Overview Report / Smelt Sequence / Furnace Layout / Additional Materials
Notes : Uniform data recording was still being developed from 2001 - 2005
Some of these links will take you off this web page
| #1 - Smelt
in Vinland June - 2001 |
Written
Report as scanned text one / two / three |
Furnace image |
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| #2 / D1 -
Boxed Bowl 'Vinland' May 25 - 2002 |
Brief Written Report |
Furnace image |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
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| #3 / D2 -
Tall Stack June - 2003 |
Brief Written
Report |
Smelt Sequence table by Neil Peterson |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
| #4/ D3 - Low Stack 12 June - 2004 |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
Smelt
Sequence table by Neil Peterson |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
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| #5 - Early
Iron One 10 October - 2004 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Visual
Overview one / two / three |
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| #6 / D4 -
Econo Norse Prototype 23 October - 2004 |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
Smelt
Sequence
table by Neil Peterson |
Planned
Layout Front Elevation Top View field drawings |
Furnace
Excavated field drawing |
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#7 & 8 - Econo Norse at
Smeltfest
March, 2005 |
Smelt
Sequence One experimental data |
Front
Elevation One field drawing |
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| Smelt
Sequence Two experimental data |
Front
Elevation Two field Drawing |
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| #9 - OABA
/ Econo Norse May, 2005 |
Report with Sequence experimental data |
Furnace image |
Econo Norse Hand Out PDF download |
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| #10 / D5
- CANIRON Norse Test June 11, 2005 |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
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#11 / D6 - CANIRON V
Norse Demo
September 1, 2005 Annapolis Royal NS |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawings |
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#12 - Early Iron Two
October 9, 2005 Cooperstown NY |
Smelt
Sequence one / two Elizabeth Hendrix |
Furnace type image |
Overall View image |
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| #13 / D7 -
Short Shaft November 12, 2005 |
Detailed Overview DARC - Neil Peterson |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawning |
From 2006 'blog posting' refers to items on my personal blog.
Often these are reports from projects undertaken at remote locations.
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#14 -
Black Rock Forge
February 2006 |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
Furnace image |
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#15
& 16 - Smeltfest 06
March 8, 2006 |
Smelt One
Sequence
experimental data |
Furnace Layout scaled drawing |
Construction Method Tuyere Position field drawings |
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Smelt Two
Sequence experimental data |
Second Firing field drawing |
Wall Erosion field drawing |
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#17 /
D8 - DARC Spring Smelt
June 12, 2006 |
Draft Report blog posting |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Furnace Layout One Furnace Layout Two field drawings |
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#18 /
D9 - DARC at Bonfield
September, 2006 |
Draft Report blog posting |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Overall View image |
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#19
& 20 - Early Iron 3
October 7, 2006 |
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'Loki'
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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Smelt Two
Written Report |
Smelt Two Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#21 /
D10 - DARC Fall Smelt
November 5, 2006 |
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Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#22 -
'Redemption' Smelt
November 6, 2006 |
Written Report blog posting |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawings |
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#23 - Iron Smelting Course
June 2, 2007 |
Front Elevation Field Drawing |
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#24
& 25 / D11 & 12 |
Smelt Sequences
experimental data |
Front Elevation Smelter Cross Section field drawings |
Top View - Detail field drawing |
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Debris Field Plan field drawing |
Archaeological
Drawing Neil Peterson Dr. Ron Ross |
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#26 - Icelandic ONE
October 8, 2007 |
Smelt Sequences
experimental data |
Theoretical
Set Up field drawing |
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Smelt in Progress video clip |
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#27 / D13 - Icelandic TWO
October 27, 2007 |
Smelt Sequences
experimental data |
Base
Construction Front Elevation Top View field drawings |
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#28 'Martin Team' Course
November 25, 2007 |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#29,
30, 31 - Smeltfest 08 |
An Overview
draft - taken from Blog |
Front Elevation
field drawing |
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Front Elevation
field drawing |
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Aristotle's Furnace Field Drawing |
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#32 / D14 - 'DARC Dirt' - 2nd
