Entry No. 10 — the Portland file — filed under: blacksmithing
Past Lives Makerspace — "Forge a Date!"
Inside a 26,000-square-foot warehouse crammed with pottery wheels, glass lathes, and metal presses, one class is built entirely for two: "Forge a Date!," a single-session blacksmithing crash course engineered so a couple hammers out a project at the anvil side by side.
The story
Tucked away on SE 9th Avenue in Portland's Central Eastside, Past Lives Makerspace doesn't look like a typical date spot. It is a sprawling 26,000-square-foot industrial maze, packed wall-to-wall with glass lathes, heavy woodworking machinery, fabric arts equipment, and electronics fabrication setups where local artists and artisans work around the clock.
Deep inside the facility's dedicated metal shop—amidst rows of welding stations, cutting tools, and gas forges—lies an unvarnished approach to couples therapy: "Forge a Date!" Run by forge instructor Mona, this three-hour intensive crash course strips away dinner-table small talk and puts you and your partner directly behind a hot anvil with a set of blacksmithing hammers.
You are paying $300 per pair to step out of the mild-mannered city and into raw, heat-throwing industrial craft. There is zero fluff here. You will heat raw steel in the forge until it glows orange, learn basic hammer control, and coordinate strikes side-by-side to shape a finished iron piece together before the fire dies down.
What it's like
Stepping into 2808 SE 9th Avenue means immediately trading ambient urban noise for the clatter of power tools, metal grinds, and forge blows echoing through the warehouse. The air carries the heat of gas burners and the metallic tang of heated steel. Leave synthetic fleece or thin running shoes at home—stray embers will burn right through them, so arrive in heavy cotton jeans, a canvas shirt, and work boots. You will spend three hours bending over an anvil, coordinating rhythm with your partner, and walking out exhausted with soot under your fingernails and a heavy iron keepsake to prove you pulled it off.
The move: Sign up together for "Forge a Date!" — a couples-only crash course in blacksmithing where you leave having actually made something, no prior skill required.
- 📍 Central Eastside / Hosford-Abernethy, Portland
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2808 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- OMSI — Harry C. Kendall Planetarium — Just six-tenths of a mile away in the Central Eastside, balance out three hours of heavy hammering with a dark, air-conditioned laser show under the planetarium dome.
- Chadly Glass Studio — Keep the thermal theme going under a mile away by trading the anvil for an appointment at the glass lathe to melt and shape glass rods over open torches.
- Scotch Lodge — Wash off the forge soot 1.3 miles north behind an unmarked, barred door with a heavy glass of whisky in a dimly lit, subterranean-feeling den.
Good to know
Do we need any previous blacksmithing or metalworking experience?
Not at all. The class is designed specifically as an entry-level crash course covering safety, heating techniques, and basic hammer control step-by-step.
How much does the session cost and how long does it run?
The "Forge a Date!" session costs $300 for two people and runs for three hours (typically scheduled on weekend afternoons).
What should we wear to the workshop?
Wear natural fibers only—heavy cotton jeans, a cotton shirt, and closed-toe leather work boots or shoes. Synthetic fabrics melt easily if caught by flying embers.
What else goes on inside Past Lives Makerspace?
Beyond the metal shop, the 26,000-square-foot warehouse operates as an all-in-one artisan facility equipped for woodworking, fabric arts, glass working, electronics fabrication, and 24/7 private studio rentals.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: travelportland.com · Official site · Yelp
last checked: 2026-07-20