urnesBeast

I would recommend a much smaller hammer, or a much bigger piece of steel! A regular ball peen would work better for you. It will help with hammer control.

Actually, there will be no "space between studs" to use. I will be dry walling the entire room and there is insulation between the studs.

The more I think about this idea, the more I like it. My only concern is the weight on the wall pulling the wall inwards. I have decided to simply attach a level to the wall in a few places and monitor. If it ever starts to move out of level, then it is time to detach the rack and think again.

-Doug

Why would this work best in a pole barn?

I have a fairly unique opportunity with the construction of this new smithy. I have been thinking about stock racks and I think I know what I want to do.

I am a hobbyist, do not expect to have a ridiculous amount of steel. I kept thinking of ways to attach the stock rack to the wall, when I realized: I don't have a wall yet, build it right in!

So, along the 19 foot wall, I am thinking every 3 feet, I would have a double stud (two 2x4 long faces together) turned the opposite direction to the regular studs, flush with the inside wall. From four foot up to the top there would be holes drilled through all but 1/4 of an inch of this doubled 2x4. These holes would be like 3 inches apart.

Now put the drywall up.

Find the holes, punch through.

Put some facing board to cover the fragile drywall with the same hole pattern.

Now, wherever I need a stock rack, I put tubing directly into the wall. They will be laid out on a grid pattern all over the back wall. If I keep the tubing short the weight will stay near the wall and not act as a lever to pull it inward.

With all these extra studs, the weight of the material will not really matter. By keeping the tubing shelves short, the leverage will not matter. I should be able to have lots of short shelves.

If I the uprights are too far apart, I would be able to add a shelf between two tubes pretty easy.

Attached is a 5 minute mockup. Simply nailing this to the wall, poorly, it was able to support 110lbs without issue or tearing away from the wall.

Thoughts?

How closely spaced are your stock rack arms, horizontally and vertically?

I should state some more of my constraints here:

The wall without windows looks out on to a fence and my "not so friendly" neighbor. No windows on that side. I want my chimney going that direction because I would rather not look at it from my yard. The windows are on the side they are on because that is the west, and it is the only side that does not have a stockade fence within five feet.

I am about to post an idea for a stock rack, I expect it to go on the windowless side.

It would be really great if I could think of a way to have the forge area not set either. I really liked my side draft forge. My current plan is to have them frame out three different locations for the side draft to go. I will have the other two there and "punch them out" of the drywall if I ever need them.

I am not sure how I feel about bolting into my concrete at this point, it still has that "new shop smell" to it. Any good ideas on how to get the stability? Maybe bolt to some sheet metal/plywood that I stand on when using it?

I like the idea of the grit falling to the ground and not my hard to clean workbench.

As I layout my new shop, I find myself wondering if grinders, polishers, sanders should be on their own pedestals or mounted to a benchtop.

Pro Pedestal:
flexibility in location
takes less space
power cord can be better fixed out of the way
Height can be adjusted easier

Con Pedestal:
may not be as stable as bench mount
benches allow shelf storage underneath

I am planning out my new smithy. I know I am going to want some machine to cut stock with. I wonder if I want this chop saw
or this bandsaw.

I see that I will likely be pulling stock from a rack, dropping it on a long table shared between a wood radial arm saw and one of these machines.

What advantage do you see to each of them? I am not as concerned about price as I am functionality and utility of each machine.

I have been thinking about this, and have moved my vices to a corner work bench. The forge is near the middle now. I have also put a rectangle under my anvil to show where the power hammer will go in four or five years. I figure I will be able to move the regular anvil nearer the door when that PH arrives. The forge is 6 feet from close wall. The workbenches and cuttoff table for the stock rack will be the same height as forge.

Glue bottle represents a welder.

Fair enough, I should say what I am doing!

I am only about a year into this, so far it has all been small artsy stuff. I would not expect to do any railings or anything that takes more than one hand to lift.

So far, I have been doing wood mounted fold forming, switch plates in copper (fold formed also) lots of trinkets and animal head hooks. I tend to grind and finish the pieces on a wire wheel or with an angle grinder.

I am mostly at the point of skill builders, am just starting with welding (forge and mig)

So, I will be breaking ground soon on a new 10x19 building. I am pouring a slab 10x28 for possible expansion if permits can be had in the future for the larger building.

