Marksnagel

Really nice job on the shovel. Good detail on the twist! Thanks for posting. Mark<><

Some dummy with more money than brains will pay it and put it in his/her front yard surrounded by daisys and make the rest of us cry. I know, there is one near me and they won't sell. Mark<><

Really nice ornament. That will probably be displayed there year round. Nice job. Mark<><

RMiles, Wow! You've done a great job. Thanks for posting the pics and the info. Look forward to seeing more. Mark<><

Scott, Your mom and you and the rest of your family are in my prayers. I have seen what prayers can do first hand and I stand in awe. Mark<><

Bats are great. They eat more skeeters than anything that I am aware of. Mark<><

These are some crosses that I made a while back but didn't know how to retrieve or resize the pictures from my phone. These are from 3/8ths solid stock.

Just found this pic of frequent visitors in late summer.

I agree with Ironclad, I cannot afford a powerhammer but I have a very strong son and a 12 lb sledge. We just need to work on his aim/control a little. I save the big things for when he comes home. A friend just gave me a broken coil spring off his crop sprayer. It's 1 1/4". I thanked him and scratched my head. "We're gunna need a bigger hammer." Never turn down free stuff. Mark<><

Clinton, Thanks for the pictures! I spoke with my landlord today and he said to go for it. He has all the materials I need and will undoubtedly help me build it. With all the input I've reveived I should get a pretty good working blacksmith shop. Pictures will follow as it progresses. Thanks again, Mark<><

Mark, Welcome to your newest obsession/addiction/passion. As with most things in life, practice and a lot of patience will dictate how sucessful you are. I have burnt many pieces of iron by not paying enough atention to what I was doing. Luckily these were from scrap. Since I started buying my iron, I've become a lot more careful. Mistakes translate into loss of revenue. Pay attention to the advise you are given here, there are a lot of knowledgable blacksmiths here. I've learned a lot. Enjoy the ride! Every tuesday nite at 10:00PM eastern (US) there is Blue Prints in the chat room. There will be many smiths there and Glenn will post plans of things to make. Great time! Mark<><

Caleb, Thanks for the info on the book. I'll see if I can find it. The detachable windows sound good but then I would need to have an overhang on the sides above the windows so that in the summer I can still work in the rain. No real problem. I could easily keep the detachable window up on the windward side. With all the info that I am getting I should be able to put together a very functional shed for my shop. Today was a good example of why I need a blacksmith shop. Not cold but heavy wind and some rain. Wx dictates when I work. Today, I didn't. Thanks all, Mark<><

How about if the windows were two piece? A top that goes up and the bottom down to make the table. I figure since I'm in the planning stage all things are possible.

They are hard to find. That is why I am using a train coupler and RR track. But you know, what you don't have you learn to make do without. They work good for me but the day that I do get an anvil, ya'll will hear me holler! Mark<><

is there any real reason to have an anvil of that size? No one can walk off with it when visiting your shop. :D

Joseph, I would someday like to live in the mouintains, I miss them. Youngest is in her last year at Appstate. I'll probably stay here and just visit the mountains though. I think I have a pretty good idea what you are describing. I have a lot of options available. Ideas from my mind and everybody elses will probably culminate into what resembles a shop. It will be like the old Johnny Cash song about the caddilac he got from work one piece at a time over a period of years. Phil, The front will be open across the whole thing. I want a big opening. The barn doors that Thomas mentioned will be good there. It is rare that anything that gets built around here, shed like, has a set of plans. A plan view will follow shortly and be added as a reply. First I need to measure my equipment and see what room I will need. Feel free to critique, commend or criticize the layout as I have no local Master Blacksmith to learn from. Thanks, Mark<><

Good buy! Good luck with it. Mark

Good advice from all. Thomas, I am a hobby blacksmith and I do intend to grow as I learn. I didn't give any hint to what the shops main purpose was because I haven't figured out what my potential will be yet. By being ambiguous maybe I'll get a broader mix of ideas. My landlord really is great. Anything I want to do around the home, they are supportive of. Shop on skids is a great idea but there is really little chance of us moving and if we did, all the materials for the shop would be the farms anyway. The house we are renting is in the middle of their farm, it was built in the mid 1700's (British were in charge) and needs fine tuning quite often. I do much of the minor repairs and they pay me for my time. We have been here for 14 years and have been pretty much adopted. Yet one never knows. I will probably have a good overhang in the front to keep rain from coming in the doors. I like the idea of the sliding/rolling barn doors. Francis, I hadn't really put much thought into locking the shop as I don't have a whole lot of tools yet. I should plan for the future and be able to secure the shop. Dablacksmith, Your shop is what I had in mind. Thanks. David, You are right. Don't need a draft blowing around the shop. Thomas's door idea should take care of that. Don, Plenty of poles on the farm. I will probably take a mix of ideas that are offered, use some, throw out some and then two years down the line wish I hadn't thrown them out. If I finish it this fall and it's not too embarassing looking, I'll post some pictures. Thanks all, Mark<><

Good point Roy. Build the shed around the shop. I think 12 x 12 should do it especially since one side will be open. I can expand as needed. The Ceiling will be plenty tall. I'm 6'2" so there will be plenty of swing room taken in account. With all the discussions lately about how do you orientate the horn on the anvil in your shop I figure there should be plenty of shop advise floating around on how to set up a shop. Since mine is outside space is not a problem. With winter coming on actually space is a problem. All advice is welcome. Thanks for replying. Mark<><

Dan, Sure do have a wood burning fireplace. And if I want to stay married I had better not introduce coal into it. You're not too far from my younger brother. He's in Homer. With your winters you may want to set up shop in the livingroom. The anvil in the middle of the den might be a bit much. The winters here in north east NC don't get too severe but they can get nasty for a bit. I have a 24 x 12 shed but I doubt my landlord would appreciate me setting up shop in the "nice" shed. However on a good note, he will let me and help me build whatever I want for a blacksmith shed. Great landlord. All I'm really looking for is a three sided shelter with a roof that I can close off the front in the cold and open the sides in the summer. I will also vent the fire through a Hofi hood of sorts most probably. There are plenty of materials around with which to build. Just fishin for some ideas. All ideas welcome. (except the livingroom fireplace) Mark

Well winter is coming and the weather will soon turn cooler. The romance of running the forge under the spreading oak tree will soon come to a freezing halt. I moved under the tree to be sheltered from the sun and now I need to hide from the elements. I reckon I'm hard to please. I'm looking for ideas on a small shop, @ 12x12. I have my own ideas but would like some others. I'm using a coal forge and need room for a work table and anvil and some breathing room. Doesn't have to be pretty, just functional. ie out of the wind/rain/sun Pictures would be great.

Praise God Jimmy! God hears our prayers and has answered them in the positive. I will still pray for you as you continue on with life. Time to offer up prayers of thanks! Good timing as it is Thanksgiving in a couple days in the US. Mark<><