Poll - Which best describes your shop. Inside or outside?

[tzonoqua]

Thanks Frosty- it seems that I too, have now gone down in history as the first female Blacksmith to work from "The Old Smiddy" - I was featured in the local paper in the summer (as you can see not too much happens round here!)

Our village museum has an exhibit dedicated to The Old Smiddy- here is a link about the museum

Visitscotland Atholl Country Life Museum Blair Atholl Museum Welcome

Now they have posted the article in the museum up along with the exhibit which is really nice! (more of that good publicity too!)

This place was run as a Blacksmith's until the early 1970's when it closed and lay vacant for many years. When it closed the Blacksmith gave most of the tools and the bellows to a local farmer (who is the man responsible for the museum).

It had become a woodturners, a store room for the local post office, and a few other things before it fell into disrepair. A friend of mine bought it about 5 years ago and spent a couple years doing it up, kitted out the workshop then got married and moved to the Isle of Skye. When he asked me if I wanted to come and take it over, I jumped at the chance! It's amazing that it is now again in service as a Blacksmith's although now I make decorative objects, sculpture and the occasional gates and railings, and sell my metalwork and some paintings in the Gallery, rather than the traditional work of fixing things, (having said that I have fixed the golf club's mowers a couple of times, oh, and forging some custom bolts for a friend's horse carriage, oh, and forging some custom parts for the watermill, hmmm, ok, so maybe I DO do a little bit of traditional work...).

The village I live in is very special in that we have a Castle (Blair Castle, which has a private army!) and we also have a working watermill which was built in the 1600's. My neighbours are the millers, and I think its just hilarious that ''the Blacksmith's children play with the Miller's children" all in a 21 Century manner though!!

Blair Atholl Watermill

So ya, a little bit of history, in a beautiful highland setting, and I feel privileged to live among it.

Colleen

[skunkriv]

tzonoqua-Sounds like a wonderful place to live and work. A great slice of history and a great story reuniting the lady with the pony shoes.

[KevinD]

Outside with roof and some permanent walls (attached to a building etc)

[Dale Peters]

Both inside and out -- I have a charcoal forge, JY tire hammer, anvil, and post vise outside under a carport attached to my 13'x22' shop. I also have a couple of propane forges, anvil, two post vises, and a soon-to-be-completed treadle hammer inside the shop. I have a wood stove in the shop for heat, but the propane forge also works well to heat it up. Now, if I would just get out there to do some actual forging!

[Mende]

Originally Posted by KevinD

Outside with roof and some permanent walls (attached to a building etc)

What's the huge metal wrapped brick bucket thing?. .Is it a coal forge without a firepot or?

[KevinD]

Originally Posted by Mende

What's the huge metal wrapped brick bucket thing?. .Is it a coal forge without a firepot or?

Yep. It was my grandfathers. I'm gonna rebuild it.

[Ted T]

Although I worked in welding and blacksmith/welding shops during the day, at night and weekends I worked out side for about 21 years before I finally got me an indoor shop. I just covered everything with canvas.
When I was young it worked for me. But now (fast foreward 50 + yrs.) I could not withstand the cold and or heat.
I have a 30' x 30' heated finishing shop . I also have a 7' x 14' covered forge station (no heat). And finally I have an 18' x 28 foot steel building I use to store materials in (no heat).
Ted's Open Roof Blacksmith shop 1972.jpg
This old photo was taken in about 1972
Be safe!
Old Rusty Ted

[Blaine A]

Hello all . I have a 10 by 20 shed multi purpose machine shop/ carpenter/ Blacksmith shop. Have forge and anvil in a permanent location and the rest is moved when I need it. Heated with a wood stove . Want to build a more traditional shop next year . Wood floor covered with sheet meatal for blacksmithing and welding. Keeps me sane .

[Ted T]

KevinD,
Your Smithy looks like a fun and a relaxing place to work in.
It kinda looks like a photo worth framing!
Be safe!
Old Rusty Ted

[hammerkid]

It does !!!!
I try to get pics of my shop