DBurnson

An update for WA: Harrie's Leather Shop no longer sells coal, and it appears that Morris Coal Sales is out of business.

This is a link to the list on this site. Coal and Coke suppliers

Well, I'm in the same boat, except my fuel ran out, and I'm not gonna buy more for a while... I have a friend who's putting together a propane forge for me, but until that's done, I'm out of a forge. I just burned the last of my charcoal trying to do a faggott weld. I had a hard time keeping my fire hot enough 'cause the ash kept clogging up the blower screen. I'm gonna get some coal in a month or so, but I don't know if that will make a difference in my airflow consistency. I guess if it's got a lot of ash, I'll have the same problem. Anyways, I only have that problem with the charcoal when it's getting down to that last bits and pieces, so we'll see.
So I got the weld to stick halfway twice, but I couldn't get it to stick through the wholejoint. I'm assuming it's because I couldn't get the whole joint at the same temperature 'cause I only had a small part of my fire that was hot. So here I sit, eating my ice cream, looking forward to the new forge and new possibilities.

I live in Washington, and this is the only place that I called that still sells coal. They charge $0.09 per pound, that's $180 per ton. They call it Utah Stoker, but I'm not sure what kind of coal it is or how well it burns. I'm still burning charcoal.

Central Fuel Heating and Cooling Inc.
1945 S. Market Blvd.
Chehalis, WA 98531

Local: 360.748.8808
Toll Free: 1.800.574.4107

Email: centralfuel@localaccess.com

Hello, I'm new here and new to blacksmithing, so I thought I'd introduce myself in the most appropriate thread. Most of my shop was given to me by friends and relatives. I was basically set up for blacksmithing before I even had a place to set up.
I started with a 80 lb and a 100 lb anvil (I gave the 80 lb one to my neighbor), a small portable coal forge (sold to my neighbor), two post vises that needed some parts swapping, an electric blower, and some odds and ends of tools and stock to work with. These items were given to me by a friend of mine. They belonged to her husband who had gotten dementia and was unable to use them. Another friend of mine gave me a small drill press and a small vise. I found an old lawn mower minus the engine at my parents house, and I turned it upside down and made the table of my forge, then I picked up a brake roter from the metal bin at my work, and fastened it below the hole in the lawn mower for the fire box. My parents also gave me an old belt driven grinder. So really the only things I payed for was my table saw ($25 at a second hand store) and the 2 inch pipe ands fittings for the duck's nest and tuyere.
So I've been pretty fortunate so far. I have a friend who has a double horned anvil that I'm gonna try to talk him out of, but I don't know if he'll give it to me. It'll be worth buying though because it's a nice one.