Tried a coal forge for the first time after 4 years on gas. Wow. Huge difference in heat control.

I've been using a gas forge since I started blacksmithing, mostly because that's what my mentor had set up. Last weekend I visited a guy in Ohio who runs a coal forge shop and he let me try it. The heat is way different like you can see the metal change color way more clearly and the localized heat is insane. I spent like 30 minutes just trying to get a consistent temp on a piece of rebar and ended up burning it twice. Any tips for managing the fire bed better? I'm thinking of switching but not sure if it's worth the mess.

2 comments

2 Comments

val_williams17d agoTop Commenter

draft control is actually easier with coal once you learn the sweet spot.

rubysingh16d ago

Val's right about the sweet spot but it takes some trial and error. A good trick is to set your damper about a third of the way open and then adjust the primary air intake slowly until you see a steady blue flame with no smoke. If it starts to puff or roll smoke, just nudge the primary back a hair and give it a minute to settle. I also keep a small ash rake handy to break up any clinkers that form under the grate because those can screw with your air flow completely.