forge fuels

[belmtho]

just wondering if anyone uses any biomass fuels, like cow poo, or other organic waste, wood works well, and apparently when compacted propery cow poo is very effecient. anyone any thoughts?
cheers
tom

[Thomas H]

Hmm, good question. I often use wood but can't find much better than coke.
Cow poo may be efficent but i'm sure there is a nasal downside to it

[Thomas Powers]

I use charcoal at times; spot on for my Y1K work and I have read references to the use of peat in smithing. I would think that cow dung might work---I'll try it sometime---but why would someone use it when they could use charcoal instead?

Only thing I could think of would be in extremely wood poor places which are generally *not* places known for their metal working.

You might check out "The Mastery and Uses of Fire in Antiquity" that deals a lot with biomass fueled pyro processes. The straw left after harvesting and threshing being one I remember.

Thomas

[Mike F]

Power density may be an issue. Same reason why cooking charcoal isn't as nice as chunk hardwood charcoal.

That being said, once you go coal, you probably get spoiled.

[Thomas H]

I do prefer the way the ash of lump charcoal burn sinto a dust so i can sprinkle it on the garden
We now have some slightly monster sized plants

[Archie Zietman]

I might test out horse poo in my forge, it'd probably burn quite well, what with all the methane and such things as that, dried of course. (hey, cow poo works for some neo-tribal bladesmiths!) I use charcoal/wood for everything.

[Sagebowman]

Remembering childhood watching educational TV, all the kids made faces when the narrator talked about the Arabs using dried Camel Dung to cook their food. I think I remember also showing them firing a small ground forge to make spearheads. I can't imagine making Damascus this way.
Gene

[losthelm]

it would work in therory production of wood charcoal is simple expecialy if you live in a urban or rural area. as for manure as a fule source it does have some health concerns associated with using it as there is quite a bit of smoke.

converting it to methane would probibly work quite well thought.

although Im not shure on the process.

[Thomas Powers]

Actually Mike, charcoal was preferred over coal as it doesn't add sulfur into the metal.

The main drive to use coal was the lack of wood as Europe was being deforrested at a rapid rate for everything from cooking to smelting metal. They did not commercially use coal for smelting iron from ore until around 300 years after smiths reluctantly started using it in the forge.

One of the first "environmental" laws on the books were onces limiting the number of iron smelters in England to preserve enough wood to build ships from---during the time of Elizabeth I IIRC.

In the smithing world today coal is probably the number 3 fuel after charcoal and propane---surprizingly enough many 3rd world countries have a very good propane distribution system as it is a major cooking fuel where biomass is not plentiful.

Thomas

[Mike F]

Thomas: In period, I'd absolutely agree with you. However, the sulfur burns off pretty well in a few minutes, then you're left with mostly coke.

I find it's a better fuel for a few reasons, but sulfur impregnation is what kept me from it for a long time.

[Thomas Powers]

Well for folks forging in cities or tight suburbs we often advise to go with charcoal or propane as coal smoke can be a neighbor problem---I lucked out when I was in OH. My nearest neighbor had a coal furnace when she was a child and so the smell brough back pleasent memories.

I'm working on buying a big bag of Poco #3 coal right now but shipping a 2500# bag from CO to central NM is currently the sticking point.

Thomas