Fire plus Bird Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I've been smithing in my single car garage, which would be great and all if it wasn't primarily my woodshop. My wife wasn't too keen on me building a forging area in the back yard but I was finally able to convice her that running a 2,300 degree forge in a room filled with sawdust and random bits of wood wasn't the best idea and I claimed half a of a side-yard we've been using as a dog run. I had to level and restack the cinder blocks we've been using as a retaining wall and under-fence barrier first, and then rebuild the existing shed roof, raising it high enough to so swing a hammer and lengthening it to the fence. Then it was on to leveling the ground with 3/4 minus gravel and building a half wall and gate on the dog yard side so the boys don't come in and mark everything up. In a month or so I'll lay pavers for the floor but for now I can move my tools in and play around with the layout. It's a cozy 10' by 14' space and just enough for my forge, main and mini-anvils, post-vice and a workbench I still need to move from the woodshop that my old bench grinder lives on. For temp power I'm running an extension cord from my deck, though I'll get it wired up for 110v eventually. My 2x72" grinder is going remain in the woodshop. Now I just need to get my propane tanks filled and get forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rank Badjin Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 That's a really nice setup. I could do something similar, i have just such a space on my property, but it's currently full of English herb garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire plus Bird Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Thanks, Rank. I certainly wouldn't have been able to takeover any garden space in the yard. Lucky for me it's easier to argue with the dogs than the wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 10' x 14' is a plenty workable space. Keep things mobile until you know what works well for you. Agreed, dogs are much easier to negotiate with than SWMBO, I know Deb doesn't respond well to having a ball thrown or treats and tug of wars are always iffy. I used to work in the yard of my trailer court right i front of the neighbor's living room window some15-20' away, mobile homes were only 30' apart. I sharpened everybody's knives, did minor repairs and NEVER struck an anvil after maybe 8pm nor earlier than 9am. The funny thing was my best PR win was how all the neighbor kids gathered around to watch, it made the court quieter. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Nice set up and in Oregon you usually don't have to deal with the extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that many of the rest of us have to. As long as you are out of the rain you should be able to get in more forging days per year than many other folk. I will mention one possible draw back that I see. Depending on your local zoning and fire codes you may have an issue with set back distance from the property line if the neighbor or anyone else wants to raise the issue. Some places have anywhere from 5-15' side line setback requirements. Some of the justification is esthetic and some is to prevent fire jumping from one structure to another. If it is not visible from the street and your neigbor doesn't have a problem it very probably will not be an issue even assuming that it is a violation in your town or county. (Oregon is famous for pretty tight zoning requiements). Just a heads up for you from an old County Attorney. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire plus Bird Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 5 hours ago, Frosty said: I sharpened everybody's knives, did minor repairs and NEVER struck an anvil after maybe 8pm nor earlier than 9am. No problem whatsoever forging before 9 am. Stoping after 8 is probably a good idea too. 5 hours ago, George N. M. said: I will mention one possible draw back that I see. Depending on your local zoning and fire codes you may have an issue with set back distance from the property line if the neighbor or anyone else wants to raise the issue. Some places have anywhere from 5-15' side line setback requirements. Some of the justification is esthetic and some is to prevent fire jumping from one structure to another. If it is not visible from the street and your neigbor doesn't have a problem it very probably will not be an issue even assuming that it is a violation in your town or county. (Oregon is famous for pretty tight zoning requiements). Just a heads up for you from an old County Attorney. Yeah, my wife mentioned the setback thing... after I finished building it. The house is set back about 30 feet from the sidewalk and there are some tall bushess screening that side of the yard a bit, so you'd have to really be looking for it to notice. It's all screwed costruction, so if I eventually sell the place and it gets flagged during an inspection I can pretty easily deconstruct it enough to scale it back. My neighbors are great, no probelms at all since we bought the place about 13 years ago and they let get into their side yard to work on the gutter. I'm definitely going to smith them some candle hoders or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Most towns and cities and some counties for residential zones have front and side set back requirements. Sometimes there are rear lot line setbacks too but these are less common. If you stay under the radar you should be fine. Having it capable of easy disassembly is a good thing. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Nice shop. My county uses aerial photography to look for code violations. They busted my brother for replacing his AC unit without a permit! Sneaky, they take a new photo every year :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 19 hours ago, Fire plus Bird said: In a month or so I'll lay pavers for the floor Nothing wrong with a dirt floor, if the drainage is okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire plus Bird Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 8 hours ago, JHCC said: Nothing wrong with a dirt floor, if the drainage is okay. Yeah, no problem with the drainage. It's the high spot on my lot, I'm draining water off the roof into a rain barrel and then a planter, and I've got a few inches of packed gravel. I want a paver or brick floor eventually mainly so it's a big neater. I'm not the tidiest guy out there, but I am trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Nice work! I built a similar space between the fence and the woodshop last year. In the path of water so drainage was an issue to address. Sheet metal walls let me put a lot of drawings and plans up with magnets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 I remember asking my local contractor about set-back; out here in the country he said it was a good idea if my roof dripped on my own lot...I still did setbacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud in PA Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 I like your set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire plus Bird Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 Thanks, Bud. It's just enough space for what I'd doing as a beginning smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud in PA Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 My shop is 8 x 12, avoids the bldg. inspector. Over 100 sq.; ft we need a permit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Bud- you have 4 square feet to spare! Time to add a bump- out. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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