Prokopto Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I have a chance to buy 1000 pounds of Sewell Seam Coal. So I was curious if anyone had experience and or opinions on this coal for smithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I rate it very highly and pine for it out here in the SW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Where are you located? What is the cost per ton? Blueprint BP0051 Good Coal has good information about coal.Blueprint BP0131 Coal, Coke, and Rocks is another information resource Sewell Seam Coal is usually highly thought of in the blacksmithing community. The samples I have seen are in the high 14,000 and 15,000 BTU range, but that can vary with the location of the mine. You may want to take a 5 gallon bucket home and try it out. Just because it is called Sewell Coal, does not always make it Sewell Coal. 1000 pounds is about 2-1/2 55 gallon drums.BP0131 This is what is considered good coal for blacksmithing, it is low ash, low sulfur, high BTU coal of a usable size for the forge. The numbers suggested for good coal are less than 7% ash, less than 1% sulfur and above 14,000 Calorific Value in BTU's. These are not hard numbers but guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I prefer it, my sample was <0.75% S and very hot, also cokes up fast. cost a bit more than the poco but worth it to me, as my shop is surrounded by houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 I am in Richmond, VA but am traveling through Sewell Seam country in June. The cost per ton is $200. I have some Pokey 3 right now that clinkers like crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 I prefer it, my sample was <0.75% S and very hot, also cokes up fast. cost a bit more than the poco but worth it to me, as my shop is surrounded by houses. Yeah the guy selling it to me works in the industry and says it tests at 3 to 4% ash. So does that mean less of those rotten ole heat sinking clinkers? By the way anyone ever find any gold in them thar coals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 it tests at 3 to 4% ash. That means that you get 3 to 4 pounds of ash for each 100 pounds of coal burned. Clinker is ash plus rocks, dirt, impurities, scale, and all manner of other things that do not burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 I hate clinkers! Is there any use for them? I thought about putting them all in a barrels and in ten years paving my driveway with them. ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecart Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Save them and if you set up a table at a show somewhere, market them to kids as "dragon boogers." It may be a little more money toward your next coal purchase. It doesn't really work with my own kids anymore. They've learned me over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Where is the Sewell Seam located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 mine was from W.Va close to Glenn's back yard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Save them and if you set up a table at a show somewhere, market them to kids as "dragon boogers." It may be a little more money toward your next coal purchase. It doesn't really work with my own kids anymore. They've learned me over the years. That is too funny. I'll try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 mine was from W.Va close to Glenn's back yard I just got home last night with my Sewll Seam Coal. I have yet to burn any but when I do I'll post how I liked it. I got mine near Rainelle, WV and ended up with 1770 pounds of coal in my 1995 Toyota DLX 22re and surprisingly the little blue 'yota got me down the mountain and back to Richmond with ease. (I did add 12 pounds of air to the rear tires though). The wierd thing is that you can only get coal in the fall there and one guy I met at a gas station said he works in a coal mine and he is not even allowed to buy any yet I passed hundreds of rail cars loaded with coal going somewhere. Its a good thing the fellow I bought mine from had saved some extra. So what's up with the whole "you can't buy coal in WV" thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I hate clinkers! Is there any use for them? I thought about putting them all in a barrels and in ten years paving my driveway with them. ha ha In my admittedly limited experience, I have found no equal to clinker when it comes to filling potholes in gravel roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 The floor of my shop is paved with a combination of clinker and Levi Garrett juice. Similar to asphalt, except it is flame retardant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Ecart.....EXCELLENT idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 So here is what I found out about coal in WV. Almost all of the unmined coal in WV is pre-sold under contract. None of the mines tht I found sell to the public. Wholesalers will sell in the Fall for home heating but along about March they run out and cannot get any until the following Autumn. So in the Fall maybe I'll go back and stock up on a couple of tons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Had to build a coal bin for this load of coal. I still have to put the lid on the bin but I want to make the hinges in my forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Ran the little rivet forge yesterday and began making the hinges for my new coal bin and some other stuff. I ran the forge for about 3 hours and ended up with two quarter-sized clinkers and a little clinker deposited on the tuyere. This Sewell seam coal is way better than the Pokey 6. I LOVE THIS COAL! In the Fall I am planning to go back and get some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Sometimes you can find a a place where a tragic industrial accident can occur with a load of coal being dumped in your truck after a loss of brown pop---usually at lunch or late in the day---hot days seem to work better than cold ones. Leastways that was what I was told by an old timer who continued to source his coal from a mine even after all of it was pre-sold to a company in Belgium... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokopto Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Sometimes you can find a a place where a tragic industrial accident can occur with a load of coal being dumped in your truck after a loss of brown pop---usually at lunch or late in the day---hot days seem to work better than cold ones. Leastways that was what I was told by an old timer who continued to source his coal from a mine even after all of it was pre-sold to a company in Belgium... Ha ha, that's classic right there. So I should bring cold soda on a hot day or hot coffee on a cold one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Soda ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Soda ? A soda is a soft drink.... also called "pop" sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveh Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 They are probably "wobbly pops", that would be my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Covington Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I think Thomas means Buddy Pop as in Weiser like the boys From DC used to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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