Help on lighting a coal forge

[maxs139]

Hello Im rellativly new to this site. i just got my forge and anvil set up today and im having a little bit of trouble lighting the forge. I have a hand cranked blower and im using Pea coal. and it got Wet But ive dried it but im still having trouble ive even used some Gasoline. Any advice?

[Mills]

Coal needs some time with the flame to get caught itself. I have traditionally used kindling as if to start a campfire. Never had a lot of success with kerosene or charcoal lighters. Gasoline isn't even on my list of things to use.

Just recently I was shown how to use newspaper and it is very effective when done right. I haven't done it right til now. Crumple 2,3, 4 sheets of newspaper into a large softball size and leave a pigtail twisted as if a fuse. Put that into the firepot with the pigtail coming out of the bottom and up the side. Heap coal onto it leaving the pigtail sticking out. Light the pigtail and let it catch for a bit then start some air slowly then increase as much as you can.

[Frosty]

I like to use cardboard to light coal. I cut or tear a strip 1 1/2" or so wide and a couple feet long. I roll it into a tight coil and place it over the air grate. I then pile coal around it and let it open up a little bit. I continue to pile coal till the top of the coil is at the bottom of a crater with an inch or so (dia) showing.

At this time, I give the blower a real gentle turn so a little air is moving and drop a couple stick matches (lit of course) into the coil. Keep just enough air to it to get the cardboard burning, then bury it the rest of the way with coal and give it a moderate air blast.

The burning cardboard will behave like a blowtorch blowing through the coal. It also burns hotter than paper.

Not saying it's the best method but it's my favorite.

Frosty

[pete46]

I Use Lump Charcoal To Start ;get A Good Bed O Hotcoals [on A Smaller Scale Than Bar-b-q.] Then Push Fresh Coal Around It.
Turn The Air Slow Our Put A Hair Dryer In The Inlet Hole ,& Wire The Cold Shot Button Down! Werks Grrreat!

[maxs139]

Thanks everyone for your help i think i might be able to get it going now By the way does anyone know the difference Of blacksmith coal and pea coal?

[Frosty]

Pea is a size designation like walnut and has no reference to quality.

Blacksmith's or metallurgical coal is a quality issue.

Frosty

[Donnie]

I use pine cones to start a coal fire.
Works great.

[MooseRidge]

One thing I do is make coke with my last heat of the day. Heap it on then, when the smoke clears out, break the pile down and clean out the pot. Leaves me with a goodly amount of coke to start the fire with the next time....

As my forge is a bottom-blast, I use paper to start usually. If wet or very "fresh" coal, I'll get a paper/cardboard/wood fire going first, then add the coal, leaving small gaps between the pieces until they start to catch, then add more and some fines.....

[Glenn]

IForgeIron> Lessons in Metalworking > Blacksmithing > LB0010 Building a Fire

[philip in china]

Wood shavings or paper work fine for me. Just don't give it too much air at first. Also sometimes I put a piece of cardboard or thin plywood over the tuyere and light on top of that, give it a bit of blast and once the fire is big enough to have burnt through the card or ply it is big enough to use the blast that it starts to get. Bigger the hole the bigger the blast. Once your kindling is burning just put small coal on it. You will soon get good. We all had to learn.