joshua.M Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 so now that its winter up here in canada, we are getting temperatires aroung -20C (-4F) and itsonly going to get colder...and colder...and even colder so, i have been having trouble getting motivated to go out into my outdoor, un-walled shop that is filling with snow so i have some questions. #1 how do you get motivated to get out there? #2 how would you protect your tools from snow and wind and rain (3 grinders a drill press a cutoff saw, saws all, drills and sanders) #3 what could i use for walls? i have portable horse stall pannels that i am using but it is under a slanted roof pole building and they dont go all the way to the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Build walls would be my suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 #3 what could i use for walls? What do you have available? One thing that comes to mind is to use a 5 gallon bucket as a form and lightly lubricate the inside. Then ram / pack snow into the bucket. Turn it over and you have one building block. You will need several building blocks to enclose the shop area. Pack snow into any open spaces and spray lightly with water when you finish. The water should provide a hard shell finish to the wall. It should be wind proof, and last until spring, or warmer weather, which ever comes first. Need more snow, hire yourself out and shovel your neighbors driveway (grin) Think of it as a big igloo. I can see the neighbor looking out the window and seeing this HUGE igloo with a smoke stack, smoke coming out the top, and scratching his head. "Honey, come look at this, I swear that thing was not there last night." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Well when I enclosed my smithy I used hail damaged propanel that a friend gave me after the insurance put a new roof on his house. I did buy 3 C purlins per side and a bag of self drilling self tapping screws to fasten it together. Having a non-flamable smithy makes me smile! Tools that can be damaged by rain or snow stay someplace climate controlled others can have a tarp thrown over them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Snow Forge. I'd like to see pictures of that! Anything you can get for cheap or free to make temp wall is fine. I'm lucky that I have a "shed" to forge in . Ok, so it is more of a one car garage, but it is unheated, uninsulated, and I have to run the chimney out a removable window. Even so, with the window removed and the garage door half open, it still got to 70 in there the other day. Burned a lot of coal doing it, but +50 over outside temp is not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Wow, I am in Southern Louisiana and yes winter has arrived here too. No Snow or sub zero weather. I was thinking similar thoughts about getting out in all that cold. You know, we were pushing low 30s (fahrenheit) last night! I guess I should not let this stop me. especially when you are just now saying the winter has arrived. But we have a wet cold down here not that nice warm dry cold you guys have up there. Blows right through you... My suggestion would be to move south... way South. I used to live in Iowa and have made the move due to the cold. Sorry, this probably wasn't much help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 ya you could join the other Canadeians down here in sunny arizona! never a problem with snow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocko 58 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Or you to could move to OZ no snow here either all sun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Joshua, My home shop was out in the open for many years when I was younger. I had a small storage shed. I stored everything I needed inside the shed. Then pulled it out when I used it. I had a steel table, and an anvil on a stump that I covered with a canvas cover. I would bring out water in a bucket if needed. Many times the snow was so deep that I used the snow to quench. It worked well for me for many years, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Cheap tarps, or use plastic on 2x4, about 50x100mm lumber frames. The coldest it has gotten here is +9 deg. F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 thanks for all the suggestions, but the only problem is that i live with my parents (im 15) and my dad trains horses out of our barn so i cant have anything cobbled together because we have clients coming in and out. i love the snow forge idea, but the problem is, we dont have snow tet, we have ice and (i could skate on the road) i would love to move south but at 15 i dont think that an option borntoolate, thats exactly what we have the humidity is frozen and we have a ton of wind. Jason, are you sending me the money to do that? :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodskevin Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 If you can, post pictures of your current setup so we can help you better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 A friend of mine who is a smith in Saskatchewan where it gets REALLY cold has another friend out there who's blacksmith shop is built of straw bales. It might be worth looking into that. I think the inside walls are stuccoed or drywalled. The straw provides tremendous insulation and apparently due to the construction method is not very flammable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 There are some houses made out of flax straw bales here in Saskatchewan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmahonforge Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 The main thing is to keep yourself safe from frostbite. I am working out in the open here in new york and it has been cold.It has been under 10 deg. f. We recently sold our house and my shop to buy a new house. It sold faster than we thought and winter hit before I could build the new shop. I sell alot of firewood pokers and other ornimental items in the winter time. First thing is to make sure you have the right gear to keep your body protected if you are going to be working in this kind of weather. Dont push it when you start to get cold go inside and warm up. I would invest in good cold weather clothes (carharts, insulated underwear, hats, gloves ect.). If you dont already have this stuff. Your young and have alot of time to be forging. Dont push it be safe and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 i dont have any pictures at the moment but i will try to get out and brave the cold to get pics, i'll warn you its messy! mcmahon i need to invest in some carharts, im stuck with my worn out jacket (because you cant wear the niice warm one where it could get dirty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Try a second hand store for cheap cold weather clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Perhaps go the route of multiple layers of clothes that can be shed or added to in order to get just the right amount needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I am sooooo glad I live in Florida :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawno Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I have tarps for walls on my I-beam shop building. The hay bale idea sounds like a good idea to me. Just make sure it doesn't get anywhere near the fire or poof, no shop, mad dad. good luck. The weather here has been unseasonably warm lately so woking outside hasn't been too bad. I picked up some insulated coveralls for six bucks last summer at a thrift store. Just like new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 how do i post pics? it's asking for a "URL" but they are on my computer not a website??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 GOT IT!!!! south-west west north-west north noth-east east layout from larde enterance facing north from outside I have pics of my equipment if you guys want to see????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 My shop here in Co is only insulated to R9 and I snivel, you Cannucks are tough!.......Just don't give you anvil a big wet kiss in the mourning..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I am sooooo glad I live in Florida I do believe it was warmer today here in Kansas than Florida. (I'm still waiting for winter to hit.) And I was stuck inside doing other stuff. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKForge Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Joshua that actually does not look bad for a start. With the walls you have stacking straw bales behind should really help insulate your area. An inexpensive wall structure could be used pallets and then with the straw around the outside would give you the insulation and hide the pallets from any of dads clients. If he is training horses you could make some good money forging horseshoes into items and having them for sale. Helps to pay for new tools, better walls etc. Good luck and keep at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Remember, when dressing for cold and sparks and flames, use ONLY wool and dry cotton. In the context of a blacksmith shop think of nylon, gortex, fleece, polypro, any synthetic fiber, as frozen gasoline just waiting to ignite and burn/melt onto your skin. Even if you don't get hurt, you will melt big holes into all of your gear. Wet cotton won't burn, but it'll make you colder than being naked. For cold and flames, wool is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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