[TheForge] charcoal question

[David E. Smucker]

Mostly because it takes a lot of charcoal to do the work.  I would guess 
that weight for weight that charcoal and mineral coal are similar in the 
amount you need to do a given block of work.  One advantage some of the 
charcoal users around here is how fast their fire comes up to heat.  Because 
of this they often let the fire die down completely when not needing to go 
back right away into the fire.  Save fuel, compared to us coal burners that 
keep are fire going at a low level.

By the way before about 1850 or 1860 many old records simply refer to 
charcoal as coal.  It was that common.  When using what we call coal -- they 
called it mineral coal.  So in old records in both the US and Britain when 
the blacksmith talks about a farmer paying his bill by hauling "coal" he 
most likely was talking about hauling charcoal.

Dave Smucker

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Smolen" <boka at mwt.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] charcoal question


> An earlier post on ccharcoal mentioned that chunks of wood kept around the
> fire would "coke" into charcoal. Is that correct? Could I take wood scrap
> and go directly to the forge without charring the would in a reduced 
> oxygen
> atmosphere. Makes sense as wood embers in a stove and burning charcaol 
> look
> the same to me. Is this correct? Why bother with the extra step other than
> to avoid the hassle of managing the fire a little more carefully when 
> using
> wood?
> Bob
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jerry Frost" <akfrosty at mtaonline.net>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 2:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] charcoal question
>
>
>> I don't know about bird lime, I thought that was bird
>> droppings.
>>
>> Quick lime is another term for burnt(ed) lime. The
>> Romans used to break limestone into fist sized pieces
>> and burn it in a kiln to a bright red heat. Afterwards
>> they'd pile it in large bronze mixing tubs, add water
>> and when the boiling slowed down add gravel to make
>> concrete. Most large Roman construction was stone
>> covered concrete made in this method.
>>
>> Frosty
>> -------------------------------
>> If it ain't forged
>> it ain't real.
>> Wrought iron is.
>> The FrostWorks
>>
>> Meadow Lakes, AK.
>>
>>
>> From: "George Rousis" <feorge at kc.rr.com>
>>
>>
>> > is it similar to birdlime????
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
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> 10:55 AM
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>
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