The Battle For Space

That title sounds like part of the Stars Wars series but it is what I think of as the ongoing struggle to establish room to work.  Ken says that any flat surface is  immediately covered with a pile of something.  I disagree.  The surface doesn’t necessarily have to be perfectly flat.

My friend Herb told me a few months ago that he thought he could calculate the physical dimensions of my body by measuring the clearances between objects in my studio along the paths.  Sadly, he got that right.  It’s not that it was what I wanted but it is what I got when I bit off more than I could chew.

Six months have passed since Herb’s conjecture and I have reclaimed some of that space and opened the area up a bit.  The momentum is in my favor and I am looking forward to a more comfortable space for work and a slower pace of work.

Today Scott came to the studio and volunteered to help me with some projects that are heavier than I can do by myself.  The big one was disassembling the large four-burner gas forge which I am no longer using and getting it out of the forge room.  Five hours later I had more space and that is very much appreciated.

Four burner gas forge.  The top cranks up so the loose bricks can be moved to create the heating space required.

The plumbing has a quick connect fitting to attach to the regulator and 100 pound propane tank.

Today was one of those rare winter days when the temperature rises to an unseasonable high, the sun shines and there isn’t much wind.  I opened the studio doors and we worked inside and out.  After we changed the oil in the tumbler and finished the other projects I walked around outdoors and studied what the wildlife had been doing.  Scott noticed deer tracks leading toward the drip fountain area so I followed them and found they actually led to each persimmon tree.  A few days ago the ground was littered with hundreds of drying and shriveled persimmon fruits.  Today the ground was bare and only deer tracks remained.  The local whitetail population had done some cleaning also.

My Single Burner Forge

I needed a small gas forge at my primary workstation by the acorn table.  It would be an alternative to using the torch for certain types of small work.  I already have three other gas forges and each is too bulky for this already crowded area.  Moreover I didn’t feel I had the time to make it myself so I called on my blacksmith friend, Matt Wills, who has a great deal more experience making these forges.  Naturally, he did a masterful job with the construction and it works great.

I added some features, adjustable work stop, pickup handle, and lift tab on the front door to suit my specific needs.  It looked better before I added my less masterful amendments.

My Sketchup illustrations are not precise, especially the Mig contact tip and the milled aluminum cylinder into which it fits, but this should give a general idea of the construction.

As I anticipated, it is a helpful addition and is often a less expensive alternative to heating with acetylene.

Matt is very active with the Central States Metal Artisans http://gpba.abana-chapter.com/  and can be contacted at  <handforged@sbcglobal.net>.

http://www.persimmonforge.com/