New to blacksmithing, coal vs coke forge.

[Catch-a-Fire]

Hello everyone. I am new to blacksmithing. I have done a lot of reading and watching videos about forges. I have also been window shopping available forges on- line. The one I want to get is offered with either a coal or coke pot. The difference being the depth, around two inches more for the coal I believe. My question is, which one should I get? Coke is preferred, yet more expensive if purchased rather than made. So, if made by me, I will be starting from coal. So I need a coal pot. Why does two inches make burning coal/ coke any different or better. Which one should I get and why. They aren’t cheap. Yes, I know I can make a forge out of a rusty soda can.

thanks.

 

[MeltedSocks]

I use coke, and I bought a half-ton from this company in Georgia.  It seems like a lifetime supply.  That was in 2019. I think it was around $400 for twenty 50# bags.  It was L Brand Forge Coke.  Their website doesn't appear to be working.  I wonder if they're out of business. The number I have didn't work.

Coke starts to burn quicker and with less smoke.  I have no experience with green coal, but I've seen videos of the trouble some blacksmiths have had getting a coal fire started.  They also had concerns about the foul smelling smoke in close proximity to suburban neighbors.

[MeltedSocks]

Tractor Supply has anthracite coal in 40 lb bags for $12.99, if your store can get it.  It's unavailable at my store in Navarre, FL, at least temporarily. The reviews mentioned that they had to get a wood fire going first before throwing in a little coal.

With my coke, I use the little nuggets of lump charcoal I clean out of my BGE.  A single handful of the nuggets and a minute long blast with a plumber's torch with the blower on will quickly start the coke.

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

Here we go, the can of worms is kicked over!! LOL

Blacksmithing Coal is Bituminous Coal, or at the mine, they call it Metalurgical Coal. It depends from where it comes from, what it is rated for. The smoke from a Coal Fire is the impurities of the Coal burning away, leaving Coke for your heat source. Anthracite Coal is harder and cleaner to handle, but it takes a little extra air to keep it lit when you are doing other things, when you are using it in a Forge.

Some people do not use the Coal Fines, the fine powder/dust at the bottom of your Coal Pile. I have found that I mix the Fines in a 5gal pail with water and make thick 'Mud Balls' in your hands, pack it in your hands almost the size of a Tennis Ball. After I get a Forge lit, I add these balls around the outside of the Coal and they get moved into your fire as you push the sides toward the center. Adding the Coal from the outside is known as 'Coking your Coal'. This way, you don't add Coal to the top of your fire as 'Green Coal', the Coal is added to your fire, sideways, so your fire is burning Coke.

When I lived with my parents, my job was to take care of our Wood and Coal Furnace, for heat in the house. Nobody told me I couldn't play in the Furnace, So, I would put metal things into the bottom of the furnace and they would get to Forge Heat without a Fan. You can do the same thing in a campfire, I'm sure most of us have done that!! There is a family in Washington/Oregon that makes Wood Fired Forges. I have used one at a NWBA Conference in Washington. I made one using a discarded 2 wheeled Bar-B-Que. I am using a Hair Dryer for a Blower with a reostat to control the Blower volume.

Do not think there is Magic between Coal and Coke, They start the same.

Neil

[George N. M.]

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

In a sense anyone using a solid fuel forge (except those burning charcoal) is burning coke because the coal bakes around the outside of the fire which turns it into coke which is raked into the fire to burn and heat the metal.

I started using commercially available coke years ago when I was living in town so that I would be producing less smoke and odor for my neighbors.  Now that I am in a semi-rural area I have continued to use coke out of habit.

The main positive attribute of coke is that it burns with little of no smoke or smell which can be an issue of you have close neigbors.  It will still produce clinkers which is a function of how many impurities were in the original coal (quartz sand and silt washing into the original coal swamp).

The down sides of coke include that it is harder to get started and you have to keep an air blast to it or it will go out.  With a coal fire you can go into the house and have lunch and once you get back to the forge you usually just add air and it will flare right back up.  With coke you have about enough time to go into the house to use the bathroom or get a cold drink.  Longer and it will go out.  If I am doing bench work I have to give the blower a couple of cranks every couple of minutes to keep it from going out.

Everyone has their own technique for starting a coke fire.  I may be too elaborate but it works almost all the time.  I start with a sheet or two of newspaper wadded up above the tuyere.  Then I build a "log cabin" around the paper with kindling about 6" long and about finger size in diameter.  Then, I add some coal on top of the "cabin" and give the whole construction a spritz of charcoal lighter.  I then build up coke around it all and over the top.  I then light it from the bottom of the pile and start cranking the blower, about medium hard.  As the coke is catching fire and fire is coming up through the gaps in the "roof" I drop pieces of coke onto these hot spots.  Basically, the paper startes the woo, the wood starts the coal, and the coal starts the coke.  As I said, possibly overly elaborate but it works for me and I don't have many failures and have to start over.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[George N. M.]

PS  Neil, a slight difference in nomenclature:  To me, an old geologist, the "impurities" in coal is the stuff that doesn't combust and melts together to create clinker.  It is pretty much quartz sand and silt that got washed into the coal swamps.  The stuff that is driven off by heating coal to make coke are the lighter volitile fractions.  Once they are gone you pretty much have pure carbon to burn as coke plus the non combustible impurities.

Also, Catch-a-Fire, I can't help you on the best commercial coal forge but, if you are just starting our, you may want to look at a JABOD (Just A Box Of Dirt) forge which works pretty well and can be constructed very cheaply.  If you find the craft is to your liking you can upgrade.  All you really need for a forge is a noncumbustible area to hold the fire and a way to get air to the fire to make it hotter.

I bought both my coal forges at auctions.  My first one was a rivet/farm forge that I bought for $25 in 1978.  Check antique or farm auctions in your area.  Also, check on-line auction sites like Hibid for auctions within driving distance for you for pick up.  The real critical thing is to make sure that the blower works or can be rebuilt.

Speaking of location, it will be a help to us to give you relevant replies if we know your general geographic location.  Put it in your profile.  This is a world wide community and we don't know if you are in Lapland, Tasmania, or Kansas.  Also, it is possible that someone here is within visiting distance.  There is nothing like learning the craft from someone more experienced.