yesteryearforge Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 How many keep their coal outside do you keep it covered at all I currently have about 4 tons and it is inside but have just been offered a fifty foot silo full of coal if i want it of coarse ill have to try it before i haul it home It could be good coal or it could be lousy coal but its worth taking a look at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Strip mines remove the top of the mountain to get to the coal and it is left exposed to the elements while being mined. Where coal is mined, and at power plants in this area, the coal is stored outside. Rail Road cars are usually not covered during shipment. When you see trucks hauling coal they are covered but this is to keep material from falling out and to keep the coal dust from being blown along the route. When the coal is sent for analysis the BTU rates are higher when the coal is dry (of course). This is an observation in this local area, and may or may not be the answer to your question. FYI A ton of coal is about the side of a pallet and 4 feet in depth (height, tall or whatever). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted January 9, 2007 Author Share Posted January 9, 2007 Glenn I was wondering more about contaminants and debris accumulating over time than the effect on the coal ( leaves,acorns,sticks,gravel etc ) this would not be a big problem with a small pile of coal but may be with a rather large pile that would take you a good while to consume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 For an individual this may not be a problem but I remember that when SOFA was building their building on the county fairgrounds they were told that if coal was stored "outside" they would have to collect and treat any water that ran through it---so they built a covered shed instead. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcraigl Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Yesteryear, I keep mine stacked on a pallet on the north side of the shop covered with a tarp. The tarp/north side thing are really just to keep the UV off the sacks so they don't dissolve in the sunlight. I doubt sticks, leaves, and acorns would hurt it much though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 I keep my bags of good smithing coal inside, but I've got a few hundred pounds of low quality coal sitting outside I use when I don't want to waste my good coal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Would gravel and dirt affect the performance of the coal while in use? Would these types of things lessen the usability of the fire to forge weld....and/or create clinker issues? Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Peyton: In a word yes. Woody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Outside, covered, 55 gallon drum(s) under an open shed roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Leaves, sticks, pine cones, sweetgum balls, all of which we have here in East Texas, would not be a problem as they all burn and turn to charcoal. Rocks, gravel, and dirt do not burn and can explode depending on the rock/gravel. Wet coal is not a problem as you are going to wet it anyway to control your fire. I have 2 plastic 55gal drums full of coal now and a pile I built a 3 side "pen" that has about 2 tons of coal. All outside. The 4States Iron Munchers has several tons in a concrete block "pen" outside, uncovered. No problems. The "pen" can be 3 sided or 4 sided and is for keeping the coal in one place. Think LARGE box. Thomas Powers makes a good point with the run-off so a plastic cover or pieces of tin would solve that problem if there is one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 One other issue with coal storge---particularly coal fines---*CATS*---yes it burns but does not improve the smell of the smoke any. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 EPA issues aside, will the run-off from a coal pile harm trees and plants? BTW, I just finished building a neat coal sifter for reclaiming a pile of coal from a 60 year-old basement bin. It was full of all sorts of brick & mortar chips and dust. It's not a real good soft coal, but it packs a lot of BTU's and very little clinker. I'll post a picture of my sifter in a day or two. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Outside storage isn't going to hurt the coal at all. As for leaves, etc, getting in it, you'll probably be taking it inside in bucket quantity so it is easy enough to pick out the worst of it, or just let it burn up. Locally, we have a 10 ton pile that sits outside and people take it by the bucketful, so far no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 this oppurtunity consist of approx 84 tons of coal / got a sample of it today will try to burn it this weekend to see how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Have fun burning that YYF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 I have a 16 gallon drum(with lid) filled with coal. Makes a nice container. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 84 tons eh? think that'll last you the weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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