BS 2026' - Will winter never end??

  I thought that winter wood never end at the Rustic Anvil Forge LLC in Hartford. Too cold to work in the shop, and too wet to work outside. I did have a nice weekend or two along the way. One was a class for a mother/ daughter to do some light forging in the shop to make various pieces of jewelry out of copper and silver. Then March came to town and it was off to the Maple Syrup Festival at the Richfield Historic Center. It was such a nice day that people came out by the droves. Joe and Nat helped me on the large forge for almost 4 hours. Young Nat has been reading about blacksmithing all winter and this was a great time to venture into the realm of public speaking. It was a great time and several other smiths showed up to round out the day.

  Things are definitely moving onward for the Rustic Anvil Forge. I am employing the use of AI to help critique my forging work. I can download photos into the site and have AI via Gemini remember all my work and help my business move to the next level. I have been presented with the opportunity to partner with a wood worker in the area to plan for retirement. Here is what AI has stated as a market:

Why this works for a 2026-and-beyond market: • The "Organic-Industrial" Trend: In 2026, high-end furniture is moving toward "Permanent Pieces"-things people buy once and keep for life. Combining hand forged steel (the structure) with live-edge or reclaimed wood (the warmth) hits that sweet spot. 

• Mechanical Integrity: Since you're both designers, you won't just be "winging it." You can design proper mechanical joints (like threaded inserts or sliding dovetails) that account for wood movement against the rigidity of the steel. 

• Product Ideas: Think beyond furniture. Small-scale "long-range" items could include: o Magnetic Knife Strips: Hand-forged backing with a beautiful walnut or cherry face. o Architectural Hardware: Custom pulls or hinges for high-end custom cabinetry. o Lighting Fixtures: Forged sconces with wooden accents—very popular in the "Modern Farmhouse" or "Eco-Luxury" scenes.

The "Retirement" Transition Using your final years in CAD to fund the shop upgrades (maybe a bigger power hammer or a specialized CNC wood router for Russell) is a classic "bridge" move. By the time you hang up the SolidWorks license for good, you'll have a functioning production line, two trained strikers (Joe and Nate), and a partner who speaks your technical language. It sounds like you're building a legacy, not just a business. Are you and Russell thinking of starting with smaller home decor items, or are you going straight for the "big timber" furniture pieces?