Hi I have a old calf barn on our property that measures 12-12-8. It is all wood construction and galvanized roof. My question to you is this a good size? Will fire be an issue? My forge is a good sized charcoal forge. Along with my forge I will have my anvil, post vise, quench bucket and small work table. I have a different building for welding and metalworking but don't want it burning down lol. The reason I want this is because I was operating out side and this is a problem in the Midwest. This barn is not connected to electricity and has a dirt floor.

That would be a good starting size for smaller projects. However you may soon find yourself planning expansion if you're anything like the rest of us. What kind of stuff do you make/plan on making in the near future? If you're planning on things like hooks and bottle openers etc it'll be perfect. Gates and railing will be more difficult. 

I work in a reclaimed silo Ø14'0". That means a 154'0" area. I get by forging small stuff (period hearth utensils) and not so small stuff (outside and inside handrails, room dividers, etc.). Like I said, I get by. What would be a real problem for me is your 8'0" height. That would be  most uncomfortable. I would screw sheet metal on the walls.

Thanks for the replies I will be doing mostly smaller things like drive hooks, s hooks ornament holders things like that. For bigger things I have ample out door space to weld and grind. Also my forge is Mobil and the anvil can be mobilized (thank goodness for tractors). Will screwing sheet metal into the wood help fire reduction? My fear is if something gets behind that then it's off to the races to start a fire. 

• 12x12 is fine for starters. i would put up some metal on the wall behind your forge to keep flying embers of it. as long as your actual flame is over 2 1/2 feet from the wall and you do that, you will be fine. this is how my forge is.

6 minutes ago, Jon Paul said:

 My fear is if something gets behind that then it's off to the races to start a fire. 

Get the sheet metal down low behind the dirt, push the dirt back and I would be surprised that you would have problems. I am thinking of moving my gaz forge to a large barn and I entertained the same  worry and thought about it. There is always a risk. Let's evaluate it.

4 minutes ago, yves said:

Get the sheet metal down low behind the dirt, push the dirt back and I would be surprised that you would have problems. I am thinking of moving my gaz forge to a large barn and I entertained the same  worry and thought about it. There is always a risk. Let's evaluate it.

OK that sounds good. Another concern is that 75 feet from this shed is a 60-40 1890s era barn with a ton of dried straw and hay. The wind does usually blow the complete opessete way but that's another risk. If that thing went up it would be a huge loss. By the way what are you guys doing for chimney sizes for your forges?

mine is an 8 inches and too small. my new shop will have a  10 or 12 inch.

7 minutes ago, Tubalcain2 said:

mine is an 8 inches and too small. my new shop will have a  10 or 12 inch.

Thanks I think I might be able to get some 10-12 inch chimney pipe from my neighbor. My forge is a good size as well so that's good security.

8' height is a little tight but okay, you can forge most anything in a 12' x 12' shop so long as you can assemble things elsewhere. Putting cladding on the inside sounds better than I believe it to be for fire safety. As you note a spark or hot bit of steel can get behind it and you won't notice a smolder till it't maybe too late. Having open wood will not only let you see any smoke but will keep you creaped out enough you won't forget to do a walk around before closing the door for dinner.

However a person can spray the wood with a flame retardant for cheap. A saturated solution of laundry borax sprayed liberally on dry wood will dry and be reasonably fire resistant. NOTING is fire PROOF but you can make it not easy to light up.

Burning charcoal means more sparks going up the stack, I recommend a spark arrestor to relieve that concern some.

NEVER think you're completely safe from fire, always be alert and expect it to get away from you. Better safe than sorry.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

46 minutes ago, Frosty said:

8' height is a little tight but okay, you can forge most anything in a 12' x 12' shop so long as you can assemble things elsewhere. Putting cladding on the inside sounds better than I believe it to be for fire safety. As you note a spark or hot bit of steel can get behind it and you won't notice a smolder till it't maybe too late. Having open wood will not only let you see any smoke but will keep you creaped out enough you won't forget to do a walk around before closing the door for dinner.

However a person can spray the wood with a flame retardant for cheap. A saturated solution of laundry borax sprayed liberally on dry wood will dry and be reasonably fire resistant. NOTING is fire PROOF but you can make it not easy to light up.

Burning charcoal means more sparks going up the stack, I recommend a spark arrestor to relieve that concern some.

NEVER think you're completely safe from fire, always be alert and expect it to get away from you. Better safe than sorry.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

The building is old and in need of some minor work I could possibly raise the roof. What is a decent hight? I know the taller the better but money is tight.

9 hours ago, Frosty said:

a person can spray the wood with a flame retardant for cheap. A saturated solution of laundry borax sprayed liberally on dry wood will dry and be reasonably fire resistant. NOTING is fire PROOF but you can make it not easy to light up

true. that would be better than metal.

