Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Building the Ultimate Personal Blacksmith Shop


Glenn

Recommended Posts

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

post-1310-0-04613100-1333460025_thumb.jp

post-1310-0-15642100-1333460554_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

 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 by warhawk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

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. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...