What's the Best Way to Break up Large Pieces of Bit Coal?

 
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mslisaj
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Post by mslisaj » Tue. Jan. 04, 2011 6:43 pm

Well I wanted to report back on breaking up the coal. The winner for me is the long chisel and a 2 pound sledge. Works really nicely and keeps the pieces from flying around too much. The mattock was a little messy and I didn't have the control that I had with the long chisel. That for me really worked the best but goggles were a must for this job. When I could clearly see the grains in the coal it did break off there easily and it was like splitting wood. But with about 50% of the coal I couldn not clearly see the grain. So that is when I got the chips to fly. But I broke all the lumps on the top of my pile in a very short amount of time and it is my method of choice for now.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and did give them a try..........

Keep warm with good coal...............

Lisa 8-)

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 11:45 am

Put coal in a feed sack and tie it closed.

Use destructive instrument of choice :)

- JC

 
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mslisaj
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Post by mslisaj » Wed. Jan. 19, 2011 12:00 pm

Been there, done that but I also ruin the bag in the process. The long chisel and safety glasses works best and the least amount of mess............... :D


 
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Post by [email protected] » Thu. Jun. 21, 2018 5:22 am

I am looking for large chunks of plain raw coal......such as the 4-5" size for a children's science project. I would need about 40 pieces. Does anyone know where I can find them and get them quickly? All I can find online are little charcoal pieces or a few that are too big and expensive. I am not far from Sioux City, Iowa. Thank you!

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Jun. 21, 2018 6:53 am

Get the bigger ones & break them up with hammer & chisel to your desired size--come on, ya say you're a science teacher or maybe a parent???? :)

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Thu. Jun. 21, 2018 8:06 am

Ames Iowa, Skei coal. (515) 232-4474 With that small amount maybe he would ship to you??? Shipping wouldne be bad in the same shipping zone. He's about the only soft coal dealer in Iowa, if not the only one. Other than that, craigslist, or put a wanted ad on this site. There arent a lot of soft coal burners on here, but some. Might be someone with large chunks of anthracite (hard) coal too.


 
OldTom
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Post by OldTom » Fri. Sep. 14, 2018 6:31 pm

I recently became an amateur blacksmith. Then my neighbor brought me a bucket of soft coal in large chunks. One of my first projects in blacksmithing was to make a froe. This is a tool used many years ago to split white oak bolts into roofing shingles. Mine is made from an automobile leaf spring. the eye in the end of the spring accommodates the wooden handle. The handle is pointed upward and the blade extends horizontally from the bottom of the handle in the shape of an "L". The lower edge is sharpened. By placing the blade against the chunk of coal and striking it with a hammer, it will cleave the piece of coal in two without making the pieces fly off to the other side of the yard. If the piece of coal is placed on a firm surface, like a section of a log, it will split more easily. The froe also works really well for splitting firewood and making kindling.

Old Tom

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Fri. Sep. 14, 2018 8:00 pm

Sounds like a keeper T. Nice design!! Everything but the oink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Fri. Sep. 14, 2018 8:42 pm

OldTom wrote:
Fri. Sep. 14, 2018 6:31 pm
I recently became an amateur blacksmith. Then my neighbor brought me a bucket of soft coal in large chunks. One of my first projects in blacksmithing was to make a froe. This is a tool used many years ago to split white oak bolts into roofing shingles. Mine is made from an automobile leaf spring. the eye in the end of the spring accommodates the wooden handle. The handle is pointed upward and the blade extends horizontally from the bottom of the handle in the shape of an "L". The lower edge is sharpened. By placing the blade against the chunk of coal and striking it with a hammer, it will cleave the piece of coal in two without making the pieces fly off to the other side of the yard. If the piece of coal is placed on a firm surface, like a section of a log, it will split more easily. The froe also works really well for splitting firewood and making kindling.

Old Tom
There were so many things made from leaf springs thru time. Those and old saw blades. A quality of steel that is hard to beat. I have a hoe (the proper name eludes me) someone made me from a 1949 ford leaf spring. You cant hurt the thing. Ive seen froe's splitting cedar shingles at threshing shows before but not oak. I bet they would work for coal exactly as you described.

 
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Post by Strela_999 » Mon. Sep. 24, 2018 1:29 pm

Leaf springs carried tanks through WW2, so you can bet that they'd be great as base material for tools! It's a shame that such things aren't made anymore... Now, you're lucky to get Chinese import tools with terrible steel quality.
And would you please have pictures of that froe? I might be interested as well.

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