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4:47 pm
May 2, 2010
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I have some questions for those of you who use coal.
What kind of coal do you use?
Where do you buy your coal?
How much do you buy?
How much do you pay for your coal?
All responses are appreciated,
Craig...
2:18 am
NWBA Member
April 19, 2010
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ok i use coke not coal but its the same forge ... i buy it by the ton from l brand coal and coke . it last cost me about 550 a ton with shipping to arizona . i dont know what shipping would cost to northwest . its not bad considering a ton last 1-1/2 -2 years its cheaper than propane .
9:31 pm
May 2, 2010
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Where do you have your coke shipped from?
10:53 pm
NWBA Member
April 19, 2010
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from georgia ... its a company that can be found on the web ...http://blacksmithcoke.com/Blac....._coal.html check it out!
1:19 am
May 2, 2010
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Thanks Eric. Shipping to the NW from Georgia shouldn't be THAT much more than to AZ.
5:37 am
March 18, 2010
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Forums like this are a perfect way to organize a group buy too. Best to start a new thread with a descriptive title like "Group Coal Purchase". Get an idea of price and quantity and see how many folks want in. Ya start seeing why "social networking" is such a buzz.
“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot,
but then there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into the sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso ~
6:14 pm
May 2, 2010
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Our Guild is doing some research on options now.
Currently we are getting our coal from John at Farrier Supply in Monroe. I am trying to find out where other people get their coal to help figure out what options are available and what we might be able to do to bring a supply of relatively inexpensive, but quality, coal to the region.
8:48 pm
May 3, 2010
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I have been doing some looking myself. I have found a place in Chehalis called Central Fuel that claims to sell blacksmithing coal under the label "Utah Coal". I just sent them an email asking for more info. I also heard (second hand) that you could bring your own containers to fill as well.
Here is the link, please let us know how it goes. I promise to do the same. http://www.centralfuelco.com/
Matt
8:54 pm
NWBA Member
April 19, 2010
Offline
utah isnt noted for blacksmith grade coal ... i would try burning a bag before buying a large lot of it... used to be a place i n everett that had blacksmith coal called harrys leather .. they also had farrier supplys includeing anvils..craig you might talk to nicolas .. he is in your area and uses the same brand of coke i mentioned .. he is a knife maker and last year he was selling bags of it .. worth a try !
12:17 am
March 24, 2010
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Fort Nisqually has been buying coal from Central Fuel for several years now. It makes plenty of smoke when you start, cokes, gets hot enough to burn-up your work, and makes a fair amount of clinker. You can weld with it if you need to. The smiths there don't for various reasons. Central fuel has both Wyoming and Utah coal. It has been oiled stoker coal. I don't consider it my first choice, but it is local and the price is O.K. They will load you with an end loader you can shovel into your own bags. They sometimes have a pile out in the weather which has had time for he oil to wash off. It's sizes vary from large to fines. If you bring your own screen and shovel, they have a bagging funnel you can work with. Your expectations and experience may vary. Good luck and sell your clinker to parents of bad kids for Christmas, keep the good coal for yourself.
Grip the cold end. Hit the hot end.
12:40 am
March 18, 2010
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There ought to be a great joke in there somewhere about the blacksmith who taught his kids to be bad so Santa would bring lots of coal.
“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot,
but then there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into the sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso ~
10:21 pm
NWBA Member
April 19, 2010
Offline
If somebody had a good source for a good price and arranged to have some shipped to our Fall Conference site,I'd commit to 500#. Otherwise-I live right near John Turkingtons place in Monroe and would be glad to bring up a few sacks to the conference for somebody.His coal is not cheap but is very clean with a minimum of clinkers.
When I lost my ranch in Nevada in 1982 and came here with a fiddle,horseshoeing tools,wore out pickup,wife and year old kid-John looked at my tools and gave me credit for quite a while. I still try to support his store. I don't forget favors. Some folks give you a hand and some give you boot when you're down.
4:58 pm
September 26, 2010
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Eric Sprado;814 wrote: If somebody had a good source for a good price and arranged to have some shipped to our Fall Conference site,I'd commit to 500#. Otherwise-I live right near John Turkingtons place in Monroe and would be glad to bring up a few sacks to the conference for somebody.His coal is not cheap but is very clean with a minimum of clinkers.
When I lost my ranch in Nevada in 1982 and came here with a fiddle,horseshoeing tools,wore out pickup,wife and year old kid-John looked at my tools and gave me credit for quite a while. I still try to support his store. I don't forget favors. Some folks give you a hand and some give you boot when you're down.
