For the past five years my shop had been located in the midst of Zurich - a city known almost world wide. Sure, being so "central", at an internationally known location offered a few advantages but over the last years it also became a burden.
Government regulations for forges in highly populated ares, ever more restrictions on the type of work, the working hours, the noise, the type of fire used have led me to have spent a lot of time arguing with gvt. officials, neighbor-organisations,... Well in the end I came to the believe that a smithy has no hope for a good future if it is located in a modern, densely populated city.¨
Then, for those amongst you who have known the old location personally, there was the problem with the facilities itself. Too small and located in a sub-ground level (halfway down) of an old building.
Getting machinery into the shop was a chore and often simply an impossible task without the use of a large truck crane (although that was problematic on it's own, as most trucks did not fit through the main gate of the enclosed area where the shop was located). Well, last but not least rent has steadily climbed up without any improvements done to the crumpling ceiling, rotting walls or the water installations.
To put a long story short: The old shop was becoming a huge problem for my business.

Also over the past few years the number of students wanting to participate in group-classes has steadily risen but my shop was limited to three, maybe four students - but that was really maxing out and not too comfy.

Well, although I had hopes of not having to move my shop any time soon... I still did.
Those of you who have moved a machine shop and several tons of equipment before in their life, know why I have frowned upon the day where moving my shop will no longer be avoidable.

Moving a smithy... well, the first problem I faced, after it was eminent that moving was absolutely unavoidable, was to find a matching new place - preferably not too far off from home.
Should I have wanted several thousand square meters, no problem (but the lack of such financial resources) - but finding something between 100 and 200sq. with an easy industrial access (moving in and out of heavy tools and machines was a priority for the new location), with no problem to operate a smithy inside (regulations, dirt, fire...) and ideally thinking a lot nicer to look at and look out (before my old shop's windows faced a wet and moldy old concrete wall... there was little daylight and the sight was anything but inspiring.
So, the keypoints for a new shop I had defined as following:
- more space (100-200 sq.m , ideally 120-160)
- EASY ACCESS (with heavy equipment)
- able to operate a forge, furnaces...
- concrete flooring
- heating (oh, my old shop had no heating, and winter time in switzerland can be cold - especially during manual slow tasks such as polishing)
- sanitary facilities, (toilets, washing...  with classes and multiple students in mind)
- good view... (well, lough if you want, but after five years with no view at all, this becomes important)
- industrial electrical supply (400V, 30A+)
- separate room for office and display of knives, swords, watches...  
- not in a densely populated area (experience has shown, this is a problem otherwise)
- reasonable rent

I guess it is easy to imagine, that finding a new location matching most, or optimally all of the keypoints above is quite a task.
Honestly at first it was frustrating and it seemed that nothing on my radar would work out.

Then the idea to look further away, across the german border came up and I instantly found a room.
Nice indeed but far away - and taxes for importing all my machinery, supplies, ...  would have been high enough to be problematic.

Finally however, I was offered the perfect solution - matching all of the keypoints laid out above.
Beautifully located in Walchwil, just above the lake of Zug - offering a splendid view on the mountains & lake just from the window of the smithy.

The new address:
FERRUM D Gentile
Wihelstrasse 9
6138 Walchwil
SWITZERLAND

For the past two months I had been busy with finding a new location, preparing (tedious)  the move and finally with moving several tons of equipment.
Now for the next one or two weeks I'll be pretty busy with setting up the basics again, so that work can be picked up again.

For those who have tried to contact me and have not gotten any reply so far, my apologies - but all of that has been a bit of a chaotic.

I have now already updated the website and a new shop tour will follow as soon as the shop has been set up.
 

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