Hi everyone,

I have an ongoing issue when I use my JABOD where my earlier charcoal additions during a session burn down to rice size and either drop to the bottom of the fire inhibiting airflow and causing a tiny, but really hot fireball that burns my tuyere, or, get so tiny that they then join the fire fleas and blow out of the fire altogether.

I therefore now have more of a "Just A Box Of Rice Charcoal And Ash" than a JABOD. Should I just clean this tiny fuel out more often and add fuel more often? This is one area of my fire management that I need some help with.

Cheers,

Jono.

Yes, I clean the fire pot when the charcoal gets to that point. It also sounds like your air blast is a little too strong. My side blast forge has a hand crank blower that unless I'm cranking it the air stops.

I can’t control the wind. All I can do is adjust my sails. ~Semper Paratus~ USCG 1964-1970

I've been trying to balance between "charcoal needs a light air blast" and trying to forge weld in it and thinking I need more air.

What size charcoal pieces do you start with, IFCW? I've been using the cheapest BBQ lump charcoal I can get, and I've been breaking it down to about walnut size or a little smaller.

I'm using also natural hardwood lump charcoal for BBQ. 

I use charcoal pieces about 2 to 3 cm for forging and 1 to 1.5 cm for heat treating.
I got those sizes from reading about a Japanese Swordsmith. See section #2.

Swordmaking Process by Miyairi Akihira

I use local hardwood lump charcoal just have to break some pieces that are about 3-4 inches 7-10cm long.

I can’t control the wind. All I can do is adjust my sails. ~Semper Paratus~ USCG 1964-1970

I steepened (is that a word?!) the angle of the wall opposite the tuyere of my JABOD today and worked with a lighter air blast. I was still able to plenty of heat, with less issues from the rice size bits. I also cleaned them out a bit more often. It was a good session, and I learned a bit more about my fire management.

Thanks for that link, Hamon. On top of the charcoal size info, I just find that whole process so fascinating! I never realised before that carbon steel increases in volume when martensite forms in the quench. You learn something new every day.

Cheers!

Jono.