Everything Mac Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Hi Guys, I've landed myself a workshop. As it stands it's an empty shell. (Or will be once the guy on site using it for storage clears out his stuff) - it measures 25' long by 11' wide. There is an angled wall at one end with a little office behind it. Plenty of space to get on with and a huge improvement over my current set up. The owner is happy to fit a chimney in the roof so that's good. Beyond that it's a blank canvas. - The power is single phase, there is water on site just round the corner but not in the building. Toilet on site but again not in the building. I can live with that. I'm going to clear it out and paint the walls white and will likely paint the floor as well while I'm at it. I'll be kitting it out over the coming year or so. Current priorities are painting the walls and floor and then fitting a forge and work benches. It's going to be fun. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 A blacksmith has been providing me with some excellent advice. I will pass on some of the high points. * Make the entire shop mobile so it can all be moved within 24 to 48 hours. If the landlord knows you can be out of the building quickly they are less likely to raise the rent. * You can quickly accumulate things that are cool, but just take up space. Keep lots of clean space in the shop * Make your work tables mobile so they can be used separately or clamped together into a larger table. * Run the shop and business fast and lean. If it is not making money you do not want to deal with it. Make each piece of equipment earn its keep or not go into the shop. If you are using solid fuel 10 inch diameter chimney is good, 12 inch diameter is batter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan the blacksmith Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 exited to see what comes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Greetings Andy. Your new space will serve you well . The only advice I can give you now is forget about painting the floor.. My favorite studio is one that is all white and lots of lighting. Have fun .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 Just in time to house the new forge your building, congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 Looks like a nice space Andy an office with a door is good for keeping smithy dust, smoke and grit off the stuff that doesn't like it. I wouldn't paint the floor per-se but I might seal it. There are some very durable and heat resistant epoxy concrete sealers and some come in colors. I'll be watching for progress pics. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 Cheers gents. I'm very much in two minds about painting the floor. Some folks have suggested painting the floor - others say not to bother. Sealing it might be a good idea just to keep any dust down to a minimum. We shall see. I'm away for the next three weeks so it will be slow progress unfortunately. And I've a lot to do when I get back ashore to do with my wedding. Just in time indeed Charles. This means I'll be able to build a bigger forge than I was thinking so there goes the plan out the window once more... All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Olson Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 That space is going to be awesome. Im curious as to how that odd sized building with cement block walls no less came to be. Why was it built like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timgunn1962 Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 One thing I'd look to change fairly soon is the lighting. IP65 outdoor fluorescent lights are not expensive and the polycarbonate diffusers offer quite a lot of protection against the sort of knocks they'll inevitably get in a typical workshop. Anyone who's clobbered the tubes and found themselves suddenly in darkness in a shower of glass fragments and white powder will not want to repeat the experience. Sealing the floor is certainly worth doing, and doing right first time, before it gets anything oily on it. I wish I'd had enough time to do mine before filling it with stuff. Whether you seal it with something coloured is up to you. Looks like it has plenty of potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 Sounds like a good idea Tim, I'll get a couple of sets of those. I need to get a chimney fitted to the roof at some point too. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 On 21 February 2016 at 1:43 PM, Kevin_Olson said: That space is going to be awesome. Im curious as to how that odd sized building with cement block walls no less came to be. Why was it built like that. The building is situated on the very edge of the property. Directly behind the angled wall is a short drop of maybe 6ft. Beyond that is a few houses. Currently watching a couple of forges on ebay so that's a start. I can't wait to get in and get things started though. