Workshops with Sara Dahmen

Workshops with Sara Dahmen, the Only Female Coppersmith in America, Help You Create a One-of-a-Kind Tun Stein

Supporters of The Tun™ are purchasing limited edition 32 oz. “bottomless” tankard steins to be displayed at the rebuilt tavern and available for use every time they visit. The artist who designed the steins for the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, Inc. is Sara Dahmen, the only known female coppersmith building, restoring, and fixing copper cookware in America. In April and July 2024, Sara is opening up her Wisconsin copper shop, House Copper & Cookware, to supporters of The Tun™ for a hands-on Tun tankard workshop where you can learn to build your own Tun stein using tools from the 1700s and 1800s.

Sara is traditionally trained in an old-school apprenticeship to create and refurbish vintage and modern cookware. She is the author of “Copper, Iron, and Clay: A Smith’s Journey,” published in 2020, and has been featured on PBS and Voice of America, and in House Beautiful.

She created four videos for The Tun™ to show the process she is using to create the Tun tankards and that you follow in the workshop. View the videos on The Tun™ YouTube channel.

If you are interested in creating your own personal stein for The Tun™ this workshop is for you!

Join Sara April 25-26 or July 12-13

Join Sara on April 25-26 or July 12-13 for one of the two-day workshops (more dates can be added based on registration interest). Your tankard stein will be made in the 1700s style with crimp seams, a wired rim, and custom stamping. You will build it using vintage tools and techniques. The shape has been authenticated to the 1700s via antiques found in Pennsylvania. The copper handle will be cut by hand and formed over a 1700s hollow mandrel using a hammer. Your mug will have The Tun™ logo and a serial number etched into the base by hand to ensure your mug is unique and a true collector’s item.

Attending a workshop is not a requirement to purchase a Tun stein, but why miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime, hands-on experience? Here is what you need to know before embarking on this rare opportunity.

This is a two-day workshop where up to five people per group can build their personalized copperware Tun tankard stein. The workshop takes place at Sara’s rural Wisconsin copper shop, which is located about 30 minutes from the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. There are hotels and bed & breakfasts nearby for accommodations.

The fee for the two-day workshop is $1800, which covers all materials and meals. Please note: The $2500 cost of the limited edition 32 oz. “bottomless” tankard stein is separate from the workshop fee. You are welcome to bring a guest to the workshop to watch you create your stein. A fee of $150 is requested to cover your guest’s meals.

Tun Tankard Workshop Itinerary

DAY 1
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Copper shop tour
Tool instruction on the vintage machines
Trace and cut the mug body
Stamp the mug with The Tun™ logo and name, rank, etc.
Use 1700s stakes and early 1800s rotary hand tools to build the body and cut and prep the base
Evening
Dinner at a local restaurant with Sara and the group

DAY 2
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Build and attach the tankard handles
Attach the stein base
Solder all the seams and rivets
Hand polish your stein
Box up your stein, which is now ready for the tavern
Evening
Depart for home

Be sure to reserve your spot and experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Contact tavernkeeper@thetun.org.