I need a new work-space... | My Shop | Forum

A little before dusk last night my wife, Dorothy, took a picture of the snow on the smithy. Minutes later, it collapsed under the snow load.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda...

After getting some coffee and breakfast in me this morning, I went out to assess the situation in good light. I'll need to un-crumple the forge hood. I'll need to replace one exhaust duct. The tent is ripped from thither to yon.

The anvils, vice, and forge are covered. Anything currently exposed won't be hurt by snow or rain.

I have a functional one-brick forge in the backseat of the car, as well as the pencil torch which powers it. I have a 12 pound sledge head I can dig out of the snow and  use as an anvil. I can still make things.

Options for a replacement workplace include, but are not limited to:

1) sewing up the 20' rip in the tent.

2) buying another surplus GP small tent.

3) building a wee pole barn to use as a smithy now & stoage or goat shed down the road.

4) going into debt up to my eyeballs and building a 30' x 40' pole barn a couple years earlier than origionally planned.

Option 3 is attractive to me today. An actual decision can await the melting of the snow this coming week