NRBA Conference  Fall 2004 at Morris & Ann Hallowell's, Livingston, Montana

Michael Saari, from Connecticut, constructed a small table as a vehicle to demonstrate various forms of joinery.

Upsetting the edge of the table top to form a lip around its perimeter.

Hot-punching a hole in the 3/8" steel plate tabletop for the leg joint over the pritchel hole in the anvil.

Upsetting the end of a bar for the table-leg foot.

Michael forging a table leg under the Striker 330-pound power-hammer. Note his seated position for better control.

A traditional 18th-Century, Bean-pattern, Suffolk latch forged with hand tools only---using a four-pound hammer.

Michael making a female die set (hot) under the hydraulic press from a male pattern (cold).                   The die, finished.

Michael's interchangeable tooling. Because of the hole and the flat face on each of the tool bits, they are held securely in the specially-made tong handle. The short toolbit length reduces the peril of use under a press or power hammer.

Michael J. Saari is a master metalsmith with over 25 years of experience. He has filled numerous commissions for both traditional hardware and contemporary sculpture and furniture. Examples of his jobs include: historical work for Mount Vernon in Alexandria and Trinity Church in Boston where he made restoration/reproduction hardware for specific areas in need of repair. Michael also produced 20,000 pieces of hardware for the Old Barracks in Trenton, NJ. Additionally, his contemporary metalwork has been exhibited and represented in public collections in the U.S.A., Europe, and Scandinavia. Projects have ranged from sculptures installed in Germany to large gold-leafed weathervanes for individual buildings.

Northern Rockies Blacksmith Association.  

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