Outdoor work area

[artificialj]

Hey guys, so I just finished building a forge, and finally got an anvil, but I have no place to work. My basement doesn't have great ventilation (and my girlfriend has a, possibly justified, ban on me using a forge in the house), so now I need some sort of structure to work in outside.

I am looking for a sort of temporarily permanent structure, as we have been thinking about moving in the next 3 - 5 or so years. My budget is fairly limited (in the $1000 range, but cheaper is definitely better). My house (judging by neighborhood) won't see a significant boost in home value for a well built outbuilding, so the money I sink into this will not see any sort of return, unless it is something I can take with me, or something cheap enough to write off as a good 3 year investment.

I have a back parking pad sort of driveway, with maybe a 20' x 20' clear space that is relatively flat (okay, slopes off on both sides, but flat on average) asphalt, as well as a back yard area that is about the same size (20x 20) that slopes away at about 3 degrees, and is currently a jungle of weeds.

Any ideas? I was thinking about maybe a carport or something, but would love some sort of walls for protection from snow/rain. This will only be a forging area, don't need electric, as my basement holds the rest of my shop.

Also, if anyone has pics of their outdoor work spaces, please post them!

 

[unky_gumbi]

What about those portable garages? like this

I know you can get them insulated too.

 

[Brian Ayres]

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/bfs/2576092533.html


I have a trailer like this one my boss gave me... Mine is 8'x16'.... Build it into your dream shop(in miniature)... Then take it with you when you move...

 

[AltonaHunter]

A basic pine frame with cement sheet walls will be cheap to construct, flat sloping roof with plastic or colorbond.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

AltonaHunter has a good idea, and added to unki's suggestion will make a good forging shop. I worked for many years under a temporary car port like that. I had a small shed I built that was about 8X8 feet . It was just a simple frame with T-111 plywood and roll roofing. Probably cost less than $500 for both. I had a rolling cart for my forge and tools and it stayed locked in the shed. The anvil and stump base was permanently set under the tarp, and was covered when not in use by a BBQ grill cover.
My current smithy is open air, and while a bit fancier than the car port, is little more than a sloped roof over the anvil/forge area. The blacksmithing equipment are all covered with BBQ grill covers when not in use( when I remember to cover them).

Years back I think I posted a drawing for plans I made for exactly what you want. It was a dirt floor pole shed shop with a smithy roof patio. It had plywood doors that when opened covered the smithy sides from the elements a bit. You could easily build this for $1000. I'll try and find the drawings ,or re-draw them. The basic description was eight 4X4 salt treated posts set in cement with T-111 plywood covering them. The two sheets on the front were hinged to open. The roof sloped from eight feet in the front to six and a half feet in the back. There was a shelter roof extending forward from the shed eight feet. It attached on the end to two posts. This roof sloped from about 9 feet at the shed to 7 feet at the posts. The anvil and post vise were permanently placed just outside the shed doors. IIRC, there was a post table for the tools and the forge to sit on.

Attached are some photos of my current smithy area. The shed building is like the one I am describing. Simple and functional, with about 50 usable Sq.Ft. of floor space. The smithy roof and BBQ covers can be seen in the other shots. You don't need the side work tables that surround my forging "pit". As you can see, even the forge is permanently outside. In the winter I have only once put up a tarp on the windward side to allow working to be done when it was blowing and raining. All other times It keeps me dry ( or I stayed inside by the fire). The grinding shop and storage for equipment are in the several other buildings that surround the smithy.

If you build this structure, it may well help the house sell. You can describe it as a BBQ shelter and yard shed.

 

[lonepine]

I don't know how it's done but I've heard of people building small sheds out of pallets.

- Paul Meske

 

[FTR-14c]

Make sure you are in an area where code enforcement is not going to give you a hard time.

 

[artificialj]

Thanks for all the ideas guys - I'm starting to think about doing sort of what you were saying Stacy: sinking some posts in my driveway and putting a sloped roof on top, running away from my house. Maybe temporary sides, like rolled canvas or something. Need to find out what my local building code says about tying in to my existing deck, as that would provide me with 2 posts already.

 

[Tai Goo]

Don't feel bad. My wife wouldn't let me forge inside the house either.

I built this "fire shed" for about $1000 in materials, but it's been a while. Materials might be a little higher now.

 

[artificialj]

Aha! Thanks Tai, that front part of the shed, the overhanging portion, is almost exactly what I wanted to see! And the corrugated metal partial walls look like a good idea. Thanks.

 

[Tai Goo]

It's worked out great for me. The bare metal is fire proof and cheap. It rattles a little on a real windy day though, but that part never really bothered me.

I scavenged the bricks for the back part of the shop floor.

Cheap buildings are us.