I love your very informative videos. I under stand what you are talking about . You sir are a great teacher.

John I've been watching your videos for almost two years now, as a former US army instructor, I can say that your attention to detail is spot on, you have helped me get started on my blacksmithing, bladesmithing , and reduced my learning curve big time, I started with a venturi type gas forge, then fabricated a decent coal forge, after a year I get better working coal after every fire I build, I'm blessed to live right on top of the pocahontas #3 seam, thanks again sir

Thanks for your video. It confirms what I need to do now that I can't buy coke anywhere.

Thank you very much. I am in the process of reviving our old buffalo forge from my grandfathers farm. I never forged before but I have two grandsons who are really interested in learning how to forge. Our blower is a hand crank style but learning how to build and maintain a coal fire is critical for us to learn. We have only had one fire so far. Our fire pot is only about 3-4 inches deep and we made the mistake of putting our rainroad spike down into the fire and we burned up the end of it. Our fire was way to small and in just the one video I have learned a ton. I hope to view more of your videos to learn as much as I can so I and the boys can learn how to forge. Thanks again.

Another great video John

The Progresso soup can is what makes it a real forge lol. Seriously though great videos. Keep em coming.

Great videos thanks for explaining the basics

thanks for the forge tour and explanation. very helpful.

Thank you John.

Amazing!!! This is so helpful!!! Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to make this!!!

good info and simple instruction, thanks...very helpful.

thank you for sharing your trade !!!!!

Excellent video, thank you sir.

Bloody good show old chap. Very enjoyable, interesting and informative. Well presented and educational. Thank you.

A great video sir Please keep' em coming

Very helpful video

Nice!

Awesome thanks!!!

Your video are very informative, thank you

This is great. I just got set up with a coal forge and didn't know where to start! This is just what I needed!

Love it!!

Papers and kindlings Joyfull start....greetings

Thanks for sharing the shut down process as well.

Just got my first coal forge, thanks for the video instructing us new to it!

Another great video. Dennis at DF in the shop has a great video on brake drum forges. I based mine off of his, it works great

I do a home made coal setup this was helpful

Thank you!This was really helpful.I feel like my mind expanded beyond inmagination

Thank you very much sir. This really helps. Just spent the day doing this in my blacksmith course. Stayed at the coal all day. Appreciate this

Great refresher video its been 36 years since I lite a coal forge back when I was in Farrier school in Langley BC. I just built a coal forge using a Waterloo hand crank blower that one of my former customers gave me for shoeing his horses. Thanks Again.

Very helpful 👍🏻

very useful thanks!

I wish I was closer to you, I'd love to work with you in person. You have a fantastic video series. Thanks for sharing your knowledge

Thank you for this terrific video. I am a writer, and this gave me a lot of context for writing a forging scene 😊

Your first prononciation of "Tuyère" is actually quite good ! :) Thanks for your videos, it helps a lot :)

I find this more satisfying than those "satisfying" videos

Happy New Year

What a comprehensive and helpful video. Thank you from Washington state.

thank you very helpful

very helpful. i'm looking forward to starting my own forge.

Thanks John. You da Man !!! I do Paintless dent repair for the car dealerships and wants to start building My own tools. Your expertise is very much appreciated. 😊

Thanks man, I just was gifted a blower and home built unit.

I'm a beginner with a new forge which I've lit up four times so far and haven't been able to get enough heat to do anything much with bars of mild steel. I'll watch this again and give it another go when the weather permits. (forge on wheeled trolley - have to do it outdoors until I get a hood and vent system rigged up in the shed). Your videos seem really informative and your voice is very easy to listen to. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks black bear that was very helpful I had a master that taught me for a little while years ago for a couple months and just getting back to forging by myself. And I feel like I didn't quite remember everything he taught me so relearning myself. Thiswas very helpful deff a like and subscribe for this guy. You're going to be my teacher through the web. Thanks again

Thank you four all the information helping us I live in Australia I have told our coal is not good qualty

As always Well done! Your demeanor is a really differentiator from other well meaning blacksmiths and your knowledge is second to none that I have come across. Thank you! While scrap wood is my preferred heat source the basic principals are largely the similar. If you know of anyone specializing in wood fueled forge design (I've seen Whitlox) please pass on a link or contact info.

Yes! This video has been IMMENSELY helpful! I've been trying to get my coal forge working properly, I seem to spend at least 80% of my time on the fire rather than the metal. This just answered my questions! Thank you so much! Take the like good sir, you've earned it. Also subscribed.

