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I Forge Iron

coal forge


yesteryearforge

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I start with a small ring of newspaper in the bottom, add a few hickory twigs or shaving, then a small heap of charcoal.

After the charcoal gets fired up, I rake in the coke from my last fire and keep a little air going.

Once the coke gets going good, be sure to give it a poke or two; the charcoal wil burn out and leave a hollow fire if you don't.

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The last two times I went to light my forge, I couldn't get it lit for at least an hour. My dad said its probably from having an outdoor forge, and leaving the coal in the forge between firing, so it had moisture in it. but USUALLY, I throw a couple balls of newspaper in, followed by some wood, then charcoal, then my coal.

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Different types of coal catch fire more quickly than others. Wet coal just takes a little more heat to start burning as your drying off the water first.

Build a good fire with sticks, kindling from a 2x4's, lumber, etc then add the coal little at a time. Smaller pieces of coal start faster than large pieces. But avoid using accellerants of any nature. Saving a couple of minutes is not worth the potiential problems accellerants can cause.

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I keep a lookout for big pine stumps in the woods, they are mostly pitch wood. I chop the pitch into pencil size sticks and keep in a sealed coffee can. Sometimes i pour a bit of turpentine into the can to fortify the pitch. Talk about a one match fire, a guy saw me start up the forge and called it solid propane..

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Like Bruce sez, the blue wrench is fast. :D I make my living in the forge and rest of the shop. Some days ( many ) I just drag a few coals from the stove and light with that. Some days I use a piece of newspaper and use a handful of commercial charcoal ( from Menards ). Pile the coked coal on top of that. Some days I just use paper and coked coal. ANY of these 3 and I have a fire to forge 1/2 rod inside of 3-4 minutes. Some days, the air is exceptionally damp and so is the shop. Bag of Menards charcoal ( on these days) is handy because if the coal is lightin hard, start with charcoal and a piece of paper. This charcoal is about $5 a bag. You can forge in it absolutely but takes a fair bit of volume. I use a power blower and airgate in the shop. This charcoal is lump. No Briquettes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

on my forge (a small 'rivet forge' i think) i just take some newspaper or wood shavings, add some small pieces of wood or lump charcoal, and a few pieces of coke. light the paper or shavings and let them burn and light up the wood chunks or lump charcoal. after these are going, gradually add a few more bits of coke and maybe some green/unburned coal. give it some air blast from the blower. gradually add coke/coal and give it more air. in a few minutes, you should have a nice fire going.
best of luck to ya :)

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Fionn,
Is "a little liquid accelerant" more or less than a quart (liter) ? :shock:


My suggestion would be to learn fire control and maintance. If folks don't have time to construct a "proper" fire using paper, kindling, and to use the boy scout method of fire building, I don't think napalm is the answer. :wink:

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Hello
I learned to use usually some newspaper and little (tiny) pieces of splitted wood. If the wood starts to burn well, I softly cover them with the coal left from the last fire and start the blower (only small amount of ear-stream).

In real "emergency situations" I have some "wax-covered" woodsticks you can buy to start up your BBQ, if time is short. But, this has absolutely NO style and so I usually use the first method.

My forge is also standing in a little shelter, 3 sides closed, front with cover and I just put a V-shaped piece of metal over the forge when finished, so the water can not run through the chimney down into the coal (even it has a top cover).

Regards, Peter

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  • 6 years later...

I'm like Big Lake. I make a tight mushroom of newspaper making sure that I exclude all slick, shiny, colored newsprint. It normally takes about five double sheets, and I separate the sheets and stagger them before balling them up. Otherwise, by leaving them stacked evenly together before balling, they behave more like cardboard and are difficult to use. When lit, I smother the fire with coke and mybe a little green coal. I get lots of smoke at the beginning. If little live flames peep through at the start, I smother them with coke. I tamp the mound lightly on top with the shovel to keep the fire from becoming hollow, as the newspaper burns away. With patience, you'll get a central fire, and as you increase the blast, the fire will become quite bright looking in its sweet spot. You then cone up the fire with green coal. THAT'S when you put your workpiece in the fire. Don't put cold work in a cold fire, or you will obstruct the blast and the combustion process. You'll lose time.

I'm in Santa Fe, 18 miles from Los Alamos as the crow flies. The mushroom is ha ha reminiscent of the bomb manufactured in Los Alamos.

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I'm with Big Lake Forge and Frank: no kindling, no charcoal, no accelerants. Just newspaper, 3 full sheets balled up, light it add air and rake in the coke from a previous fire or green coal. Works either way. I give it plenty of air and find some busy work for a few minutes while the fire gets itself going (I have an electric blower). I only use plain newsprint. The glossy advertising gets recycled, does not burn well due to the coatings.

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