Hi All, i would like to find out where would be the best place to scorch wood at dms? I know its not going to be huge flames and of course not to do it next to a wood pile as an example but is there an optimal place to do this?
Regards T
Outside in the parking lot away from the building and the welding tanks… if they board Even allows it…
@IanLee @board of directors
Given the blacksmithing activities we do here, and after reviewing what it actually entails here:
…this doesn’t really seem like a big deal to me, assuming basic precautions.
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Ah, but the big cage of welding gases are Argon and Argon/CO2. Which aren’t flammable. Now, blacksmithing’s cage has propane…
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I know it won’t be allowed but I’ve done this a few times before I had a place to do it at with permission. Someone who isn’t me has done it a few times in empty parking lots away from this sight of the general public. The key is to do it during the daytime because if you do it at night the wood flares up real bright orange and anybody who would be somebody that wouldn’t want you doing that we’ll see you easily. You don’t know how long it takes to do it until you’re doing it somewhere your paranoid somebody is going to see you doing it. That said it does take a decent amount of time to get this charred up nicely.
I highly advise against even attempting it on a porch or patio at an apartment complex because (aside from it being a small enclosed space that could catch fire real quick and you know, safety) that’s just asking for someone to snitch you out.
I know those aren’t answers that you would be wanting to hear but it’s the best solution that I can offer you because I am assuming that you do not have your own personal garage or driveway where you could get this done. 
So your saying there is a ban on shou sugi? …dad joke.
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lol that funny
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Haha.
To be perfectly clear, as of right now, I’m not passing a ban on it. Precisely because of what @mblatz stated above.
I’m referring it to the board to pass an opinion on. To my thinking, we don’t have a good location indoors to do this, as the smoke would probably trigger an unfriendly visit from the men in yellow suits.
So that means it would have to take place outdoors, and I don’t know what we are allowed to do via our landlord contract. I know that car maintenance is forbidden outside, but we do hold outdoor blacksmith events, so I don’t know where that line is.
I know that members are not supposed to store flammable items onsite, so any torch that was used would have to come and leave with the member.
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This makes me curious…
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From a blacksmithing point of view, everything we do with fire/flame is done OUTSIDE. We have propane forges that we use to heat iron and we drag them outside. We use the caged propane for the forges. We don’t allow other metals or wood in the forges at this time.
On the other hand, it is very common for a blacksmith to char their hammer handles. This is done to seal the wood and prevent it from chafing the smith. So what we do is take a small propane torch, wave it over the handle and then sand the handle smooth.
You can see an example here:
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Hi All, I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this, I absolutely love the congregation of minds and input. If it is a big issue for various reasons expressed I can “burn it” offsite and use it onsite in the assembly. But if we could have the board make a firm decision on this it may be of benefit for the future.
Once again thank you all
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It should be ok to do this outside and away from anything else that is flammable. Thank you for asking instead of just doing it. 
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