Thanks for this video. I was sitting in tears because of all these blacksmithing videos blaming Anthracite without understanding its needs. I also suggested that Antharcite-Fire might be oxidative and you confirmed it.
That is why when I take a minute to do something, I turn the blower off and come back a minute later and turn it back on, the fire goes out. Also, when I mix in 2 X 2 Inch size wood chunks and do the same, it comes back to life, most of the time. The wood chucks are keeping the fire going.....
This explains a lot! I’ve been using anthracite for about 3 years and was feeling guilty for having to keep the air on all the time. Great video. Spot on. Thank you for posting. You should do a section on clinkers. I’ve had a few doozies.(is that a word?)
thanks for reminding me how to forge with anthracite after two years away. I made a new coal forge recently to get started again, and i was habing trouble keeping it lit. This should do the trick after i swap some things around, so thanks.
Excellent video brother! Thanks for the acknowledgement! Your explanations are right on the money. Every fuel has its values and weaknesses. I agree that most smith's that use Bituminous coal either don't want to or are not willing to use other coal/fuels because they don't behave like Bituminous. "Fire is a Tool". We learn proper techniques for all our other tools. Why should forge fuels be any different.? A tip for you.. For better draft (especially on start up) use some thin plate, close in the sides of your forge hood to the width of your fire. Being wide open, it's trying to draw in extra air from the room. It's in competition with the smoke. As your fire gets wider, slide open the panels a bit more to accommodate the size of the fire. My 2 cents.. This is the kind/format of video that will raise your views and subs. Thanks for the video..
Thanks! I have been meaning to make something to block part of the hood, but it hasn't given me enough trouble to actually motivate me to do anything about it.
I wish I had found this video as soon as you posted it. It could have saved me LOTS of trouble. I figured out that if I make a decent hardwood fire with a few lumps of charcoal in it and sowly add anthracite, it lights and stays lit very well. I have not figured out a specific time to add new coal though. I just add a few chunks to the top every 5 minutes or so.
This is great! Thank you for this video. I've run out of bituminous coal and I can't get more right now, so all I have is charcoal and a lot of anthracite I bought before I discovered bituminous.
Lol. I love when I get the purple fire comment! I don't even remember why I put that there! I needed to add an extra split second onto the end of the video for some reason... But I don't remember why... And that was my solution! Glad I could help! Have fun!
I saw the v on a wood fueled forge. Its great when I need to work on long pieces... And I totally forgot about my purple fire comment.... Thanks for the reminder... Gave me a laugh. And thanks for watching till the very end! Lol.
Great video! You nailed it, really great job. I'm pretty much a beginner, and have only used Anthracite. You're absolutely right about it being quick to burn your material, once that stuff is going you really have to pay attention! Thanks for the video!
I'm still kind of new to the whole smithing thing. I can't find actual coal anywhere here (Louisiana). I'm a real cheapo so I won't use charcoal. I usually use a mixture of pine and oak and burn them in the forge until I get a good bed of coals and add more fuel as needed. While probably not a efficient as any other type of actual coal, it works for me. I haven't been able to forge weld anything, but at this point I'm still learning to draw out and shape the metal how I want it. So at this poiny forge welding isn't something I want to try as it would more than likely end up being a waste of my materials. Also I don't think it will get quite hot enough for that. Great video I loved watching your video on how you built that forge.
I love anthracite. It’s so much more boring than other fuels but effective and HOT I’ve not had much trouble with burning old coal it just takes longer to start up
It was good seeing you in person last week! I liked your comments about quality vs. quantity. I did think of something that writer/motivator James Clear once wrote about that subject though. Someone did an experiment in which one class of pottery students were told: "We want you to create one perfect pot this semester. Do research on it, learn all you can about the proper technique, etc., then make one perfect pot that you'll be graded on." The second class was told, "We want you to make as many pots as possible this semester. You'll be graded on quantity, not quality. We don't care about quality, just make a lot of pots." You know where I'm going with this, right? The quantity class made much better pots by the end of the semester--better in creativity and quality. The students in the one-pot class put out one pot that was kind of constipated creatively and was of poorer quality. That's a long way of saying don't get constipated my friend as you strive for more quality. ;-)
That makes sense. But I was pumping them out so fast quality went out the window. Repetition is great for learning (which I definitely need to do more of). But I was sacrificing things to pump out more videos. Def learned a lot though the process though.
