SJeane Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 for my first Temp forge i used a bucket and smeared some fireplace mortar in it. i used a ceramic thermometer and with using just pieces of wood i was able to get it to 1637F degrees. i threw an old Fat screw driver in there and made a crude looking butter knife,(but it took a while, was it the wood?) i would post picks but i dont want to until i have something worth looking at lol. im thinking about ordering some Coal, Pocahantas #3 from WV it has a reasonable price can anyone recommend it? said to burn at a little over 15,000 BTU's. but before i get to ordering it i am going to try to make my own, from the BP using the drum. ATM im extremely excited, i cant wait to get some coal, and my table setup so i can really get to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Welcome SJean, If you're wanting to make your own mineral coal you're going to be waiting around a while. It's much easier to buy some ready-made if you haven't got a few million years to spare Charcoal on the other hand is an excellent smithing fuel and it can cost you nothing more than wood and time to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJeane Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 yes, i suppose i should have said charcoal on what i was trying to make, but i guess thats just like saying "gas" for gasoline and diesel or propane ect. as well as the louisianians (lol) say "Coke" refering to any carbonated drink other than beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Good luck in making your own charcoal, it is a learning process. There usually is a good book on ebay on how to build a unit out of barrels, I've heard that it is a process that takes time to master. The main thing is you have a forge, and now get in good with a local job scrapper, or recycling yard, and plan where you are going to store all the stuff you will be bringing home. Suddenly any scrap of metal will have new significance, and if you are like most, can not be passed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokshasa Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 yeah and your gonna pick up alot of stuff your never gonna use too you can be sure of that so be ready to have a huge mountain of stuff in the back yard. and yes buying coal or coke would be much easyer and take less time than making charcoal, to bad you dont have an abandoned coal mine around your place... i get mine from a retired openpit mine just a few hours away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJeane Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 LOL 100% right about the scrap pile. i already have a pile of Steel wound cables , any idea for these? my cousin just gave me some leaf springs off an old junker he has, i've picked up a bag full or steel or iron (havent heated them yet) bolts a little less than 1" and a few railroad spikes. my anvil atm is a peace of railroad, but GOOD NEWS! in my uncles old shed i found an old rusty lookin anvil, im guessin its anywhere from 50# to 75# the only word i can read on it is "Multi *blank" Co." then it has some numbers after that. but im gunna ask what he wants for it, since hes family hopefully free! lol but getting back to the charcoal. i picked up a 20lbs. bag of hardwood lump charcoal it does pretty well. think i will tyr to find some cheaper than $9.50 without tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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