EAIA at the Bolton (MA) Fair

Bob Roemer, August 11, 2025

Our overall purpose is to introduce Bolton Fair visitors to the crafts we represent and, where possible, let them engage in them with appropriate safety precautions. Each year the metal workers and woodworkers collaborate on production of a hand gardening tools which we sell to Fair visitors and donate the proceeds to the Fair.

For the 5th year EAIA has been a significant woodworking presence at the Bolton Fair (8-10 August) at the Bolton Fairgrounds in Lancaster, MA. Bob Roemer has managed a group of blacksmith and farrier demonstrators at the Fair for 15 years but felt that introducing hand tool woodworking was an important complementary addition and of great interest to kids and parents alike. 

As in the past years EAIA members have completed a project and simultaneously engaged with a large number of visitors. This year, Tim Fiehler, Bob Roemer and Don Cole manned the woodworking venue to demonstrate a number of basic hand tools and supervise kids and parents trying their hands at hand tool woodworking. The working exhibition included bench planes, spill planes, molding planes, saws, drills and a restored treadle lathe which was used to turn handles for reproductions of 19th Century agricultural hand tools. The metal parts of the tools are forged by blacksmiths from the New England Blacksmiths adjacent to the woodworking venue. This year, for the first time, the tools completed in the previous years were sold to visitors, the proceeds donated to the Fair which paid for the materials for the blacksmith shop and wood-working annex built by volunteers.

Without question, spill planes and draw knives were the most popular hands-on activity for kids…and some parents. The spill plane is used to make helically coiled shavings which were the predecessor to matches in lighting candles and lamps from fire on the hearth.  Watching the spills coil out of the side of the plane was almost mesmerizing to kids and adults alike; several pieces of ¾” pine were reduced to almost slivers in the process and kids went home with the treasured spills they made. The kids were also amazed at the versatility and control of a draw knife.  Of course, wooden knives were the most popular project to take home, far more rewarding than the plastic knives and swords sold on the midway. 

The Fair lasts for 3 days and requires another day or more to set up and dismantle the venue. However, the increased awareness of hand tools and history is more than worth the effort and EAIA made its mark. We left tired but very satisfied that we had accomplished our objectives and the mission of EAIA.

From left to right:

• Ken Wildman, professional farrier, and member of the Southern New England Farriers Assoc. and the American Farriers Assoc.   Ken provides demonstrations of horseshoe making and provides commentary on horses’ leg, foot and hoof health as well as the role of the farrier.

• Joe Lambert is a professional ironworker and has his own forge in Athol in which he forges artisan blacksmith sculpture for sale.

• Bob Roemer owns the Moses Wilder Blacksmith Shop in Bolton and is a director of the Early American Industries Association and a member of the New England Blacksmith.  He coordinates the blacksmiths, farriers and woodworkers at the Fair and currently leads the traditional woodworking portion.

• Bob Arredondo is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering Technology Program at UNH and a member of the New England Blacksmiths.