There will be a number of activities during 2011 in the association "Järnet på Lapphyttan".

That includes:

- preparing the facility for this summers operation of the blast furnace (a number of week-ends during the spring),

- the actual operation of the blast furnace during 3 weekends in July. (7-10 of july, 15-17 of July and 22-24 July).

You can actually be operating a medival blast furnace this summer ....

Activities during 2011:

14-15^th of May:                   relining of furnace hearth, rebuilding roasting pit

21-22^nd of May:                  roasting of ore, clining shaft with clay, fetching ore

2-5^th of June:                     starting heating the furnace, roasting more ore

7-10^th of July:                     first period of operation of the reconstructed medieval blast furnace

15-17^th of July                   second period of operation of the blast furnace

22-24^th of July:                   third period pf operation of the blast furnace

We welcome everybody to join us in “Järnet på Lapphyttan” and our work during the workshops and especially during the operation of the blast furnace. The blast furnace has to be operated for 24 hours each day during the trial in July. During this time we need people who are willing to work as “blast furnace operators” (hyttdräng) under medieval conditions, either for only one shift or how many shifts you want. The working time is divided into three eight hour shifts each day and we need 2-6 persons on each shift to manage the operation. As a “hyttdräng” you will prepare and charge the raw material, control and maintain the blast and the tuyere including the water supply, water wheel and bellows and finally handle the tapping of pig iron and slag. Each shift will have an experienced shift manager so you do not need any prior experience in “iron making”. You will learn what we know and hopefully you can learn us something to understand medieval ironmaking.

To give you some understanding of what operating a medieval blast furnace is like you can look on this presentation..... Medieval blast furnace operation.

The easiest way to register is to use this link to a separate booking site. If you want more information you are welcome to send a mail to the following adress:

You need to be a member of the society (Järnet på Lapphyttan) which costs 150 Swedish Kronor (~15 Euro). This can be paid in advance or on site during the trial. This includes an insurance for any accidents during your shift.

There is possibility for very simple but free lodging close to the blast furnace (in the "Avesta house"). There are beds for six persons and they are reserved for people working at the furnace. Booking of these beds are done on this link. There are however both nice hotels and a camping ground in the city of Norberg (www.Norberg.se).

We can guaranty you an experience out of the ordinary. Working as a “hyttdräng” and producing pig iron in a blast furnace using medieval technology in Norberg is not just a very rare event…. it is also a very nice way of meeting a lot of interesting people under interesting conditions learning a lot of interesting things!

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