9 hours ago, Jon Paul said:

the better but money is tight

any size you have is perfect size esp. if money is tight.  It beats Nothing at all.  My shop is within 75' of a 3 story barn and while it is a small concern I just watch what I do and keep an eye out for possible dangers. 

10 hours ago, Frosty said:

8' height is a little tight but okay, you can forge most anything in a 12' x 12' shop so long as you can assemble things elsewhere. Putting cladding on the inside sounds better than I believe it to be for fire safety. As you note a spark or hot bit of steel can get behind it and you won't notice a smolder till it't maybe too late. Having open wood will not only let you see any smoke but will keep you creaped out enough you won't forget to do a walk around before closing the door for dinner.

However a person can spray the wood with a flame retardant for cheap. A saturated solution of laundry borax sprayed liberally on dry wood will dry and be reasonably fire resistant. NOTING is fire PROOF but you can make it not easy to light up.

Burning charcoal means more sparks going up the stack, I recommend a spark arrestor to relieve that concern some.

NEVER think you're completely safe from fire, always be alert and expect it to get away from you. Better safe than sorry.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

When you say burning charcoal means more sparks going up the pipe is it a bunch of sparks? Or will it be manageable? Where would you find a spark arrestor? Would that reduce the draft from the hood?

13 hours ago, Jon Paul said:

Thanks for the replies I will be doing mostly smaller things like drive hooks, s hooks ornament holders things like that. For bigger things I have ample out door space to weld and grind. Also my forge is Mobil and the anvil can be mobilized (thank goodness for tractors). Will screwing sheet metal into the wood help fire reduction? My fear is if something gets behind that then it's off to the races to start a fire. 

My set up is 33 1/2 sq feet and I make it work until I can get more space. I'm doing small stuff as well.

 

3 hours ago, mutant said:

My set up is 33 1/2 sq feet and I make it work until I can get more space. I'm doing small stuff as well.

you mean to its less than 6'x6'??? talk about a micro shop!!!

Yes, charcoal makes a lot more sparks than coal some woods make sparkier charcoal than others though I don't know why. Air blast management will go a long way to conroling sparking but nothing will eliminate it. Spark arrestors can be found at stove stores, brick and mortar or online. They usually involve screen and unless you let them get creosoted up don't appreciably effect draft. You shouldn't get creosote at all with charcoal though soot can build eventually. Coal is a much better soot producer. 

I Figure a minimum good height of 10' lets a half stick to stand on end. Not so much because you'll be standing things on end but for maneuverability. I have 14' at the eves in my shop and except for stock piling steel have never needed more. 12' is a good height and makes a nice round number for dimensional lumber.

When I put the "barn" back together after buying a 2 car post and beam garage that was out of code in Anchorage I extended the posts 2' and clad the gap with clear fiberglass panels for additional light. It was good for the goats and made it a lot easier to see even with lights on it was always dark in the barn.

One of the truisms of building a shop is there is no such thing as too much light. Like outlets lights  doors and ventilation are always in short supply. a 2' gap can also be supplied with hinged panels for additional ventilation.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

6 hours ago, Tubalcain2 said:

 

you mean to its less than 6'x6'??? talk about a micro shop!!!

Yep. It's around 8x4. Its part of a larger shed I built. I sectioned it off to install fire and sound proofing.

wow.

This is nearly exactly what I have built for myself. I have the forge about 4' away from the back and left walls. The free wall space is useful for hanging stuff, it is useful to be able to position longer pieces any way I want and the distance from the wooden wall makes me feel safe from fire. In my corner of the world, most old blacksmiths shops are built in wood and one has been in use in thre hundred years. I second Frosty on not covering the wall. I only take half sticks in to cut them so the ceiling height is not a problem. The space is enough for me who who usually work alone. The only gate I have had in the shop was around 3' timea 4' so it did not pose much problems. 

Height: stand on the floor and raise a good sized hammer over your head---does it hit the roof??   Now have your tallest friend do likewise.

Some extra height can help with ventilation.   Living in a hot area my shop has 10' walls and then open truss roof that goes up another 4' at the peak.

It sounds awful small. That said, The House brothers built many amazing rifles in a chicken coup, and Billy Merrit's shop was probably smaller than that- so I guess you just have to use what you got.

 

It's doable but close to minimum size

The portable shop is  10 X 10 x 8'      It is plenty big enough for nearly all colonial or knife or even sword making projects that can be done (hammers, tongs, etc, etc.) 

The problem comes when one wants to get a power hammer..   And then a hydraulic press.. 

Otherwise it's a great shop size with even enough room for a sledger.. If setup right that is..    You might want to look at the trailer build.. This will be it's year 2 as a main forging platform  and all the "How to" videos were shot in the trailer..