Forging under canvas

[JimG]

Do you guys have any ideas on forging under canvas?

I'm setting up a portable SCA smithy for camping event's and trying to figure out a sun/wind shade. I have a couple 19 foot long by 42 inch wide swather canvas I was thinking of using as walls to shelter the forge from wind. And I have a 5'7" x 11'6" canvas tarp I was thinking of making a roof from. Space as in the foot print, and in packing is at a bit of a premium, but reasonable. It usualy is way too bright and hot during the day to safely forge outside during camping season. My forge is a rivet forge with short legs so it's just up off the ground and I work in a sitting position. I will probaly be burning coal, not charcol. I'd love to set up a forge with just a bit of rock and a hole in the ground, but most of the sites I camp at frown on fires directly on the ground.

I never light the forge until I have at least a five gallon pail of water handy, and I usualy keep a rag in the tub to batt out any grass fires.

[bruce wilcock]

The uk army farrier blacksmith,field shelter ,was a single sheet pinned down facing the wind,then sloping up to two poles and two guy lines ,with the wind going over it,this cleared the smoke and then a seperate sheet was set up a little distance of to cast a shadow over the anvil ,
when we welded a anchor up outside recently ,i set up a thick dark tarp to take the sun of the fire, it dosnt have to be big just in the right place,and movable

[irnsrgn]

JIm, take an old larger disc blade, put 3 short legs on it and enlarge the hole in the center and put a plate with holes or such for your air device to blow thru, then make a ring a little larger than the fire you want out of narrow flat iron and just lay this in the disc blade and lay your rocks around the edges, the ring keeps them from sliding into the fire, and keep the ground, grass or whatever under the thing wet and it will not kill the grass in that area.

You can also lay rocks around the outside of the disc to hide it from view too. It will lock just like a pile of rocks at a casual glance.

[irnsrgn]

Also, 4 5 foot long healthy rods with an eye in the tops can be driven into the ground and a short sidewall screen of canvas or other material can be fastened to these to make a 3 sided wind screen aways from the forge and with the center section toward the wind to make an effective wind screen and if the wind changes just move the stakes and wind screen.

hope this helps


Jr.

[HWooldridge]

A friend and I demo at fairs under canvas and a break down frame made from tube. The tarp is 25x25 but we only close the back against wind - the sides and front are open but we tie ropes all around to keep the crowd from climbing on top of us. We use one forge with two anvils and we both work out of the one fire. We typically work fairs with two full days and this is a very handy setup. I always work on the right facing the crowd and my buddy on the other side because I work the blower. I also have a table to my right at the edge of the enclosure that we can put product on.

I would like a shed roof better for smoke escape because the peak has a tendency to roll the soot around and drop it right back on us but that is my only complaint. I DO NOT LIKE HAVING LITTLE KIDS AND THE CROWD right on top of me but I have worked under those conditions a few times. It just takes more paying attention to what you do and drop on the ground.