off topic Need asource for coal

[John (TR)]

Does anyone know of a source for coal in the Northwestern IL, Southeastern IA area? My dad is looking for some for his farriers forge.
Thanks
John

 

[Dunk]

JMO, but what he really needs is coke.

I don't know how hard that is to find either.

 

[John (TR)]

I think he has some instructions on making coke. Seems like you have a modified metal garbage can and light a fire under it or in it and when the flames go out you put the lid and cut off the oxygen or something like that. I'm not up no this stuff, he is.

I found the forge at a farm sale 3 years ago and tore it apart and sandblasted/painted it for him. The babbit bearings where shot in the blower so I took it to the machine shop and they were able to bore them and install brass bearings with oil holes. It has a pump handle on a flywheel and a leather belt driving the blower.

Looks like it might see its first fire this weekend, we are going to fire it on charcoal just for a test run

 

[Dunk]

Yes, you can make your own coke, or charcoal like that, and I mean hardwood charcoal, not grill briquettes, you can use the grill briquetts just for playing around but they won't get hot enough.

I do pick up some coal on the railroad behind my house that goes to a power plant (the only place I know to find it).

Here is a pic of my grandaddy's blower that I have, and my home made brake drum forge, and my shop heater.

 

[Upper Peninsula,MI.]

Dunk, Nice looking barrel stove. Ron

 

[Dunk]

Thanks, Ron.

The back part is an old heat exchanger out of a natural gas central furnace, that is probably as old as my '49 8N.

 

[ArleninOr]

See I'm not the only one with a crowded shop

 

[Anonymous-0]

Google blacksmith coal and a few places that deal in it will show up.. You can even have it shiped to you in 50# bags

 

[Paul in MN]

John,

I belong to a Minnesota group called Guild of Metalsmiths. A lot of the metalsmithing is done over a coal fired forge. (BTW, the name of the organization is more impressive than my abilities warrant at this time, but I am learning). Our club buys a full end dump semi load of good forging coal from a certain mine in West Virginia about once a year, and then we buy it from the club. Point is that just any coal is not really good for forging, western coal is particularly poor. The making of coke is done in the forge fire and not as a separate operation. We can get a white hot heat from the coke fire in a hand crank forge. Not just the fire is white, but it will bring a piece of iron up to that temp. White heat is used for forge welding, but that is not the most common forging operation. Much more common is the use of yellow heat or an orange-yellow. With too much heat, the iron becomes a sparkler being consumed by oxidizing. With too little heat, forging and shaping is very difficult and often the iron cracks and breaks off.

If you or your Dad really want to get into this, I suggest that you Google ABANA (national organization) and see if there is a local group listed for your area. These guys (and some gals too) have a wealth of info to share about this very interesting craft. It is a growing hobby.

Good luck in your new interest!

Paul in MN

 

[Sean (TX)]

Must be available locally http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/coalmine/coalmine.htm

 

[John (TR)]

My Mom and I paid for him to attend a Blacksmith school a couple of years back and I know he's aware of some guys in the area that practice, they must have a source of coal. I'm not sure why he has not found it but I'm having to help him out quite a bit more the last couple of years. Thanks for the advice.

 

[John (TR)]

Will try
Thanks

 

[Coaly]

The machine shop may not have known it, but normally babbit is poured like molten solder to resurface the bushing / bearing. If done correctly around the shaft, no machining is required. High spots can be scraped by hand on larger bearing surfaces. Mostly a lost art now.
Local coal suppliers here in NE PA have "smithing coal".

 

[Anonymous-0]

John,

I have been a blacksmith for 20 years. You can use the chunk hardwood charcoal (available at WalMart etc.)in the forge if you can't find coal. the type of coal you want is soft coal (bituminous) as the anthracite coal has a tendencey to be more difficult to work with in a forge (though it can be done). Send me an e-mail if you have any questions about using the forge.

Alex