[ThomasPowers]

I spent 15 years living in a 100 year old neighborhood in Columbus OH. My nearest neighbor had a house less than 20 *feet* from mine. The forge was either under the big old tree out back or in the detached falling down garage behind the tree (summer/winter).

I looked into the local codes and it said anything that creates fumes discernable from off the property was verboten as was open fires though there were two exceptions: heating and cooking.

I was very lucky, the nearest neighbor was retired and said that coal smoke reminded her of the old coal furnace she grew up with---no problem. To the other side we had about 40 feet to the next house (we had a double lot with our house built 1' onto the other lot so it couldn't be subdivided) It was mainly low rent housing and they generally were not interested in having the police come round...

At one point I did have trouble with an unknown neighbor calling the fire department on me any time I lit up---but by the best of good luck they did it when I was using my *smoker* to cook dinner (see exception #2) and after 3 times the fire department wedged their truck down the alley to see me cooking chicken or salmon in the smoker I think thay had the little "large fine for false alarms" talk with them because the harassment stopped!

Remember that being a good neighbor is more than just following the local codes---If someone has a young child, try to coordinate with them so you don't interfere with their nap times, same with their BBQ's or outdoor parties. Though forging usually doesn't bother social gatherings, use of grinders will.

Propane or charcoal forges are not nearly so "visible" as coal forges. A Fisher or Vulcan anvil will hold down the hammering amazingly and a muffled "By St Eloi!" when you do something you shouldn't instead of cussing will help keep a low profile.

Now on the bad side: I had a student who put a forge outside his place in a college district. Unfortunatly the prevailing wind pushed the smoke into a nearby appartment whose renter called the cops on him---they told him he needed an EPA permit to burn coal. Being a stubborn cuss he contacted the EPA and asked what he needed to do to get one. The asked him how much coal he burned in a year. he said "a couple of hundred"; "tons???"; "No, pounds". When they got finished laughing they told him not to bother them till he was in the 1000 ton range (IIRC). He asked them to put that in writing which they nicely did so he showed that to the city. Then they said he would have to get a "burning permit" $25 and 10 working days before *each* time he would be using the forge.

He ended up moving instead---note this is the same city I had been running my forge in for years and still did for years afterwards.

Of course there is a time that the local Bar burned down and nobody called the fire dept until too late cause they thought the smoke was from my forge back behind the bar across the alley...

Thomas