So here's my first question. :confused:
I would like to build my shop with 3 workstations, and vent for all three.
Can I branch all 3 flues from different locations in my shop into one main chimney / stack?

Sam

The forge I took classes at has four forges vented through a single stack though there is some sort of central fan that draws the smoke from the forges. There is a control panel that allows you to increase the airflow as you fire up more forges. I don't know if the single stack would have been able to draw four forges at a time without the assistance of the fan. This also allowed there to be a horizontal flue that ran the length of the shop to the chimney at the far end.

OOOH! ... I like that ... that would work nicely.
Thanks.
sam

Ok, I can understand 3 work stations but I do not understand why you would need 3 different flues. Are you going to have 3 different forges? Are there going to be 3 different smiths working at the same time? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me....

Now where Doug C. is talking about the smithy is used to teach blacksmithing. There you would need multipule flues due to the fact you have more than 1 forge and person working at the same time. But for your own personal shop with you being the only person working....???

Yes you can BUT why? It would be more efficient and easier to flue each work station separately.

some of the sheffield forges had the hearths set in the middle of the shop back to back using a common flue and the anvils and hammers radiating out 4 or 6 hearths being the usual some of the shops were six sided last time i saw one was in 1985 there was talk of it being made into a museum but i think it is another carpark now.

Ok, I can understand 3 work stations but I do not understand why you would need 3 different flues. Are you going to have 3 different forges? Are there going to be 3 different smiths working at the same time? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me....

Now where Doug C. is talking about the smithy is used to teach blacksmithing. There you would need multipule flues due to the fact you have more than 1 forge and person working at the same time. But for your own personal shop with you being the only person working....???

Actually I do plan on having multiple forges - one solid-fuel and 2 gassers. I want to set up a shop space to allow multiple people working without getting in each other's way (too much). I have 2 "informal" students that I'm introducing to blacksmithing. I'm trying to teach them what little I know and then we'll learn the rest together. I want us to be able to work at the same time and have our own space.
I would also like to host a hammer-in ot two in the future with other friends of mine who are also smiths. I've put a lot of thought into this and this is definitely the direction I want to go.
Sam

some of the sheffield forges had the hearths set in the middle of the shop back to back using a common flue and the anvils and hammers radiating out 4 or 6 hearths being the usual some of the shops were six sided last time i saw one was in 1985 there was talk of it being made into a museum but i think it is another carpark now.

I love that idea and I would love to have a shop set up like that, but my shop space doesn't have the room.
sam

- one solid-fuel and 2 gassers.

You get smoke from your GASSERS?

You get smoke from your GASSERS?

I wasn't worried about smoke for the gassers, rather I wanted to vent fumes and CO out of the shop space. My shop is only one storey and a bit low (only 8-9' at the roof peek). I was worried about adequate ventilation and figured a flu would give better direct venting rather than just putting in a fan/vent in the roof gable and leaving the door open. This made good safe sense to me ... what do others think?
sam

Thomas Dean is right. The smithy I mentioned is used for teaching most of the time though in the off hours the owners may both be working at the same time. Maybe add a friend or two. This also minimized holes they had to put through the walls or ceilings to one, which happened to already be there. Also with the fan there is never any chance of having a problem with your draft.