Thanks, useful

excellent thanks

Nice

I started the journey of blacksmithing about a year and a half ago. I scoured the internet for input using basic implements that I could scrounge. I noted the internet only amplifies the differences in opinions on the subject but fortunately I came across your channel about a year ago after making my forge from a large truck brake drum set inside a plate metal shallow table. As I have ventured along and made more than my share of mistakes, I find regardless of how many other people's videos I peruse, I continue to find the most helpful logical presentations and answers here with you. Your knowledge and humility in presenting subject matter is both excellent and inspiring. I'm 73 years old and my objective before I check out is to influence my 5 grandsons in their learning the technical and fun aspects of smithing with a view to weaning them off their addiction to computer games. Obviously this is a challenge but I'm thankful to have found your site and hope I can emulate your patient style. I just wanted you to know you are positively changing young lives of people you will never know (most likely) and wish you the best of health for a long life of sharing. Thank you! Ken Weldon in Waukeenah, Florida. PS. - The brake drum I started with was OK for exposure at the beginning but I will be getting a decent pot setup before the end of this year so we can get better heat control and not sticking our work down in the bottom at an angle as is necessary with the brake drum many times. I've also learned going back and re-watching your videos after some practice has enabled me to get new things out of even the most basic presentations that I just failed to see the importance in previously. We really don't appreciate what we don't know until we try to apply our limited understanding! Thanks again for your help and dedication in restoring this wonderful art form.

Brilliant, I was just about to google using coke or coal, I wasn't to sure if they were the same or different products.

Sir thank you for teaching such awesome skills I used to be a Paramedic but due to a motor cycle accident I had to retire. I have been slowly starting to blacksmith. I'm using Anthracite.....its truly awful in South Africa we have really poor coal here.

Great info John. I like that you added the putting it out section to the end too. When I first started I got my first fire going and when I was done looked at it and said "what the heck do I do now" LOL. Recently Built myself a side blast forge (there is a video of it on my channel) I am loving it great heat control. And with a sand floor I can shape the pot to whatever size I need. My only regret and something I will probably change later on is no pass thru. Thanks again for a great video

Just build my 1st coal forge. Gotta learn 2 light it

Water is a problem here in the old blacksmith shop at the museum. I've taken to using snow around the perimeter of the fire and on the coal around the edge of the hearth. I just take a shovel full and spread it on the edge of the fire around the firepot and pack it down. After a while, the heat melts the snow and the water soaks down into the coal. I do that process as needed throughout the day. I also keep a little can of snow near the grinder and just smear a little of it on the work when it starts to get hot, seems to work just fine.

its funny that on a channel about bashing metal with hammers, the loudest thing by far this video was newspaper. :P

Excellent video! To extend the life of a blower motor.. it's much better to have the air gate on the intake side of the blower rather than on the output side. I had a lengthy, in depth discussion with an electrition friend of mine on this very subject. Thanks for the video...

thanks, once again, great information delivered in a straightforward and clear manner. I would like to know more about the chimney. does it have an exhaust fan? how does it draw so well even though not directly over the fire?

Hi there...I've been watching your videos and have learned a lot from you and I thank you...I built my own coal forge and it works great but I have trouble keeping it from going out sometimes...would you have any helpful tips...? Thank you

cheers John, I have the luxury of using coke that I crush to size myself, (we have found a supply of coke, but only in about 6 inch lumps) but the last lot had a lot of fines in it already, which tend to blow away when you add a scoop full to the forge. I'm to cheap to sieve it out and throw it away - I might try sieving the worst of it out and try your technique of making it in to some sort of a paste / slurry.

Cool video and I'm catching up fast. I've been watching a video or two a day for a couple of months now. My questions are 1) what do you do with the clinker once its cooled? 2) have you ever taken a magnet to the floor of your shop just to see what gets pulled out of the dirt?

Thanks for all the great videos and information you share with us. I want to try my hand in blacksmithing and I'm just about to build my first forge. The only solid fuel available to me is charcoal. How deep a fire would you need to get a neutralizing fire if charcoal is used instead of coal? Would love to see a video with you forging something using and managing a charcoal fire along with your thoughts on it. Thanks again.

thank you so much, I was going about lighting coal all wrong

Hi John

I'm still new at this

Sorry for the dumb question but what do you mean when you say “coke?” Never mind you just answered my question. Thanks.

Can you address back blast, whomps and pops? I occasionally keep getting a nice startle from a whomp or two with my hand crank blower setup on my forge

From experience if you want a good beginner forge get a propane 1burner MrVolcano forge they are $75 but it you want to do coal get a steel 55 gallon barrel and cut and door out of it and set it upright and putt somewhat of a chimminy on it you want you keep the fumes away from you especially if using anthracite coal (i switched to coal because it is cheaper gets hotter and is not loud) now for the blower get a Dayton 1TDP3 blower it is much better than a hairdryer but if you have to use a handcrank blower get a Zomax 25 or 35 handcrank blower dont get a cheaper one i tried them and they dont work vary well. Now for the coal i use Anthracite coal from tsc because that is all i can get but if you can get some bituminous coal it will work better or if you want to you can just use charcoal it it more expensive through and i recommend making it yourself. I hope i have helped

6:03 I usually use a ferro rod and some dryer lint lol

Can you do a close up shot of "coke" and "clincker"? It was difficult to see and it kinda looked similar from the distance. BTW, great job on the videos. You've quickly become my got guy when learning the blacksmithing trade

Thanks a lot master. I thought I would never be able to turn on my forge haha.

