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how much space between stations


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hello guys ..I was wondering how much walking room/working room some of you guys have left around or between your equipment or tables and such... for example lets say the edge of a layout table to a post vise mounted on a post or stand...ive been trying to use a 36" minimum circumfrence around all mine except for things that have tbeir back to a wall, and the anvil has a good amount of breathing room. It has been a challenge to say the least. i have a two car garage i havent measured much sq footage but i would guess it to be in the 630-650sq. ft range...just kinda wondering if im doing to much or to little ..figuring some of you have crossed this bridge. im at the point of redheading everything down. any help would be great!

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36" is pretty close but if it's comfortable it's just right. The common wisdom says one pace between stations the mix up comes from what a pace is. Our general definition comes from Roman times and is one step with each foot, left AND right. Or about 6'

 

For some things I Iike them farther or closer and usually depends on the current  project. Being able to adjust positions is the main reason my anvils are NOT anchored into the ground. The two hardest things in my shop to move are the power hammer and the forge. The power hammer is not only heavy but it's sort of anchored with a 2" sq. pipe shank inserted into a gozinta(think trailer hitch receiver). My forge is kind of fragile so I don't move it unless there's a good reason.

 

A layout table would go in or next to MY fab area which is connected like all the hot shop but is not in the actual forging space.

 

I'm in danger of going into long wind territory so I'll give my simplest and possibly most useful bit of equipment spacing advice. Use the same rules of thumb for laying out a kitchen. Both have the same basic needs, a prep area, storage, clean up and hot area. Both are heat management heavy arts. Both engage in handling DANGEROUS tools and products, hot and or sharp being the two major players.

 

So, they both benefit from using the same basic formula: Generally triangular area with two steps/One pace spacing between major players. It keep things conveniently handy without being too cluttered to be safe and workable.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Depends on what kind of work you plan to do; something you didn't share.

 

Knives can be done in a quite small area indeed.  Gates will need a lot more area to swing long pieces of steel

 

So layout your area and then take a piece of stock the general size you will be using and start swinging it vertically and horizontally at every station and see what you're hitting!

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Frosty: Thank you for the great info once again. as this is not the first post that ive made that you have helped with. Ive went back and have fudged this around some more to get the two step pace as close that i could which is about 7 foot or so for me. Doing that has definetly opened things up and also forced me to rethink some of the "big" tool locations such horizontal bandsaw etc, also trying to leave some room for some larger items id like to get such as a power hammer in the future.

Thomas: Thank you...I also took your advice and worked around to each piece with an 8 length of stock swing vertically and horizontally at each station...killed two flourescent light bulbs over head, and knocked a half full can of dr pepper plumb across the room but other than that it went well...theres no tellin what i will be making but i know it will not be limited to one thing such as knives so im planning on just a all around general work.

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You're very welcome and Thomas is someone I always read and give consideration. I plain forgot the practical test of swinging a long piece to see what gets in the way. Sorry about the Dr Pepper, bummer.

 

I put the horizontal/vertical band saw against the wall where the stock is stored nearer one end. That lets me just pick a piece and lower it onto the rolls to be fed to Mr. Shortener. The less handling you can do the better.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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One thing I did, as suggested in the Backyard Blacksmith, is arrange my forge, anvil & postvise in a triangle and everything is within 1-2 paces.  The horn of the anvil is turned towards the outer part of the triangle so I won't inadvertently back into it.  While the horn on mine was blunted I still don't want to jab myself with it.

 

Good suggestions above, the stock you're handling would definitely play a factor.  I do mostly small stuff, knives, gardening tools etc.

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One thing I did, as suggested in the Backyard Blacksmith, is arrange my forge, anvil & postvise in a triangle and everything is within 1-2 paces.  The horn of the anvil is turned towards the outer part of the triangle so I won't inadvertently back into it.  While the horn on mine was blunted I still don't want to jab myself with it.
 
Good suggestions above, the stock you're handling would definitely play a factor.  I do mostly small stuff, knives, gardening tools etc.


I did try to keep within a triangular set up though the way my garage is layed out with doors and such has made it a challenge. At this point my anvil is pointed toward the forge and offset of center toward the right of the forge cart. When said your anvil is turned toward the outside of the triangle , do you mean that instead of being pointed directly at the forge, it is at an angle way from the forge? Say at like 22°
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Here is my setup.  You can see I have a small work area that's carved out of my garage.  I roll the forge outside to work.  When walking from the forge to the anvil the horn points off to my left, just in case I did something dumb I don't jab myself.  It sounds like we're setup very similar.

 

FYI, I'm not good at it yet, but when I forge weld I drag the RR track anvil outside vs. using my main anvil.  Too many sparks for my taste, maybe in the future I'll put sheet metal on the wall there.  The rose bush would probably have to go, that wouldn't sit well w/ my wife.

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I know a fellow that has welders, coal forge, post vice, forge, all mobile. He would roll it all out onto the drive way to forge, then roll it back into the garage when he was finished.

 

I came home and put my welder on wheels, and made a platform for the yard tractor. Run it up on the platform in the fall and move ti where ever you want for the winter. Need to sweep, then just move the stuff and sweep. Makes life a lot easier. (grin)

 

When you want to make things permanent, you already have the locations set. Just take the wheels off. :)

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