Friday, April 26, 2013

The Yellen Gate Project





This morning I came across some YouTube videos I thinks most blacksmiths will enjoy.  The are part of a series of films made to document the various crafts engaged in preservation and restoration.


There is a series of six videos of a workshop sponsored buy the Samuel Yellen Foundation and held in April 1986 at the Yellen shop in west Philadelphia shortly after Harvey Yellen’s death.  The journeyman blacksmiths attending worked with shop employees to build a memorial gate honoring Harvey Yellen who ran the shop for about 40 years after Samuel Yellen died.  The taping was directed by Jack Andrews.  The workshop was led by master blacksmith Francis Whitaker, Aspen, Colorado.

Workshop Participants are listed as:

 John Dabate, Providence, RI
 Glenn Horr, Berkeley Springs, WV
 Thomas Latane, Pepin, WI
 David Norrie, Ontario, Canada
 Randy Oberg, Cohasset, MN
 Patrick Porter, Tesuque, NM
 Pete Renzetti, West Chester, PA
 Matt Rutz, Des Moines, Iowa
 Jon Siegel, Andover, NH
 Durand Van Doren, Trumansburg, NY
 David Munn, Virginia
 Stanley Franklin, Virginia

“Ornamental Wrought Iron I”  was filmed in April 1986 by Preservation Techniques, Inc - Gersil N. Kay, Chairman.

 It explains the program was videotaped on Location Samuel Yellen Metalworkers Company and lists Mrs Harvey Z Yellen as President, Mr. Lou Buccanera as Manager, Mr. Fred Crist as Artist Blacksmith and Mr. Jack Andrews as Consultant Designer.

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.1 of 6

Introduction by Jack Andrews.  History of the Yellen shop.  Francis Whitaker with 64 years of blacksmithing experience had already led approximately 140 workshops all over the country since 1976.  Fred Crist, head blacksmith at the shop, describes the project, blacksmithing tools, modeling and safety.

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.2 of 6

Fred continues describing some tools. David Norrie explains striking. Glenn Horr demonstrates stamping, wire brushing and straightening.  Pete Renzetti describes the gate project in more detail. 

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.3 of 6

Pete describes traditional techniques. Matt Rutz describes punching holes.  Pete forges a tenon. Francis demonstrates forge welding a square corner.  Fred Crist describes the stock to be used.

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.4 of 6

Fred Crist forge welding a fleur-de-lis.  Francis and Peter demonstrating keyed tenon joinery and twisting a bar.

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.5 of 6

Francis Whitaker and Peter Renzetti continue the twisting of a decorative bar the assembly process.

Ornamental Wrought Iron I Pt.6 of 6

This is the list of credits and some more images of the shop.



No comments:

Post a Comment