Coal vs. gas forge - I went with propane and got side-eyed hard at the guild meetup

I mean, everyone at the shop I apprenticed at swore by coal. Said propane forges don't get hot enough and you lose all that control. I spent about $400 on a propane burner setup last year after fighting with clinker and smoke for months. Honestly I get cleaner welds on my damascus billets now and I don't have to shower twice after a session. Has anyone else here made the switch and found it worth the hassle?

2 comments

2 Comments

hollym8229d agoMost Upvoted

Got a propane setup about two years ago after burning coal for almost a decade, and honestly I haven't looked back. The first week was a learning curve cause I had to get used to adjusting the flame and not just dumping on more coal when I needed heat. But once I dialed in my regulator pressure and got a decent venturi burner, I was getting forge welds way more consistent than with coal. Less time fighting with clinker and cleaning out the firepot, more time actually hammering steel. Plus my shop doesn't smell like a train yard anymore and my clothes don't reek after a session. Some old timers give me crap about it but they're not the ones scrubbing soot out of their ears at night.

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hollym8229d agoMost Upvoted

Friend of mine switched to propane and accidentally melted his anvil stand first week lol