[TheForge] Re: Water on your coal forge fire?

[Andy Vida]

Bob Ehrenberger wrote:
> 
> I tend to wet my coal before putting it on the fire.  This helps the fines
> to coke up into chunks instead of becomming airborn dust.

	When I began using coal, some three billion years ago, I was
	always being told how horrible fines were.  But being somewhat
	stupid about not wasting fuel, I started using them anyway.  I
	like fines and they seem to coke up real well, in fact.
> 
> About the only time I put water on hot coals is when I'm making coke ahead
> in preperation of doing a lot of welding.  In that case I usually pull the
> coke off the fire and then douse it.  Few things as frustrating as needing
> to take one more good heat to finish a weld and only having green coal to
> work with. 

	Too true.  Then you bugger up the weld with all the greasy
	semi-coked coal stuck to the work.  Nasty business.

	-Andy