Is nut coal from tractor supply good for forging and forge welding also has anyone used it before BTW it is anthracite based 

You didn't look too far down the recent posts in this forum: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/43617-coal-at-local-tractor-supply/

I just bought 10 bags myself.  It was hard to get burning, but seemed quite usable once going.  I don't have a lot of options where I live, so going to give it a try...

You mean "Nut" coal right? LOL i bought some and it burns. I havnt tried it on its own yet, i've been mixing it in with my bituminous coal i have.

Thanks for the reply guys I was thinking bout mixing it with my wood charcoal but bout to find out how it works today 

 

Don't use tractor supplys nut coal use the rice coal burns with a better fire ball and hotter fire 

Nut coal was all I could find in Georgia stores. Seems to work just fine - and I can always make it smaller with a hammer...

Sorry I'm still new to using anthracite I mostly use charcoaled wood and propane but that coal burns extremely hot and I torched the end of 2 knives completly off guess I'm going to have to get used to the heating times from forge to anvil lol

15 hours ago, Small town Smith said:

Sorry I'm still new to using anthracite I mostly use charcoaled wood and propane but that coal burns extremely hot and I torched the end of 2 knives completly off guess I'm going to have to get used to the heating times from forge to anvil lol

Coal can burn the tips off your knives too  try cutting the air down a bit, pay more attention to your steel in the fire. Doesn't take long when the work piece gets thinner. Also placement of your piece in the fire. Keep the tip out of the sweet spot. 

I tried the nut coal on its own last night. Took a lil bit to get it going good but once it was going it worked well. 

A good rule of thumb to observe is: Do the thin work LAST it burns MUCH more easily than thick sections.

Frosty The Lucky.

AND the longer you work on a blade the easier it is to ruin it as you get tired and it gets thinner....learn to stop *before* you make that unrecoverable error!

For starting a fire with the anthracite, I've been starting with a balled-up newspaper piled over with hardwood charcoal. Light paper, turn on the air. When the charcoal starts to glow around the edges, add a layer of coal. Working fire in about five minutes.

I use nut coal and love it.  I start the fire with a small handful of lump charcoal and once going layer on the nut coal which burns longer.  It's also cheaper than charcoal at $13 for a 50 pound bag from Agway.  

I just bought a 40 lb bag for like 6 bucks.  Will see how it works tonight hopefully

I bought 10 bags of the anthracite nut coal from tractor supply yesterday as well, $5.99 a bag.  Read quite a few different places recommending it so guess we'll see.

A bit of hijacking with this thread, but what do you guys like better, nut or rice coal?

K, I picked up a bag of nut coal to try.  It was hard to start.  After 2 attempts I used a little green coal.  That got it going.  It took the fire a while to mature, but once it did I found it perfect for projects where monitoring the steels color since I could lay the work on top.  I'll definitely keep a few bags around for future projects.

Are sparks a concern with the TS bags of coal, similar to using charcoal? 

8 minutes ago, Donniev said:

Are sparks a concern with the TS bags of coal, similar to using charcoal? 

I haven't found them to be so. Some sparking when you get into the coal dust towards the bottom of the bag, but not as dramatic as you get with charcoal's fire fleas.

49 minutes ago, Donniev said:

Are sparks a concern with the TS bags of coal, similar to using charcoal? 

I have some of the nut and rice from TS and it doesn't spark as much as pop at the beginning. I believe becasue it is kept outside and so wet. once I start to work the pile into the fire, the outer ring of coal is dried by the heat and the popping is gone. The Nut seems to do it more than the rice. 

I start it buy throwing a few 2x and 1x cutoffs in a charcoal chimney, since they burn down I chuck the coal on top. If you break up a coffee can of nut coal it will get you started (takes 1/2 a can for my small fire bowl) the nut coal seems to break up as it cokes, so I don't bother after start up.

i do get a pleasant crackling sound as the coal cokes.