thecelticforge Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Okay, I had some very good coal and ran out, and now have not so good coal and am soon to run out. Now I am having a horrid time trying to find good coal at a reasonable price between Atlanta and Charleston WV. There are several coal companies but they no longer sell to the public Anyone know where I can get Pocco #3? I know Penncoal sells it but with shipping it is about 52 USD for a 50# bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Keystone Services Industries, Inc., Keystone, WV; (304) 862-4529 Located 30 minutes west of Bluefield, WV on US 52. Yard open M-F, call for price. Green Valley Coal Co. (The old Lady H Mine) -- Leivasy, WV 304 846-6600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 I called Keystone today and they have stopped too. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Oww! This could be great for induction forge sales! Maybe I can help lobby for the eradication of coal. One man's curse in another man's blessing. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 ***Throws clinkers at Grant's head*** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Last I read, induction forges don't give off smoke nor that lovely aroma...so what's the sense of them ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Yes, I'll have to work on a noxious, sulfurous smoke generator for my units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 So what's going on out there? Are we coming to a time when coal will not be available anymore? I can get by with gas in my home shop, however I need lot's of coal for my other shop.... How about coke?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 There will always be plenty of coke, as long as we are dependent on oil. Try looking up a metalurgical analysis company. They analyze it and usually have lots of surplus coke from the oil refineries. I get mine for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Do they no longer sell to individuals, or below a certain tonnage? If they are not selling to the public as in individuals, have you thought of getting a business license if you don't have one or telling them if you do? If they don't want to sell below some tonnage can you go in with others to get the needed tonnage? ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 This is what I've read and have been told. Coal is most often sold in 100,000 ton lots and trainload lots, and maybe half of our coal goes overseas for steel making plants, especially Japan. That is why us little guys are having a hard time when we want one 100# bag to one ton. I used to get coal loose in my pickup at the King Mine near Durango, CO, but about 3 years ago, they quit selling to the public. They will sell to a retail distributor, if that retailer can buy a large dump truck amount, about 25 tons or more. The last time I was there, I saw one large truck load after another being filled and hitting the road. I'm pretty sure they had a contract with the Four Corners Power Plant which is not too far from the mine. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billp Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 This is why living in Tennessee I am starting to think of going to gas. I really don't want to, I enjoy using coal even though it's dirty & smelly when gas is cleaner, I enjoy useing coal. I like the smell and don't mind the dirt, to me that's what make blacksmithing, blacksmithing. But with no suppliers close by and it costing more to ship then what you pay for the coal, I may not have a choice. I found a supplier and just got some coal from him after driving over 3 1/2 hours one way but he is closing up and retiring at the young age of 82, so easy come easy go. Now I'll have to go back to mail order and the high cost of shipping. The only answer I can see is a group of smith in a given area getting together and forming a Co-Op kind of thing. Maybe that way we could find and get a supplier that would be willing to do business. I don't know just a though. BillP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Okay, I had some very good coal and ran out, and now have not so good coal and am soon to run out. Now I am having a horrid time trying to find good coal at a reasonable price between Atlanta and Charleston WV. There are several coal companies but they no longer sell to the public Anyone know where I can get Pocco #3? I know Penncoal sells it but with shipping it is about 52 USD for a 50# bag. If your in the Atlanta area check out Sidney Lee welding supply http://www.sidneylee.com/ they carry Kimmels Premium Bituminous Blacksmith coal from Wiconisco Pa the price is $15.00 a 50lb bag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 22, 2010 Author Share Posted May 22, 2010 I have been doing some research and the supply of coal should start back up again in a few weeks. The explosion caused a huge slowdown and most companies are only selling to previous contracts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 That's great news. Thanks for the update. Now if the prices would just go down. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 22, 2010 Author Share Posted May 22, 2010 Ten years ago I could get Pocco #3 for 20 bucks a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 A few years ago I remember we could get a 50 lb. bag for $10 here in Oregon. The cheapest I can find for good coal now is $27 per 50 Lb. bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Here in central Kansas, the club I belong to bought in bulk some 25 tons or thereabouts. It came in from NE Ok. It worked out to a price of $150 a ton. I've picked up most of a ton, which at the rate I've been able to fire up the forge lately should last a few years. Hopefully I can get more hammer time soon. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 TIME TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL These days, politically speaking, coal is evil. It will continue to see more restrictions put on it and price/ availability will suffer. That's just the way it is. Those in a position to group together and buy a large quantity now should do so sooner than later. Get a pile to last and wait out the current state of affairs in anticipation of better days ahead. Band together, locate a source (directly contact a company that is working the specific type you want) and hire a trucker to collect the load at the time of the run. Better days are coming folks, it wouldn't hurt if you showed up at the polls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Well said Dan. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countryboy39067 Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Revolution time? Let me get my tomahawk!!! Lol it sounds like all the more reason to join a forge counsel or form one if there isn't one in your region. I'm only 35 and I remember as a kid in the early 70's the train coming through my hometown of Ethel, MS. There was always coal left behind from the train cars. Also the I'll never forget the wood shaving and coal smoke coming from the town smithy operated by Mr. Lawson Burchfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I located a suppler in St George UT that sells unbagged coal for $6 per 100#, $120 per ton. Haven't made it by his place yet to get a sample, or see if he has the analysis for it. How much space does a ton of coal take up? Does anyone know how many pounds a 55 gallon drum will hold on average? I have plenty of empty drums that I could use to get the coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGropp Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 A couple of years ago I bought 3 tons of coke. When it showed up it was in 3 "Super Sacks" , which were huge cubic bags 4 feet square and tall. Luckily they were on wood pallets, but were quite a challenge to move out of my driveway without a forklift or tractor. I think coke is a bit less dense than coal so a ton of coal would be slightly smaller in volume. I suspect that like so many commodities a large proportion of the cost is transportation and handling. Good quality smithing coal or coke seems to be harder to find in smaller quantities with each passing year. Gas forges are definitely the way to go for so many reasons, but it would be hard to eliminate a coal fire for certain operations. Induction forges look very attractive for production work, but seem limited in use for pieces that go through large changes in section or profile from one heat to the next . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I am familiar with the Super Sacks from when I worked at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. I have trailers,and a forklift so transportation isn't a problem for me. So it looks like what I need to do now is stop by his place, and see what kind of coal he has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonS Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 We used to buy coal in metal drums from one of our guild members. The coal was essentially coal dust and small pieces 1/4 inch and smaller (fines), so that might affect the weight, but our barrels supposedly held 400 pounds. We paid $100 for the coal and $20 for the barrel. The coal came from the Cadomin area West of Edmonton. We have used up all our supply, and have been searching for a new suppliy. I tried the Gregg River and Cardinal River coal companies and they are not interested in selling anything less than a train load. I am going to try the other source at Grande Cache to see if they will sell us a truck load. We are currently buying smithing coal from Home Hardware at about $60 for a 50 lb bag of east coast coal. Excellent to work with, but a bit pricy. -Don- Western Canadian Blacksmiths Guild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.