[TheForge] question regarding depth of charcoal forge

[Washington, Aubrey O.]

Grant,
 
Here is an article that talks about the ecological problems of mesquite charcoal production:
http://www.american.edu/TED/mesquite.htm
 
Aubrey

________________________________

From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Grant Marcoux
Sent: Wed 7/11/2007 3:16 PM
To: tonimarie at iinet.net.au; Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: RE: [TheForge] question regarding depth of charcoal forge



4" deep is good....you need to be able to maintain a proper neutral layer
for good welding.  I have found that a 4" deep firepot is fine for charcoal
fires in this regard as the air blast, properly managed, is far enough from
the work piece to prevent oxidation.  Tis a great fuel for welding...I have
gotten good results in shallow pots with it.

I have also been told that charcoal is not an eco-friendly fuel; not because
of the way it burns, but that the Mexican mesquite/chaparral plant community
it is made from is basically forcibly uprooted in the desert environments it
grows in by vehicles towing big plows/rakes of a sort.  It is said that many
animals are displaced and killed by this harvest method.  I have not seen
this first hand, but have been told of it by folks in a position to know.

Maybe someone out there knows more about this than I do.  I would like to
know the truth of the issue, as I have minimized my purchases of charcoal
for this reason.

Grant

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of toni smith
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 11:25 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: [TheForge] question regarding depth of charcoal forge


i have a question regarding the ideal depth of a charcoal forge after
the weekend when i was at mediaeval fair. there was a blacksmiths shop
running there with 3 guys working in it and they said the old forge that
i used to have was just really wasting charcoal. mine was about 10
inches deep and could when cranked be like an oxy flame 2 1/2" in
diameter. they were saying that it was just a waste of charcoal being
that deep and that 2" is more than enough for a charcoal forge no matter
what you are doing including welding. one thing i do know is that my old
forge used to use a hell of a lot of charcoal.


toni
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