Michael David Sobrado was born in 1967 in Rome, NY. He earned a bachelors degree in Philosophy and one in Psychology from Oswego State University in Upstate New York. From college he went on to several unsatisfactory careers including substitute school teacher, Child Abuse Investigator and customer service manager. He switched gears and began working in the trades, first as a carpenter then as an electrician. In May of 1996 he was invited to work at Raulli’s Iron Works, his cousin’s third-generation wrought iron shop. He was soon smitten by the magic of forged and fabricated iron and worked there for three years.
An opportunity arose in the spring of 1998 to leave the cold and snow of central New York for the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. Knowing they would miss family and friends, but great hopes for the future, Michael and his wife Dana moved to Mesa Arizona and began a new life.
Michael worked in all different aspects of the metal trade taking jobs as a blacksmith, water-jet operator for a small machine shop, structural steel erection, and foreman for a small fabrication shop. Better pay caused him to take a job as a commercial electrician and allowed him to begin buying equipment for his own wrought-iron studio at home.
A chance to teach blacksmithing at the Mesa Arts Center presented itself and he jumped at it. He purchased and built all the equipment, developed the curriculum, and began teaching the class in January of 2006. With the small but steady teaching income, some savings, and lots of equipment purchased over the preceding 7 years, Dragonforge Ironworks, LLC was founded in February of 2006.
An opportunity arose in the spring of 1998 to leave the cold and snow of central New York for the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. Knowing they would miss family and friends, but great hopes for the future, Michael and his wife Dana moved to Mesa Arizona and began a new life.
Michael worked in all different aspects of the metal trade taking jobs as a blacksmith, water-jet operator for a small machine shop, structural steel erection, and foreman for a small fabrication shop. Better pay caused him to take a job as a commercial electrician and allowed him to begin buying equipment for his own wrought-iron studio at home.
A chance to teach blacksmithing at the Mesa Arts Center presented itself and he jumped at it. He purchased and built all the equipment, developed the curriculum, and began teaching the class in January of 2006. With the small but steady teaching income, some savings, and lots of equipment purchased over the preceding 7 years, Dragonforge Ironworks, LLC was founded in February of 2006.