Went back and forth on a coal forge vs gas forge for my shop

After 15 years of using a gas forge I decided to build a coal forge last spring. Spent about $180 on the firepot and blower from a supplier in Ohio. The heat control is amazing but I spent the first month fighting clinkers and learning how to manage the fire. Anyone else find coal forges worth the extra work compared to gas?

3 comments

3 Comments

colethomas17d ago

Gas is way easier and consistent for my style of work.

marybutler17d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on that! I switched to electric a few years back and honestly, it's way more forgiving on thin stuff because you don't have to fight with gas flow or wind messing up your puddle. Plus, you skip all the hassle of buying and swapping tanks, which saves a ton of time and money down the road especially if you're doing a lot of small jobs. I've had way fewer burn-throughs on sheet metal with electric because the heat input just feels smoother and more predictable once you dial in your settings.

olivia_white9317d ago

Read something the other day about gas vs electric for welding. Said gas gives you way better control on thinner metals. Makes sense for consistent work. Heard it from a guy who's been doing it for like 20 years.