I've encountered much the same problem. While the history of smelting
is covered, no one seems especially interested in the history of
foundries. Happy to talk about contemporary technology, but what got
them there. About all that I have found that is "early" is discussions
of the failed attempts of William Wood to use a coal fired air furnace
to smelt iron. Which again is smelting not foundry.
While thinking over the problem it also became clear that with the
advent of the use of steam power and the building of ironworks off
rivers coal would be increasingly necessary as a fuel. Foundries built
in cities must have used coal or coke, because until the railroads
built special cars to transport charcoal it was too friable to move
more than a few miles. So any foundry that is not in the middle of a
forest, must have used coal.
I also don't know much about the transport of charcoal by canal. While
moving charcoal by wagon resulted in charcoal dust, it must have been
possible to move in in barges? Anyone have data on the transport of
charcoal by barge in the 17-19th centuries?
On Jul 3, 2008, at 11:22 PM, Peter Hutchison wrote:
> I do not have information earlier than 1908. In "Iron" by T.Turner
> he states
> that hard coke is usually used as the fuel in a cupola, though
> occasionally
> gaseous or charcoal is employed. There s nothing further.
>
> Peter Hutchison
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