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Unpopular opinion: a good old coal forge beats a gas one for real control
I ran a propane forge for about two years because everyone said it was cleaner and easier. Last fall, I finally built a simple coal forge in my shop in Knoxville. The difference is night and day. With coal, I can see the exact color and heat in the fire, and I can move the metal around to hit specific spots. The gas forge just heats the whole piece evenly, which is bad for things like drawing out a taper where you need a soft heat gradient. I can get a much sharper, more local heat with coal, and it costs me about half as much to run. Anyone else make the switch back and find they have way more control over their work?
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