Giving you a boot when you're down doesn't hurt you, just shows who they really are.
4:15 am
NWBA Member
August 7, 2010
Offline
Good Morning,
WE HAVE COAL on Vancouver Island. Drive up to the mine and load yourself or take what the loader puts/spills in your bin. Vancouver Island Blacksmith Association buys it by the truck and trailer load, about 25-50 ton at a time.
If we buy coal from the mainland, it costs us ferry fare for a round trip. Mainland coal comes buy rail to Roberts Bank, from the Fernie area. Goes on a freighter to parts across the big pond.
Don't throw away the fines. Mix the fines with water until a paste, make baseball size. Burns very hot, some smoke until up to temperature, not much clinker.
If you need more info, e-mail me.
Neil
As long as we are above our shoes, We know where we are.:happy:
5:18 pm
Dave Thompson in Eugene has some coke. L brand.
reasonable price.
but don't bother phoning during the day. he don't pick up;)
The coke has saved us from regional air quality folks.
the neighbours don't complain any more.
l brand does have a guy with a truck that will bring loads over for 500 bucks a ton. (or near) even to the northwest.Check with Ed Avolio "L brand coke"
(and a side draft is quick and cheap to make. and does not risk burning up ( i have some ?"shelby" ? tubing and no water cool. it has worked for four years. )
Coke vrs coal... coal heats the shop more.(sometimes nice,) more smoky, but does not go out as fast when you turn the fan off.
does wind the heck out of neighbours often though.
Coke. can burn through a fire pot without the right attention ( look under the forge to glowing pot) . does contain more available BTU than coal. ( coal BTU can be up the hood BTU from the coal gas flame) but is harder to get going in the morning.
the volatile gasses from coke production can be used to make ammonia and coal tar from which the original tarmac was derived. or it can be sort of burnt and sent up into the air.
coke is cleaner for all. so I use it
9:43 pm
NWBA Member
April 19, 2010
Offline
i was talking to one of my customers today and he worked in a cokeing plant . i asked him what they did with the volatiles and his comment was they are used in over 100 different products . i find coke a lot nicer to deal with tho it does take more air . i have not had any problems with burning out my firepot . ive used over a ton of coke thru my forge tho i am only useing a hand crank blower (plan on hooking a electric one to keep fire going) the firepot i saw melted from coke was hooked to a electric blower and the smith didnt watch it close enuf . i think coke is the way to go from the practical standpoint as well as the health standpoint. also pretty good from the getting the most out of our resources standpoint...
4:50 am
Eric G;5329 wrote: i was talking to one of my customers today and he worked in a cokeing plant . i asked him what they did with the volatiles and his comment was they are used in over 100 different products . i find coke a lot nicer to deal with tho it does take more air . i have not had any problems with burning out my firepot . ive used over a ton of coke thru my forge tho i am only useing a hand crank blower (plan on hooking a electric one to keep fire going) the firepot i saw melted from coke was hooked to a electric blower and the smith didnt watch it close enuf . i think coke is the way to go from the practical standpoint as well as the health standpoint. also pretty good from the getting the most out of our resources standpoint...
Several... maybe longer... yrs ago, I went in w/other smiths to buy a ton of coke from Ed Avolio (sp) in the mid west. The coke is ok to some extent, but ash/clinker is greater than expected. It burns hot and is otherwise efficient. If I had to do it over again, I'd be much happier with a load of Cumberland coal.
As an aside, I was born and raised in W.PA and my job as a kid was to shovel coal into the stoker every night and empty the ashes in the morning. If the fire went out in the winter, it was the shits for me. I HATED coal, and when we got an oil furnace, no one was more happier than me.
In retrospect, I guess the apple did not fall too far from the tree so to speak.
John
5:33 am
March 18, 2010
Offline
So was that the last ice age John? I didn't think fire had been invented yet! Ya 'ol fossil!:giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :mstickle: :mstickle:
“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot,
but then there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into the sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso ~
6:30 am
Grant;5341 wrote: So was that the last ice age John? I didn't think fire had been invented yet! Ya 'ol fossil!:giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :mstickle: :mstickle:
Hey, be nice, not jealous. I like my senior discounts. Btw, you should photo shop your web pic. 🙂
JE
6:40 am
March 18, 2010
Offline
I did! That's why I look so young, ya 'ol fart!
“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot,
but then there are others who, with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into the sun.” ~ Pablo Picasso ~
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