our wood as the venue and everything. Hopefully one day in the future.

Ant

[scruff]

This is a real shame. I confess to holding off booking until there was more interest shown but I was so up for both axey and knifey courses. Ah well maybe I'll have to venture down to Devon :rolleyes:

[Dave Budd]

Scruff, you shouldn't have held your tongue! Who knows, you could've got the ball rolling! :rolleyes:

Still, I'm better set up at home than I would be on the road ;)