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Super find after a long hunt. You find it or did it find you? As much time as you are away a new super HD frt. door might be on your list. Picture of the door isn't all that good. I've never had luck painting a concrete floor that had been used any length of time, sealing has been decent usually. Good luck on the new digs and a Wedding, Honeymooning at the Shop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 On 28 February 2016 at 2:45 PM, notownkid said: Super find after a long hunt. You find it or did it find you? As much time as you are away a new super HD frt. door might be on your list. Picture of the door isn't all that good. I've never had luck painting a concrete floor that had been used any length of time, sealing has been decent usually. Good luck on the new digs and a Wedding, Honeymooning at the Shop? Well as you know I've been on the look out for a while but I fired out some emails to a few local farms and got a response back from the owner of this place. He liked the idea of having a blacksmith on site. The unit is certainly not without it's flaws but it's much bigger than my shed and at a reasonable rent rate so it's worth a go. It will mean I can get a good portion of the tools I have not previously had space for. A decent sized forge and a fly press for a start. If I can squeeze a power hammer in there I will at some point. Honeymooning in the Maldives... in the wet season. :/ All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Good Luck on all accounts! Dale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Cheers Dale. I can't wait to get my hands on it properly when I get ashore. Just agreed to buy this Which rather scuppers my side draft build thread but I think I might continue with the build anyway just to show the process. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 On 3/1/2016 at 0:20 AM, Everything Mac said: I can't wait to get my hands on it properly when I get ashore any more progress? im eager to see! Littleblacksmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 1 hour ago, littleblacksmith said: any more progress? im eager to see! Littleblacksmith Did you miss the bit about being on a HONEYMOON? Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 whoooooops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 12 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: whoooooops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 Sorry chaps been rather busy with a few things recently. First coat of paint is up. I need to figure out where the forge is going, fit the flue and then I can start putting in my tools. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerfall Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 So it was rather empty when you lot last saw it. This is before I even really started to be honest. I got the chimney fitted just a few days ago. Which works just fine! Put up my hammer rack: Built a rather heavy if small welding table. This has wheels at one end so I can move it about easier when I need to. I actually put wheels on the forge too both to raise it up higher and to make moving it easier. Every Englishman needs a cup of tea occasionally. Theres an absolute mountain of things left to do but it's getting there slowly. I've been meaning to take my main anvil over but just haven't got round to that yet. My little 100lb Fisher anvil has been really earning it's keep the last few days. I'll be building a mobile trolley/ stand / general shelf for bits and bobs at some point and I'll also be building a stand for my hornless anvil which will become a striking anvil for making tooling as it has the same size hardy as my big german anvil. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Wow, did you climb that rope to get to your ladder? Haha Nice, looks like it's all coming together great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Looking GOOD Andy its coming along nicely. What's in the blue barrel, is it your coal bunker? I get kind of jumpy having an open topped quantity of coal that size so close to the forge, even behind the back plate. When I was thinking good coal was close I planned on having a smaller bunker designed after the bakery flour cabinet. One that tips forward to open so you can scoop coal but tips back because of balance and is closed with a lid that slopes so hot cinders and coals can't get in. The main bunker is outside under cover. That was just my reasoning from before I got my shop up and tried catching a tree with my head. How did you tie your stack in with the metal roof? You DID use a proper roof jack. . . YES? That flappy rubber thing is only going to catch leaves and provide shelter for bugs unless it rains. Something like in the following site. Whoever sold you the roofing should have roof flashing and jacks to fit the roofing. They'll also be able to tell you how to cut it in properly. What you have is going to have water running right down your stack into your forge when it rains. Then again you may have a properly sealed roof penetration we can't see under the floppy rubber thing. http://www.bestmaterials.com/galvanized-roof-pipe-flashing-638.html Go ahead, ask me how I know. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 Cheers gents. Daswulf, there was a ladder to the left just out of shot. I had to climb that and shimmy over. Cheers Frosty. The blue barrel is just a water bucket. The water level is just out of sight sadly. It's worked quite well so far but I have a buddy that works in a brewery that is getting me a stainless steel barrel. The rubber bit was sealed down with screws and silicon just after that picture was taken. We had rain today and there was no leaks. It's supposed to be the "High temp" version but we shall see how it performs. It's rather closer to the fire than I would like but the building is quite low. Beggars can't be choosers eh? I searched high and low for a metal flashing kit but had no luck at all. As ever it seems rather easier to get these things in the USA... :/ Oh well, we shall see how it goes. If it fails I'll have to get creative with some sheet metal. All the best Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now