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Calcimator

Coal/Gas Consumption Calculator

Estimate fuel consumption and cost per session for coal, propane, or natural gas forges based on forge size and session length.

Inputs

hrs

Results

Total Fuel Used

6

Estimated Cost

$21.00

≈ 4 cups of coffee

Unitgal
Rate Per Hour1.5
Total BTU Output549,000
Fuel TypePropane
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Select Forge / Fuel Type: Coal, Propane, or Natural Gas — each has different consumption rates.
  2. Choose forge size: Small (single burner/firepot), Medium, or Large (3+ burners).
  3. Enter the session duration (hours) to calculate total fuel used.
  4. Review consumption in the appropriate unit (lbs for coal, gallons for propane, cubic feet for natural gas).
  5. Use the cumulative consumption chart to plan fuel purchases and estimate session operating costs.

How the result changes with Session Length

Session LengthTotal Fuel UsedEstimated Cost
2.854.28$14.98
8.7213.08$45.78
1624$84.00
2233$115.50

What each input means

Forge / Fuel Type
Select your forge fuel type. Coal forges are measured in lbs/hr, propane in gallons/hr, natural gas in cubic feet/hr.
Forge Size
Larger forges consume proportionally more fuel. A small forge uses about half of a medium; a large forge uses 1.5x.
Session Length
How many hours you plan to run the forge. A typical hobby session is 2-6 hours; a production day is 8-12 hours.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    Forge / Fuel Type = 2, Forge Size = 2, Session Length = 4 = 3 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total Fuel Used
    Total Fuel Used
    6 = 6
  3. Calculate Estimated Cost
    Estimated Cost
    21 = $21
  4. Calculate Unit
    Unit = fuel.unit
    gal = gal
  5. Calculate Rate Per Hour
    Rate Per Hour
    1.5 = 1.5

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