My coal forge runs better since I changed one simple habit

I always let ash pile up in my forge bottom until it was almost full. It made the fire sluggish and uneven, which messed up my heat treats. After talking to another smith at a demo, I began clearing out the ash after each use. Now, I just take a minute to shovel it out while the forge is cooling down. The difference is huge, my fire gets hot faster and stays consistent. I waste less coal and my projects come out more even. It's a tiny extra step that pays off big time. Honestly, I wish I had started doing this years ago.

3 comments

3 Comments

michael9901mo ago

Air grate cleaning weekly makes a huge difference too.

gibson.holly1mo ago

Did you know my cat loves sitting on warm air grates?

-2

casey_torres607d ago

Wait, you let the ash get almost full? That's wild to me. It makes total sense your heat was all over the place. Cleaning it out while it cools is such a smart move. It's like what @gibson.holly said about air grates, everything just works better when it's clear. I bet your steel looks way happier now.