By Bob Pymm, Helensburgh Men’s Shed

What can you do with old brake drums, left-over reinforcing bar, some PVC pipe and an unwanted hair dryer? (Oh, and some coke or coal comes in useful too.) If you’re at the Men’s Shed, you make a blacksmith’s forge.

This latest fabrication by the guys working in the metal shed has turned out to be extremely effective in creating the necessary heat for forging metal and making attempts at various wrought iron shapes and sizes. The hair drier has taken the place of the traditional bellows and for far less effort, creates the draft necessary to quickly get the coals glowing. With the second brake drum working as a lid, the heat builds up rapidly and work can commence on bending or mending your ironwork.

Traditional blacksmithing may be pretty much a lost art but here at the Shed, giving it a go is what it’s all about. Using available materials and the ingenuity of members, the Helensburgh Men’s Shed now has a forge.

Come and see for yourself – you may be surprised at what’s possible at The Shed. If you are a bloke over 18 it really is a great place to just hang out, chat, learn some new skills or share some with others, work on a project, help others with theirs or potter around creating something – the day just flies by!

Visit Helensburgh Men’s Shed at 199A Parkes Street any Monday or Tuesday, 9am to 3pm to find out more