Recommendation? Setting up shop

jnaught

jnaught

Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
257
So, I was the absurdly lucky fellow who nabbed cpirtle cpirtle 's incredible offer (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...n-next-2-weeks-ne-ohio.1798833/#post-20611828). Huge thanks to my dad who volunteered to help me get all of that stuff from OH to MS, and the Chad. He's solid individual, generous, honest, and it was a pleasure meeting him. All the equipment has been piled in the middle of my shop/shed since then. Last week I was finally able to start (just start) ordering things. I've got a couple of layout/set-up questions. First, a few pictures:
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First note that most pieces still have to move (grinder and drill press, most significantly (also, I have to wire the shop, so the lighting is a bit low).

The forge area: I want to keep this inside the shop if possible, as I don't have any good cover outside, but obviously I am concerned about fires in an old, wood building. I have some sheet metal (roofing) I'm thinking of sheathing the walls and ceiling in that corner to guard agains sparks and such. Do you think that is sufficient? The layout would work best with forge itself in the corner, and it does have a heat shield made of refractory bricks to cover the rear opening. But would that be too close to walls, even through the sheet metal?

Heat-treat furnace: Chad had cement boards and refractory paste (?) on the wall behind and beside the furnace. Does it get that hot that I need to shield the surroundings?

Grinder: Same thoughts, really. Do I need to shield the wall behind it?

Finally, just generally, if you have some wisdom as to which things ought to be near each other (or ought not be near each other), I'd be all ears.
 
Something like eighty five percent reflected light with white paint.

I don't know what your weather is like, but spray foam insulation and rock-wool combo, cuts drafts, works as vapour barrier, drywall overlay is fireproofish and takes the white paint.


Get a cheap little storage shed for the Christmas tree and the weed whacker,
 
As far as the heat shielding concerns go, I'll give you my experience.
When I had my own shop, it was in an old wooden framed one-car garage built in the 50's that looked similar the framing/paneling on your inside. My forge was in the middle with my anvil, swage block, post vice and guillotine tool placed around the forge so that I could go straight from the forge to whatever tool I needed for hot forging (my first 6-7 years were not making knives).
I never used any sheet metal for heat shielding to protect the wood. When my forge is maintaining a welding heat, I can hold my hand 4-6" away from the forge as long as I want. It's warm, not hot. You have your toaster oven right on your counter, and your oven/stove is sandwiched between counters and cupboard, right? IMO, there's more fire danger from hot scale flying off into a pile of combustible stuff, or dropping a hot piece of steel on something that burns.
Our heat treat oven sitting on top of an old wood school desk. You can touch the outside and it's only warm when quenching blades (1485F for me).
Grinder- only if you have a tarp/tent wall behind it. Those can melt through from the shower of sparks, never had a problem with it in front of sheet rocked wall. But if you are doing prolonged hogging off of metal where a consistent shower of sparks is flying off the grinder, I'd probably put some sheet metal in between the grinder and wall.

My main concern with your space would be to make sure there's plenty of ventilation/air exchange when forging.
 
Thanks everyone! Painting is a good idea. I know the shop needs more light, as right now it has none (needing electricity run to it). I am planning to lights of some kind over each work area, and then a few extra because every shop I've been in needed at least one more light.
weo said:
My main concern with your space would be to make sure there's plenty of ventilation/air exchange when forging.
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That's one of the reason's I want the forge near the door. I can put the shop fan pointed out the door, and with the windows open it should keep the place well vented and cool enough to survive the summer.
 
If you are going to install electricity, have 2 or 3 times as many outputs as you thing you'll need.
You won't use them all but you'll have power in that strange part of your shop were you never thought you'd need power.

I also have workbenches at 3 different hights. Take your time finding the right hight for you.
An inch to high or low can mean back pain
 
Hengelo_77 said:
If you are going to install electricity, have 2 or 3 times as many outputs as you thing you'll need.
You won't use them all but you'll have power in that strange part of your shop were you never thought you'd need power.

I also have workbenches at 3 different hights. Take your time finding the right hight for you.
An inch to high or low can mean back pain
Click to expand...
I already have several heights, thanks to Chad having variety, but I'll have at least one more!
john april said:
all in ! :thumbsup:
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I couldn't pass it up. Knife making is something I've wanted to do since childhood, and I was shopping for a grinder to start learning some basic skills, then this dropped. It's the whole shebang.
 
That three-burner forge is Majestic Forge brand. They sell liners for it still. I used the exact same model for years, and am currently again using the same old one again. 😁
 
weo said:
My main concern with your space would be to make sure there's plenty of ventilation/air exchange when forging.
Click to expand...
billyO already mentioned this but with forge inside it's well worth repeating due to the CO given off by forge - you do want to be sure there is plenty of ventilation for the forge. AND, perhaps a CO monitor in the shop to be sure CO isn't building up in the back corners where the ventilation might no be as good.
 
All good suggestions. Think longer range and safety! I know its just a hobby right now but as you grow you'll find what's adequate for right now soon becomes ..I need this but haven't got the space, lights, or outlets to do it. I thought i had enough outlets. Wrong! If u can, move everything to one side and run wires and boxes before u set everything cause its a pain in the backside to work around all that equipment. Lights, I only put in a few because I wanted to see the steel colors. That worked till I start finishing blades and putting on handles. Get it all put together and walk outside and that beautiful knife indoors will show every knick and sandpaper scratch. And not just any lights. Those that emit light closer to suns wave lenght are better.
Try to seperate forge/ knife making area from garage area. Otherwise you find yourself having to move the weed Wacker, edge trimmer, and assorted other tools to get to the grinder. Or the anvil becomes a shelf. Or your knife making benches were overtaken with the carburetor from the boat. Or your knife making materials that were on one side of the cabinet soon gets shared with ur other wood working tools.
All of us have been here, dont rush, do it right and have fun!
 
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