Dimkin Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Hey guys! I'm reading blacksmithing forums for a while now. I think I know how to start. The problem is that I'm not sure I have the place/space needed. Me and my wife we're living in a small village, renting a 50 sq. meters house with about 30 sq. meters front yard (only dirt, no grass with one tree in the middle). We have neighbors (we share one wall in sort of a duplex house). In front of our house we have mainly fields with different crops. Is it even reasonable to start thinking about building some sort of a blacksmith there? Do I even have enough space for everything needed? How much noise blacksmithing will produce? (I afraid the neighbours may not like the hammer) :D And let's say I will try to find another place to rent, how large should it be? Must it be stone built or wood/metal is ok? I even thought about purchasing a shipping container and cut windows to create small forge.. Could it work? Sorry if these are silly questions :wacko: , but, I'm pretty lost. I have never been in a blacksmith before and I can only imagine how it should look like from the inside. Any ideas you may have are very welcome! Thanks a lot, Danny Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Hello Danny , where are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimkin Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 Hey, I live in Israel, central district Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 It depends on a lot of factors, zoning what type work how friendly the neighbor coal, gas, charcoal extra. Geo Dixon started in his basement using an Ocy acet torch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimkin Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 Thanks for the answers, I plan to use coal as fuel, the neighbours are nice, but, not sure I want to find until when :D Anyway, I want to start small, first of all just to get familiar myself with blacksmithing, later maybe try to make knives, candle stands and some other small stuff, nothing larger than that for now (for now, I probably mean for the first year or so) I eventually want to try to go into reconstruction. I believe I have time till then though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 You could set up and do reasonable amounts of blacksmithing very nicely in a 3mx3m area with forge, workbench with postvise, anvil and tool rack. You could do small amounts in a 1mx1m area. I have built a one fire brick forge that uses a plumbing torch and it and all the equipment to use it fit in a 5 gallon bucket for transport! You can quiet anvils down substantially by tightly affixing them to their mounting set up. As noted check with your neighbors *first*. Coal smoke is not very nice so many people in tight quarters use charcoal or propane forges---no smoke, no bother! "Bribing" your neighbors with hand forged items is a time honoured tradition in smithing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimkin Posted October 18, 2012 Author Share Posted October 18, 2012 Coal smoke is not very nice so many people in tight quarters use charcoal or propane forges---no smoke, no bother! Hi thanks, I always thought that coal should create less smoke, guess I was wrong. Anyway, what about my idea to fit the forge into a small shipping container? Will it fit? If so, I'll be able to work there even at winter and it will be mobile in case we decide to move somewhere else. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I started out in an 8x8' shed and "moved up" to a 10x12" space, so it doesn't take a lot of room, espeacially when forging smaller stuff. The shipping container is a great idea, but you might want to look at making everything semi-portable... either on casters or easily moved with a dolly. That way, when the weather is nice, you could move your forge and anvil out and have plenty of space. You could even fix a canopy for shade. If you do choose to work in the container, be 100% sure you establish PLENTY of ventilation. You coulds seal yourself up in there and die from CO in short order. Good luck, and keep us posted. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Dear Dimkin, One thing to consider regarding a shipping container is overhead clearance. If you are going to be working on large enough objects that you need to raise your hammer over your head you want to be able to do that. You probably don't have much worry in Israel about heating it in the winter but I imagine that it could get pretty toasty in the summer. I suggest some sort of cushioning between you anvil stand and the steel floor or you may be working inside a big bell. A propane or natural gas fired forge has the least impact on the neighbors. If you do use charcoal try to get real charcoal and not briquettes. It works better and has much less tendency to disintegrate. Unobtrusively, George M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! You need to find Tsur Sada! he lives south of you, more in the southern district. He is a fantastic smith and often teaches here in the USA. I took a class under him several yrs ago, good teacher/instructor. Tell him Tommy Dean from East Texas sent you...and tell him also I say "Howdy" and Shalom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 In Israel? Call Hofi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Uri Hofi is located in Ein Shemer, a kibbutz in Israel in the Shomron region, Tell him IForgeIron sent you and say hello for us when you meet him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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