Forge design, and clinkers

[GojiraMay]

Hello, I am relatively new to blacksmithing as I just made my first pair of tongs yesterday. I built my own forge and currently using a small exhaust fan jerry rigged together to provide air to the fire until I can source a more permanent air supply. I am using Anthracite coal in my forge as it is the only readily available coal in my area that I have found thus far, and I have heard that it is somewhat a dirty coal and can produce clinkers. When I was forging with it I had to frequently clean the fire out and I pulled out quite a few massive clinkers. Is this just because of the coal I am using or is anything I can change to help reduce the amount of clinkers are produced? Attached are some pictures of my forge and firepot design. any advice or tips is greatly appreciated!

[George N. M.]

Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming.  Glad to have you.

If you put your general location in your profile we will be able to give better answers.  A surprising number of answers are geography dependent.  Right now, we don't know if you are in Lapland or Tasmania.

Clinkers, no matter what grade of coal you are using, anything from peat to antrachite, are pretty much what they are because they are dependent on the impurities in the coal that do not combust.  If there was X amount of sand and silt washing into the coal swamp before it was buried and converted to coal you will have X amount of clinkers.  A very hot fire will reduce the clinkers to a glassy mass rather than a "crunchy" lump but that is about it.  About the only way to reduce clinkers is to find a coal that has a low amount of non-volatiles.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[GojiraMay]

Ok thanks for the advice, I appreciate the insight 

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, GojiraMay said:

I am using Anthracite coal in my forge as it is the only readily available coal in my area

If you haven't yet, you should check out the "Recommendations for Working with Anthracite" article.

[GojiraMay]

thanks for resource!

[Daswulf]

Forge looks good. Keep in mind that the tuyer grate is a consumable and will need replaced at some point. Not typically quickly but likely eventually. My point is to just set it or tack weld it so it isnt too hard to replace. Looks like yours is good as it looks just tacked in. 

I would suggest cutting pass through slots in the fencing on two sides of the table so you can lay stock flatter closer into the fire. 

I found most coal suppliers in my area do not have a typical website so maybe searching the yellow pages and calling if you can find a supplier there. 

 

 

[GojiraMay]

Thanks for the advice! I had already thought of cutting pass through slots when I was forging long bits of round stock to make my tongs, Also i was having trouble building my fire up for work on some heavier pieces and pieces that were to long to fit down into the firepot. Any advice there?

[dickb]

I don't see anything that looks like a clinker breaker or an ash dump. Either or both of these will let you clean out accumulated ash and clinkers without disturbing the fire too much. 

You can drag a poker with an "L" shaped end bend at the end through the fire and drag the bigger clinkers out of it. That will help with big clinkers but not with the accumulated ash. 

Your firepot has an "S" shaped grate. If this grate is not moveable then ash will build up and clog the air flow. If you can modify the grate so it can be rattled around without disturbing the fire the you will be able to avoid the ash buildup.

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. All good advice so far. An ash dump is easy to make or one of the exhaust caps like are on diesel trucks or tractors will work with a little modification. There is a good thread about them.

[Daswulf]

If you are having trouble getting pieces "down" into the sweet spot in the fire it tends to mean your fire pot might be too deep. You could build it a bit more shallow and be able to build it up for heavier work pieces but if the heart of the fire is too low it might be too deep or not enough air. 

You could build up the fire with fire brick or I have used a metal ring to contain the fuel in the pot higher than it normally sits. 

Getting with someone experienced and having them take a look or possibly help would be beneficial in many ways. Any blacksmithing groups out your way that you could join or contact? 

[Charles R. Stevens]

Try a bullet grate, especially if your pot is to deep for the class of work you are doing. Take pipe cap that will fit over the hole and drill a 3/4” hole in the center. I like to put a short nipple in the cap, even if I have to file the treads down to fit down in the tuyere. So it raises the heart of fire and the slag runs down the sides forming a donut that is relatively easy to remove and keeping the air grate clear. A 3/4” opening is good up to 1”. 3x1/2 holes get you to about inch and a half, going back to either an “S” grate or such

[GojiraMay]

Do you have a visual you can show me of the bullet grate? I understand the concept but I am having trouble picturing it and how it’s fits together  

[Charles R. Stevens]

Not in my files and the blue print is missing the images. Perhaps Glenn or some one else has a picture. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

There is a diagram and picture of one in this thread.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/48700-clay/