This is… something. Definitely throws ‘mobile’ from the equation but it should definitely get something hot.
This might be a good idea for a ‘main’ solid fuel forge for people who go through earlier classes.
Also might want to fold into any basic blacksmithing class some fire safety to keep the ‘Don’t be on fire’ rule close to heart.
Might I make a suggestions that y’all visit the Blacksmith shop in Haysville and see the forges in action. And talk with some of the people who have built forges.
The Haysville shop is at 200 S Main St right past the Haysville library. It is open every Monday and Wednesday 6pm-9pm. The President - Larry Evans and/or the VP - Bill Moffet would be happy to give advice.
There are 4 gas forges and 2 coal forges.
Lee Crawford was talking shop with Rust when I showed up at the space tonight. It sounds like he is on board for helping set up a forge and I definitely appreciate it.
He has suggested that we go gas first since it gets metals hotter faster and more uniformly then solid fuels.
And thanks to Rust we have two old rusty former jeep brake drums begging to be two little forge fire pots.
All the angle iron scrap i thought we had has walked so thats a minor setback. Nothing a trip to the yard couldn’t fix.
If there is anything in the scrap pile in room 4 that is useful, I would encourage you to grab it. As soon as the ground dries, we’re planning to take it to the recycler.
Forge committee dudes and dudettes (@james.a.seymour @MAtherton @Souvuelle @BrettfromOz @whateg01 @iancaz @jwithers ) - please plan on attending the social hour at 6pm before the board meeting.
After talking with Paula a bit tonight a few concerns were brought up and in some cases answered.
Q: Will insurance allow this to happen? (we hope so, because that would open the door for outdoor kilns)
A: I don’t know, this is something Jai would have to talk to our insurance company about.
Q: Won’t this take up even more space in the metalshop?
A: A lot of the stuff for forging is already being stored and is going un-used in the metal shop. I would definitely like to see this stuff (in the case of that amazing 100+ pound anvil) used as more than just a magnet holder. If we can make some of the stuff more mobile, or even just build stands for the equipment, I would consider that a huge improvement over the current situation.
Q: Where would they actively use this equipment?
A: Most likely in the grassy area outside the west double doors for the hot forging work. The more mobile stuff could possibly be stored along the side of the hallway if that end of the hallway is cleaned up and a nice storage solution (ie a cabinet) is found/made.
Q: What about noise?
A: It sounds like the initial techniques taught would be centered around material removal (like sanding and grinding that tend to be quieter) instead of material deformation (the loud hammering stuff). So noise might become an issue down the road, but for getting started, noise should not be a major issue. If it does become an issue with neighbor complaints, I don’t think it would be a big deal to put a recommended end time on the louder parts of forging.
Q: Why not just skip the committee and run this as a part of the metalshop?
A: Forging encompasses a HUGE skill set that would be a little bit much to juggle on top of the ‘day to day’ operation of the metalshop. I think this committee would be a good way to help MakeICT grow and continue to evolve. I’m still willing to coordinate with them and help them keep things moving, but I think there is some autonomy needed for the committee to be able to really get things rolling.
My son is graduating tomorrow night, so I won’t be attending the meeting or social hour.
I would be confused if the insurance thinks bbq fuels are more dangerous then tanks of oxy/acetylene, but then again they write all kinds of things in legalese.
I hope to make most/all of the forges mobile at the very least and collapsible and able to be stored into small areas, at least for the small solid fuel setups.
Sound can be mitigated if we can designate the right spot for it. I would think just outside the west hall and possibly just around the corner to the south? I’m not a sound engineer but to me that should send most of the sound towards the road/creek/treeline.
I’ll be fashionably late for the start of social hour but I’ll be there.
I’ll be at work at 6, but look forward to any future after 7 or weekend meetings.
A curfew for loud noises in the neighborhood should definitely happen.After we decide our afternoon hours of operation, maybe we could send fliers out to all our neighbors informing them of the hours and offer a fun and free renasiance style demonstration. Smoked chicken legs for a buck each?
Well… we will have hot coals. Smore do you want?
A burm would help the noise. They use them in construction often to baffle the sounds of highways from neighborhoods. And it’s just a pile of cleverly placed dirt.
Maybe after we get some capital and designate an outdoor area, we can lower the ground in that area by a couple feet and setup a perimeter mound with either wooden fencing or boxwood shrubs for additional noise reduction.
We have to be approved by the board before we can build anything though.
Hopefully we can square that away tonight. I’ll be at the board meeting tonight to present, answer questions, and reassure.
So far I’m 0/2 for meetings on this committee guys, sorry about that. I’ve got plans tonight that I need to go to. Hopefully I’ll be less of a slacker in the future!
Your fine, the board just needs one if us to grill for information. However all are welcome to attend.
I’ll be in it, mainly to see if all my sketching and mock ups might be something or if its kindling for the fire pit.
I really think if we get this going it might captivate a lot more members besides just what we snagged from the forum. There is something primal and awe inspiring about taking a force of nature and some of the most immutable substances on the planet and bending it to your will into something useful or beautiful or both. I’d accept if the board votes it down but man that would feel like such a missed opportunity for me. It seems like a logical next step for a hot metals shop.
My biggest problem (other than too many irons in the fire, no pun intended) is that I don’t actually have any applicable forging skills to donate to this cause, but I do bring what I do know & hopefully that’ll be enough. 
I have zero metalworking skill. I welded once in the nineties, and fashioned a (very bad) leather stamp out of a bolt.
We used to have a forge, and did some cast aluminum (or aluminium if your British) so it will be nice to stoke this fire, but we have to hammer out some details with the board. So steel yourself young padawan. For we will turn up the heat until your curiosity is quenched.
~groan~
For some reason that started out inspiring until the second line, after that it was just pun ishing.
Also unrelated but for some reason my mind keeps bringing it up and can’t help but giggle.
Maybe garden committee could help out with a burm or some fencing with viney plants. (Also there are a ton of interesting things on the internet related to drum room building that might give you ideas…)
I have a person that will probably join the makerspace if we get a forge. So when we get closer, tell me and I will see if he wants to get in on the making of it…
