[TheForge] Water on coal and should I soak my Head(or how dangerous is coal smoke)

[info at reciprodyne.com]

on 6/1/04 5:34 AM, TOOL GYPSY at toolgypsy at hotmail.com wrote:

> I seem to have read somewhere that
> coal smoke will turn to acid when moisture is introduced.Does this happen in
> ones lungs and HOW worried should i be about coal smoke???My forge once it
> gets going gives off no noticable smoke into the shop but i noticed a sore
> throat after a few forging sessions.Would appreciate any input and should i
> install an exhaust fan?
> Paddy P 

Dear Paddy,

If you coal forge has a hood and chimney of some kind, adding an exhaust fan
to the shop might decrease the effectiveness of the chimney when the shop is
closed in cold weather. If the coal forge does not have a hood and/or
chimney, it definitely should.

The better solution might be to introduce a continuous supply of fresh air
to the forge area to increase the effectiveness of the chimney, so that the
gasses from the coal fire can be collected as near to the fire as possible,
and directed out of the shop forthwith via the chimney.

The sulfur dioxide (and trioxide) and moisture produced during the burning
of the coal will indeed produce sulfurous (and sulfuric) acid vapors in air,
which not only will irritate your lungs and mucous membranes, but cause
corrosion when it condenses on all of the metal in you shop. The good thing
is that the general stinkiness of a coal fire will induce you open a window
or something BEFORE you consume a damaging quantity of poisons.

FWIW, I think that there is a greater potential health hazard from using gas
forges in an enclosed shop, as the combustion byproducts are NOT as
obviously irritating to the smith, and it is possible to inhale a dangerous
quantity of carbon monoxide (which is completely odorless) before you are
even aware that there is a real problem.

All that aside, many blacksmiths live robustly to old age, do to their
generally high activity level, and the fact that we are blessed with the
best of all possible vocations (or avocations).


-- 
Tom Troszak
Reciprodyne
47 Panola St.
Asheville, NC 28801 U.S.A.

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