Scruffylookingnerfherder Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Hello everyone, I picked up some coal recently to use instead of charcoal, and I'm having a few problems. The store that I purchased from said that the coal is of very high quality, and that it should produce very little smoke and very few clinkers. I tried it out today, but it produced a copious amount of green tinged and white smoke, as well as lots of sticky green tinged stuff on the coal. I think those are the impurities, but it seemed like a lot. Some of the coals also stuck together in large chunks, but they weren't clinkers. Is there something that I'm doing to increase the smoke and chunks? See pictures of my forge here Thanks for any help! Scruffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 You mean that the coal is coking up like it should? Go to some blacksmithing meetings and get a handle on how coal works so you know what's normal! To me it sounds like you are burning bituminous coal and it may have a higher than "good" level of sulfur. Is it Colorado coal? But even low sulfur coal can put out some nasty smoke. The first time you light up all green coal the clould of smoke is usually quite bad. Next time you can start with coked coal and add the green coal around the outside and let it coke up without so much smoke and burn off the smoke it produces---watch out it can WHOOSH if you are not careful. (One of my demo tricks was watching the fire and when it was just right I'd blow into the cloud of smoke and WHOOSH it would all ignite! Very impressive for the crowd if done right---burns off your beard and eyebrows if done wrong...) Really it sounds like you need to get OFF the internet and get someone to show you how to work with coal in person! Works heaps better than trying to learn it online! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffylookingnerfherder Posted July 5, 2017 Author Share Posted July 5, 2017 The coal is from Kentucky. There is a historical farm/ reenactment place nearby with a blacksmith that offered to show me the ropes, and I'll hopefully be getting in touch with him soon. Thanks for your help! Scruffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman7 Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: The first time you light up all green coal the clould of smoke is usually quite bad. Next time you can start with coked coal and add the green coal around the outside and let it coke up without so much smoke and burn off the smoke it produces ^^This^^ Scruffy, I'm sure that I'm using the same coal as you. If you pile on green coal it will be very smoky. You can start your fire with a bit of charcoal and let the coal coke on the outside of the fireball before moving the coke into the fire. I personally don't like to ever put green coal into my fire, but some do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 I make no secret about not being a coal guy, too hard to get good coal here. However, the trick that works well for me is to build your initial pile of coal like a crater. A depression in the center the flame to surface and that burns the smoke using ambient air. It greatly reduces smoke. Once you have a working fire just keep the green coal packed on the outside so it cokes up and smokes gradually rather than coke up a bucket at a time. As coal cokes it drives off the volatiles and what's left puffs up and gets sticky, it can be like stirring hot asphalt. Like Thomas says, get someone to show you or just hang out and watch when a smith is setting up for and just starting to demo. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffylookingnerfherder Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 Thanks guys. I've had two fires now, so I have enough coke to get the fire going. Now I have to work on controlling my air too, a chunk fell out of my steel yesterday because I got it too hot I work outside though, so sometimes its hard to judge colors. Thanks for your help! Scruffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman7 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 21 hours ago, Scruffylookingnerfherder said: Thanks guys. I've had two fires now, so I have enough coke to get the fire going. Now I have to work on controlling my air too, a chunk fell out of my steel yesterday because I got it too hot I work outside though, so sometimes its hard to judge colors. Thanks for your help! Scruffy There is an open forge in Berthoud tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffylookingnerfherder Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 15 hours ago, bluesman7 said: There is an open forge in Berthoud tomorrow. Who is it hosted by? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman7 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Rocky Mountain Smiths. I'll shoot you a message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.