Test
April13, 2008 |
Written Report
draft - taken from blog |
Front Elevation
field drawing |
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#33, 34, 35 - Iron Smelting at Thy |
Symposium Overview
illustrated report |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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#36 / D15 - 'DARC Dirt' - 3nd
Test
June 14, 2008 |
Written Report
draft - taken from blog |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation
field drawing |
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Theoretical
layout drawing |
Slag Balances experiment measurements |
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#37 - Quad State Demo
September 27, 2008 |
Written
Report |
Smelt
Sequence
Experimetal Data |
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Revised Technique Handout |
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#38 / D16 - Work Dynamic Test
October 12, 2008 |
Written
Report |
Smelt Sequence
Experimetal Data |
Front / Plan / Section theoretical layout |
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#39 / D17 - Icelandic 4
November 8, 2008 |
Written Report
short overview |
Smelt Sequence
Experimetal Data |
Plan
& Elevation
field drawing |
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#40 / D18 - Vinland 1
May 30, 2009 |
Written Report
short overview |
Smelt Sequence
Experimetal Data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Theoretical
work layout drawing |
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General Overview YouTube video |
Cutting the Bloom YouTube video |
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#41 / D19 - Vinland 2
October 11, 2009 |
Written Report
detailed overview |
Smelt Sequence
Experimetal Data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Theoretical
work layout drawing |
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Box Bellows Plan working drawing |
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#42 / D20 - Vinland 3
November 7, 2009 |
Written Report
detailed overview |
SmeltSequence
Experimetal Data |
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Theoretical
work layout drawing |
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#43 / D21 - Vinland 4
June 12, 2010 |
WrittenReport
detailed overview |
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Front Elevation field drawing |
Theoretical
work layout drawing |
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#44 / D22 - Vinland 5
August 23 , 2010 |
Blog Posting
brief report |
Smelt Sequence
Experimetal Data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Debris Field Comparison with Archaeology detailed report |
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#45 / D23 - DARC at CanIRON 8
Preparation A
November 6, 2010 |
Draft Report
photo essay |
Smelt
Sequence
Experimetal Data |
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Extraction Sequence YouTube video |
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#46 - 'Africa'
Smeltfest '11 March 22-23, 2011 |
Written Report
detailed overview |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation
field drawing |
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#47 - Iron Smelt At Brown
(course)
April 22 & 23, 2011 |
Written
Report
detailed overview |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front Elevation
field drawing |
Furnace
Temperatures experimental data |
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Ores Used
experimental data |
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D24 - DARC at CanIRON 8
Preparation B June 11, 2011 |
Written Report
detailed overview |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
Furnace image |
Included here for completeness I offered supervision only |
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D25 - DARC at CanIRON 8
July 28, 2011 |
Written
Report
detailed overview |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Furnace image |
Included here for completeness I was not involved directly. |
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#48 / D26 - Slag Pit Furnace
October 9, 2011 |
Written
Report
detailed overview |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
Furnace Temperatures experimental data |
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Bellows Test experimental data |
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#49 - Slag Pit Furnace 2
November, 2011 |
Written Report
detailed overview |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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#50 - Production Smelt
May 5 , 2012 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Base & Front Elevation
A Front Elevation B field drawings |
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#51 / D27 - Return to
Icelandic
May 26 , 2012 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Layout Front Elevation field drawings |
Bellows Test experimental data |
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#52 - Earth, Air Celtic
Demonstration
August 11, 2012 |
SmeltSequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#53 - International Congress
on Medieval Studies - Demonstration
May 11 , 2013 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation scaled drawing |
Extaction video clip by M. Cramer |
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| #54 - Introduction to
Iron Smelting Course May 25 , 2013 |
Brief Report blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#55 - Iron & Experiment
Washington College October , 2013 |
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Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#56 - Turf to Tools
