MODERN BLACKSMITHING 31 



everything in its place." Some shops look like a 

 scraj) iron shed, the tools strewn all over, and one- 

 tentn of the time is spent in hunting for them. I shall 

 first -ay a few words about the shop and give a plan. 

 This plan is not meant to be followed minutely, but 

 is sii. ,ply a hint in that direction. 



THE SHOP 



In building a shop care should be taken in making it 

 convenient and healthy. Most of the shops are built 

 with a l«igh floor. This is very inconvenient when 

 machinery of any kind is taken in for repairs, as well 

 as in taking in a team for shoeing. Around the forge 

 there should be a gravel floor. A plank floor is a 

 great nuiLance around the anvil. Every piece cut off 

 hot is to be hunted up and picked up or it will set fire 

 to it. I know there will be some objection to this kind 

 of floor but if you once learn how to keep it you will 

 change your mind. To make this floor take sand and 

 clay with fine gravel, mix with coal dust and place a 

 layer where wanted about four inches thick. This 

 floor, when a little old, will be as hard as iron, pro- 

 vided you sprinkle it every night with water. The 

 dust and soot from the shop will, in time, settle in with 

 it and it will be smooth and hard. It will not catch 

 fire; no cracks for small tools or bolts to fall through; 

 it will not crack like cement or brick floors. If your 

 shop is large then make a platform at each end, and a 

 gravel floor in the center, or at one side, as in figure 



