ABC of Tong Making

Ipswich Historical Society

1041 Redbank Plains Road, 4303, New Chum, QLD, Australia

GEDDES BLACKSMITHING QUEENSLAND

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Welcome to Blacksmithingqld owned and run by Martin Geddes. Martin is a qualified Blacksmith with nearly 50 years of experience in the metal and engineering industries - 14 of which were spent in various heavy fabrication sectors. He has been employed as a workplace assessor, and qualified teacher in metals and engineering for over 30 years. Also during these years, he gained a Bachelor of Adult Vocational Education and international welding qualifications, one as a Welding Specialist and others as a Welding Practitioner, and is a Welding Assessor for Weld Australia.He was one of 15 Queenslanders to be granted a Churchill Fellowship and for eight weeks worked and trained in the USA and the Czech Republic to enhance his skills in the forging and forming of hot ferrous metals (blacksmithing). His desire to get involved in Blacksmithing started around 1993 when he started teaching at Yeronga TAFE where he attended as many Blacksmithing courses as possible. In 1995, the Blacksmithing teacher left Yeronga TAFE and he took his place teaching the basic courses. Martin continued to teach these courses until 2002 when he got a teaching position at Bremer TAFE in Ipswich.Bringing the Blacksmithing equipment with him, he set up classes in the Powerhouse building at the Railway Workshops Museum, and later in the Blacksmith shop on the same site. In 2013, the Blacksmithing equipment was donated to the Ipswich Historical Society (IHS), and for about 2 years he ran Blacksmith classes at his residence. In late 2016, Martin was asked to set up a Blacksmith shop at the Cooneana Historical Centre on behalf of the (IHS). Since then, a functional Blacksmith shop has been established in its ability to display the trade/craft and as a safe teaching facility where he runs seven-hour classes once a month for students to experience blacksmithing.In late 2017, Martin built six portable forges, purchased anvils, fabricated adjustable-height anvil stands, and made a lot of tooling to assist him in running classes at various locations. 2021 saw the beginning of Nationally recognised Blacksmith classes delivered at the Cooneana Heritage Centre.In July 2023, Martin left TAFE QLD to focus on his own Blacksmithing business. His business provides Blacksmith training classes as well as equipment and maintenance. Equipment includes forges; hand, power hammer and press tooling. For more information and to contact Martin refer to http://blacksmithingqld.com.Michelle Eyles (interviewer)