coltpax Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 I have one 20lb propane tank that gets filled up when its empty. Just about every gas station around here fills them, so Its fairly easy to get filled. I only have about 60lbs of coal around because I have to drive an hour just to go get it, and then its $7 for a 40 lb. bag. Also, I dont have alot of coal around because I prefer propane unless I'm demoing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 1 x 200 lt plastic drum 3/4 full of coke ,1 x 60 ltr drum of coke ( this 1 i throw inta back of ute when i'm of demoing ) , 1 x 200 ltr drum full of charcoal , 2 x 45 kg plastic bags of charcoal ( should be getting 2 more just like them Monday or Tuesday for FREE ) , 2 x 60 lt drums of charcoal ( also gets thrown inta back of ute when i'm demoing , flying " fleas " give out the impression that the fires realy HOT to the crowd ) Dale Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer3j Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 I am on the Mississippi River side of Iowa-Chicage is about 185 miles away. I need coke. I am working on my skillet forge . I want coke because my neighbors houses and garages are typical in the city spacing- 25 feet away each side. luckily they are young couples on each side and occasionally having an "old timer" around is fun for them. I am sure they think I am that " Nice but crazy old guy on the block-you know, the one with the three cute silly dogs. He is polite and doesn't beat on things when we are around too much." Coal smoke might break up the party.mt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I generally use coal and order 500 or 1,000 pounds at a time. I have about 200 in store at present. I aso use coke and have an unlimited supply free here on site. I sometimes use charcoal and again get that free here. I have 3 stacks of cut split logs which I also sometimes use as smoke is not an issue. So I think the chances of running out of fuel are fairly low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I bought 3 ton of coal last summer and still have 2 1/2 left(I think) and had my 330 gal propane tank filled 2 months ago during the summer fill rates. The propane should last until next summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I have 75Lbs of coal on hand . 35 Lbs of coke on hand (waiting for forging my first hammer) I have 1 Full 20lb tank of propnae and have another 20Lb tank empty though. This coming up week i`am plan on getting a ton of coal. I also plan on get the emtpy tank exchanged. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 At home I have about 200lbs of chopped mixed solid fuel biomass, and maybe 5 gallons of used oil. I get more oil when I'm down to 1 gallon, and biomass whenever I come across it. The hot shop at college always keeps a 100lb tank of propane on hand, and the blacksmiths (mainly me and 2 other guys) and the lampworkers have to share it, which can be frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 The last post in this thread was from 2008. Time to check your inventory, maybe restock, or add another tank of fuel. How much fuel (charcoal, coal, coke, propane) do you have on hand now ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I have 200 pounds of l-brand coke and 100 pounds of charcoal. My 100 pound propane tank has been empty for a few weeks due to the costs going up. I have decided to concentrate on forging with coke. I bought one of Grants blowers from Blacksmith depot because the handcrank blower was getting redundant. Of course i have burned a few things up getting used to the new blower. I had a beautiful billet of damascus made with the twist completed, today i was getting ready to make a nice kitchen knife and burned the billet in half! Maybe the hand crank blower is a safer bet for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Browne Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I have 4 100# propane tanks. I run these on my forges and my oxy-propane torch setup for heating. I converted from oxy-acetylene to oxy-propane last year in an attempt to simplify the fuel requirements for the shop. I refill when I empty 2 tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Bryan Morgan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I have 200# of blacksmtithing coal in the shed its pricy at $34.99 for 50#. I need to get my propane tank filled its a 30 pounder. I do however have coal from the Healy coal mine available at $120 a ton and that includes delivery. I haven't tried it yet but I've been told it is very serviceable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I load up about 1000 pounds of coal at a time. It is my only fuel source.I usually let it go to about a couple buckets full before I start worrying about getting more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I have in the neighborhood of 450 LBS. of coal (@12.90/bag) and a full bottle of acetylene in the shop. I am in the process of building a box so I can buy by the ton soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Wow, I feel like a big slacker! I buy 100lbs of coal from Centuar Forge at a time. Of this, right now I have about 60lbs of coal, and 10ish of coke that I've save from the fires. I need to sweep that up as I kicked the buck the other day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 50# corn (haven't tried it yet, supposed to smell better than coal) 50# coal (deciding if I like it or not...I think I don't because of the smell, maybe if I had a setup with a chimney) 40# cherry pits (experiment, untested, at times cheaper than corn) 20# charcoal from the store (1) 20# propane tank, and about 1/2 tank on the grill. 4 cord soft maple (not intended for the forge) Haven't lit a fire in weeks, only doing cold work if I get play time in the shop lately. I may have enough solid fuel to last the year, and the grill alone will use 4 bottles this summer. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ornametalsmith Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 150 gal. LP tank..........refill when it gets to about 10 %. the ONLY coal I get is on Xmas....... stocking is ALWAYS overflowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Right now I probably have @350lbs of coal. When I get down to @100lbs I start working on getting some more. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John NC Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Best estimate is 15 to 20 years worth of methane in the landfill. Here's a link to the landfill gas collection system at the Jackson County Green Energy Park, where I rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocking H Ranch Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Hi all, new here to I Forge Iron. Still pretty much a hobbyist Blacksmith, but learning every day. Right now, I have a 55 gal drum of good coal on hand. I dont keep much more than that on hand for the time, as I work in my backyard and store everything in a shed, and dont do alot of smithing. I am not really worried about the amount that I have on hand, as I can get coal fairly easily. Glad to have found this Forum, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 got two tons of coke last year, down to about one now, will start thinking about ordering this summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 ,...at $950 a ton you have to prepare in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUGGET Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Newbe here but I have about 450lb. coal that I traded up an drinkin my last coke LOL :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I'd guess I have about 5.5 ton of coal next to my barn, since we hold the chapter meetings there, and we were able to buy out another facilities coal, we sold about 4 ton and the rest was verrrrry cheap for our own purposes, and what's even better, my wife does not mind!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 normally i try to keep 6, 9kg gas bottles full and the 40kg, and about 2 - 5 ton of coke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokshasa Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 i have a little more than a tone. i useally go when im at 1/2 a tone left, its rather hard to find around here for a good price, we useally have to band together and order a bunch , i tend to get 2 tones at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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