After doing some research on the net trying to find some land in my area to lease/rent/buy to build a small forge setup (due to my living in a very stingy neighborhood in the suburbs) and not finding anything that is even near what I require I am at a loss.  So I put this inquiry out to those who may have thought of doing this or done this in the past, of pitching a forge and small shed in the middle of a forest?

 

Is it doable?  And what precautions ( other than the law ) would I need to take?   

 

-ION  :)

I know you specifically said (other than the law), but as a former Federal Law Enforcement Offficer with the US Forest Service, I HIGHLY recommend NOT doing this.

 

just my 2c.

what was the penalty for getting caught?  

Every inch of land in the U.S. is mapped for water table, soil content, flood information, etc.  There is absolutely no way that you could put a forge and/or "small shed" anywhere in a forest without it being noticed..... especially a forge/shed with a "heat signature" .  

what was the penalty for getting caught?  

 

I'm not sure of specific penalties, but offhand, a thought comes to mind; If your fire, regardless of its use, gets out of hand and beyond your control and it killed someone..... Just sayin'. Even if it didn't kill or injure anyone, pretty sure prison time is promised

Asking how to break the law on an open forum probably isn't the best idea.

Get you a little gas forge, it will run off a 20lb propane tank.  Then find you a Fisher anvil.  The combo will be about as quiet and smoke free as possible.  And you wont make the news by burning down the forest :o .

Why not get yourself some kind of 'period' costume, go set up a portable forge at a public park and give free demonstrations... A much better idea than possibly starting a forest fire.

I know this thread is years old but I live in an apartment currently and the only place I can set up is public land. Read into your local fire codes and check with the forest you're setting up in to make sure you are legal. I have a LP forge and since it isn't a "solid fuel" I and can be shut off rather than extinguished I am totally legal. I don't set up where I might bother people and I do look out for the current fire danger and fire bans, In my area if stage 1 bans are in effect I cannot work which kinda sucks but I understand rules is rules.( I'm also a Wildland Firefighter so I have a decent idea of how to burn a forest down and how to avoid it) The real downside is moving my 250lb Hay Budden from the back of the car to the stump and back every time. And waiting for the forge to cool before I pack up and head home. But if this is your only option I say do it. It's a bit of a pain but worth it so I can forge. This is what it usually looks like, the forge was a bit close this time and I ended up moving the anvil to save my right leg some toasting. 

P.S. I do have a quench bucket it's just out of frame, definitely a requirement if a ranger or some such wants to have a chat with you about what you're up to. Have some means of putting out a fire.(water and tool, like a shovel or hoe...or a pulaski  

23 minutes ago, MattBrooks said:

The real downside is moving my 250lb Hay Budden from the back of the car to the stump

Got an easy solution for that: I'll be glad to trade for my more manageable 125# Peter Wright...

Ha! An excellent try. 

About the portability issues. Even in my generally out of shape condition since the accident I like doing public demos. Loading at home is easy, I have an engine hoist so it's no issue. The site is a different issue and I'm too lazy to want to be dead lifting even the 125 lb. anvil back into the truck.

So, I've been thinking of this as a lazy old fart solution. Make an anvil and heck vise stand that fits into the trailer hitch receiver tube. The anvil stand would pin to the main horizontal member that sockets in the receiver and what the heck make it hinge. Height adjusts either via another telescoping component or perhaps a screw foot. The truck is the horizontal anchor and Earth stops it getting driven down. Hmmm?

While I was thinking of all the goodnesses of the idea it occurred to me the leg vise is really the hard one to use at Demos and a stand for it got added to the concept sketches. Sounding complicated yet? Well . . . We've all seen the: wheel chair, bicycle, cooler, etc. carriers, porta potties, steps, etc. that insert in trailer hitch receivers yes? If not subscribe to better TV and get with the infomercials will ya?!  Seriously, if you haven't seen the hitch mounted enclosed, outhose, the, "Bumper dumper," I think it's called you're really behind the times. 

I figure the anvil mounts about 4' from the tail gate horn pointed to the truck. This gives me access to 3 sides and if I need to work with the horn pointed at me I only have to lift it a couple inches to turn it. The vise gets mounted similarly but far enough to one side I can turn long stock past the side of the truck which puts it out of the way for most functions around the anvil. 

The tail gate makes a reasonable bench and the bed my stock rack. Seeing as I generally use a propane forge on a wheeled steel serving cart stand placement isn't an issue. If I'm using coal or charcoal I'll use my pan forge and adjust position like usual. 

A version will work just fine out of a SUV or car trunk. Hmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

Another option is a small trailer. Several of us are farriers, so forging in remote locations is our stock and traid. 

Frosty, why not build a jib crane for the hitch receiver to do the dead lifting? Seems easier than trying to figure out the placement, only getting access to 3 sides of your anvil and vise and then being stuck working right by your truck.

At one time I worked out of the back of a subbirban. I built a drawer that held my gear. I puked it out, the anvil and standfit in the rear. Dismounted the stand , set the anvil on it, lit the forge and was ready to work. Lots of options.

Jig cranes for pickups usually mount on one side of the box so you can reach the whole thing and load/unload over the side. It's a good option but would require I clean more floor space in the shop. 

I usually work within a couple steps of the back of the pickup and use it as a bench tool and stock rack anyway. I haven't built any hitch accessories but thought I'd pass the thoughts. Thoughts I have in droves.

Farriers are masters at modern portable shops but tend to make some pretty serious changes to their truck beds. 

Frosty The Lucky.

On 3/31/2018 at 7:19 PM, Frosty said:

Farriers are masters at modern portable shops but tend to make some pretty serious changes to their truck beds. 

Is true they do but majority of it is for show and trying to keep up with the jones'.

Essentially a van, pickup with camper shell or some other such vehicle is really all that's needed or necessary.

As to the OP in the suburbs, a garage will certainly suffice. Also joining a local blacksmith club can help as many of them have hammer-ins at somebody's shop on a regular schedule.

George

On 3/31/2018 at 9:23 AM, MattBrooks said:

I live in an apartment currently and the only place I can set up is public land.

I have a friend in your situation. His solution was to rent a self storage unit to use as a smithy. He checked with several of the managers of them and found one close to home that let him set his coal forge & anvil outside the door. His week end forging sessions always drew a crowd becoming something of an event and other renters started holding "yard sales" out of their units.

A not obnoxious blacksmith tends to draw a crowd. By obnoxious I mean too loud, smoky and have a decently friendly disposition. I used to blacksmith in a trailer court with my Soderfors on a wood block and it was LOUD. In exchange for not screaming at me to stop I sharpened a lot of knives and did minor repairs gratis. There were times adults would bring lawn chairs and beers to watch. I always drew the kids in the court and I enforced good manners or they had to leave. 

I have some pretty good memories of smithing in the trailer court.

Frosty The Lucky.

8 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I have some pretty good memories of smithing in the trailer court.

There's a song in there, somewhere... I can feel it...

 

Does it have a good beat?

Frosty The Lucky.

I am a fan of trailers, and as one is only talking 500# for a pretty extensive kit ( Jerry, TP and I could go sub 50) and one guy in Eastern Europe backpacks with his kit on a two wheel hand truck!  You can use a motorcycle trailer and pull it wit a smart car! 

 

 

Add a fire extinguisher to your set up. They will recognize it for fire suppression before they recognize the bucket of water.

Or paint the bucket red with big white letters that say "FIRE"...

It seems I revived a thread. Since I got all this attention, I don't suppose there's a smith near Denver willing to rent some shop space? lol