Prototype Smelt June 14, 2014 |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Bloom to Bar blog posting |
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#57 - Turf to Tools
Smelt One SSW - Lumsden Scotland August 12, 2014 |
Smelt Overview
blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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#58 - Turf to Tools
Smelt Two August 2014 |
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Smelt Sequence experimental data |
as above |
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#59 - Turf to Tools
Smelt Three August 2014 |
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Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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| Turf to Tools - Peat Test August 2014 |
as above |
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#60 / D28 - Icelandic 'Grass
Sod' Furnace #6
Fall 2014 - Summer 2015 |
Furnace Build blog posting |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Input = Output experimental data |
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Experiment Overview blog posting |
Recovered Mass field drawing |
Recovered Bloom blog posting |
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#61 / D29- Icelandic 'Grass
Sod'
Furnace #7 October 12, 2015 |
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#62 - Production Smelt
May 22, 2016 |
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#63 - Multiple Bellows Test
SCA 50th event June 20, 2016 |
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Bladder Concept illustration Working Smelt image |
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#64 - ARTEfakty Smelt One
Proszkow Poland September 9, 2016 |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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#65 - ARTEfakty Smelt Two
Proszkow Poland September 11, 2016 |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
Interviewed blog posting + video clip |
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#66 - Turf to Tools 2
Smelt One / Lecht SSW, Lumsden Scotland September 17, 2016 |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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#67 - Turf to Tools 2
Smelt Two / Peat SSW, Lumsden Scotland September 24, 2016 |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
as above
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#68 - Turf to Tools 2
Smelt Three SSW, Lumsden Scotland September 27, 2016 |
Smelt
Sequence
experimental data |
as above
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#69 - Smelting Furnace Test
Scottish Crannog Centre, Aberfeldy October 3, 2016 |
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Test Sequence
experimental data |
Front
Elevation
field drawing |
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#70 / D30 - Icelandic 'Grass
Sod' Furnace #8
Schweitzer & Scroggie / Amaranth October 29, 2016 |
Experiment Overview
detailed report |
Smelt Sequence
experimental data |
Design & Intial Construction blog posting |
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| #71 - Norse Bellows Test / Demo ReARC, Williamsburg VA November 19, 2016 |
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Front
Elevation field drawing |
Smelt in
Progress video clip |
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#72 - Norse Iron Course
Wareham November 30, 2016 |
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Front Elevation
field drawing |
| #73 - Dark Ages Iron
Smelting - course SCA Fruits of Our Labours event June 21, 2017 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
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| #74 / D31 - Iron at Vinland L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC July 16, 2017 |
Experiment Overview blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
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| #75 - Celtic Iron Age Scottish Crannog Centre, Aberfeldy August 6, 2017 |
Background
Research 1 blog posting |
Background Research 2 blog posting |
Background Research 3 blog posting |
Background Research 4 blog posting |
| Furnace Design theoretical drawing |
Bellows Design 1 blog posting |
Bellows Design 2 blog posting |
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| Experiment Overview blog posting |
Front Elevations field drawings |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
| # 76 - Slag Pit Furnace #3 Wareham June 23, 2018 |
Experiment Overview blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Furnace Construction blog posting |
| Excavating Furnace blog posting |
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| #77 - Iron Smelting in the Viking Age Wareham June 30, 2018 |
Experiment Overview detailed report |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
Bloom
Analysis PDF by Bill Short |
| #78 - CAMELOT Conference
- demo St Jerome's University, Waterloo September16, 2018 |
Experiment
Overview detailed report |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front Elevation field drawing |
Furnace Construction blog posting |
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Bloom Cutting blog posting |
Materials Test blog posting |
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| #79 - Norse in North
America filming Wareham October 10, 2018 |
'America's Lost Vikings' commentary on episode blog posting |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
'America's Lost Vikings' video clip of smelt |
| #80 / D32 - 'Roman'
Passive Tall Shaft Wareham October 13, 2018 |
Design
& Operation blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
Original Concept field drawing |
| Temperature
Sequence experimental data compiled by Neil Peterson |
