A shift in how I handle my coal fire for Damascus billets

I used to just pile on the coal and blast the air, but after a workshop at the New England School of Metalwork in 2022, I started using a shallower, wider firepot. It gives a more even heat across a 12-inch billet and cuts my fuel use by a solid third. Anyone else make a small change that saved a lot of material?

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tessa_rivera5mo ago

Just grab an old brake rotor and weld a flat plate on the bottom, that's what I did. @angela_kelly it's way easier than you think, and you can dial in the depth by how far you set the plate. I went with about 4 inches deep and it changed everything for even heat on longer billets. Plus it's basically free if you've got scrap lying around.

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angela_kelly5mo ago

Wait, you went to the New England School of Metalwork in 2022 and came back with a shallower firepot? That's wild. I've been running a deep firepot for years, never even thought to try shallow. A third less fuel is huge, especially with coal prices jumping like they have. I gotta know, did you make the firepot yourself or buy it?

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