I've dealt with Cathy Kaine from BlacksmithDepot a few times and they seem like legit cool people. Would do business with again for sure!

Having major problems with getting it to draft. Tried different diameter stack pipe..10" seemed to work the best, but still not like yours.

Thanks for the video, John. Great info as usual. I'm a beginner bladesmith/blacksmith and all my work so far has been with a propane forge that I built myself. I hear one term a lot when referring to solid fuel forges and that's "clinker". What is clinker? Thanks.

John, I am wondering how you got started in black smithing and at what age. maybe a video to answer?

Good video, John. I noticed what looked like a handle down under there but, you didn't mention riddling the fire pot. Is this something you do from time to time or is that handle for something else? Thank you for sharing all this information.

How do you maintain a fire while working with the forge on and off all day like the old time blacksmiths ? I have mounded up up a pile of coal and sort of seal it off and came back up to 3 hours later and broke it open , added air and revived the fire. Thanks

How does that chimney draw so well when it’s not even above the fire? Is there a vent fan pulling the smoke and flames to chimney opening?

Man I'm going to need a beard shield.

Great video. Many stuff on youtube about coal fire starting, but it's always good to have an experienced blacksmith point of vue. Everybody interested in this kind of video about blacksmithing, check out "DF - In the shop". Another great blacksmith with so much experience about so many subjects that everybody should listen to him. Thank you !

Great vide0. One question. Is there any type of grate in the bottom of the fire pot?

Hi there, at one point you had said you sometimes use coal as fine as "dust". I was wondering if you could demonstrate your "slurry" mixture, the consistency etc. My coal is anywhere from large egg size to just bigger than tennis balls and I have been breaking it up smaller and find I have a lot of "dust " and fine particles left. I just don't want to make a mess while experimenting with this stuff and end up spending a lot of time cleaning out the fire pot. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance; Jeff

Hello. Could you tell me where the clinkers come from and why they aren’t any good? I’ve heard many complain about them. Thank you for your time.

I’ve heard that clinker can be used to make cement. What kind of clinker does coal make?

is the same process used for lump charcoal or it have a different way of doing it

How big should my fire pot be for my coal forge

Does your hood/chimney have a blower fan in it? Or u just get enough draft without?

What are your thoughts on lining coal forges with refractory cement or similar? I have a cast iron Rivet forge and someone told me I should line mine as such to avoid burning through

Great video. Just one question and one comment. Question: Any concerns about the water rusting out your table? Comment: I just heard about using shelled corn as a solid fuel for blacksmithing. Tend it like a coal fire but burns more like charcoal.

Is your exhaust hood naturally aspirated or do you have a fan to create draft?

hi, how do you start coke fire? I have tried and my coke doesn't burn. I don't know how to ignite it.

Hey my name is Jacob Smith I'm starting out blacksmithing as a hobby I use a brake drum for a coal Forge so I can just practice techniques and stuff like that I want to save up some money to give me a better Forge where I can hold more cold and stuff like that I wanted to ask if anthracite coal Burns slower

So hey I just bought some coal and I was going to forge a railroad spike in my back yard firepit but I dont have a chimney do I need one or can I just wear a mask?

Any input on other fire pots like the Newman ones being sold at blacksmith depot or the lorance ones sold over at pieh tool vs the centaur forge offering, especially the Vulcan? I'm looking at buying a fire pot soon and each of these costs different prices haha. Basically any pot you would choose to purchase to replace yours now? Or have you been happy with the vulcan? Thank you (:

..Great information John!! It's hard to find decent coal available to use for forging around here. It's either Anthracite or, a soft coal like Vitrain from a hardware store. Both are 35-40 miles away. I'm using the Vitrain and it does perty good. My only complaint is soot and some smoke. Would you have any suggestions to help keeping these down?? My modified brake drum/rotor forge is outside so the smoke isn't that bad but, the soot is something else. How's the hand?? It looks like you are getting more movement with it...!!

Is there a fan on your chimney or is it just a natural draft?

What keeps the coal from falling down into the trap on the bottom?

Is that an induced draft chimeny?

I've noticed that nobody has ever done comprehensive video on charcoal fire control and how to maintain good heat on your work I've used both coke and charcoal and out of the two coke is easier to maintain than charcoal coke is like using a gas forge except you can burn the steel unfortunately it's gotten expensive and extremely difficult to get coke but not charcoal and i like my solid fuel forge more than the gas forge is there more information on this subject as a lot of blacksmithing books can be expensive to procurer and i find nothing beats visual or hands on to get a better understanding of what you are trying to achieve and was wondering if have the time to explain the concept to me thank you

Is a coke forge the same as a coal forge in the way that it runs or are there some major difference and are there any videos on this any help would be greatly appreciated thank you