The only thing in the shop that can not move easily is the side draft chimney. I want to get the placement right from the beginning. Here is a scale drawing of one layout I have in mind, everything labeled. Other ideas follow (unlabeled, same symbols)

Remember that I may be able to expand out the double doors in the future.

I want to get an idea for potential future power hammer and anvil locations so that I can pour an isolation box in the cement for them now while it is easy.

I am fairly certain I want the double doors where they are, but EVERYTHING is open for change except the square footage of the building.

I think I want to keep the same side draft chimney I had before, but if people think I should go out the roof, I am open...

I have a bit of woodworking equipment in the room, it is stuff that supports the kind of work I want to do.

Nice idea, but at 6-2 myself I am going to want at least 7' ceilings and once everything adds up, we would not be in code for height.

I have had problems with the anvil not being properly grounded in the first smithy, so I want to make sure it is part of the earth!

Why do you think I should reverse?

http://www.browncowart.com/portfolio/cat/7/id/42

That one just looks plain fun!

Thank you all. I am convinced this is something I am not going to do. Now, how does one get a variance... :)

I just got galvi stove pipe. It was thin.

Doug

So, with the rebuild of the smithy, I of course, want to expand. It turns out that due to (incredibly forward looking and completely appropriate) [edited after language reprimand ] local zoning, I am not legally allowed to build "'roofs on more than 25% of the land I own".

I am limited to 10x19, a shed can not be two stories here either.

Now 10x19 is pretty nice, but I have had my heart on 10x28 since we started drawing up plans and already I have that pretend smithy full of woodworking tools...

So, one of the options is to add on to the house. This requires footings so deep, that you might as well make a basement while doing that. Basically, I would have smithy in the basement and woodworking above.

Is this a bad idea?

I am concerned about the smell of coal,
Possible fire danger
Dust from the woodroom in the house

Other things that I can not think of.

I had one fabricated to the specs shown in the Hofi print. 15 foot tall stack. The only problem that I had is that once I was not holding my hammer real tight and it got sucked up in the draft. I had to get it out of my neighbors yard...

I have had problem with the gorilla and coal dust. I could not get it off, but I could get the "stickiness to everything other than my hands" to stop:

wash your hands in talcum powder.

The talc will get stuck to the gorrialla and then your hands are no longer sticky. From there, is is about a week of looking like you have a weird skin disease.

-Doug

I just paid $100 for a post vice in Boston area also. I wonder if Doug C and I were both buying from the same blacksmith that just closed up shop...

I am not a welder either, and I started with a gasser. What I did was use patio stone (18"x18") to go under the forge, then a wooden frame of 2x4 holding it up.

I was told the forge would bend the plate steel of a table unless it was protected somehow.

The wood frame got singed a little, but if all the wood were under the patio block, it would do just fine.

Doug

I just put an old heating pad under the slack tub and turned it on. Not sure if that was electricity efficient or not, but it was easy.

I have been looking for a commercially produced coal forge and have only found the ones at Centaur. They look 'portable' but do not seem to have the gravitas or presence of an old commercial forge I use at the teaching forge I attend.

I see plenty of blowers, and firepots, but not the actual tables. I suspect that if I want a version of the large and heavy steel forge I know from the classroom, I am going to have to talk to a fabricator.

Do you know of sources of pre-built coal forges?

Hofi,

I tried writing to your website about when your classes are scheduled for, but have gotten no reply yet.

The New York class was delayed, I want to take a class, but do not know when your next basics is. How many do you need for a class?

Doug

Everyone,

I will be printing this thread and discussing with the contractor. These are exactly the kind of things I was curious about.

Lighting: I just went to homeDepot.com, I could not find 6' bulbs! So, we do need to go with something different. I will look into solar tubes and skylights.

The hose bib: I have hot and cold taps at the house right near the shed. My father is a plumber. The way the land is, getting water in would be a real pain to get below the frost line, and drainage near on impossible. Likely solution, run two hoses the 15 feet into a little utility tub that drains onto the ground.

As for the power: The contractor is also a hobby hot rod builder. He totally "gets it" with respect to power needs. He was advocating 220 and big amperage out there. I suspect it is but an oversight on the call-out. He is a reasonable guy, not trying to cut corners on me.

Keep coming with the tips, I have a "sign off" in a few days. Then we get started.

Thanks,
Doug