White Pine fuel

[jayco]

This is not really a trick, but I thought I'd pass it on anyway. Might come in handy for someone.

Today I was preparing to forge some small pieces.(1/2 in. round.....6 in. long) and didn't need a large fire. I lit a fire with newspaper and small kindling.
Because the shop was rather cool today, I just kept adding 1 in. x 1 in.x `12 in. long kindling to the fire.

By the time I had gathered my stock, tongs, and proper hammer, etc, I looked at the fire and noticed that I had some NICE charcoal in there.

Since I didn't need the large fire, and was only cranking the hand blower once in a while, the charcoal making on top of the forge pretty much kept up with my fuel needs.

Now, I've tried things like this before, and usually there's too much smoke........the fire burns out and I'm left with a pile of burning sticks (which, by the way, will not heat metal properly.)

The reason this worked was because the pine kindling was very dry, the bark was gone. The bark adds a lot of smoke and ash to the fire.
As luck would have it, most of the wood had no knots........the resin in the knots makes for lots of smoke.

Without the bark and resin, the fire did not smoke much.

This wood charred quickly and easily........I was so surprised that I will have to do more experiments.

[element]

From what i seen its one of the fastest burning woods, Thats the
eastern with pine im talking about though, There are other
pine species down south which are more dense. I think pine charcoal
burns hotter than most charcoal and coal? Its also burns fast.

[MRobb]

Thanks for the tip, Jayco. Let me ask a question then. Because hopefully, in a couple of months, I'll be able to start using my coal forge. I use gas at the moment. Using the same parameters, no knots or bark. Would this apply to other wood as well? There is not only pine here, but lots of oak. Would that work as well? And if so, what other woods would or would not work?

Mitch

[easilyconfused]

I had an old pallet I just kept splitting the slats from for a couple days of lighter forging. Needed radiant heat and was getting behind of charcoal stocks so it worked well. Was easy to split and use.

[triw]

I read some where the Japanenese use pine charcoal in their forges so you might be onto something there Jayco.

[jayco]

Using the same parameters, no knots or bark. Would this apply to other wood as well? There is not only pine here, but lots of oak. Would that work as well? And if so, what other woods would or would not work?

Mitch

Mitch, any dry wood would work. My reason for avoiding the pine knots is simply that they make for a mighty smoky fire.
Oak should work fine, but it burns slower.
I haven't tried oak in this way yet, but I imagine if you split it finer, or pile the wood higher on the forge, it would work much the same.

With denser, slow burning woods, I would expect it to take a little longer to get a good heap of burning coals to forge with at startup.

I have a good supply of very dry sassafras that I intend to experiment with as well.

The white pine I've been using is very dry.....very light in weight....almost like balsa.

Next time I try this, I'll try to get pictures.

[Steve Sells]

A member of another smithing group I am on uses pine charcoal. why ? its not only free to him, but he would have to PAY not to use it.

Let me explain: He owns a commercial hardwood charcoal making company, Soft woods, mainly Pine, end up in the kilns and are considered a contaminant. So he tried using it in his hobby forge, rather than pay the trash man to remove it. He says it does burn faster than hardwood, hence the preference for hardwoods for making charcoal. But it does get hot, and the resins are not an issue because its already burned off making the charcoal.

[CBrann]

I like the idea, any trouble with pitch pockets exploding? I would think the pine charcoal would be light becaus eth ewood is not very dense, but quick to burn to charcoal, and easy to light.

[jayco]

CBrann,I haven't noticed too many sparks,fleas,or exploding pitch pockets.......at least not enough to be any bother to me.

What got me started at this was being curious as to what kind of wood could be burned directly in the forge that would come close to having the characteristics of homemade charcoal.
I'm searching for the least amount of smoke,ash,and radiant heat.

Of course, when warm weather comes, I will most likely be back to using coal and homemade charcoal in my forge, due to the radiant heat.