Excavation & Results blog posting |
Experiment Conclusions blog posting |
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| #81 'Gromps' 2 Stage Test Wareham November 3, 2018 |
Experiment Design blog posting |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
| #82 - Stone Block Furnace System Test June 2019 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Front
Elevation field drawing |
Furnace
Construction field drawing |
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| #83 - Stone Block Slag Bowl Test October 2019 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
as above | Base Setup
field drawing |
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| #84 - Stone Block November 2019 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
as above |
| #85 / D31- 'Look at the Bones' Test June 2020 |
the Build & Smelt detailed report |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
Details field drawing |
Smelt Images photo essay |
| Exploring the Debris Results & Conclusions |
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| #86 - Introduction to
Smelting Course October 2020 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
layout as June 2019 |
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| # 87 / D32 - '65 for 65' October 2020 |
Experiment
Overview detailed report |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
Details field drawing |
| #88 / D33 - Icelandic
Clay Test (P3-A) June 2021 |
Brief Overview blog post |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace Plan Furnace Elevation field drawings |
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| #89 / D34 - Icelandic
Clay Repeated (P3-B) September 2021 |
Brief Overview With new air system builds blog post |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace Repairs Elevation field drawing |
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| # 90 / D35 - Wind & Weathering October 2021 |
Part One : the
Smelt detailed report |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Overall
Layout Elevation field drawings |
Extraction Video on YouTube |
| Part Two : WIND detailed report |
Part Three : WEATHERING detailed report |
| # 91 / D36 - LAM, Lower & Longer June 2022 |
Experimental
Outline detailed report |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Elevation & Plan scaled drawing |
Compaction Sequence video by Anita Herbert |
| Remains - Compaction formal report PDF |
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| # 92 / D37 Lower & Longer 2 October 2022 |
Experimental Outline detailed report |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Experiment Set Up image |
Bellows
Air Comparison data table |
| # 93 Caherconnell Furnace Festival August 2023 |
Irish Hematite
Smelt detailed report |
Smelt
Sequence experiment data |
Furnace
layout field drawing |
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| #94 / D37 - Pulsing Air
Test October 2023 |
Experimental Outline the Build detailed reports |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
layout field drawing |
| #95 / D38 -
Pulsing Air 2 Baron's 7 Demo June 2024 |
Experimental Outline brief report |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace layout field drawing |
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| #96 / D39 - Pulsing
Air 3 October 2024 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
layout field drawing |
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| #97 - Artfire
Demo October 2024 with George Carrol |
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Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Furnace layout field drawing |
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| #98 / D40 - Return to
Icelandic November 2024 |
Experimental
Outline detailed report |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
layout field drawing |
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| #99 - Iron
Smelting Course / Magnetite Ore November 2024 |
Smelt
Sequence experimental data |
Furnace
layout field drawing |
| # 100 - Iron
Smelting Course September 2025 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Elevation scaled drawing |
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| # 101 / D41 -
'Grompy Old Men' November 2025 |
Smelt Sequence experimental data |
Elevation & Plan scaled drawing |
Supporting Publications
 |
 |
'20 Years Before the Blast'
Experimental Bloomery Iron Smelting 2001 - 2024 with Neil Peterson ISBN : 978-1-0691597-5-5 March 2025 This 212 page volume is a survey of 101 iron smelting tests by the author and his working team, presented in a more formal academic style. Includes assessments of furnace builds, air systems, ore types and bloom qualities. There are overviews of four major experimental series; iron smelt in Vinland, Icelandic turf walled furnaces, the Turf to Tools project, and Norse Bellows equipment. 8 1/2 x 11 paperback format, 99 colour colour photographs, 25 illustrations, 48 charts and graphs. companion to 'Basics of Bloomery Iron
Smelting'
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Basics of Bloomery Iron Smelting
ISBN : 978-1-0691597-2-4 January 2025 This 201 page book outlines the history and functioning methods learned from two decades using small scale smelting furnaces. Topics include ores, furnace builds, air systems, tools, record keeping, and the final bloom to bar. Includes operating instructions for three different furances, everything you need to understand the theory and practice of bloomery iron smelting. With 115 illustrations and colour images (8.5 x 11", colour) companion to '20 Years Before the
Blast'
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