Duke of Nada Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 (edited) I have been given two pickup truck loads of coal. The bad thing is that it's the crud left over from a tractor trailer load and has a lot of fine crap that has to be sifted out, but its free and I have a lot more time than money right now. I did some calling around and it looks like coal is going for around $450 to $500 a ton. Eight years ago my father in-law was selling it for $90 a ton. That is a heck of an increase. Is the prices I got about right? Edited December 31, 2010 by Moderator54 language edit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsberg Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Hey Duke, Different coal goes for different prices. What type of coal did you get your hands on? The fines arn't worthless, if you wet them and then pat them into balls the size that you like your coal chunks to be, they can be used just like regular coal. They puff up a bit and hold together as they are heated. Caleb Ramsby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke of Nada Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 I don't really know. It looks like this after all the fine stuff is gone, and it's dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Ummm DO NOT sift it!!! Those fines are just fine! Simply wet it before adding to your fire and work it in from the edges... it will melt together to create large lumps of coke that will be excellent for forging. You will actually have to break it up a little as you move it into the fire. I like to keep a good sized chunk together though to use as a lid for my fire. Some smiths prefer to use those fines that you are discarding over any other coal. I keep my coal in a bucket and put a couple of sprinkle cans of water over it so that it makes a sort of paste mixed with dampened chunks. There are some other old threads on this subject too if you want to read more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokshasa Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 looks like good stuff to me, dont feal so shocked ,for me to get good coal i have to pay 700 a tone and thats not delivered to my house... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGRAFF Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I did some calling around and it looks like coal is going for around $450 to $500 a ton. Eight years ago my father in-law was selling it for $90 a ton. That is a hell of an increase. Is the prices I got about right? Are you saying that is what the coal looks like.......... or THAT is the coal you have?? I dont know how far it would be for you, but there is a fella i get my coal from ( near Dayton, Oh) that sells large lump Bituminous coal for $190 per ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 We lost our supplier of coal, in my area. I have finally located a guy about 80 miles north that is trying to get a semi load brought in from West Virginia. Looks like that coal is going to sell to us at about $400 a ton, you pick it up. I'm just hoping that he can get it in soon. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 STOP sifting like BFN says. I keep mine in a quarter barrel, add a little water, and use as it. It works great that way. I can go get coal for $130 a ton at the moment, it was $120 earlier in the year. Probably higher due to winter being here, less in the summer. From what I have heard the reason for the cost of coal going up is that a lot of it is headed to CHINA. Just like steel, copper, cement, and other materials have also done. I find it really hard to believe that folks in coal country are having such a hard time either getting coal, or are paying so much more for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I did some calling around and it looks like coal is going for around $450 to $500 a ton. Eight years ago my father in-law was selling it for $90 a ton. That is a heck of an increase. Is the prices I got about right? Not so big of an increase, really. Quite small compared to movie tickets or soup: http://hubpages.com/hub/Life-75-Years-Ago-Compared-To-Now If you don't want those nasty old fines, you can send them to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Burn It ALL!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Friend your in Kentucky I see. Eastern, Kentucky is the absolute heart of Coal country. Over here we can buy it sized for less than $100 a ton even now..Lump house coal is for sale all over the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke of Nada Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 That isn't the actual coal. Just looks like what I'm getting after sifting. The stuff I'm sifting out is fine dust. I'll try burning the dust and all and see what happens. I figured the dust would trun straight to ash and not coke up. Ky-boy were you getting you coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 That isn't the actual coal. Just looks like what I'm getting after sifting. The stuff I'm sifting out is fine dust. I'll try burning the dust and all and see what happens. I figured the dust would trun straight to ash and not coke up. Ky-boy were you getting you coal. There is a picture of some fines in a bucket under an inch of water somewhere on here. The poster (Glenn?) stated he just packed the wet fines against the side of the fire to form a beehive and then it would coke, fuse, and be pushed in. I haven't tried this yet. I just got a bag of coal from my brother in law for Christmas, and haven't lit a fire yet. There is a small pile of fines on the floor that sifted out of the burlap bag. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 That isn't the actual coal. Just looks like what I'm getting after sifting. The stuff I'm sifting out is fine dust. I'll try burning the dust and all and see what happens. I figured the dust would trun straight to ash and not coke up. Ky-boy were you getting you coal. Duke, there is a coal tiple in Prestonsburg (Floyd co.) that sells it in three sizes for that price..Tahts where we get it B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 My coal ranges from fist sized to fines. The large pieces I break up and the fines I use to build the outer wall of the fire. I find that the fines when wetted are perfect for this as many others have already stated. I haven't rolled them into balls but use it as a paste. If I get desperate for chunks, I'll start rolling. Waste not want not. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke of Nada Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Thanks kyboy, I'll need to head that way when my pile gets low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHForge Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Are you saying that is what the coal looks like.......... or THAT is the coal you have?? I dont know how far it would be for you, but there is a fella i get my coal from ( near Dayton, Oh) that sells large lump Bituminous coal for $190 per ton. Mind if I ask where abouts Dayton this fellow is? I live between Dayton and Cincinnati, so it'd be great to have a coal supplier near me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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