Which is the better coal for Blacksmithing? Or does it matter? [hmm]
Anthracite coal is the most valuable as it has a high BTU, usually around 15,000, but is normally not used in blacksmithing. Instead it is used to heat homes and other businesses.
Bituminous coal is the most plentiful fo coal sources. Used in generating electricity, bituminous coal is also used in blacksmithing. Its BTU ranges from slightly over 10,000 to about 15,500.
Subbituminous coal is relatively rare and has a somewhat lower energy rating. Still, its lack of sulfur and other contaminants makes it attractive to iron smelting, an important aspect of blacksmithing. Its BTU is around 8,300 to 13,000.
Finally, lignite, or so-called "brown coal," is the lowest value coal, having a BTU range of 4,000 to 8,300. It is used occasionally to generate electricity, but otherwise is not useful in blacksmithing.
Bituminous coal would therefore be the best choice as it is fairly inexpensive as compared to Anthracite?
If you can get both, try each one and see which works for you...
If the higher sulphur content and lower BTU is acceptable, go with Bituminous..
Forge welding, I'd go with Anthracite.
General forging, Bituminous should do it.
HTH
Roger that. My wife said that (supposedly) there is a place in W.Va which sells it by the bag. Since W.Va is just about 30 miles from me I will try and find out where it is and post the info here. thmbsup
Yeah, keep us posted on how it works out for you..
I switched to Propane years ago...whole lot easier to find around here.
Faster start up time too, great for little or short jobs..
I found a place here in Ohio that sells it. The store is called Coalway and they are located in Apple Creek, Ohio. PH:330-857-3096. They sell Anthracite by the 40lb bag (about $8.50 for 40 lbs) or by the ton ($237.50). Anyone care to check them out they are located in Amish country about 20 miles or so SW of Canton, Ohio; just west of Dover/New Philadelphia. dntn
only coal around me is 2 1/2 hours away.... gues i go for a propane forge....
I lucked out and had 2 1/2 55 gallon drums of coal given to me last summer. Not much sulpher smell or yellow in the smoke and seems to burn nice and hot.
Voy
Just saw this topic. If anyone needs coal, I can pick it up behind my house lol. I live right in the middle of anthracite coal country and its laying everywhere. Coal is the preferred heating method for housing everywhere in this county.
Don, you'll get dirty if you play in the coal! Lol!
Thats why I chose the Anthracite. I can roll around in it all day and still come out as fresh as a 5000 year old rose. dntn ROFL ROFL
Quote from: Dapper Don on February 17, 2010
I found a place here in Ohio that sells it. The store is called Coalway and they are located in Apple Creek, Ohio. PH:330-857-3096. They sell Anthracite by the 40lb bag (about $8.50 for 40 lbs) or by the ton ($237.50). Anyone care to check them out they are located in Amish country about 20 miles or so SW of Canton, Ohio; just west of Dover/New Philadelphia. dntn
I remember when my Paternal Grandmother was still alive, she found it shocking that coal was so expensive. Her memories were of buying good soft coal for $5 a ton and felt anything over that was highway robbery. but she also remembered when a trip from morges to malvern, Ohio was an all day trip, by horse and buggy. Just the ramblings of a bored mind while at work... slep
I use coke (preburned coal), exclusively. I have no idea what kind of coal it started out life as. It's smokeless & hot but needs a constant air flow. I can give you an address and ph# if yopu want. The company's out of Georgia.
this is one of those cases where you have to think about how serious you want to be about it . Anthracite is cleaner but does not put out the heat for forge welding. Good for general bending and stuff if you like to swing a hammer; personally I have no use for it. I like pocahontas or sewell seam pea coal soft bituminus once you get it going theres no smoke and hot as he## and no coal smell. Welding temp is easily reached, very little clinkers-just the best.
Before getting interested in this darnded BP stuff, I kicked a couple of carloads of coke to hard and dumped 200tons on ground...should have picked some up for forge work...Live and learn..
Doug
Ya durned fool--whatcha thinkin not gittin that coke when it was right there fer the takin fer ya...
Voy
Sometimes ignorance just isn't bliss when you look back at it....
we bought two big bags of antricite awhile back for my blacksithin i always tried but could never get it lit i even tried soaking it in lighter fluid over night just couldnt get it to stay goin
I don't know much about their relative qualities only that a lump of anthracite is what Santa brings me when I'm GOOD! rdfce
I aint sure what type it is or how it will work for smithing but I am gonna try the stuff I just had given to me. Unfortunately I didnt have time to try it before getting it as it was a 1 shot deal. Hope it works cuz I got an entire pickup load of it sittin on my truck right now.
Voy
Well Voy if you can get it tried out before winter is over and it doesn't work at least it'll be good for traction! hdslp
Quote from: hanshi on January 02, 2011
I don't know much about their relative qualities only that a lump of anthracite is what Santa brings me when I'm GOOD! rdfce
Geez Hanshi: Consider Yourself LUCKY - I get of stocking filled with Rudolph's droppings! But at least mine does some good in the garden... ROFL
Definitely good for traction. Poor trucks bout ready ta just lay down n give up. May be a tough lil truck but thats A LOT OF WEIGHT!!! Its piled right up to the tops of the sides full length and full width and a lil Ford Ranger aint made for that kind of weight Nice thing is its all in small 1/2---3/4 inch pieces so if I need to put some under the tires for some extra grip I can. If nothing else maybe I will trickle small amounts of it in my stove on top of the wood for extra heat.
Voy
Voy, Used to do that with coal in Idaho winter....had seam of poor stuff just down the crick form our cabin and would grab some on the way back some times...It burned, but wasn't great...