Doing work in the blacksmith shop during the winter often presents various kinds of problems. While some blacksmiths don’t recommend doing a lot of work during cold days, we still believe that you can do a lot of quality work, even in winter.
In today’s article, we decided to cover all practical ways to deal with the cold temperatures in the blacksmithing shop. That way, you can continue your work throughout the whole year without making any long breaks.
I remember my first winter in the shop. Horrible is the best word in which I can describe my experience back then. With 15°F outside every on average, it was almost impossible to work. Everybody thought I was crazy for being in practically all day in the shop at such low temperatures.
Okay, enough talk, let’s get straight to the point.
So, what is the first thing you can do to make your work more comfortable during winter?
Wear Proper Winter Clothing
I know, it is so obvious, but please bear with me. Just like there is wrong summer clothing for blacksmithing, the same thing applies to winter clothing.
If there is one rule for clothing in the blacksmith shop, it is that you should cover your skin as much as possible. Since this is an article about wintertime and not the summer, it won’t be a problem. When it’s 20°F(-6°C) outside, you will want to cover every inch of your body, trust me.
The last thing you want is to damage your immune system and therefore catch a cold. While that is always a possibility, wearing proper winter clothing decreases it drastically. Depending on the temperature, you may need to wear two or more layers of clothes.
Namely, winter clothing made from polyester is not an ideal material to wear in the blacksmith shop. Polyester clothing contains chemicals that catch fire very quickly. Not only that, but it also immediately melts, which causes the material to stick to your skin, making burns much worse than regular wounds.
Instead, cotton is a much more ideal choice to wear during blacksmithing work. Cotton is not only more breathable and more comfortable but is also less likely to catch fire. Although it is more expensive, I strongly believe it is worth paying.
I will never forget the day when I burned myself wearing some cheap polyester shirt. As I was placing a hot metal bar in the coal forge, one small piece of coal popped out and lay on my shoulder. I was already burned until I threw my shirt off. That was the first and the last day of wearing any synthetic clothing in my shop.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear synthetic clothing under the cotton layer. The most important is the linings of outerwear. But keep in mind that there is always a small chance of getting something under the outerwear.
However, a better option would be to wear materials like leather and wool, followed by natural materials like cotton. Namely, having the fire going inside your jacket makes things a little disconcerting. So, in the end, avoid wearing any synthetic clothing as much as possible. Remember, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Okay, let’s be even more specific.
Blacksmith Boots
Since hot pieces of metal often tend to fall on the floor during work, having proper footwear is a must. For example, sports shoes and converse are a big no-no. Wearing inadequate footwear can be extremely dangerous.
Footwear like steel boots (affiliate link) is one of the best footwear options to wear in the blacksmithing shop. Namely, foot injuries like crushing and sprains are not rare, so having boots that can prevent them is priceless.
A lot of steel-toed boots typically can withstand up to 70 pounds of falling objects dropped from 9 feet (2.7m). Since you are working in a blacksmith shop, there is always a high chance of dropping some heavy pieces of metal.
They also help to prevent other injuries like slips, falls, and burns, all of them which are possibilities to occur during the work.
If you don’t have steel-toed boots or you simply don’t work with heavy pieces of metal, boots like Red Wings are a prevalent choice. They come in a variety of colors and styles, all of which are incredible. Not only are they incredibly comfortable, but you also look cool in the shop. I mean, why not?
Blacksmith Pants
As for the shirt, the same thing applies to pants. You want pants made from natural fibers like cotton. I prefer wearing 100% cotton jeans during my blacksmithing work. If you are like me, holding the stock between my legs, having a good-quality leather leg apron is extremely useful.
One more important thing, make sure your pants are long enough to cover the valleys between your ankle and your boot. The last thing you want is a falling hot piece of metal into your shoe.
Blacksmith Shirt
Don’t overthink the shirt. Since this is an article about winter, having more layers of clothing is recommended. I prefer a thick and long sleeve cotton shirt, which I can easily tuck in. If your shirt is not tucked in, you can easily run into some safety issues.
Since we have already explained the benefits of cotton clothing, we won’t repeat it again. Let’s move on to the next crucial factor.
Insulation of the Shop
Why insulate your shop? Well, insulation is, if not the most, definitely one of the most important factors for dealing with the winter in the blacksmith shop. If you are like me who had icicles hanging in the shop for years, you will quickly relate.
Wouldn’t it be nice to make your shop a more convenient place to fork during the cold days?
If your answer is yes, please keep reading.
To properly insulate the blacksmith shop, you need to add insulation in the ceiling and primarily walls. While the floor might be more difficult, it is possible to insulate it.
To be honest, I have been thinking about insulating my shop for a long time. Here is what I found about insulating the blacksmithing shop properly and therefore making it a more comfortable area to work in.
Factors to keep in mind before insulating your shop:
- Learn how heat transfer works
- Shop location
- Know your heating option
- Basics of Heat Transfer
If you don’t understand how heat transfers from a cold space to a hot space, knowing how to insulate your shop efficiently is impossible. Let me explain three basic ways of heat transfer.
Conduction is defined as the movement of heat through solid objects. It shows us how the room gains or loses heat through the ceiling and walls.
Convection is the second way of heat transfer. Namely, convection is the heat movement through the air around you. If you have some cracks and openings in your walls or ceilings, the airflow is then increased.
Finally, radiation is defined as the waves of heat radiating from one object to another. For example, the sun radiates through a window, or fire radiates heat across the room. You get the point.
