Beth - now your talking a workable shop! Along with any and all cool tools/toys that one can aquire for metalwork.

I built my hobby shop with the possibility to go Pro. It is 30 by 50. I do have a couple of machine tools and some general storage in one end of the building. I did 8' height with a concrete floor and an extra thick pad where the power hammers sit. If I had a do over it would be 40 by 50 or 60 and definitely 10' or higher sidewalls. I would also build an attached portion for an office and display area. I have a side draft coal forge and 2 gas forges in the shop for when friends come over.

I like the idea of that bridge crane, I got tired of man handling everything. Sure it builds muscle but it also wears you down. If not a bridge crane then a high enough ceiling to have rolling gantry and a smooth concrete floor. My one studio/shop had such a rough concrete floor it might as well have been dirt. I liked my really high ceiling with north light, no direct sun burning your hide brown, sun can make things even hotter out here in Arizona but north light is cool. A roof that doesn't leak is good and rolling doors that go to one side, I guess that's called a barn door. Not very tight to keep vermin out like snakes and rats but it's out of the ways to one side instead of being over head in the way. My shop was 20 x 40 and wasn't always big enough for the things I made and all of our stuff, two power hammers, drill press, welders, work benches and other odds and ends. Sometimes there was just the two of us and sometimes we would take in a renter when money was short. That was a pain in the rear let me tell you have another person running around the place acting like it was his. I was happiest working alone or with a grunt.

jk - yes - with all manner of tools for heating, hammering, forming, pressing, holding, supporting, shaping, cutting, mark-making, moving, lifting, and generally enjoying. and any materials your heart desires. :)

pretty much all covered.... but i would have a sawtooth roof, facing south, to add more light, a wooden slab walled area for the forging section, part dirt floor (i love a dirt floor for forging area) airconditioned jewellery/armour making section (with stone walls), line shaft running most tools...... from a steam engine, definately overhead crane!
oh and a shower/ washroom, so i dont dirty the house.......

iron john :) dirt floor YES, steam engine run air tools, YES. styley :)

i may change my name to iron betty..

30' x 60' is plenty of space. Concrete floor, BUT with insulation under it. Too many forget that. Much easier on the feet and legs. Plus if it is built facing south and like a bank barn with the back of the shop, the north side dug into a hill side, the shop and floor will stay at 55 degrees year round. Not bad to heat in the winter and nice and cool in the summer. I also like the saw tooth roof, but this size shop is a bit small for that, but the clerestory is great for ventilation and especially for light. My curent shop is about 23 x 25 and it's just a tad tight. But for the newer smith would be more than enough space.

 i would  do a 30'x38'  shop  with two side lofts at the ends then a forge in the back center and a harden clay roof concrete floor with a  under left loft for blacksmithing tools storage then on left loft i would do wood working   tools and work space then on the right loft i would have a cot  then under the right side loft i would have a solar shower with a drain under it that directs the water  outside!

Edited September 26, 20178 yr by warhawk

I am designing a shop. What is better for floor, concrete or gravel? I think gravel for drainage and vibration absorbtion.

 

Owen you might find that to be a personal preference kind of thing. Some like wood floors (softer on the joints but easy to clean up), some prefer dirt/gravel (difficult to clean but easier on the joints), others like concrete (harder on the joints but easy to clean. 

I have used wood and dirt/gravel floors in my shop and prefer wood. I’d like to use concrete for part of the floor but I haven’t gotten around to installing it yet. 

Thanks mike

This is what i have so far

Kind of hard to see exactly what you have going on there on my phone. Are you going for open air setup on the one side? That setup would be fine with a dirt/gravel floor. 

My opinion is concrete all the way. I have had concrete caravel and dirt, and concrete is the best hands down. You can put thick rubber mats  in the places you will stand a lot (in front of the anvil etc.). 

as for the open air setup, i will have a sliding door, 7' tall x 5' wide. thats so i can have it open for ventilation, or to enjoy the bueatiful outdoors where i live.

OK and what's on the other side to get cross ventilation?

Going by the lines on the above drawing, I assume thats a 2' window/opening on the left side wall?

20 hours ago, JustAnotherViking said:

Going by the lines on the above drawing, I assume thats a 2' window/opening on the left side wall?

yes. 2 windows, one on the left wall, one on the back wall.

20 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

OK and what's on the other side to get cross ventilation?

i will have a vent on the right side, above the bench grinder, to help keep the air clean there from dust n stuff, and for cross venting

On 12/12/2017 at 7:48 AM, Owen Hinsman said:

or to enjoy the bueatiful outdoors where i live.

Where might that be. If you will edit your profile to show your location, you may be surprised how many members are near you and some answers are location dependent.

17 hours ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

Where might that be. If you will edit your profile to show your location, you may be surprised how many members are near you and some answers are location dependent.

i did so. as i do not have my own forge/smithy, i smith at Long Branch Forge in Bowdinham, ME

Have you joined the New England Blacksmith's yet?

no. How can I join?

 

Visit the website.

I'll pm the link. 

Also have you heard of The New England School Of Metalwork?

I am a youth (under 18) so ill have to talk to my parents. but this seems like a good idea to improve my skill level and meet other smiths.

5 minutes ago, Dylan Sawicki said:

Visit the website.

I'll pm the link. 

Also have you heard of The New England School Of Metalwork?

yeah i have. 

Cool! The NEB is really great I've gone to two meets one workshop, and gone to the brentwood teaching center a few times. I've learned so much! Even bought my second anvil at the fall meet.