don't tread on me Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 In NE where could I buy coal or coke for my forge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 If you want to pay way to much ther is always this http://cgi.ebay.com/Bituminous-Blacksmithing-Coal-Farrier-Coal-25-pounds-/230461076518?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a88cf426#ht_500wt_1182 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 If you want to pay way to much ther is always thishttp://cgi.ebay.com/...6#ht_500wt_1182 Delivered, $35 for 25#....There are other things to burn for less bought more local. Lump charcoal, corn, propane. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Delivered, $35 for 25#....There are other things to burn for less bought more local. Lump charcoal, corn, propane. Phil Never heard of burning Phil, can you get it to weld temp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 Phil's right. You don't need coal. Tonight I needed to knock out a couple quick forge welds and couldn't get to the shop, so I threw together a simple forge in my back yard from firebricks, with lump charcoal for fuel and a heat gun for a blower. Problem solved. Charcoal is excellent forge fuel. In fact I almost overdid it making one of the welds; the steel got just a tad sparkly. But buying charcoal can get a little expensive; I suggest you learn how to make it. Free scrap wood is pretty easy to come by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 If there is a local blacksmithing club they may buy coal in bulk and sell it at cost or a little more to members. That is where I get my coal, from the club I belong to. My cost $150 / ton When I don't have that on hand, I use charcoal I make for myself or I've gleaned from the woodburning stove. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Never heard of burning Phil, can you get it to weld temp? Burning Phil is when the unwise Phil forges in shorts on a beautiful spring day and gets hot scale in the top of his boots! Welding only occurs when the unwise Phil forgets that his neck is protected by neither his shirt nor his helmet and fires up the stick welder and does more than glue a few small pieces together with a couple of tack welds causing severe "sunburn" in a smiley shape around his collar. Phil - not an efficient forge fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don't tread on me Posted May 10, 2010 Author Share Posted May 10, 2010 Thnks all, I didn't know that charcoal could reach forge welding temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Charcoal can do it all. It was the fuel used for centuries before people learnt they could burn rocks - coal. Its very good but has to be handled differently to a coal fire. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Thnks all, I didn't know that charcoal could reach forge welding temp. Real charcoal, though, not that briquette garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithgartner Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 If you would do us the common courtesy of letting us know where you are located, on your profile, I know one of us would know where you could buy "smithing coal". So in which, part of Nebraska are you located? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Charcoal was the fuel of blacksmiths for about 2000 years before they started adding coal, (high-late middle ages); but charcoal continued to be used for smithing up until this very minute as you can pretty much make charcoal *anywhere* and good coal is hard to find/get. So all the migration and viking era pattern welded blades were forgewelded in charcoal and japanese blades are *still* forge welded using charcoal by traditional makers. Charcoal was used for smelting iron from ore up until the 1700's when Abraham Darby figured a way to use coke for smelting---but "charcoal iron" was considered superior and you can read 19th century blacksmithing references about using "swedish iron" or "charcoal iron" for items needing the highest quality materials. Now we are not referring to that "modern" abomination called the Charcoal briquette which is engineered to have as little real charcoal in it as possible and to burn slowly for cooking. Shoot I'd rather make charcoal from cow patties and use that over briquettes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Ya know Thomas, depends where you live but cow pattie charcoal could work but, gee, you would be busy on the shovel to keep them up to the fire They sure would be light!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzerak Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 If you don't mean briquettes, what is the other type of charcoal, the original? I'm a bit confused on this subject as I've never heard of anything but briquette charcoal. I have searched for the answers for this, but they don't seem to be very forthcoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 If you don't mean briquettes, what is the other type of charcoal, the original? I'm a bit confused on this subject as I've never heard of anything but briquette charcoal. I have searched for the answers for this, but they don't seem to be very forthcoming. Lump charcoal, it is easiest to get at restaurant supply place. Gordon Food Service, GFS, stock lump charcoal year round. Cowboy brand is very common. The lumps are irregular, and rather lightweight compared to briquettes. It is natural charcoal that is broken and bagged without any further processing. Making it is not too hard, but required fuel wood, space, and understanding neighbors. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 If you don't mean briquettes, what is the other type of charcoal, the original? Charred wood, i.e., wood with all the volatiles burnt out in the absence of oxygen. It's light, hard, dry, black, makes a tinkling sound when the pieces rattle around -- and it looks like pieces of wood! It's mostly carbon with minimal impurities. You can get it at Lowes or Home Depot, although you'd be better off buying bulk from someplace like GFS, as Phil suggested. Here's a quick rundown on lump vs. briquettes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tran Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Try this address http://www.artmetal.com/files/imported/project/TOC/COALCOKE.HTM The site has 23 addresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 quote name='ThomasPowers' date='10 May 2010 - 05:22 PM' timestamp='1273508573' post='171032'] Charcoal was the fuel of blacksmiths for about 2000 years before they started adding coal, (high-late middle ages); but charcoal continued to be used for smithing up until this very minute as you can pretty much make charcoal *anywhere* and good coal is hard to find/get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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