Three years back I tried a coal forge in my Portland shop and it was a total mess

The smoke filled my whole garage and my neighbor came over asking if something was on fire. I switched to a propane setup the next week and never looked back, it's just so much cleaner and easier to control. Am I the only one who thinks coal is more trouble than it's worth for a small urban shop?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.lee1mo ago

Used to believe coal was the only real way to forge until I had a similar smoke disaster. Michael_jenkins39 has a point about hoods, but getting that right in a small space is its own headache. Propane just lets me focus on the metalwork without the extra hassle.

michael_jenkins391mo ago

Was it the coal itself or maybe the forge design? I mean, a proper hood makes a huge difference.

anthony_campbell881mo ago

Honestly a good hood only does so much. Coal smoke gets into everything, clothes, hair, the whole shop. Even with great airflow you're still dealing with the soot and the constant smell. Propane burns clean so you can actually see the color of the metal clearly, which is half the battle right there.