So last weekend I drove back to NY to get my big pipe for the smoke collection system, and figured why not rent a trailer and bring back my 8 person hot tub. All good ideas except fpr the wind along the big Lake Erie. The hot tub acted like a sail and tried to flip the trailer 3 times, and the big pipe on the roof rack was hopping back and forth, I think I was fully clenched the whole trip back to Kalamazoo. After an 11 hour trip I am glad to say all parts arrived undamaged. And with luck, the next couple weeks will see the smoke stack raised on the new shop, then hoods and oh boy, the wonderful smell of coal burning in the forges. Cant wait!!

Greetings Mike,

 

Gettterr done....   I want to come see for myself...   You missed a great meeting at Dan's    I had to give Karen a hug for you ..LOL..  The offer still stands if you need help...  

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Gee mike, sounds like you had a fun ride. any bite marks on the seat. I swung by about 5 but you had already left. glad to hear you made in one piece.

Dick

Jim, when I know when it is going up, I may message you for help, along with a couple other MABA boys!!  and seldom, sorry we missed you, ran outa time, had to leave the unistrut on the barn, gonna have to get more, and the straps are likely too short as I have an overhang on this barn, but one thing at a time, the hot tub first, cause my back is so sore...

A blacksmith shop with a hot tub? plus all that space?  Jealous.   You are going to be spoiled fast, and may never leave the shop. I dont see the refrigerator or coffee pot yet or even the new the massage table. Other than that, its the start of heaven on earth.

The refrigerator is in a box waiting for install, we will have to work on the coffee machine, and as for a massage table....hmmmmm

Well after the harrowing trip from NY to Michigan with the big pipe, I have now started the smoke stack install. The sleeve through the wall was first, 2 layers of insulation and one layer of sheetrock, sawzall heaven!! That went ok so I then hauled the pieces my buddy Seldom had disassembled for me in NY, I had to do some modification, and of course it never goes back together as easy as you want it to. I got one big piece up on the the supports, that was the easy part, but trying to fit the piece to the center proved a bit more of a pain, so I took it down and pounded the crap out of it till it mated, some framing screws and metal tape and hoohaa, I got a part of it done. but it kicked my butt good. So that's it for this week. But it is slowly coming together!!

heres the piece that did not want to come together, I will have 3 coal forges and at least one gas forge in the shop.

if'n you're looking for a Mankel 3 burner air blown gasser, in real good condition, on a wheeled cart, I have one for sale. 

Well at long last, I got the big pipe up, and finished the interior collector, now all I need is 4-45 degree fittings and some 10 inch spiral to cut into the drops. I did the interior by my self, but the outside pipe needed two more hands. It was touch and go with my buddy Mike on the bottom and me trying to hold the weight while he fit it into the sleeve. My newly repaired right shoulder was really put to the test. But now I see the final preparations as doable in the next couple weeks, and then after several months of no appreciable hammering, I will be able to get back to my hammer therapy and coal smoke addiction.
I plan to run 2 coal forges and one gas forge, with room for one more coal forge if needed. That should be enough in the beginning for holding small classes.

Greetings Mike,

 

Is your exhaust system a draft induced ?   I kind of question the size of what appears to be 8 in to 12 in collector....   It seems that the exhaust must 3 directional changes.  Also vertical pipes are in front of the work benches ???   What provisions did you make for air flow ... ( air in the building ) ?  Just some questions from an old boy who sometimes  can offer some help..   By the way .. Ya gonna need a bunch of peg board hooks....  I avoid horizontal surfaces .. LOL..   Soon you will be knockin iron.

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Jim, it is a hieght vs horizontal run calc, wayyy more hieght than run, we had this same sytem is an unheated barn in NY, it did fine, I have a blower fan just in case, but I doubt I will need it. The pipes will be angled off 45 degree fittings, or whatever the angle works out to be, the changes set to be high enough to be out of the way so you can walk all the way around the forges. A heated shop will provide the initial impetus and out the smoke will go.

looking good mike. things are always more interesting to put back together than taking them apart. looking forward to getting those pretty white walls dirty :rolleyes:  get any snow out there yet

Just got a call, my pipes are in, with the 4-45 degree offsets and 10 inch pipes, so the last bits of interior smoke collector setup should be underway in the next couple days. I will have just one coal forge to begin with as I was unable to find a reasonably priced hood at quad state and decided just to make one. But with a plasma cutter and a welder, it would likely just take a few hours to whip up the mini smoke sucker hood that works so well. Just have to find the plans in my library, unless one of you have em handy?? hint hint?? no snow here yet Dick!

Greetings Mike,

 

I looked and could not find my stuff on super sucker hoods...  I will still keep looking and will send it if I find it...   I made my last of from the SWAG method and it works well...   I guess it depends on your forge pan for design..   Looking forward to hearing your anvil ding all the way up to Cadillac..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Ahhhh yes, SWAG...I can do that, along with RDC....My buddy Bob Trout thinks he might have it somewhere, still waiting.

Mike,  there are Super Sucker plans over on Anvilfire, I'll pm you the link as the powers that be seem to not like links between here and there.  

Thanks Judson, that is exactly what I was looking for. Now off to build it.

So at long last I have 1 coal forge set up and working. Here is a pic of it, and it draws excellent! Last weekend I got a bit of forging in, nothing worth showing a pic of, but boy was it nice. I will put the gasser in the middle of 2 coal forges. The other pic is from the front door.

The back of the area is the carpentry shop, not yet set up, but soon,,,soon..

Congrats Mike,

 

Glad to see you up and running..  When do classes begin ?   I know what it takes to move a shop .. been there done that more than once..  It just seems like the work is never done...   HAVE FUN

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

 

Another thought... Enclosed is a pic of a vise stand I designed for my Cadillac shop...  It is easy to move around with a 2 wheel cart.  I noticed the vices on the forge..  Hope this will do you some good.

 

Jim,

 thats a beauty! If you look carefully at my picks, you will see two stands embedded in the floor, those are for the vices, fixed is not always the best way to go, but it was the plan, so all I have to do now is mount the 2 big 6 inchers I have, it's always something....

Got the tank delivered friday, the heating system piped in yesterday, and the room is up to 45 degrees today, with the thermostat set at 50. It is so nice not to have cold feet while working in the shop! Now if I can just get the mankel up and running.

Greetings Warm Mike,

 

Now that you are up and running and have had first fire...  What is the official name of your forge..????   

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Forge in the Forest!

I anchored the tire hammer down with 3/8th rods and epoxy, got the LG 25 rewired to 110, and now both have power, still deciding what platform style to lift the little gint up on to get it to a comfortable hieght. Got the gasser running great, just needed to take it all apart and clean it completely. Cleaned and reassembled my foor press and treadle hammer, it's almost complete!!