amyc22•1mo agoMost Upvoted

Choosing between a gas forge and a coal forge for my new shop setup

I had to pick between a two-burner gas forge or a traditional coal setup for my new space in Boise, and I went with gas for the cleaner heat and easier temperature control. After three months, I'm happy with the choice for general work, but I miss the fine control I had over the firepot for forge welding. Has anyone else made this switch and found a good way to get that precise heat zone back?

3 comments

3 Comments

craig.reese1mo ago

Oh man, I know that feeling. I switched to gas a few years back and missed the welding heat too. What worked for me was getting a smaller, single burner forge just for that kind of work. It gives you a tighter hot spot you can really focus. It's not the same as a coal firepot, but it gets you close enough for good welds without the mess.

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the_seth1mo ago

My two burner propane forge gets too wide for welding. I built a simple coffee can forge with a single burner and it made a huge difference. The small space holds heat way better for getting up to welding temp. It's basically a mini forge just for that one job.

margaretf401mo ago

Honestly, I don't get the whole second forge thing. You said a small space holds heat better, but that's just more stuff to store and more tanks to fill. My two burner gets plenty hot for welding if you just block off part of the opening with firebrick. It's way simpler than building a whole other rig. Seems like making extra work to me.