We’ve added a new section to the website — Blacksmith’s Blog Posts. This is a collection of posts we created for Horton Brasses’ blog back in 2010 and 2011. The posts are about our shop, the tools and processes we use, and other aspects of blacksmithing in our shop in the woods.

 There are also two posts which have links to YouTube videos, one of Molly explaining how she uses her power hammer and one of me making latch bars.

We’ve begun building a new shed for the side-by-side ATV Daria and Jeanene gave us for Christmas 2013. The shed will be 12 by 20 feet in size and besides the ATV will have space for some extra storage, including a loft area.

We began building in December 2014 and the photos here are from then.

The shed needed to be tall enough for the ATV to enter and be wide enough so we could get in and out of the ATV easily. The horizontal 2×6 boards are about 8 feet above the ground. This was a fairly level spot so that meant a lot less work preparing a flat earthen floor.

The cats have been entranced with the building. Gray was the first to climb onto the horizontals. He used the home built scaffolding to reach the horizontals (the scaffolding is visible in the photo above this one). Once he was up there he tried every one of them, even the scary narrow ones.

We got the rafters up in late December and that seemed to excite the cats even more. Having the rafters in place meant the cats had to step over each one where they rested on the horizontal plate. They love challenges. After Gray had been up on the framework, Blondie gave it a try. Kitty Boy was the last to try the frame, showing that having three legs isn’t a handicap.

We now (in mid January) have the roof sheathing on and the cats are disappointed. Once we have the loft finished next spring with a ladder for them they’ll be happy again.

More photos to come to show our progress.