Still on the fence as far as anthracite goes. I could get some, but I still have my bituminous stash of about 400-500 pounds. Eventually it will run out...big sad face here. Thanks to you and Roy...this stuff is fun and informative.
What I ended up figuring out back when I used to use anthracite was as soon as the top coal layer started to become noticeably incandescent, it's time to add more coal. Keep the actual fire buried.
Good video twan but a quick tip for charcoal the kingston charcoal is made to not burn overly hot you can use it but the hard wood lump charcoal will work better
How is your wife? Good video .i use anthracite primarily I start it with kindling and have had very good luck with it .i got a good deal on some batumis coal but need to make a hood to use it my forge is out side but I need to get the smoke above my shop door . I tried mixing the two but didn't have a very consistent fire . I tried useing charcoal to light it that worked fine but sticks are free and I'm cheap. Good video thanks now go forge something . My friends call me wally
I'm right there with ya being cheap! I like the results I got when I mixed em. But maybe it's because of the size. I've got nut size Anthracite, and a small amount of pea sized bituminous. So the bituminous kinds works it's way in between the Anthracite. The fire burns more like a bituminous fire and I don't have to keep adding as much coal on to to keep it lit.
Warped Legacy I use nut sized anthracite the bitumimous I have is the same or larger. Gonna have to try breaking it up . I really didn't give it much of a shot because of the smoke issues
Hello,I was considering buying one of those mini furnace coal forges off ebay,is made of cast iron.Would burning anthracite burn to hot and crack it?The bowl is only 8 inches deep by 7-1\2 diameter.I know folk say propane for knives but I was around coal smithing in my youth and feel more at home.What do you think?I live in Anthracite USA-SYLVANIA where it is common.Think I would be ok with those mini forges and anthracite?Liked your comment and this video.Cheers..
I use anthracite. In Moscow region there is no bituminous coal...Or anthracite, or subbituminous coal. There is coke, but it is more expensive end for him far to go.
Hello,I am in anthracite region..Do you ever burn in cast iron pot?I considered buying a cast iron mini forge,wondered if anthracite would burn to hot and burn it out cracking.?
Only if your camera picks up too much UV. I love that I keep getting one of these comments every once in a while. Especially since there really wasn't a point to it, I just added it for fun. Lol. Hope you enjoyed the video!
Warped Legacy I love that you would do some odd shit like that just for fun lmao. A little something to make people wonder. Btw I’ve only been forging for 2 months but I have been doing it almost every day of the week. I haven’t been so passionate about something since I started learning music almost 20 years ago and I am hoping to make a career out of it some day. Videos like these are an amazing resource and I cannot thank you enough. Also, I’ve pretty much never forged with anything but anthracite so far and I gotta say it definitely does the job. I’ve made a couple pair of tongs, a few other misc tools, and of course a thousand leaves with the stuff. I get it lit fairly quickly with three small wads of newspaper and a handful of charcoal. ...Damn this turned into a long thank you
Oh mate, I'm sorry, rotten thing that, there is light at the end of tunnel, keep on keeping on mate you'l do it. Look at your beautiful workshop and forge. Got a lot to look forward too, keep well friend.
Life can throw many curve balls mate, and it seems you've had more than your share, but as you say keep climbing back out you can do it grit those ol teeth and say, 'You aint gonna win". With ya matey.
I stopped functioning because of severe depression and anxiety. I think I finished filming and still have the footage. I might finish it eventually.... Or film a new video. Short version is... Charcoal works well.... But you go through it quickly.
