A forge fire at the county fair taught me to check my coal twice

I was doing a demo at the Clark County Fair last summer, showing kids how to make simple hooks. Had my coal forge going, but the coal was a bit damp from being stored outside. I turned my back for maybe a minute to grab a new piece of stock, and a big chunk of wet coal popped like a firecracker, sending a hot ember right into a bucket of water I had for quenching. The steam cloud that came up was huge and soaked my apron. Now I always spread my coal out to dry for an hour before I start a public demo. Anyone else have a demo go sideways because of something simple like wet fuel?

2 comments

2 Comments

jones.grace1mo ago

My buddy's wet charcoal once popped and nearly lit his workshop curtains on fire.

jones.grace1mo ago

Wet fuel can really surprise you. I had a similar scare with some damp firewood in a campfire that popped and sent sparks into a pile of dry leaves. It's amazing how a little water can cause such a big reaction.