Recently I made a YouTube video about how I efficiently maintain my coal fire, so I can forge the most with the least amount of fuel consumption.
So, regardless of being a hobbyist or a die-hard professional. It will save you both money.
The biggest tip I can give about it is; leave all fines/ash/dust in your fire. (Assuming it's decent quality coal that leaves no big amounts of residu)
This makes the volume of your fire pot smaller, so the volume of the glowing mass is reduced. Thus less fuel will be consumed in the same time frame, whilst producing the same heat.
The dust layer has another advantage; it insulates. Thus heat is kept in your fire pot. It will not be absorbed by your fire pot as much and then radiated out.
Yet another advantage; the dust layer protects your fire pot. Except the air inlet/tuyere the rest of the fire pot will be protected from the wearing heat of the fire. Instead of the hot coals/coke radiating into the walls of your fire pot, making it hotter and more prone to wearing, the dust layer will take it.
Thus your fire pot will last longer.
This counts especially for the really old fire pots that have rusted thin over the years. You don't want your fire pot to suddenly break out and dump your fire all over your shop floor or where ever you are.
Take really well into account what stock you are going to work.
If you're going to be working 5/8" - 16 mm stock, you only need a very small fire. There is no need to make it the size of a basket ball, unless you plan on forging a small anvil. *bench top drill press
Fire maintanence is rather easy with coal. Remove clinkers as you find them during the day. Other than that simply keep adding fresh coal from the side to let it coke over. And keep doing this at the rate that you consume the coke. So, your fire doesn't run out and you have to wait for it to come back up.
This process hardly produces any smoke at all, if done correctly.
An average charcoal BBQ will produce more smoke.
Feed the fire, and let the fire do the rest!! Keep poking in the coal and shoving coal around and you will destroy the fire, making it dirty and inefficient, producing big clouds of smoke.
The dust will always be blown to the side naturally, so your fire won't get dusty. Unless you of course start to mess with your dust layer and destroy the natural way the fire regulates itself.
If you have more questions, feel free to ask.
So, regardless of being a hobbyist or a die-hard professional. It will save you both money.
The biggest tip I can give about it is; leave all fines/ash/dust in your fire. (Assuming it's decent quality coal that leaves no big amounts of residu)
This makes the volume of your fire pot smaller, so the volume of the glowing mass is reduced. Thus less fuel will be consumed in the same time frame, whilst producing the same heat.
The dust layer has another advantage; it insulates. Thus heat is kept in your fire pot. It will not be absorbed by your fire pot as much and then radiated out.
Yet another advantage; the dust layer protects your fire pot. Except the air inlet/tuyere the rest of the fire pot will be protected from the wearing heat of the fire. Instead of the hot coals/coke radiating into the walls of your fire pot, making it hotter and more prone to wearing, the dust layer will take it.
Thus your fire pot will last longer.
This counts especially for the really old fire pots that have rusted thin over the years. You don't want your fire pot to suddenly break out and dump your fire all over your shop floor or where ever you are.
Take really well into account what stock you are going to work.
If you're going to be working 5/8" - 16 mm stock, you only need a very small fire. There is no need to make it the size of a basket ball, unless you plan on forging a small anvil. *bench top drill press
Fire maintanence is rather easy with coal. Remove clinkers as you find them during the day. Other than that simply keep adding fresh coal from the side to let it coke over. And keep doing this at the rate that you consume the coke. So, your fire doesn't run out and you have to wait for it to come back up.
This process hardly produces any smoke at all, if done correctly.
An average charcoal BBQ will produce more smoke.
Feed the fire, and let the fire do the rest!! Keep poking in the coal and shoving coal around and you will destroy the fire, making it dirty and inefficient, producing big clouds of smoke.
The dust will always be blown to the side naturally, so your fire won't get dusty. Unless you of course start to mess with your dust layer and destroy the natural way the fire regulates itself.
If you have more questions, feel free to ask.