[TheForge] water on the fire and how much fuel?

[Bob Rackers]

One key to using water is to not pour it on the center of the fire.
Another, I think, is to use a can which is more like a sprinkling can and less
like a pitcher.
When flames (or green smoke) begin to peak out of the green coal, I sprinkle
water on it until the smoke turns to steam.

I didn't mean to leave any impression that I use water on the core of the fire.
That would be a little counter-productive, I think.
Also, when I say I use a lot of water, that doesn't mean I give the fire one
big splash.
I sprinkle water around the periphery of the firepot (which is nothing but
green coal).
A small amount of water will hit the coke within the firepot, but I'm sure it's
steam before it would ever hit the firepot itself.
But if I have to do that every other time I'm cranking the blower, then that's
what I have to do.

As far as pulling coke out of the fire, some coal I've used cokes up so tight
that you can pull out an entire side of the fire as a single mass.
If I can't break pieces off easily (i.e. without seriously disturbing the
fire), I usually pull the entire thing out onto the table and break it into
smaller pieces with my rake.
The result is that some green coal falls into the firepot, but that is what
would have happened had I tried breaking pieces off the wall anyhow.
When the green coal cokes up (which happens very quickly), I then push the
pieces from the broken wall back into the fire.

Again, I've found the coal will tell you whether or not it wants water, and if
so, I use the minimum it takes, regardless of how large an amount that minimum
works out to be.

For what it's worth, I seem to use coal at a rate roughly 1/4 that of others
I've spoken with.
Part of the reason may be the size of material I commonly work, but I have no
doubt it's also a result of my using water to contain the fire to a size no
larger than necessary.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-admin@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-admin@mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Phlip
Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 5:40 PM
To: theforge@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [TheForge] water on the fire and how much fuel?

Well, that's problematical. You have just asked for, essentially, fire
management 101 through your doctoral dissertation, and there's a bit more
material than can really be handled in a few paragraphs ;-)

When using coal, depending on the variety and purity, some people will use
water to help convert it to coke. Water, as it becomes steam, helps remove
some impurities. But, you shouldn't be controlling your fire with water- if
you are, you're a danger to people around you.

When using water, you only use a little at a time, the reason being that if
you put a bunch on a red-hot firepot, you're going to have a problem. A
steam explosion, with cast iron shrapnel, is NOT what you want, unless
you're trying for a Darwin award.

When Red taught us about fire maintenance, we were using covered forges,
with a fairly large firepot, and the raw coal was piled around the outside
of the fire, with water sprinkled on it periodically to help it turn to
coke. As we used up the coke in the fire, we added coke from the edges, and
replaced it with raw coal which we then watered. It's not that difficult,
but it does take some attention, along with whatever else you're doing- it's
part of the coal smithing process.

As far as your usual fire, I like to have mine a little bigger than I
actually need, for convenience in positioning my pieces, particularly if I'm
working on several at a time, but you'll find that your pot will help
dictate how big your actual fire is.

Sometimes, I'm actually making coke ahead, and it will look like I've got a
grand load of coal on the fire, but actually I'm rotating coal and coke, and
if you watch me for a while, you'll notice the pile at one end gets smaller
and thwe one at the other gets bigger- that's one reason I have a large
table.

To prevent having a huge fire and running out of control, all you really
need to do is break up the fire, and pull pieces of coke out- coke requires
a certain minimum mass to keep burning, and if you reduce the sizes below
that minimum, it will extinguish itself- again, part of constant fire
management.

I suppose it's rather like driving a car. You make sure you've got gas and
oil and the lights, etc work before you get in, start it up, then mostly
look at the road in front of you and steer. As you're going, occasionally
you check your rearview mirrors (checking your fire) and always are aware
enough so you notice strange noises and smells, but basicly you're
concentrating on the road (the piece) in front of you.

Or, that's my way of doing- others may have their own preferences.

Phlip