I was wondering if anyone was gonna catch that! My audio was just a hair longer than the video so I tagged that on the end. And IDK if the people fire is contagious, but I think I have a cure! lol
Warped Legacy I was sitting here listening to the vid while doing some school work. I always try to watch all of it at least once to help with watch times and such..... I just happened to look at the ending screen
Thanks for this video. I was sitting in tears because of all these blacksmithing videos blaming Anthracite without understanding its needs.
I also suggested that Antharcite-Fire might be oxidative and you confirmed it.
I learned on anthracite and was amazed when I burned blacksmith coal. I built a second forge and made my hand crank buffalo useful.
I lit mine with cardboard and small sticks from a downed tree branch. It did take a while, but I used a chimney starter which helped.
That is why when I take a minute to do something, I turn the blower off and come back a minute later and turn it back on, the fire goes out. Also, when I mix in 2 X 2 Inch size wood chunks and do the same, it comes back to life, most of the time. The wood chucks are keeping the fire going.....
This explains a lot! I’ve been using anthracite for about 3 years and was feeling guilty for having to keep the air on all the time. Great video. Spot on. Thank you for posting. You should do a section on clinkers. I’ve had a few doozies.(is that a word?)
thanks for reminding me how to forge with anthracite after two years away. I made a new coal forge recently to get started again, and i was habing trouble keeping it lit. This should do the trick after i swap some things around, so thanks.
Excellent video brother! Thanks for the acknowledgement!
Your explanations are right on the money. Every fuel has its values and weaknesses.
I agree that most smith's that use Bituminous coal either don't want to or are not willing to use other coal/fuels because they don't behave like Bituminous.
"Fire is a Tool". We learn proper techniques for all our other tools. Why should forge fuels be any different.?
A tip for you.. For better draft (especially on start up) use some thin plate, close in the sides of your forge hood to the width of your fire. Being wide open, it's trying to draw in extra air from the room. It's in competition with the smoke. As your fire gets wider, slide open the panels a bit more to accommodate the size of the fire.
My 2 cents.. This is the kind/format of video that will raise your views and subs.
Thanks for the video..
Thanks! I have been meaning to make something to block part of the hood, but it hasn't given me enough trouble to actually motivate me to do anything about it.
I wish I had found this video as soon as you posted it. It could have saved me LOTS of trouble.
I figured out that if I make a decent hardwood fire with a few lumps of charcoal in it and sowly add anthracite, it lights and stays lit very well. I have not figured out a specific time to add new coal though. I just add a few chunks to the top every 5 minutes or so.
This is great! Thank you for this video. I've run out of bituminous coal and I can't get more right now, so all I have is charcoal and a lot of anthracite I bought before I discovered bituminous.
Also, is the purple fire contagious?
Lol. I love when I get the purple fire comment! I don't even remember why I put that there! I needed to add an extra split second onto the end of the video for some reason... But I don't remember why... And that was my solution! Glad I could help! Have fun!
@@WarpedLegacy It may make no sense but I like it!😂 And it's a way to encourage people to watch to the end of your videos.
Currently Having issues using anthracite in a jbod. Unfortunately my dirt is sand but this helped me figure out how to help light and manage the fire.
500th like! This was very helpful...I completely whiffed on lighting my first anthracite fire..now I know what I need to do! Thank you!
Looks cold as ice in there! While forging and metalwork is a ways off for me, I love watching it -- thanks for sharing your expertise, as always.
Loving the V style hearth, not seen that before and makes a lot of sense to me... “is the purple fire contagious”...😂😂😂
I saw the v on a wood fueled forge. Its great when I need to work on long pieces... And I totally forgot about my purple fire comment.... Thanks for the reminder... Gave me a laugh. And thanks for watching till the very end! Lol.
Great video! You nailed it, really great job. I'm pretty much a beginner, and have only used Anthracite. You're absolutely right about it being quick to burn your material, once that stuff is going you really have to pay attention! Thanks for the video!
