Shop Rebuild - Photos added

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I decided to start some repairs on the forge and smithy this past weekend. It started with a roof leak that I have chased since a big limb hit the shop in a hurricane a few years back. I started with 4 square of new roof. Then I started on the deck boards around the smithy that were rotted from leaves collecting during the time I was recuperating from my knee replacement. 100 sq.ft. of new deck boards and that was done. I went from there to adding some electrical circuits so I cam plug in the HT oven out in the smithy. A few new LED fixtures and another 100 sq.ft. of additional deck should finish it off by this weekend.
I pulled everything out of the smithy, and am cleaning it up back to brand new. I can't believe the amount of crap that accumulates there. If it isn't for a current project or something I really want, it is getting tossed out. The grinding shop will get a complete clean-up Saturday. I will add some of Ron Frasier's old equipment in the open air smithy to allow me to do grinding outside, too. A BBQ cover dropped over it when I am done for the day will keep it in good shape for a long time. Most of the stuff in the smithy has BBQ covers to drop over them to keep the elements away.

As Promised, I am adding some photos. I still have some work to do, and there is the large equipment done on the new deck end that needs some work, but the major part is done. I will paint the deck with deck-cote and the fences with stain.
In the photos, I shot things as they sit when not in use, and uncovered. The anvils, vises, and other equipment have grill covers to keep the elements off them. A lot of things are on rolling carts and can be positioned as needed. Some stores in the sheds ( not clearly in the phots), and others sit on the deck. I usually place a plastic bin or tray over the item, and then drop on the grill cover. If you look at some of the anvil photos, you will see there is some sort of tray over it with a weight to keep it in place. I didn't do an exact count, but I think there are about a dozen anvils in these photos. There are a few more around, as well as specialty anvils, throuighout the shops.

More photos and info at the last post.

 

[logem]

OK. So where is your knife website? I want to see your stuff.

 

[LARRYZ10]

Mr. Apelt, If you have time I would like to see a photo or two of your shop. I think others would be interested as well. I always enjoy reading your comments on knives and would like to see where you work. Larry

 

[logem]

Not being rude, sorry.

Stacy.

This sounds like a well planned, yet large undertaking. I'm sure it will be well executed.

I've learned of your work through this site and other venues. I'd like to see a bit of your jewelry and other craft work too.

Mike L.

 

[Drew Riley]

I don't know about everybody else, but between machine tune ups and maintenance, general repairs and clean up, and any number of other shop projects, it seems like there just isn't nearly enough time to make knives anymore!

Hopefully you have better luck than I've had... hahah

I second the motion for pictures if you find some.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I will take some photos when it gets done. I will look for some old photos that I took a few years back.

I don't have a website ( well actually I do, but it is just a "hold" page for a domain name). I have few enough hours in the day as it is.

Anyone wanting to see my work can google my name. They do articles about me and show my jewelry ,knives, and word work regularly in local papers and magazines. I post a fair bit of photos here on BF, too.


The smithy is now 32 feet long and 12 feet wide. The little grinding shop is a snug 7X8 feet. There are two storage sheds with about 150 sq.ft. storage.

In these shots are two large granite surface plates. One is 4X30 and the other is a massive 16X20X4".

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I got the extended deck done and made "bench" style racks to put metal stock and things on to get them off the deck.

I had a near miss of an accident when moving all the stainless steel pipe and other metals that will go back on the racks. There was a section of 12" stainless steel pipe about 30" long ( future HT forge) that had a bunch of smaller diameter pipe pieces ( future muffles and burners), ranging from 2-5 feet long, sitting in it. I grabbed the longest pipe to turned the whole thing on its side, planning on picking it up and carry the lot in one trip. The whole bundle should have weighed about 100 pounds. About 3/4 the way down I realized the "pipe"was a piece of 2.5" solid round stock. It probably weighed 100 pounds all by itself. It toppled over on my gloved finger, smashing it hard against the deck. I took off the glove, and the skin had burst, but all else was fine. Quick cleaning and taping it up snugly to allow for fast healing ... and I was back to work. Luckily, the finger was sitting flat on the deck when the round stock hit it. If it had hit on the side of the finger, it may have smashed the knuckle. It's fine today and I don't really notice it. Probably will look a bit ugly as the old skin peals off.

