[TheForge] Foundations and shop design

[Ekaterina Harrison]

Andy.

> 	What sort of steel?  Rebar?

Actually it is some oid drill steel pipe, about 1 1/2'".

>
> 	Air line IN the concrete?  This does not seem advisable to me.
> Generally speaking, I would want the moisture trap(s) to be  
> installed at
> the lowest points on the "permanent" lines.  Otherwise moisture will  
> be
> able to collect in the lover points on the line and that will make all
> good opportunity for corrosion.  If your lines are entombed in  
> concrete,
> well... you get the picture, no?
>
Good point.  The lines are pvc, but indeed will be at the lowest  
point. I did not think about the water issue. We were mostly focused  
on an easy way to get across big bay doors on both sides .

Thank you for all the good advice.

Ekaterina

P.S. Could not help but notice the " lover points" typo. LOL

On May 23, 2008, at 12:43 PM, theforge-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:

> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:56:13 -0400
> From: Andrew Vida <osan at netlabs.net>
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Foundations and shop design
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <4837053D.50000 at netlabs.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>
>
> Ekaterina Harrison wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> We are just getting ready to a pour a cement floor in the new shop,  
>> we
>> are building. I have the opportunity here to address and improve my  
>> work
>> environment. I am very excited about this. One of the things we are
>> doing is running steel
>
> 	What sort of steel?  Rebar?
>
>> under the cement across the whole length of the
>> shop to to provide more grounding points around the shop and running
>> pipe for airline hook ups and some conduit for stringing some  
>> wiring to
>> the other side of the shop.
>
> 	Air line IN the concrete?  This does not seem advisable to me.
> Generally speaking, I would want the moisture trap(s) to be  
> installed at
> the lowest points on the "permanent" lines.  Otherwise moisture will  
> be
> able to collect in the lover points on the line and that will make all
> good opportunity for corrosion.  If your lines are entombed in  
> concrete,
> well... you get the picture, no?
>>
>> One of the issues that I have been trying to figure out is the best  
>> way
>> to mount a power hammer and treadle hammer.
>
> 	The general recommendation is a very large concrete block with
> cribbing.  I don't recall the precise design from Chambersburg, but  
> for
> a 250# hammer, the block was something of 5' thick by 3 wide and 4  
> deep
> with timber at the bottom arranged grain horizontal in 2 layers, each
> 90* to the other.  I know several people who have mounted hammers on  
> far
> less substantial foundations than this and have had no problems.
>
>> My current power hammer is
>> bolted to the floor with a 1" rubber mat between it and the floor. As
>> you might guess in the area around the hammer the floor has sustained
>> some damage and I, also, have had a hell of a time with my tools  
>> jumping
>> of benches when I work the hammer. So, it seems quite clear that in  
>> the
>> new shop the hammer should have its own independent foundation. We  
>> have
>> been considering several options:
>>
>> We are planning to leave a graveled area just big enough for the  
>> hammer(
>> surrounded by the cement floor) or possibly cut out the section of  
>> floor
>> after we have figured out the best location for the hammer. And  
>> then :
>>
>> 1- independant cement foundation 1' thick
>
> 	If you're going to do it, do it right.  I don't think 1' is really
> enough for this sort of arrangement.  Consider that I am the sort to
> over-engineer things such as these.  But consider that when it breaks,
> it will invariably do so at the worst possible moment.  Better it  
> never
> break.
>
> 	Another thing I would reconsider is pouring the floor before the
> foundation.  I would give careful consideration to the proper location
> of the hammer first, then build the foundation, then put in the  
> floor. YMMV.
>
>
>> Issues I have been wondering about:
>> If hammer is set on timbers is there a balance issue to consider -  
>> as in
>> keeping it from tilting and moving?
>> I know that the treadle hammer ,I made, I never did mount it to the
>> floor, figuring that it was heavy enough it should stay put. I was
>> surprised just how much it did move across the floor.
>>
>> Any suggestions, pro and cons, experiences of mounting hammers and
>> general shop layout would be greatly appreciated.
>
> 	I am a firm believer in making sure potentially ornery machinery  
> stays
> put.  An unrestrained hammer can get plenty ornery.  As I said, do it
> right the first time, don't cut corners and you can forget about it
> pretty well forever.
>