TheIronTree

Hi folks, How would one go about drying coal that's got wet. I've just got 6+ bags of what I believe to be bitumenous coal as it seems to burn different to the anthracite I had tried before, stickier when burning and the coke seems to form in bigger chunks. The issue I have is it's been stored outside in a bunker with a broken roof, so as you'd imagine in the (not so) sunny north of England it's been rained on. Also could have another 4/5 bags of coal fines, how does this burn in a forge without just falling throught to the ash dump? Dan

I didn't bump my post, someone else did and missed the pics!? Dan

GGot time to clean her out this eve, as suspected the grate was toast, weirdly only above the air inlet (tuyere?) The frame as such round the outside was intact to an extent, I'm just wondering if because the inlet comes up into the pot and then there is about 1.5" all around before the clay starts if that's causing problems? Also noticed lots of black coal/coke near the inlet where the stuff above has the grey/white/brown? Dan

Hi folks, The ash has never got to the point of blocking the inlet as there is at least 6" of 80mm square tube (all I had at the time!) Air inlet is 60mm pipe with a flange to fit my blower onto. The coal I used because I thought anthracite was better for some reason, it was free tbh as my coal man gave me it to try, might try some bituminous if he has any as I can't get coke easily anywhere local. Yes the clunker is rock hard, almost glass like and hasn't got any bigger than half a gold ball size so far, that's from like a full days running (only used a 15l bucket of coal during the day). The blower is definitely blowing air through enough to push any gasses up I would say, only gets limited if I think it's going to blow bits out, you can see it starting with a few yellow embers spitting then it just lets go! Haven't cleared it out yet as I've had other work to do so I don't know what state the second grate I put in yesterday afternoon is in but from the sudden drop of fuel down the inlet with a slight poke this morning I'd say it's shot. Dan

HI folks, This is probably a newb question, but I've noticed that on my home made forge I can be happily blowing air in waiting for the steel to get hot and bang a load of red hot coals get spewn out of the fire pot luckily away from me most of the time. I'm using small anthracite coal and mixing in coke from the last burn, I've got a clinker breaker which to an extent works. The pot is a truck brake drum cut down to about 5-6" about 16" wide with a clay pot that tapers to about 6" square where the air inlet is, also have noticed that the grate (cast iron drain cover) has melted badly the last time I used the forge. For a while all is good till I get down to using only coke then I randomly get eruptions, the air isn't too much as it's barely blowing in. Anyone shed some light on what I'm doing wrong? Going to clean it out tomorrow after she's cooled overnight. Been on for two days, was making some tight 100mm (4") scrolls in 16mm round and square (9/16"??). And today was bending 50*8mm flat (2"x5/16"?) The hard way to a 13" I/d at 180 degrees. Dan

Joel was it you on that channel 4 show recently with monty don? Dan

Love the top one, not too keen on the slatted one but appreciate the time it takes to make them as I had a fire pit to make in a similar fashion recently! How did you form the top one? A big cone mandrel or something? Dan

Did you preheat before welding? I'm contemplating repairing a few spots on my anvil and happen to have a few packs of 7018 and a nice big welder...! Dan

HI folks, Made myself a brake drum forge from a truck trailer (semi to you yanks), has a 80mm square tue iron with ash dump at the bottom, the air inlet is 60mm pipe with a reducing flange made to suit my (leaf) blower. The fire pit is formed with clay on top of the 6mm base plate with an old cast iron gutter grate over the tue iron. Also put a clunker breaker/air gate in but haven't welded a flap as such to it yet as I wanted to see how it ran first. Was just using small bits of anthracite coal as I can't get coke easily locally, it worked great, 12mm square too about 30 seconds to get 150mm to nearly melting hot on half blower power and the coal turned to coke easily, by the end of my little session it was running with little flame and no smoke at all. Need to sort out a home for my setup and a chimney if not just to draw the smoke away from me! Made a poker/rake for the forge and a basic s hook. Dan

Anyone seen an anvil like mine before (2nd post this page) also any idea if I could repair the table? between the horns and the face as they are both fairly dented in, they look particularly on the rounded horn like it's been used as a chisel block! I keep being tempted to take a flap wheel to the horns to smooth them, the face, minus the chip isn't bad, in fact the edge opposite the chip is decent. Dan

I'm just starting out in Kendal. Dan

My anvil, stamped 2. 1. 0 (252lbs?) JWC 1910 though I've no clue if the jwc is makers mark or owners mark?! http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38227-imag0767/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38226-imag0766/ Dan

Iron dwarf, no idea, hadn't heard of it before really. Any mire details or a website I could peruse?! Dan