Thought some of you might want to consider attending this conference, even though it is not specifically about longrifles. November 16-19 at Colonial Williamsburg.
“Metalworking for Revolution” is a three-day program exploring the role of blacksmiths, founders, silversmiths, gunsmiths, tinsmiths, and toolmakers in supplying the equipment needed to fight the American Revolution. It will focus on materials, technologies, and skills.
Prior to the Revolution, Americans relied on English manufacturers to supply military arms and materials for defense of the colonies. With the onset of war, they turned to their own artisans. American metalworkers found themselves filling the demand for buttons, buckles, gorgets, and cooking utensils as well as swords, tomahawks, muskets, bayonets, and entrenching tools. Much of this work took place in small shops, but large manufactories were established to cast artillery barrels and mass produce small arms. Technologies included forging, welding, heat-treating, casting, sheet-metal work, soldering, filing, boring, punching, die-sinking, and engraving.
Members of Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Trades department and guest speakers will discuss the development of these industries and demonstrate many of these processes. They will make reproductions of original objects using eighteenth-century tools and methods. Morning presentations will take place in the Hennage Auditorium at the DeWitt Wallace Museum, where close-up video will show the action in detail. During the afternoons Historic Trades shops will present demonstrations in the Historic Area.
See the brochure at:
http://www.history.org/conted/Gary
