Modern Blacksmithing and Physical Metallurgy

Photo of an anvil chained to a block stand.

The anvil is the blacksmith's basic workspace, forming curved and flat surfaces and providing a stable base for accessories. (Image by MIT OpenCourseWare.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

3.A04

As Taught In

Fall 2008

Level

Undergraduate

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Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

Physical metallurgy encompasses the relationships between the composition, structure, processing history and properties of metallic materials. In this seminar you'll be introduced to metallurgy in a particularly "physical" way. We will do blacksmithing, metal casting, machining, and welding, using both traditional and modern methods. The seminar meets once per week for an evening laboratory session, and once per week for discussion of issues in materials science and engineering that tie in to the laboratory work. Students will begin by completing some specified projects and progress to designing and fabricating one forged and one cast piece.

Related Content

Michael Tarkanian. 3.A04 Modern Blacksmithing and Physical Metallurgy. Fall 2008. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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