More photos.

The medium size forge on the cart and under the covers is one I am testing as a prototype for Atlas.

There is a sword forge in the back with its cover off, and a 7X12 band saw under the stack of covers.

Also is the big buffer, which will be re-bolted to the deck next to the smithy after the deck gets painted. I buff with it outside.

 

[Drew Riley]

I got the extended deck done and made "bench" style racks to put metal stock and things on to get them off the deck.

I had a near miss of an accident when moving all the stainless steel pipe and other metals that will go back on the racks. There was a section of 12" stainless steel pipe about 30" long ( future HT forge) that had a bunch of smaller diameter pipe pieces ( future muffles and burners), ranging from 2-5 feet long, sitting in it. I grabbed the longest pipe to turned the whole thing on its side, planning on picking it up and carry the lot in one trip. The whole bundle should have weighed about 100 pounds. About 3/4 the way down I realized the "pipe"was a piece of 2.5" solid round stock. It probably weighed 100 pounds all by itself. It toppled over on my gloved finger, smashing it hard against the deck. I took off the glove, and the skin had burst, but all else was fine. Quick cleaning and taping it up snugly to allow for fast healing ... and I was back to work. Luckily, the finger was sitting flat on the deck when the round stock hit it. If it had hit on the side of the finger, it may have smashed the knuckle. It's fine today and I don't really notice it. Probably will look a bit ugly as the old skin peals off.

YOUCH!
I split the end of my my thumb with a hammer just the other day. Had a glove on at the time as well, and figured I'd just dinged it a bit. The more I worked, the worse it felt, so I pulled the glove off and saw that I had more/less driven my thumb nail into my thumb and split the end pretty good. It's mostly healed now, but I lost a pretty big chunk of callous that I'll have to re-work.
What really got me was that I had just had some stitches put in my other thumb after dragging it across a newly sharpened lathe bit. It sure it hard to work without thumbs.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

YOUCH!
I pulled the glove off and saw that I had more/less driven my thumb nail into my thumb and split the end pretty good. It's mostly healed now, but I lost a pretty big chunk of callous that I'll have to re-work.
What really got me was that I had just had some stitches put in my other thumb after dragging it across a newly sharpened lathe bit. It sure it hard to work without thumbs.

Don't do that!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

More photos:

You can see some stainless forge shells for large forges that will be finished when the new shop is built.
Also a shot os some stainless stock for burners, muffles, and one of the dunk tanks and some of the quench tanks.

The ugly milk can is my seat

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

And more:

The one shot is the cover for the main anvil.

The others are in the grinding shop. Sorry, I forgot to flip one shot of the belts on the wall. There are more belts in rolls on the shelves, and under the counters.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

One last slot of some tool arms.

 

[TonyRV2]

Thanks for posting these pictures Stacy. I have an area almost this exact same size that I'll be building a lean-to over and you've given me a few ideas going forward. I like the integrated benches and the use of grill covers and plastic tubs to keep things protected. I'll also have everything mounted on wheeled carts so I can more easily get things to where I plan on doing my 'dirty deeds'. Hope your thumb is healing up nicely for you....I hate it when that happens!

 

[Randydb]

I like how you have so much of your shop outside! Looks great.

 

[Gunmerc]

Thank you for sharing Stacy. It's really interesting to see how others set up their shop. I'm still acquiring all the necessary bits, but I'm getting close to having most of what I need. Kudos

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

It was my index finger. The skin pealed off and all is looking good.

 

[wdtorque]

Stacy, looking good. I've got a good friend that's a MS with a similar setup.
I bet you don't sit too long? That can looks way hard. Dozier

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have a round mechanics seat in the wood shop that I plan on using to modify the milk can and make a cool rolling milk can stool with a padded seat. When not in use, I'll drop a round smoker type grill cover over it. I really want to put a saddle on it, but the three antique saddles are being saved for the visitor seats in the new shop.