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Coal vs propane forge - I was dead set on coal for years, now I'm not sure
I learned blacksmithing on a coal forge back in 2012 at a shop in Montana. Always thought propane forges were for hobbyists who didn't want to get their hands dirty. But last month I spent a weekend at a buddy's place using his propane setup and honestly I got clean welds way faster than I ever did with coal. The heat control was just better. Now I'm wondering if I've been stubborn about this for no good reason. Did any of you switch from one to the other and regret it or find it way better? What's your preference and why?
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craig.john20d ago
Good point about the clean welds. I've seen guys at demos struggle with coal forges for an hour trying to get a billet to weld right, while the propane guys are done in twenty minutes. But here's what I'm wondering: does that propane setup take away from the feel of the metal? With coal you can read the heat by the color and the sparks, feel the difference in how the fire breathes. Propane is just on or off, hot or hotter. Did you find yourself missing that tactile feedback when you were working at your buddy's place, or was the speed worth losing that connection?
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wendy62820d ago
Hang on, you lost me at "feel the difference in how the fire breathes." That's a real thing? @craig.john I've only ever used propane. Never thought about it like that. You're telling me you can actually sense the fire breathing like a living thing? That sounds like some magic forge stuff. I just turn a knob and wait for the glow. Wild.
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