Blacksmith Shop/Shelter?

[BukitCase]

CO is so close to the same weight as air that there's NO WAY to know whether it'll go up or down, so POWER ventilation (or a good casket) is necessary. (In addition to detectors)

Ed's comments are on the money, a semi-dark area is the only way to get close on quench colors... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

Good info about the CO, guys. Thank you.

Kind of envisioning a small 3 sided structure with full width sliding front door. Maybe something similar to an outdoor kitchen only with a forge setup instead of built in BBQ. ??

Don't need extra space for other activities as hopefully this will be adjacent to or near my shop. Any pics of yours for inspiration, Ed?

Oh thx for mention of shaded area for quench colors, Ed & Steve!

 

[Big Barn]

What equipment would be in it? I'd be inclined to go for as much sq footage as you can. You know your going to buy some more equipment, right?:thumbsup:

Mysfyt. This would be for blacksmith equipment only.
...' buy more equipment'? interesting concept. Never occurred to me.

Terry

 

[muddstopper]

Mysfyt.
...' buy more equipment'? interesting concept. Never occurred to me.
Terry

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[BukitCase]

Speaking of seeing oxidation colors, I have several of Alexander Wegers' books, but interestingly THIS

The Modern Blacksmith: Alexander G. Weygers: 9780442293635: Amazon.com: Books

is the ONLY one that has a COLOR chart on the outside back page - all his other books I'm aware of are all MONOCHROME, which strangely enough doesn't help much when trying to gauge COLOR

I also found it kind of odd/misleading that his "The COMPLETE Modern Blacksmith" does NOT have a color chart, but "The Modern Blacksmith" DOES

I'm sure there are other books that show this, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a less expensive one that's actually USEFUL... Steve

 

[Ed of all trades]

My shop is a LARGE MESS. I have one path through it and have one branch off of the path to get to the tool box. On top if that I just tore the front off of it and am adding 8' to the front and 9' to the side. It would be fine for a blacksmith shop but By the time I added a small lathe, big tool box, 3 sharpening machines, 3 welders. and a knife grinder it is full. Likely forgot a few things that I have in there too. I hope to get some of this stuff into the heated 9' x 14' addition on the side as soon as it is finished so I can add a forging press and a power hammer, roller mill....... ect. You know just the basics you have to have in a blacksmith shop.

I have 5 4' shop lights in my shop and when the forge is lit the lights go off..Ed

A color chart is of little value because you have to learn the colors in your shop. The colors are different in my shop than they are in a friends shop. I had to adjust my colors to work in his shop.

 

[BukitCase]

"A color chart is of little value because you have to learn the colors in your shop. The colors are different in my shop than they are in a friends shop. I had to adjust my colors to work in his shop."

Ed, that makes perfect sense although I hadn't considered it before - and that makes me feel REALLY dumb, since I've been into photography since 1967

I've only done a small bit of blacksmith type stuff in my own shop, (piece of railroad iron for an anvil, rosebud for heat, few hammers...) but now that you mention it I can sure see that EVERYTHING in a shop will change light absorption AND reflections, therefore the color temperature and perception.

Guess this qualifies as my definition of a GOOD day - one in which you learn something, with NO LOSS of body parts ...Steve

 

[Ed of all trades]

I have learned a huge amount in the last 3 or 4 years about blacksmithing. I owe a huge amount to the guys in the Shenandoah Valley Blacksmith Guild. The purpose of the guild is to pass on the art-skills of blacksmithing. There are guilds-clubs all over the USA and the world. Check to see if there is one in your area. It will speed up your learning a huge amount and it is fun too. Ed

 

[flusher]

My grandfather had his blacksmith shop for nearly 65 years in central Wisconsin.



Maybe this photo (circa 1915) will give you some ideas for your shop.

No problems with CO asphyxiation in all those years blacksmithing. However, one of my uncles was CO-poisoned working in a tractor service shop in the dead of winter (late 1940s). Cracking the service door turned out to be insufficient ventilation. He and his family moved to Phoenix in the early 1950s for his breathing problems.

Good luck

 

[hslogger]

I would start scouting for a big hood like in a commercial kitchen or have one built. Have that thing over your forge and have blower with variable speed switch. Pounding iron is fun, but breathing that stuff for the rest of our life isn't. Will you insulate or not? Would you like to have the option of lots of daylight with a sliding barn door? Just one little side note..... Beating on iron in a concrete structure with bare walls is louder than you might remember and the more things you can do to protect your ears will be worthwhile in the years before you. Loud ringing echoing in a bare building isn't all that romantic.