Propane forge vs coal forge, my back made the call

Ran a coal forge for 8 years, got sick of shoveling and the smoke in my face every single session. Swapped to a propane forge last month, cost me $450 for a decent 2-burner setup. Heat is way more even and I can actually see the metal color instead of guessing through haze. Anyone else make the switch and never look back, or do you stick with coal for a reason?

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drew_patel572mo ago

Quit acting like you just climbed Everest. Shoveling coal is part of the job, not a war crime. You paid 450 bucks because your back was sore after a weekend? Give me a break. I've run both, and yeah, propane is cleaner, but my coal forge has never let me down on a cold morning when my regulator decides to freeze up. You traded one hassle for another, just fancier. Wait until you have to replace those burner nozzles or deal with a propane tank running dry mid-heat treat. Then tell me how "even" the heat feels.

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blake_black472mo ago

...and that whole thing about the regulator freezing reminds me of the time I spent three hours trying to light my old propane forge in a snowstorm, only to realize I'd left the damn tank valve closed. I felt like an idiot, but at least I didn't have to shovel anything. Anyway, you're right that both have their quirks, but I think people just get attached to whatever they started with. I still have a soft spot for my first charcoal grill even though it ate half my knuckles every time I tried to rake the ash out. Different tools, same stubborn satisfaction at the end of the day.

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