nashdude Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) I love the idea of using charcoal in a forge fire (and no, not just for my forge/grill combo concept ). But I live practically dead center of my city, so I have no way of making my own charcoal in quantities necessary for forging. That leaves me with two options---buy charcoal, or buy coal. I know a place where coal is available for $12 per 100lb, but I don't know where I'd find real charcoal. EDIT: The Google Master strikes again http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1755124 Any cheaper suggestions? Edited January 7, 2009 by nashdude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I can get the same bag at my local Lowes for $6.47 plus tax. I love using that Cowboy brand, but I'm too cheap to use it now. One year ago it was $4.00 / bag. If you know anyone that has any connections with restaurant supplies, you might find a cheaper bulk deal. A lot of the better steak places use hardwood charcoal. By the way, you'll do a lot more forging per dollar on the $12 / 100# coal. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
this old blacksmith Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 You can use blast furnace coke to. if you can find a steel foundry close by. It burns extremly hot and clean & smokeless. Can't say enough about it. Recomend breaking into small one inch nuggets. This way it covers your work more evenly and has more surface area, to produce a more even heating. Fire will burn a clear blue flame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 By the way, you'll do a lot more forging per dollar on the $12 / 100# coal. Of course. Thing is though, I'm just getting started, so I want to learn the most minimalist way possible. I want to be as independent of electricity and other manufactured goods as possible, so that when I DO use electricity or manufactured goods, it will be because I WANT to---not because that's how I learned it. Coal may be cheaper than charcoal, I will eventually be making my OWN charcoal, so I kinda want charcoal to be my "first language" so to speak, with all other methods being my "second languages".You can use blast furnace coke to. if you can find a steel foundry close by. It burns extremly hot and clean & smokeless. Can't say enough about it. Recomend breaking into small one inch nuggets. This way it covers your work more evenly and has more surface area, to produce a more even heating. Fire will burn a clear blue flame. I'll look around, but I don't think there are very many steel foundries in my area. Here in the deep South, we deal mostly in aluminum. But hey... never hurts to look :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
this old blacksmith Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Ok thought I'd suggest the coke since you live inside a city. E Bay sometime has some for sale if you'd like to try it out. Just some thought. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I love the idea of using charcoal in a forge fire (and no, not just for my forge/grill combo concept ). But I live practically dead center of my city, so I have no way of making my own charcoal in quantities necessary for forging. That leaves me with two options---buy charcoal, or buy coal. I know a place where coal is available for $12 per 100lb, but I don't know where I'd find real charcoal. EDIT: The Google Master strikes again Ace - Ace Tree: Outdoor Living: Grills & Outdoor Cooking: Grill Cookware & Accessories: Cowboy Charcoal Any cheaper suggestions?How much wood do you have access to? You could just burn the wood to charcoal in your forge. I had my forge set up with a chimney where I put wood chips to convert them to charcoal. Just let plenty of air in to support the combustion, if the flame goes out it smokes a lot. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've done the wood to charcoal method this winter to help heat the shop. Lots of radiant heat given off. Works fine but as said before, lots of smoke at the start when you back off on the air. Also needs a deeper fire. There are some blueprints kicking around if they are up yet on different fire sources. Some people have tried cracked feed corn and I've heard, not seen pictures or otherwise, of people using things like chicken poop and the likes. Don't think you'd have much access to that though ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
civilwarblacksmith Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 If you go to Ace, They do have other brands of hardwood charcoal. Also if you are buying in bulk they will probably give you a discounted price. They do carry Cowboy brand but also carry frontier brand. Frontier comes in larger size bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 Some people have tried cracked feed corn and I've heard What? For forge fuel? I can actually get that relatively cheap---50lb for about $10. Wonder how it burns? How you get it started?If you go to Ace, They do have other brands of hardwood charcoal. Also if you are buying in bulk they will probably give you a discounted price. They do carry Cowboy brand but also carry frontier brand. Frontier comes in larger size bags. Good suggestions. I also wonder if Sam's might offer something similar, as their whole gimmick is selling in bulk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) What? For forge fuel? I can actually get that relatively cheap---50lb for about $10. Wonder how it burns? How you get it started?Corn burns well, start a small wood fire and add it on. But most of the energy in the corn is in the oil that burns off. Works real well in a gasifier, along with wood chips... There are a few pics in irnsrgn's gallery;Corn Forge - Blacksmith Photo Gallery Here's an old thread you might find interesting;http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/fuel-5001/ Good Luck! Edited January 9, 2009 by BeaverDamForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashdude Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 Wow! I never knew that corn could be used as a fuel source beyond its ethanol applications. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 (edited) Wow! I never knew that corn could be used as a fuel source beyond its ethanol applications. Thanks! Corn burning heating stoves are actually pretty popular, just like a wood stove but it has a hopper that you put the corn in and then it self feeds the corn into the fire. welder19 Edited January 9, 2009 by welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pac Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I live practically dead center of my city, so I have no way of making my own charcoal in quantities necessary for forging. I'm in the same situation as you, took me four dinners in my small backyard to get maybe five handfuls of charcoal. Stayed at a relatives cabin for one overnight this past weekend, used their fireplace and picked out charcoal chunks and cooled them in some water. When the pail got full of chunks, dumped them in a little hole out back. Did this every half hour or hour or so, made about two 1/2 full kitchen bags(still wet though), roughly 30lbs. total. Would guess it took ~100 logs of oak, didn't really count. It was fun and all, but I think it would be better, easier, faster to do it in bulk instead. Just an FYI, was just curious myself to see how much wood it would take to make how much charcoal in a fireplace... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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