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Found an old coal forge in my grandpa's barn last month
It was under a tarp, covered in dust. I cleaned it up and got it running again with some fresh coke. The fire pot is cast iron and must be 80 years old. It heats up way slower than my propane forge but the heat feels different, more even maybe. Anyone else still use coal for certain projects?
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grant.margaret3mo ago
Honestly, that slower heat is a feature, not a bug. It gives you way more control for things like forge welding or working with tool steel. You can really see the color changes in the coal fire. My propane rig is great for quick jobs, but for the finicky stuff, I always drag out the old coal forge. It just feels more connected to the work.
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brookef733mo ago
But is all that extra time and mess really worth it for a "feeling"? Propane gets just as hot and you can control it with a knob. I get the tradition thing, but calling it more connected sounds like you're just used to the hard way.
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jadep4118d ago
My first good forge weld happened on a coal forge back in 2010, and I've never been able to get that same consistency with propane. The way you read the flame color and the smoke tells you exactly what the steel is doing, you can't get that feedback from a gas burner. Plus that slow heat means you can really soak the metal evenly without worrying about hot spots that propane sometimes gives you. It's not just about being old school, it's about having a tool that talks back to you while you work. I'll take the extra cleanup time if it means I don't ruin a $50 piece of 1095.
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