Blacksmith Forge

This isn't a "structure" per-se, but I love this forge for it's RP elements and usability!

The entire structure at it's widest point is 4x6 so it's perfect to fit into a small area. But the best part of it all is..... This forge actually works! And I'm not talking about just smelting metal. No sir! When the furnace turns on, lava flows out of the interior and into a channel like molten metal. And when the furnace shuts off, the lava stops!

How you ask? Veteran redstone workers will recognize the use of a BUD switch right away. I like the one in this build due to it's size and that it can be triggered from 5 directions.

The second part of the set up is a toggle switch, again, used here due to it's compact size. I don't much care for ones that use hoppers, especially since this is much cheaper to make in a survival world.

I use a redstone torch to keep the piston blocking the lava extended, until the signal from the furnace causes it to drop and lets the lava flow!

Asthetics-wise, I could probably do better than bricks. But that's a topic for a different day. I'll probably try and design other forges that use the same mechanism in the future.

Additional Notes

This idea came from GavinTheLegend. I've improved a bit on the structure to make it more compact by taking the original straight design and making it bend into more of an "L" shape.