12 replies to this topic

[LearningToForge]

I have a ferrier supply near me and I can get 50lbs of coal for $25. I have some hardwood charcoal but only one bag. I never cooked with it. I know I'll run up the money unless I make a lot of homeade charcoal, which I cannot do at the moment.

Anyway, if you use coal do you wear a safety mask or anything? I ask because I read of all the toxins in coal.

Also, in a brake drum forge, hair dryer motor for air, using coal, how many pounds do you think I would use? I'm assuming a measure of mistakes but hopefully not 50lbs worth. Thanks.

[unkle spike]

I don't wear a safety mask, but I am always concious of the amount of smoke in the shop, I have a large fan to bring fresh air in, and keep the doors propped no matter the weather. Search Iforge for "coal suppliers", if I remember right there are coal suppliers in the Atlanta area.

[MattBower]

I do all my coal forging in a forge with a proper chimney, which does a good job of whisking most of the nasties away. I'm not sure what I'd do in a brake drum forge without a chimney. I guess I'd probably use charcoal or maybe anthracite.

[781]

Never use coal in a nonvented area.
Last week at the Saltfork Conference when they first started the fire you could hardly see in the building till they got a door open and the exahust fan running.
Only green coal gives off a lot of smoke. slowly add wet coal to the edge of the fire and it will coke up

[ThomasPowers]

A 5 gallon pail of coal will usually last me 1-2 days of foging depending on if I'm welding or just doing little work.

Can you get a foot switch for your blower so it's only on when you have steel in the forge---makes a big difference!

Also new folks tend to use too much air wasting a lot of fuel doing so.

[Rob Browne]

Just stay out of the smoke and you should be OK. If you are working outside just make sure the position you are standing in is upwind so the smoke is blown away from you.

Get a bright fire started on wood then add coal slowly from the sides and it will smoke less. Once the fire is going well keep wet coal on each side and slowly push it into the fire as it cokes so you will not have the great puffs of white smoke.

[Glenn]

If you can see it, smell it, or taste it, then it is NOT air that you want to breathe. Sometimes there are odorless, colorless, and tasteless things in the air (carbon monoxide) that require detectors to monitor in order to control the air quality.

If your dealing with smoke from a coal fire, an outside location is best. The smoke can be relocated or removed from your work area by a chimney or large fan blowing shoulder to shoulder across your body. Inside you will need a chimney, exhaust fan, or both, remembering to leave a window or door open to make up the same amount (or more) of air that was exhausted.

IF you have questions as to whether your ventilation is adequate, then most likely it is not adequate and air change rate per minute should be increased dramatically. You can work with a coal forge, you just have to use common sense and work safely.

[Dragons lair]

Search a little more for a supplier. My guild is paying around $13 a bag in Asheville for smithing coal.
Ken

[double_edge2]

actually...even some of the fumes you cant see or smell can do you harm. coal/coke more so, and char... as the blokes are saying ...use a vent/chimney or do it outside.
charcoal just need shallower fire, a bit less wind, big mess with ash (dust mask?) and it helps if you can stop the air while you hammer.(as said)..it burns quicker.

i use charcoal primarily...and when i use coke, i use the charcoal to light the coke/coal. i forge outside and sometimes with a fan to generate the cross wind.

[Pat Roy]

My hood and pipe do a good job of venting the smoke so I don't worry about that, but it is dusty in the shop and I use grinders and a chop saw so I always wear a dust mask to keep the dust out of my nose and lungs.

I get my coal locally in 55# bags for $15.00 and it has very little in the way of rocks and doesn't clink up much. I have a variable speed control on my blower and an airgate to close off the flow when I am not working the forge for a while. 25# of coal will easily hold me for a full weekend of average work.

[Andrew Smith]

I would expect to burn too much coal until you get used to it. Lucky for you that you can ask advice here on the forum before you start, I didn't find this forum until I had already been blacksmithing for a while.

When I first started I burned 50# in about four-five hours of forging a tomahawk . I have improved a whole lot since then, I'm not as efficient as some of the more experienced smiths, but I made a hawk the other day on about 15-20# of coal in 2 hours. And yes, turn off your blower/ hairdryer while hammering, it saves a whole lot of fuel ( just learned that a couple of weeks ago) .

all that to say, you might burn a little bit more coal until you get the hang of it.

All the best,

-Andrew

[Pat Roy]

Andrew Smith, how big was that hawk? That sounds like a lot of coal!

[fat pete]

Dragons lair, on 24 October 2009 - 09:43 PM, said:

Search a little more for a supplier. My guild is paying around $13 a bag in Asheville for smithing coal.

Ken

hate to say but i pay way less for coal.... standing up wind is the best for me...50# lasts prolly2-3 days...I have a hand crank...my last fire in the coal forge was back in october and there is enuff for me to fire it up and make a couple of hooks on the old coal...I guess all coal is old...lol