nashdude Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Since deciding to build a coal forge, I've been thinking mobile. I wanted something on wheels, easy to disassemble, so that I can take it with me wherever I go. But I got to thinkin'... I ain't gonna be going nowhere! This past weekend, I went out to the flea market---netting a sweet deal on an old drill press, I might add :cool: As I was headed home, I noticed a pile of brick being salvaged from a demolished building. I started thinking about this grill my step-dad made out of some spare brick that he had left over from a job. Then I got to thinking---brick grill... coal forge... brick grill... coal forge. Ever the cheapskate, I started considering how I could COMBINE the two, so I don't have to shell out money for two fixtures when one might be built as a "multipurpose" fixture So... is there any reason I couldn't build one of these things? If they CAN be compatable, I would design it with a blower pipe in the side for the tuyere, a catchspace underneath for clinkers, and a firepot deep enough to allow for a grill above the charcoal. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaming S Forge Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I don't know why it wouldn't work if you design it right. For the firepot I have forges that range from 3 1/2 to 4 inches deep. An idea I would have for you when grilling is to have something built up along the sides of the firepot that has some height adjustments to lay your grilling grid onto that. If you put it right on your pot you will probably be the new king of char-broiling cremation style. Also, I don't think you would want the blower running while grilling. Just my thoughts. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Holy Hammerin Hotdogs Batman! that sounds like a great idea, seems to me some of the late buffalo forges were designed to be exactly that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azIRonSmith Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I don't know if you like the taste of coal/sulfur and other volatiles on your food, but I'm not too sure this coal forge/charcoal grill would turn out as well as you might think. You would have to clean out the grill when you want to cook with charcoal and then clean it out again to go back to coal. In theory, they would both heat what you want. Of course if you want to BBQ you would need some kind of top to contain the heat and a grill to go on top of the charcoal. Seems like a lot of work for a questionable combo. Especially for the cooking part. I would just get a good Weber charcoal grill for cooking. You can probably get a used one for under $40 bucks and a new one for about $80. Sometimes, us blacksmiths do too much thinking! ;-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 An idea I would have for you when grilling is to have something built up along the sides of the firepot that has some height adjustments to lay your grilling grid onto that. My thoughts exactly. The charcoal wouldn't actually go IN the firepot---rather, it would go on a pan (set on the lowest height pegs) OVER the firepot, with holes punched through it to act as a barbe-tuyere Also, I don't think you would want the blower running while grilling. What? Seriously? Then where would my charcoal get its air from? /sarcasm off ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esensible Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I have a hand-cranked rivet forge which doubles as a BBQ. I just drop a grill on top & it's good to go. Needless to say, I only ever burn charcoal in that particular forge. The really great thing is that with the hand-crank, it goes from cold to cooking coals in a few minutes - much better than the webber! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaming S Forge Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I'm not aware of any charcoal grill that has a blower as the air source. Charcoal is made from wood. Wood burning stoves have the air source coming in over the fire as opposed to under the fire. Charcoal normally burns the same way. The exception being when used for forging you want the blower going in addition to the natural top air source to turbo-charge the fire for faster forging heat. My very first forging was done with a Fisher wood stove with no blower. Loaded it up with hickory and white oak. I got more than enough heat and within a day or two, I built my first coal fired forge. Another factor will be how much charcoal you use. A small amount probably would benefit with a blower. You have to experiment and see what actually works for you. Since I never tried the forge grill concept I'm giving you more of an opinion than fact. However, as stated by azIronSmith, make sure all the coal is removed. Last thing you want is to ingest sulpher and tar. Let us know if you do it and how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I have heard of people using a Civil War Traveling Forge to cook meals in places that don't allow pit-fires. Just clean out the forge, add a grill and charcoal. If it works as a forge, and a grill fits over the fire, then it can be used to cook food. I plan on making a grill and utensils for the Traveling Forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 ive cooked over my portable forge... in fact i used the coke to cook over ... just dont use a lot of fan when cooking so you dont get a lot of ash in your food.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I burn charcoal in a brake drum forge and just for fun a few months ago, I tossed the grill from the weber on the forge, fired up the blower and threw on the cheapest steak from the market. Took a total of 4 minutes to sear the outside and cook the interior to a nice medium. and for such a cheap, fatty piece of meat it tasted pretty good, much better than I would have expected. Interestingly as I cut the meat to check the interior, I could see juices try to flow out and be seared back into the meat. tasty, though I doubt you could cook a rare steak that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 A knife making friend of mine uses a forge with a bellows he uses at reenactments. We set up next to each other at some shows and trade comments and advise (also known as trash talking). I noticed he seemed to demonstate eating as much as anything(a habit I also learned early in my life). So I made a locking grill and squirrel cooker to mount on his forge. When he gets the lump charcoal going he just props open the ash dump if needed for more air. And moves the grill or fork up down as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 As long as u forge with charcoal and cook with charcoal i dont see any problem at all, but i dont see to far sometimes:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Do what you want but no way would I combine cooking with smithing. I cook outdoors most of the year on a grille but there is too much nasty garbage around the forge that I wouldn't want in my food (ever bite down on a piece of scale...blech!). I even quit using charcoal briquettes just because most brands contain a small amount of mineral coal - nothing but straight mesquite or oak under my food... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrosefarms Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I only see one problem, the smell! Can you imagine the torture of smelling the drippings off of last nights delicious steak as your trying to hammer? I'd be wanting to feed my face constantly!!! If someone could pass me the A1 sauce please :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 If someone could pass me the A1 sauce please Yeah... it's that important. YouTube - A1 Steak Sauce Commercial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Do what you want but no way would I combine cooking with smithing. Ummm...Vulcans Grill 000-100 Cooking and smithing kinda go hand in hand. Both artforms are "creation by fire". Primary concern when cooking MUST be the taste of the food. No matter WHAT you cook over, if the food tastes bad, the cooking was bad---whether over a forge or on a traditional grill. And there's a lot of taste comes from the fire---or at least, its fuel---so I'd agree that there are certain precautions that must be taken. Those precautions, however, don't necessarily preclude the use of a forge as a grill. Just my opinion. Even if the combo concept DON'T turn out, at least I'll have one or the other, and made on the cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I still think if you use only Pure hardwood-sofwood charcoal for forging and cooking it should taste great, unless u burn nasty stuff in the forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 I'd love to do it that way. Problem is, I've got no clue where to get hardwood charcoal already made. I'd make it myself, but I live practically in the heart of Dothan, so any charcoal maker would be... noticable :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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