thanks Frosty i want to make him a knife when i get better at it. as a thank you. and i am using coal now. not charcoal im using the good stuff. so there is more clinker but it lasts a lot longer and i get more heat and there is no popping and cracking and sparks. and im trying to make a piece of Damascus right now. its only five layers but its going alright so far. ill start a new thread and tell about it. thanks Donnie, and im from Newborn near Covington.