The progression of a dream…..
I started out as Firefly Forge Dorset after deciding that a regular 9-5 job was no longer for me. This all came from a long period of unhappiness in my office job and a surprise experience day at a local college. From there I went on to take some evening classes and after completing the course decided (with the support of the wife) to build a smithy in the back garden and leave my salaried job for part time work in a local cafe.
After a few years of slow progress things were starting to pick up just as an opportunity for my wife came up meaning a relocation to Canada. Realising this was a once in a lifetime chance we decided that we would give it a go and sadly my smithing would be put on hold.
Once out in Canada I struggled to find some work myself and turned to what I had previously known and started to design some of my own furniture for our rental. Being limited on tools and space I started off with basic wooden frame work structures, but soon decided that I wanted more. At this stage our property in the UK had finally sold and with the agreement that when the time came I would make our dream kitchen, I bought myself a modest DIY CNC router kit and set up in the garage to make some more furniture for the house.
Sadly my wife’s position in Canada was not renewed at the end of the initial contract (sadly often the way with academia) we returned to the UK with all of our possessions, including my now growing set of tools, being shipped back.
After a difficult start trying to find somewhere to live at short notice in Cornwall, we eventually found a nice little cottage with a large workshop in the garden where I could finally get set up and making once more.