Practical Skills Workshop - Hole Punching
by: Shona Johnson and Pete Hill
- Price: £25.00
We have recently run the first of these BABA skills workshops. The response for the swaging topic was strong and encouraged us to provide an additional date in January for those we were unable to accommodate on the November date. The November course went very well, and received great feedback, and we are looking forward to the January class.
We have now turned our attention to advertising for the next workshop topic which will be hole punching.
The workshop will be hosted at Ratho Byres Forge, near Edinburgh and led by Steve Rook, Pete Hill and Shona Johnson. Ratho Byres Forge, with multiple fires, furnaces and power hammers, allows for maximum participation of the individuals in the workshop, as these are designed to be very much a taught hands on experience.
The workshop will begin at 2 pm Friday 20th March, with this first session focused on theory and discussion of processes and tooling and will include some time for demonstrations. Saturday will be hands on with practical exercises and tuition and run from 9am till 5pm.
Given the hands-on nature of this
workshop, spaces will be limited to 6 individuals, and due to space there will not be any option to spectate.
Because of the practical approach of these workshops they will be open to smiths, young or old, with a degree of experience, you might be a graduate establishing your own workshop or a working smith wishing to expand their skill set, this is not a class aimed at those fresh to smithing.
To apply for a place on the Hole Punching workshop class, please submit a brief summary of your experience and how you feel you would benefit from attending. Please be sure to include your contact details and it shouldn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs.
Please email applications to design@baba.org.uk
The closing date for applications is the Wednesday the 7th January 2026.
All applicants will be informed of the outcome on Wednesday the 14th January.
Successful applicants will be sent payment information and will need to pay the fee of £25.00 by the 16th January to secure their place.
The allocation of places will be decided based on the applications received. If there is sufficient interest and applications we will consider scheduling an additional workshop to repeat the topic.
BABA is subsiding these workshops to enable the participant fee to be only £25.00, with attendance open to BABA members only.
A sandwich lunch on the Saturday is included in the cost, and hopefully folk will choose to enjoy a meal together somewhere on the Friday evening.
Unfortunately we are unable to provide accommodation for these classes. However, there are various options close by. There is a camp site within 4 miles of the forge, offering space for camper vans and providing lodges, there are various budget hotels even nearer, camping pods or chalets at the “Lost Shore Surf Resort” just outside the village and several other, more luxurious, options. Edinburgh is accessible by air at relatively little cost, if booked in advance, and we are less than 3 miles from the airport. There is also a train station nearby and we would be willing to collect and drop folk at either of these if needed.
-
Theory of process, to include discussion of different approaches, punching with a round punch or slot punch or sharp chisel.
-
Discuss heat source and advantage of narrow heats for punching.
-
The differences and benefits of different approaches in different situations.
-
Shapes of punches and material selection for punches.
-
How the punch affects the movement of the material and section of the bar in the area of the hole, deformation and wastage, with demonstration.
-
Ensuring the hole is or appears to be central in the stock. Correcting a hole when it is off centre.
-
The ratio of hole to bar size.
-
How a larger slot can give a larger hole in a smaller bar while maintaining wall thickness by upsetting.
-
Drifting of a hole to shape and use of bolster plates if needed
-
Punching and drifting square holes.
-
Punching in round bar, the difficulties and aids to centring and minimising deformation.
-
Utilising punched connections in your design process to maximise the visual effect while making your life simple in executing them.
-
Punching larger holes, using a narrower punch and stepping it along for a longer slot.
-
Marking out for accuracy of holes
-
Punching under a power hammer
-
Punching under a press
Make a slot punch and two drifts suitable for 12mm and 16mm holes from prepared blanks, including hardening and tempering.
Punch several holes with punch and drift in square bar
10.30 tea
-
Punch larger slot and use larger drift.
-
Punching holes to a given spacing
-
Punching in round - demo, with opportunity to try yourselves, additional tooling, bottom bolsters
-
Opportunity for practice with supervision and advice
-
1pm lunch
to end of day
-
Demo and opportunity to try yourselves, punching under the hammer with hand held punch, how to get punch out, use of coal dust to help removal.
-
Demo and opportunity to try yourselves, punching under the hydraulic press, larger material
-
Trouble shooting and instruction throughout session on one to one basis. Participants to bring hand tools including a couple of punches if they have them.
Start Date & Time
Fri, Mar 20, 2026, 14:00
End Date & Time
Sat, Mar 21, 2026, 17:00
Location
Ratho Byres Forge,
Freelands Rd,
Ratho,
Newbridge
EH28 8NW