Forge: Coal vs charcoal? Why I'm building a charcoal forge. FarmCraft101
Charcoal seems to be the red-headed step child of the forging world, as most use either propane or coal. But charcoal has many advantages. 1- It's free. I make my own in large batches in my wood boiler. 2- No clinkers! I don't need a clinker breaker or to clean out the grate regularly. 3- Lights easily. Literally from cold/off to forging temp fire in less than 60 seconds. 4- Minimal fire management. There's no spraying water, monitoring coal/coke ratios, etc. It's a charcoal fire. It's hot. Nuff said.
Which is better, coal or charcoal for a forge? Opinions will vary, but mine is that charcoal wins. Charcoal is clean, effective, easy to use, renewable, and free with a little work.
Total cost on this forge was under $100. End result is a nice big forge that will last me for years. I spent $50 on the blower (amazon), and another $50 at a scrap yard, but I have a lot of metal left over.
Next stop...ANVIL!
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This would be awesome for anyone to win. Thank you and praying that it will bless someone! I can’t imagine winning something this nice. Bless you both.
Hey, John someday you will make a Great Father-in-Law to some Lucky Guy ! 🤣🤣🤣🤣Very Nice Job !
I like your table design, I want to build my own forge one day!
8:08 omg, I love jazz!
Simple, functional build. Great work!
i was looking into charcoal / coal forges... and had no idea that you had a 6 years old video of it! hahahaha. But come to think of it, of course you do. Thanks always for the great videos!
The major plus to your forge build is that it can double as a welding table too. Two tools in one is usually a plus.
Agree about the charcoal; I also make my own from hardwoods. Thanks for this video. (I like your ash door and your crucible.)
I had to subscribe. It was refreshingly enjoyable to watch someone who is extremely competent with what he's doing. Keep it up 👍
Thanks for sharing all your great knowledge and advice.
Thanks for the videos, and taking the time to share a trade. Looks great
Great video 👍 It communicates well!
Nice build mate from Australia
Great lookin forge there is recommend adding a lip around the forge or at least the half by the fire pit to keep the charcoal from falling off and makes a nice lip to hang tools from. I’d recommend 1” angle iron
Nice job. There are entirely too many air holes and this will consume a ton of fuel. You probably need 3 to 5 holes and that is it. I made the same mistake with my coal forge. There is no difference between a coal and a charcoal forge in the design, they are the same. Fuel is irrelevant. Dayton makes a nice 75 cfm blower that only draws .45 amps. Blow dryers and vacuums are great if you want to draw 10 to 12 amps while it is running. It also helps to install a ball valve, either with a tee on inline, on your air line. This allows you to control the air and conserve a ton of fuel. Also adding some green wood chips to charcoal or wood will cause the fuel to burn slower and hotter. Charcoal is the dirtiest fuel to burn, but for the hobbyist it is usually more than adequate since they are usually using old scrap to forge with anyway. Forge On!
Nice build I didn't have an anvil either but I had some half inch plate steel and I cut it to 10" x 12" and welded 4 plates together
This is super cool and odd that almost every project that you are doing is something that I have within the last year or so told my wife that I wanted to do as well. I have watched your solar panel install (just posted today), which led to your pond explanation (I own 52 acres and would like to move there, just not yet, and a pond is in the plans), then the AR-15 lower blank (your patience and dedication were amazing), and I have talked about a forge for longer than solar, just don't have time...Nice job and look forward to watching more.
Thanks! Sounds like we would get along if we were neighbors! ;-)
Thanks for sharing🎉
Hey there great video. Do you have a link or specification on the blower?
Farmcraft drinking game: drink every time he says "... which I don't have"
I used to work for a place that sold Honda lawn and garden equipment, and the shipping crates the snowblowers arrive in were almost as beefy as the crate your wood working tool came in. We used a couple of them for work tables in the repair shop, but ended up throwing most of them away. It always felt like a shame, but we got dozens of them every year and didn't have any room for them.
Have you done any blacksmithing yet? How's it working with hotter metals? Nice work!
John, do you have a video of acquiring your anvil? i looked but couldn't find one. Interested on where/how you found it.
Great and a simple build, but I thought that blower was running a bit to hard like a campfire with sparks just like fireworks one would say.
Love the dog. No excitement at all.
So cool, man But still looks expensive
A few years late to the party, but when are we going to see you on forged in fire?
Am I the oly one that looks away from the screen when they see someone welding, just out of habit?
Close your eyes!
Nope not just you
what handheld bandsaw is that one you have?
I tried both charcoal and coal, but preferred charcoal, seemed to light easier and keep burning with my manual operated bellows. coal seemed harder to manage, at least for me.
Agree. Charcoal is super easy, clean, no clinkers. Thanks for watching!
Does anyone know why this is so massive?
Looks like some of your "dross" is burnt aluminum. Since you added more as it melted the first cans reached over temp then like steel being overheated it just crumbles into useless crud. Dross usually floats on top and a crucible that size should have had a skin coat maybe a half inch thick. Try crushing your cans to fit more in in less time. That will produce much better results I've found. I definitely have to do that on my cial forge but a propane powered dedicated foundry setup I can get away with out it since temperatures are easier to control with the propane.
Cool
I much prefer charcoal Dover coal as I’m used to it however anthracite is so much “better” for me. It lasts like 4-6 times longer. And you get 40 lbs of it for like 6$ where’s the equivalent weight in charcoal is 15-30. It’s also much hotter so I like it but charcoal is what I’m used to. Still use charcoal as it’s easier to get but anthracite isn’t that much harder
What is that blower called what make please?
Looks like the price has gone up a bit, $50. You could use many different types, like a hair dryer or a vacuum motor. www.amazon.com/Dayton-1TDN7-Permanent-Capacitor-Specialty/dp/B001OM1L7E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1514944807&sr=8-2&keywords=dayton+blower
Thanks yeah using hair dryer at the moment wanted something a bit more substantial, it's a pity they don't ship that motor to Australia.
where did you get the blower
Amazon. Around $50 if I remember right.
What's the brand name of the blower please?
Im finally getting around to my forge build too!!!! Thanks for the tips and ideas. I also have the same problem of finding a descent blower motor. What's the model or listing name that motor was listed under? If u remember
When makeing charcoal is pine ok to use
It will work, but I think you'll find it burns up faster than hardwood charcoal.
Thank you for the quick reply
so, why dont you make a rocket stove, instead of a electric blower?
So why charcoal vs. Coal? That was the title right?
Did you read the description?
I did now. Thanks. That was the info I was looking for.
Wouldn’t Welding hurt the dogs eyes?
That's critical thinking! It would if he was looking at it for a prolonged time. Reality is dogs are smart enough not to, unlike lots of people I know... ;-)
Them socks though
A lot of ideas have stemmed from me watching this, might be trouble...See you at work
Almost hit y right in the dickens!!!!!
your like me do everything in shorts haha!
+Jared Lariscey Whatever works! :-)