[TheForge] Re: Charcoal

[Ron Childers]

Re: charcoal. Dr. Prather, the blacksmith at San Louis Mission, lines his
clay side draft fire pot with pieces of hardwood, mostly oak. As the
charcoal in the forge heats the metal, more charcoal is produced. The forge
doesn't care if the charcoal is made yesterday or made as you go. Some blade
smiths swear by charcoal, especially in making Damascus- its cleaner and it
doesn't scale as bad as propane.

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Spencer
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 11:06 PM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Re: Fuel selection


> Folks can anyone suggest the way to select fuel for a forge?
>
> I have read various trade and brand names but none of those that I
> have read are available in the UK...

How about this?

    http://www.jharrison-fuel.co.uk/breeze.htm

That what I think we'd call  "pea coke" on this side of the pond.
Clean and hot.  Surely you can find it on your side of the Irish Sea,
though.  Check with BABA.  AFAIK, anything sold in the UK as "breeze"
will be unifiormly small bits of coke made from coal.

> Is it worth making your own coke?

By the ton?  I truly doubt it.  As you work while burning coal?
That's how you do it.

Charcoal is another matter.  If you have a large, free supply of wood,
the patience to build and debug the kiln and a real need for charcoal
-- say, for forging copper -- then yes.

- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^
_______________________________________________
Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
theforge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoaccess.com
Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
password:  anvil
___________