September 4, 2026 Benchmark Abrasives

The Gathering

Welcome to this month's #benchmarkspotlight Beyond the Bench series - we had the opportunity to sit down with Troy & Eli from The Gathering and talk a little about their event.

If you would like to be featured in our weekly spotlight (100% FREE) and have a chance at winning one of our Grinder Hoods please send us an email to leo.benchmarkabrasives@gmail.com to get you scheduled in an upcoming week. And for those of you that take the time to share your story with us, we'd be happy to provide a free BA banner. These spotlights are intended to highlight your skill, your business, and your tips and tricks. Most of all it's to have a little fun!

Name: Troy & Eli Roush

Business Name: The Gathering

Location: Lynchburg OH

Socials: IG: @barrrunforge

Website: www.barrrunforge.com

YouTube: The Gathering 2025

Tell us about the event — what’s it called, how did it start, how long has it been around, and what community does it bring together?

The event is called The Gathering, this will be it’s 5 year. We bring together blacksmiths, metalworkers, woodworkers and makers together in one place to share our crafts.

Tell us a little about yourself and your role in this event. How did you get involved?

Troy - “Fulfilling a lifelong dream of being a blacksmith, we started Barr Run Forge. It was a dream of mine to bring together makers of all kinds for a free event.” Eli - “I moved home after college to help with the farm and naturally joined Dad in his dream of creating Barr Run Forge which led to creating The Gathering.”

For someone who’s never attended an event like this, how would you describe it in a few words?

A free event where makers of all kinds can share and learn from other makers.

What inspired you to create or host this event, and what problem or need does it serve within your community?
We hoped to create a free event for people to learn and fellowship with one another. Keeping the event free is our goal to overcome the barriers of high priced events to learn crafts.

What makes this event different from others in the same space?
It is free and open to anyone; and the event involves multiple types of crafts all coming together.

Events like this don’t happen overnight. What goes into preparing for it behind the scenes?

We prepare for 3-4 days of cooking meals and providing food for everyone. We host this at our shop/farm, so we ensure the place is clean and safe for all to work and enjoy the space.

You’re bringing together people from different backgrounds, states, or skill levels. What do you think draws them all together?

The fellowship and comradery at this event is like none other. When people arrive they become part of the family.

Many events also give back in some way. Can you share how this event supports a cause, organization, or future opportunity for others?

We provide multiple opportunities to win prizes that include tools, materials and apparel related to the crafts. The education at the event is also freely donated by demonstrators.

Hands-on work usually comes with messes, long days, and real effort. Are there any tools, products, or routines that help keep things running smoothly?

Most of the tools provided are our personal shop tools and equipment. We use a lot of cleaning supplies and machine consumables throughout the week. We’re big believers in Scrubnutz for cleanup days.

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What’s been one of the most memorable moments you’ve experienced at one of these events?

Three of our attendees have since passed away over the years of this event. To honor them we have dedicated a memorial wall for specific items related to them.

Looking ahead, what’s the long-term vision for this event, and what do you hope people take away after attending?

Long term, we hope to increase the number of attendees while still keeping the “family” feel and keeping it at no cost.