Finally, radiation is defined as the waves of heat radiating from one object to another. For example, the sun radiates through a window, or fire radiates heat across the room. You get the point.
Shop Location
Well, this one is obvious. The more it is cold at your location, the more insulation you require. On the other hand, if the average temperature where you live is somewhere around 50-60 °F (10-15°C), you need substantially less. For example, the shop located in north Russia needs far more insulation than the shop located in Africa.
Heating Option
Knowing the way of heating your workshop before installing insulation is crucial. It is substantially easier to install pipes, ductwork, and wires before the installation of insulation. If you already have existing insulation, but you still don’t see any effect, simply add another layer.
What Are the Best Insulating Options for the Workshop?
While there are many different ways of insulating your workshop, we decided to present to you the most common ones, including:
- Blown-in insulation
- Foam insulation
- Rolls/blanket insulation
Blown-in Insulation
Blown-in insulation contains tiny particles of foam, fiber, and many other materials. It is blown into various spaces, so it is useful for ceilings, walls, and crawl spaces without much problem.
PROS
- Environmentally friendly
- Relatively inexpensive
- Stands good against insects
CONS
- Requires thorough air sealing
- Susceptible to moisture
- Tends to settle over time
Spray Foam insulation
This is an excellent option for unfinished outside and inside walls and ceilings. Spray foam insulation offers tremendous flexibility to install almost anywhere. It also provides a very high R-value.
PROS
- Eliminated air leakage
- Excellent air-sealing
- Good energy efficiency
- High R-Value
- Reduced moisture accumulation
CONS
- Expensive
Rolls/blanket insulation
Rolls and blanket insulation are great options for unfinished ceilings, floors, and walls. They are usually made of stone wool, plastic, fiberglass, or other natural fibers.
PROS
- Relatively inexpensive
- Easy to DIY
- Good energy efficiency
CONS
- Possible heat conduction
- Requires precise installation
- Contains fiberglass
Heating the Shop
Since we are blacksmiths, we don’t have to worry too much about heating up the shop. I mean, most people use at least one forge in the shop. You may need less or more heating in the shop, primarily depending on the temperature and whether the shop is insulated.
For instance, if your workshop is not insulated, consider adding another heating source in the shop. The same thing applies if temperatures are extremely low. So having a wood stove, tank top propane heater, or both of them is incredibly valuable for working during the winter.
While a wood stove usually doesn’t produce a lot of heat in the shop, it still gives you a nice place to come over and get warm. The good thing about it is that you can heat the coffee or tea by putting them on it. Also, when your hands get cold, you can just come over to the wood stove and warm them up.
Tank top propane heater is also a very useful heating option in the shop. Its biggest advantage is that it is extremely versatile. You can easily pick it up and bring anywhere you want and point it where you are working. Tank-top propane heater typically produces more heat compared to a wood stove.
I should note that you should have a carbon monoxide detector somewhere in the shop, especially if the shop is well-sealed.
Preheating the Equipment
If you are in the blacksmithing industry for some time, you probably heard some stories about cracked anvils or power hammers during the forging work at low temperatures. While theoretically, this could be true, that would require extremely low temperatures. Personally, I don’t know anyone to whom it happened.
However, it is irrelevant whether that truly ever happened or not. Preheating your blacksmithing equipment is crucial during the winter. I wish I knew this before making tons of mistakes by working on a cold anvil.
Okay, let’s start with the most important one.
Preheating the Anvil
The way I see it, there are two major reasons for preheating the anvil before use during the winter:
- Reduced risk of cracking the anvil
- Reducing loss of heat out of the material
Preheating the anvil lowers the risk of breaking the horn or heel of the anvil. Namely, most anvils are usually forge-welded projects made of wrought iron. So, if it is extremely cold and you are doing heavy work, it is possible to break the anvil’s horn or heel, especially if the welds are not good enough.
Preheating the anvil reduces sucking the heat out of the material, which is especially essential if you are making small or thing projects. It gives a blacksmith enough time to forge it properly. That is especially the case for those who make blades that gets cold extremely fast. So, to recap, I would definitely not start using the cold anvil.
Preheating the Power Hammer
While the same reasons for preheating the anvils apply to preheating the power hammer, there is more to that. Many types of power hammers require oil to operate correctly. So, if oil gets thickened, it won’t function properly due to inadequate lubrication. That is especially the case when it is cold in the shop.
There are two ways to fix that problem. One is simply to have a thinner oil and the second one is to preheat the power hammer. Cold temperatures are also not good for the dies of the power hammer as they can crack.
One of the best ways to preheat the power hammer in the winter is to point the tank top propane heater and let it heat for a few hours. The other thing you need to heat is the dies. To efficiently heat the dies, simply place a heated metal between them and let it go for some time.
Preheating the Quenching Tank
You are not the only one who gets a frozen water quenching tank after every winter night. This is so annoying to see in the morning when you are entering the shop. So, if you have some quenching to do, there is no way to do it for at least a few hours.
The best way to keep the quenching tank warm during the night is to put a floating heater into it. The floating heater should be at least 250W, but we recommend getting 500W. That way, everything is ready and set up for quenching.
More Tips For Surviving the Winter In Blacksmith Shop
- Stay hydrated
- Drink hot coffee or tea during the work
- Eat some healthy high-energy food
- Get enough sleep
- Do your most important work in the afternoon when it is warmer
- Prepare the shop early in the morning
- Warm up your hands before striking the anvil
