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Jesse’s Stump is a family-run creative studio located in Spotswood in the inner west of Melbourne, offering beginner workshops in blacksmithing (forging) and bush furniture-making and operating with a unique blend of craft therapy. Rob Nansen is an artisan working with iron and wood using traditional hand tools and techniques. Rob has been supporting young people and their families for over 25 years. He has been practicing blacksmithing and bush furniture-making for 17 years. Jesse's Stump combines these two pursuits, often using the crafts as metaphors to share hopeful messages. The experience itself is a restorative and calming one where we unplug from our usual lives.

Rob has a current Victorian Working with Children Check and a current Police Check. He is a qualified Social Worker (BSW RMIT) and is a member of the Australian Blacksmith’s Association (Victoria).

Blacksmithing Workshops

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Blacksmithing (forging) workshops are tailored to people from age 8 (dependant on skill and maturity) to adult and can be booked for 1, up to a group of 12, or larger groups working in pairs. Workshops can be delivered for a variety of situations, including:

  • Homeschoolers

  • NDIS Social Support

  • Holiday Programs

  • Community Centres

  • Youth Detention Centres

  • Camps

  • At-Risk Youth

  • Scout Groups

  • Mentoring

  • School Groups

  • Parent and Child Experience

  • Corporate and Workplace Team-Building

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Blacksmithing workshops generally focus on one project and last 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes consecutive sessions are required to finish a project. Items to make might include fire pokers, S-hooks, candelabras, toasting forks, letter openers, garden trowels, coat racks, rustic knives, kitchen utensils, camp fire tripods, bookmarks and herb cutters.

Bush Furniture Workshops

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Bush furniture workshops can be booked for a 1 to 4 person session in our Home Forge. Often consecutive workshops will be required depending on the project.

An item to make is the classic round-back bush stool, while other projects can be tackled using the traditional hand tools and techniques.

Contact us

Discuss your needs, find out more about workshop projects and rates, or talk about creating a unique package tailored to you as an individual or your group. We really love sharing the experience of working with iron and timber in the traditional way and offer concession rates (Health Care Card only) for those who need it.