I'm still kind of new to the whole smithing thing. I can't find actual coal anywhere here (Louisiana). I'm a real cheapo so I won't use charcoal. I usually use a mixture of pine and oak and burn them in the forge until I get a good bed of coals and add more fuel as needed. While probably not a efficient as any other type of actual coal, it works for me. I haven't been able to forge weld anything, but at this point I'm still learning to draw out and shape the metal how I want it. So at this poiny forge welding isn't something I want to try as it would more than likely end up being a waste of my materials. Also I don't think it will get quite hot enough for that. Great video I loved watching your video on how you built that forge.
I'm in southeastern Louisiana and Ithe nearest place i have found it to me is tractor supply in Laurel Mississippi.
I love anthracite. It’s so much more boring than other fuels but effective and HOT I’ve not had much trouble with burning old coal it just takes longer to start up
Yeah, if you give it the air it needs, anthracite gets HOT.
It was good seeing you in person last week! I liked your comments about quality vs. quantity. I did think of something that writer/motivator James Clear once wrote about that subject though. Someone did an experiment in which one class of pottery students were told: "We want you to create one perfect pot this semester. Do research on it, learn all you can about the proper technique, etc., then make one perfect pot that you'll be graded on." The second class was told, "We want you to make as many pots as possible this semester. You'll be graded on quantity, not quality. We don't care about quality, just make a lot of pots." You know where I'm going with this, right? The quantity class made much better pots by the end of the semester--better in creativity and quality. The students in the one-pot class put out one pot that was kind of constipated creatively and was of poorer quality. That's a long way of saying don't get constipated my friend as you strive for more quality. ;-)
That makes sense. But I was pumping them out so fast quality went out the window. Repetition is great for learning (which I definitely need to do more of). But I was sacrificing things to pump out more videos. Def learned a lot though the process though.
And I do plan on putting out more quantity than I did before I started posting everyday.
Once things get back to normal around home.
Still on the fence as far as anthracite goes. I could get some, but I still have my bituminous stash of about 400-500 pounds. Eventually it will run out...big sad face here. Thanks to you and Roy...this stuff is fun and informative.
Glad you like em! Use what you can get. I would rather have bituminous, but I'll take what I can get!
What I ended up figuring out back when I used to use anthracite was as soon as the top coal layer started to become noticeably incandescent, it's time to add more coal. Keep the actual fire buried.
That sounds about right. I think I let it go a little longer than that, but not much.
Good video twan but a quick tip for charcoal the kingston charcoal is made to not burn overly hot you can use it but the hard wood lump charcoal will work better
How is your wife? Good video .i use anthracite primarily I start it with kindling and have had very good luck with it .i got a good deal on some batumis coal but need to make a hood to use it my forge is out side but I need to get the smoke above my shop door . I tried mixing the two but didn't have a very consistent fire . I tried useing charcoal to light it that worked fine but sticks are free and I'm cheap. Good video thanks now go forge something . My friends call me wally
I'm right there with ya being cheap! I like the results I got when I mixed em. But maybe it's because of the size. I've got nut size Anthracite, and a small amount of pea sized bituminous. So the bituminous kinds works it's way in between the Anthracite. The fire burns more like a bituminous fire and I don't have to keep adding as much coal on to to keep it lit.
Warped Legacy I use nut sized anthracite the bitumimous I have is the same or larger. Gonna have to try breaking it up . I really didn't give it much of a shot because of the smoke issues
Hello,I was considering buying one of those mini furnace coal forges off ebay,is made of cast iron.Would burning anthracite burn to hot and crack it?The bowl is only 8 inches deep by 7-1\2 diameter.I know folk say propane for knives but I was around coal smithing in my youth and feel more at home.What do you think?I live in Anthracite USA-SYLVANIA where it is common.Think I would be ok with those mini forges and anthracite?Liked your comment and this video.Cheers..
Great video twan ! :-) you know me all about that alternative stuff lol
Oh yeah. That's totally the vibe I get from you!
Is the purple fire contagious. Great video thank you.
Hope all is gong well. Good video. And information
Things are going pretty good around here.
Thanks for the explanation...
