the_dakota•2d agoMost Upvoted

Found a stat about coal vs charcoal forge fuel that surprised me

I was looking up fuel costs for my weekend forge work and stumbled on a fact from the Blacksmithing Association of Missouri's site. They said charcoal burns about 30% faster than coal for the same heat level, which means you go through way more bags. I did the math on my last session and I was burning through $12 of charcoal in 2 hours versus $8 of coal for the same time. Has anyone else switched fuels because of the hidden cost difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliot_grant382d ago

I've seen that stat thrown around too, and I think it's worth noting the BTU numbers don't tell the whole story (they're for ideal conditions, not real world). Coal has a lot more variables like moisture content and clinker that can mess with your burn rate, so your cost difference might not be that consistent. I switched to a coal/coke mix years ago because I got tired of charcoal sparking and the sticky ash it leaves on my workpieces, which is a pain to grind off.

mason_lee2d ago

Did you read that article about anthracite coal having way less clinker than bituminous?