Xref: utzoo rec.org.sca:4667 trial.rec.metalworking:14 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!walt.cc.utexas.edu!jerry From: jerry@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Jerry Porter) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca,trial.rec.metalworking Subject: Re: Blacksmithing Message-ID: <34606@ut-emx.UUCP> Date: 29 Jul 90 08:29:34 GMT References: <26A74055.33FE@intercon.com> <1815@otc.otca.oz> Sender: news@ut-emx.UUCP Reply-To: jerry@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Jerry Porter) Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas Lines: 71 legowik@cme.nist.gov (Steven Legowik) writes: > >I haven't yet had the opportunity to experiment with a whole lot of >different types of coals (or cokes). Amanda, you are the second >person I have come across that swears by anthracite coal. I >understand that it is a bit harder to get started than soft >(bituminous) coal. The fellow I talked with before said that he had >to start his anthracite fire using a wad of kerosine soaked rags, but >once he had it going it would stay lit over night. So he didn't have >to restart his fire all that often. I dont do blacksmithing full time >so that probably wouldn't do me much good. I'm not sure what kind of coal I'm using but its fairly hard, and smokes yellow untill it gets going, but it cokes up nice. Makes very little smoke once it gets going. I'm thinking that it must by anthracite coal, but all I know is its sold as smithing coal. It gets plenty hot, i.e. I've burned steel more than once. >Probably when I finish off my current supply of coal I will experiment >with some of the other varieties available to see what I like. I >still haven't used up the coal that I started with two years ago. I I've only found one place and that sells coal, and that was a general store that has pretty much anything you can think of. What kind of places sell coal and where do you find these places? Heck, I still can find an anvile( well I've found several that I can't afford). >have been using crushed bituminous coal. Admittedly it does produce >large clouds of dense dirty yellow smoke when the fire is first >started, but once the coal has coked it burns pretty cleanly. >Fortunatly I have been doing all of my smithing outside and that isn't >too much of a problem. It may not be the greatest coal around, but I Being outside helps a lot. I'm, just waiting for the nehibors to complain about the smoke. Still once the fire is usable for smithing it doesn't smoke much. >I think a forging fire depends as much on the type of forge, and how >you build your fire as it does on the fuel you use. The fellow that >taught me to forge weld claimed that you could make a weld in just >about any kind of coal, as long as you had a good air blast and a deep >enough fire. Wayne, if you are having trouble getting a weld to take >there is probably something wrong with the forge, the fire, or your >technique, not the coal. You are fluxing the steel before trying to >make the weld arn't you? What do you use for flux? I'm trying to learn everything from books because I can't find a local smith to learn from. I have learn that its hard work. I've learned not to burn the steel, and how hot it has to get to work it. I've also done some heat treating(hardning and tempering). But I just can not get a weld. I'm using some borax I bought at the store for my flux, but it doesn't make much difference, any suggestions? >had great difficulties drilling holes through the piece. This affect >is increased when the flow of air through the fire is reduced, a >reducing fire. Of course if you have too much air the iron will >oxidize too much. I've notice that steel just gets ruined when exposed to too much air, when it is hot. If it does not actually burn it rusts so fast that it becomes very diffcult to work with. I'm glad I've been able to contact some people doing smithing out there on the net, tho. This disscusion, and e-mail to others informed me about a number of things to change that have helped a lot.(trial.metalworking was also dead for about 2 months before I started this thread...) Anyone have address of places that sell smithing supplies and equipment? Catalogs, etc? I'm kinda operating in a vacume. I do know about the ABAMA(or whatever the initals are for the blacksmiths's group.), but I don't have the money and haven't taken the time to check into it. Jerry Porter AKA Bass Wastelan | Disclaimer, we don't need no stinkn' Star's End 512-255-1030 2400baud | disclaimers. jerry@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | --------------------------------------| |---------------------------| I LIKE it. | | All roads lead to Trantor.|