Is the purple fire contagious? I guess cause i watched it till the end. Who knows
Can adding a little anthrosite to your bituminous be beneficial at all
Is anthracite charcoal suitable for grilling meat? Is there an effect on health? Thank you
No, lots of nasty chemicals.
I have been schooled.
Hope it didn't hurt!
Great video. Are you using anthracite because that is all you have available to you?
For the most part. Even the coal from the Michigan Blacksmith group is Anthracite. I plan on getting some bituminous coal next time I have a chance.
Does anyone know why Tractor Supply stopped selling it in their stores in Texas ?
They only sell it for home heating. I'm in Michigan, and I can only get it in the winter.
@@WarpedLegacy Never heard of anyone using it to heat their home in Texas. I emailed TSC and never got a reply.
Love that fuel
Use fire lighers and wood
I use anthracite. In Moscow region there is no bituminous coal...Or anthracite, or subbituminous coal. There is coke, but it is more expensive end for him far to go.
Hello,I am in anthracite region..Do you ever burn in cast iron pot?I considered buying a cast iron mini forge,wondered if anthracite would burn to hot and burn it out cracking.?
I like anthracite because generally it's cheap lol
I like cheap! Lol
And it burns hotter once it’s going.
“Is the purple fire contagious?” What the what
Only if your camera picks up too much UV. I love that I keep getting one of these comments every once in a while. Especially since there really wasn't a point to it, I just added it for fun. Lol. Hope you enjoyed the video!
Warped Legacy I love that you would do some odd shit like that just for fun lmao. A little something to make people wonder.
Btw I’ve only been forging for 2 months but I have been doing it almost every day of the week. I haven’t been so passionate about something since I started learning music almost 20 years ago and I am hoping to make a career out of it some day. Videos like these are an amazing resource and I cannot thank you enough. Also, I’ve pretty much never forged with anything but anthracite so far and I gotta say it definitely does the job. I’ve made a couple pair of tongs, a few other misc tools, and of course a thousand leaves with the stuff. I get it lit fairly quickly with three small wads of newspaper and a handful of charcoal.
...Damn this turned into a long thank you
Where's the other video's mate with bituminous and charcoal.??
s
I never got them edited. I spiralled into depression and I'm just climbing out. I will edit them and put them out eventually.
Oh mate, I'm sorry, rotten thing that, there is light at the end of tunnel, keep on keeping on mate you'l do it. Look at your beautiful workshop and forge. Got a lot to look forward too, keep well friend.
Thanks. It's been a pretty crappy summer. And it seems every time I get almost out... Something bigger comes along and throws me back.
But I'm not gonna stop climbing out.
Life can throw many curve balls mate, and it seems you've had more than your share, but as you say keep climbing back out you can do it grit those ol teeth and say, 'You aint gonna win". With ya matey.
"Is the purple fire contagious?" And why did I just write this? :-)
Cuz I had a split second longer audio than video... So I filled it with that! And people complain about the purple fire all the time.
Yep, anthracite seems like a pain lol. Good video though ;)
It's better than nothing! But I would rather have bituminous.
Is the purple fire contagious?
I don't know if it's contagious, but I think I have a cure!
What blower do u use
I've got an electric leaf blower with a variable speed on it.
What happened to the charcoal video?
I stopped functioning because of severe depression and anxiety. I think I finished filming and still have the footage. I might finish it eventually.... Or film a new video. Short version is... Charcoal works well.... But you go through it quickly.
@@WarpedLegacy Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry to hear you had to go through a hard time and I hope you're back to your old cheerful self.
Is the purple fire contagious??
I was wondering if anyone was gonna catch that! My audio was just a hair longer than the video so I tagged that on the end. And IDK if the people fire is contagious, but I think I have a cure! lol
Warped Legacy I was sitting here listening to the vid while doing some school work. I always try to watch all of it at least once to help with watch times and such.....
I just happened to look at the ending screen
Swallowing between sentences
Is the purple fire contagious?
I hope not! But I think I've got a cure! We will see soon.