Adelaide Blacksmith

Farmweld is one of a few professional artist blacksmith businesses practicing the age old craft of blacksmithing within the Adelaide area, in South Australia. Located at Birdwood, in the Adelaide Hills we have one of the last forges able to take on large projects as well as small.  Over the last 20 years we have produced some lovely examples of traditional wrought iron.

Blacksmithing is no longer taught as a trade in Australia, with few working professional blacksmiths, let alone Adelaide or South Australia. Many businesses who advertise ‘wrought iron’ products use imported components, or cast iron products. Tweaking ready made wrought iron to fit is quite difficult, so for something to look well done it needs to be made properly from the start.

Mass produced wrought iron components have their place in fabrication, but they need to be tweaked to fit.

Locally, handcrafted wrought iron is dearer than mass produced wrought iron or imported products that are made overseas in third world countries, however the benefits of buying your wrought iron-work from Farmweld is that you are:

• guaranteed a quality product;
• support a local business;
• help to keep an old trade alive;
• authentic heritage items are faithfully reproduced and/or repaired using traditional blacksmithing methods;
• investing in an heirloom – something that will be admired and bring pleasure for many decades; 
• your wrought iron is made to last – materials meet Australian standards and are ‘solid’;
• you are buying peace of mind – a reputable tradesperson/blacksmith will always be there for you should you ever have any questions or issues relating to your purchase.

Custom Wrought Iron can be Affordable

Hand forged wrought iron can be made more affordable by using a combination of traditional and modern metal working techniques. It’s often said that if blacksmiths of old had access to a welder or angle grinder, they’d certainly have used one. An example of how wrought iron can be more affordable is to use a combination of modern welding techniques rather than forge welding or riveting.

Modern blacksmiths have the advantage of using modern and traditional techniques. This piece uses traditional blacksmithed scrolls and ironwork for the fancy parts of the gate, however the frame is welded. Once painted it will be hard to tell that this gate has not been entirely, traditionally blacksmithed.

Modern machines like welders reduce the labour time. Consequently this brings down the price of what would have been an entirely hand forged the wrought iron piece. The finer details such as scrolls are still traditionally blacksmithed so it still looks, and is, hand forged. Because the scrollwork and details are hand made, and tailored to your piece, the design is kept in proportion and doesn’t look like a modification.

This reproduction of a heritage farm gate has been entirely hand forged and riveted.

Architectural wrought iron in Adelaide

Custom made wrought iron should be matched to the existing architectural features of the building no matter whether it’s a piece of wrought iron furniture indoors or a wrought iron fence. It’s important to be sympathetic to the architectural style of your home. Unfortunately many renovators with older style homes in the inner Adelaide regions such as North Adelaide, Norwood, Unley, St Peters, Port Adelaide and Thebarton installed ready made ‘faux’ wrought iron (pool fencing with spears) and cast iron fences & gates. These types of gates and fencing rarely meld well with the existing architecture. Federation and Art Deco homes, especially the simpler homes, had timber, mini-orb or wire fences, with the original owners investing in a ‘pretty’ hand forged gate – usually made by the local blacksmith. The beauty of wrought iron is that designs are tailored to suit particular periods, e.g. art nouveau, Victorian, Art Deco, modern and when done well is hard to distinguish whether the wrought iron piece, such as a gate, is authentic or not. This is the mark of a good addition or renovation. Even when modernising your home, certain ‘heritage’ features can be picked out and incorporated into the wrought iron piece.

Although the front garden was modernised, the art deco design from the stained glass window of this home was mirrored in the design of the gate

[quote]If you’re looking for a well made, authentic piece of wrought iron give Farmweld a call on 8568 5433. Visits to the workshop are by appointment Monday to Friday 8-4pm.[/quote]

What wrought iron products do you make:

All Farmweld wrought iron products are custom made for each customer. Unique wrought iron pieces are made to your own design or we can design something for you. Wrought iron designs include those for:

• Gates – courtyard gates, garden gates, estate gates, driveway gates
• Fence panels
• Balustrades – contemporary and traditional wrought iron
• and anything else that can be made from steel!

Interstate enquiries and commissions are welcome. Farmweld regularly delivers to customers all around Australia.