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I Forge Iron

New to Blacksmithing,In Fairbanks


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I've only ever seen a couple pics and I think that was when he unloaded the boiler maybe. I do recall he was in the collect stuff phase of the boat.

 

I thought Jake was in England or somewhere in Europe during the last flood. Of course I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't keeping up online. I seem to remember him saying he got someone with a wrecker or boom truck to lift his 25lb Little Giant out and get it to higher ground but thought that was breakup before last.

 

MAN, the head injury makes it hard to keep things, especially dates, straight. <sigh>

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi. I am also new to blacksmithing up in Fairbanks. I had dabbled in it previously and bought coal at AK Feed, and was dismayed to find they don't carry it anymore. Between myself and a couple friends, we could help go in on a bulk order of a ton, if AK Feed can do it - between the three of us we'd probably commit to 500 lbs, getting us a quarter of the way there.

Also, if you guys find another way to get coal, or even better an Alaskan source, please let me know.

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Hey Rodfather, Welcome to the madness.  I'm looking but no luck as yet.  The guys at Ak Feed have my phone and I know there are several of us that would buy coal if we could get it.  Hopefully we can work something out.  I'll make further inquiries and see what I can find. 

 

One angle I had thought to do was call the Fairbanks office of Usibeli coal and see what they have to say, I haven't had a chance to do that yet.  I will do it soon and report my findings on this thread.  

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Welcome aboard Rodfather, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header folk won't have to keep asking. I think Jeff is or was in contact with Usibeli but he hasn't said anything recently. Maybe he's watching the forum and will get back. If you guys in the interior can get a few more together shipping a bulk load could work out. You might contact the ferriers and see if there's interest.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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I am still looking for some coal and here is what I have learned.. There is no readily available sourse of coking coal in alaska.
There was some coal that came from Chickaloon area but the seam played out several years ago. There may be some left but is it is on private land. I dont know if it was true coking coal but was supposed to be pretty good coal.

The coal I have used from Healy works OK but does not coke up so you cant get up to welding heats.
I found a couple suppliers for Coking coal on the internet and was going to call in the morning and get an idea of cost plus shipping. One website said there bulk order size is 22 tons!!! Thats alot of coat hooks!!! Thats what I have for now.
Jeff

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The Chickaloon mines, Castle Mtn. have some world class metallurgical coal, it's just not so easy to get to. The last I heard the owners of the rights gave permission to blacksmiths to mine up to one ton a year each for personal use.

 

The mines shut down after WWII and have lain since. The seams are exposed and weathered so the coal I've dug is pretty clinkery but cokes easily and is hot. I believe we'd have to expose the next layer down to reach reasonably clean unweathered coal but don't know how the owners would feel about moving overburden and I don't know who's holding the rights now.

 

I haven't done any research in a long time seeing as I'm a propane forge guy. Still, I used Castle Mtn. coal in 95 and it was enough to spoil a boy. Three of us worked the forge hard for abut 8 hrs. at the State fair and at the end of the day the clinker was about the size of a golf ball. If we can find a clean seam, have permission and go get it ourselves, really high quality coal IS available.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Ive heard that the Chickaloon Native Tribe is the current owners of the land. Their website indicates coal mining as a future activity. I will call the corp office in the morning and see what they think about getting some coal from them. Maybe they already mine some for there own home use. I dont know.. More later.. Jeff

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