Throughout the winter, I've been trying different mixes of wood in the forge........hardwood scraps, bark raked up from around the wood splitter, and even chopped up pieces of green tree limbs.

All these will make a forge fire, but it takes longer to get a good 'heap' of coals, more smoke, more ash, etc.

We have a bunch of downed trees and limbs due to the ice storm a while back. My son is considering renting a wood chipper for the cleanup. If he does, I will have a big pile dumped near the shop. I could do some wood burning experiments with that!

I guess I should add that burning wood in the forge is not a 'first choice' solid fuel for blacksmithing.
The first choice fuels would be

Good coal
natural charcoal
coke

But then again, there are lots of things that can be used as solid fuels.

I'll sum it up this way.....I'm a penny pincher........and I like to experiment!

james

[BeaverDamForge]

If you keep a flame burning you shouldn't get much smoke, but you get radiant heat. If you keep the fire in a chimney the heat will be drawn away but you need access to add wood.

If you built something like the "Supercharged 55" (from the blueprint section) and added a 6" pipe to the back, with an elbow at the bottom (to let charcoal fall into the firepot) and a "T" to add wood, it should be able to provide a supply of charcoal and avoid the radiant heat.

If you use the heat to preheat the air to the firepot it would be a little more efficient, otherwise you're throwing away half the heat in the wood.

[new guy]

i have a ton of oak that i make charcoal in my forge as i go. it is not very hot, bit it is free and if you get small bits (like thumb thick, my thumb is about 1in across so it is my rule of thumb). this will burn off in about 4 min so constant feeding is needed but i can get orange-yellow heats. thought you might like that litle tid bit. lots of smoke though compared to charcoal.

[Dan W]

According to my uncle, my great grand-father used 2-3 inch chunks of seasoned hardwoods in his forge. He was by no means a professional blacksmith, but had a few shrimp boats in FLorida and did most of his own reairs. He also made his own grappel anchors out of scrap iron so apparently he could get the heat up to welding temps.
I have used chunks of hardwoods also and have had real good results so far.

[new guy]

i am sure that my fuel is fine for welding, but the smith and forge is not:( i just cannot get a good enough air blast in my sewer pipe. oh well wood burns and it works. pine is way better (i have used that too). happy hamering to all

[Charlotte]

.... i just cannot get a good enough air blast in my sewer pipe. ....

Think deep fire not strong blast. Remember our ancestors used a huff and puff bellows to blow charcoal.

[new guy]

that is true, but i have a 2 or 3 foot deep fire and i only have coals about 8 inches in. but, i replaced it with a brake drum forge which works great. but high pressure, and low speed works better, i got this from experience and hearsay.

[easilyconfused]

that is true, but i have a 2 or 3 foot deep fire and i only have coals about 8 inches in. but, i replaced it with a brake drum forge which works great. but high pressure, and low speed works better, i got this from experience and hearsay.

I usually have around 4" charcoal under my metal and it will weld upto 1/2" rod using an old canadian forge&blower hand cranked blower. Too deep and you're too far from the heart of your fire and need more air to push it up to where your metal is. Look for the brightest yellow area and I aim for the top area of it as heat rises.


I'm curious though, and my physics is a little rusty, but how are you increasing pressure without increasing the speed? Are you meaning more air volume not pressure?

[jayco]

Fans

I've always been curious about fan pressure versus volume, too.

I did a little web surfing and came up with the above link.

[new guy]

i cannot alter voulume, but i have a brake rotor forge, so i used an old tail pipe, i then have a sheet metal 'diffusor' to slow the air speed, but i do not lose any ofthe air being shot it. and i am not increasing anything per say, but the air is not shooting the air out at the speed of the hair dryer.it works and i am using it alot, so if it fails, i may just put it up as what not to do. and white pine works well with this set up.

[Ol'Dawg]

There are several vids on You Tube that show how to make quality charcoal for small forging jobs...