Coal

[dj1701]

When your heat comes via a dump trailer and a Farmall tractor you know your in good hands...

Shout out to Dave Wendel and sons. Great family, great business.

Thank you Dave...

 

[Alan W.]

When your heat comes via a dump trailer and a Farmall tractor you know your in good hands...

Shout out to Dave Wendel and sons. Great family, great business.

Thank you Dave...

View attachment 4341629

Remember riding with my grandfather delivering coal.
Dont know anybody around here that burns coal. It is good heat.

 

[CalG]

Hard to get coal here in S.Vt. I looked hard a few years back. Not enough demand to justify the service I was told.

25 years back, many businesses were still burning coal, or just making conversion to fuel oil.

 

[MossRoad]

Our first house was built in the 50s and had a coal chute. Our current house was built in the 20's and there isn't a coal chute. I suspect it was removed at some point during remodels over the century.

 

[LouNY]

I used coal right up to the end of last year.

 

[John0829]

We had a coal fired stoker in the basement (no outside access) for years, nasty mess lugging in buckets of coal and the ashes out. Then there was having to keep the flue cleaned out from the soot build up which was an even bigger mess.

One of my happiest moments was when we finally got it replaced with a gas fired furnace.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I live near the anthracite coal mines in northeastern PA and heated with it for over 30 years. Up until last year, I used to take my dump trailer to the breaker and buy 5 tons of rice coal for my Harman Stoker stove. I used the trailer as a coal bin and carried it to the stove in buckets.

Even here near the coal fields, and hauling it myself, the price per BTU is now so close to that of oil, that it's hardly worth it anymore. Last winter, we gave up on coal and switched to oil. The total heating bill using oil was just slightly higher than it was with coal. At my age, it just isn't worth all the effort.

I keep the stove ready to go though, if the price difference ever makes it worthwhile again.

 

[caver]

I lived off base in Bonnie Scotland and the GF and I would have the coalmonger drop off a gunny sack full of coal for the three coal burning fireplaces in our flat. Once I had a load of wood delivered it was all split and maybe 6" long so it fits fine in the small fireplace.

 

[tude]

My grandparents started dairy farming in the late 1920's. They told me they switched over from heating their house from wood to coal once they could afford it. It was one their biggest joys of not having to cut firewood.

 

[bdhsfz6]

The only thing I regret about not burning coal anymore is, I no longer have coal ash to spread on my private road.
I now have to buy anti skid for the spreader.

 

[dodge man]

When I think of burning coal I think of the movie A Christmas Story.

 

[Doofy]

Heated with coal in the 90's and loved the consistent heat and extended burn times. I hauled it myself and used 3-5 Tons a year @ $52 per Ton. Beat the hell out of burning spruce. I did lose my eyebrows several times until I figured out how coal gassing worked. Fun Times!

 

[Cycledude]

Tractor Supply in my area sells coal in bags, I bought one bag last year to test burn in my wood furnace. I was not impressed and most likely will never buy coal again.

 

[LouNY]

There is a learning curve to heating with coal. Between hard and soft coal and then the multitude of sizes depending on the appliance it is being used in.
Within the coal burner community being a one match user for the season is a bragging point.

 

[ponytug]

@Cycledude FWIW: not all wood fireplaces or furnaces are built/designed to burn coal. The heat can be locally too intense.

While I don't miss using coal to heat, and I hated the smell of the smoke outdoors, the indoor coal fire scent makes me a bit nostalgic.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Tractor Supply in my area sells coal in bags, I bought one bag last year to test burn in my wood furnace. I was not impressed and most likely will never buy coal again.

Interesting. I'll have to check my local TS. I can always use a local source for small quantity coal. I keep my shop coal in a 25 gallon barrel, and a gunny sack full would be perfect.

 

[dj1701]

This is what I have been using since 2010. Harmon DVC-500 which they don't make anymore.

I use Charcoal Briquettes and MAPP gas to get the coal going. It's a learning curve to be sure.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've often wondered how a coal stove would be for burning wood chips.

It would give me another excuse reason to buy a chipper.

 

[bdhsfz6]

A decade ago, I worked with a guy who modified a 3pt chipper to make chips for his pellet stove. The chips had to be absolutely dry or the fire would go out. He was a part time carpenter and ran wood scraps through it. I never saw it but he claimed with a few adjustments, it worked ok. It didn't throw as much heat as the pellets but he liked the economy.

I thought about trying it with my Harman Stoker coal stove but never did for fear the softer wood chips might jam or damage the expensive feed mechanism.

 

[ponytug]

I've often wondered how a coal stove would be for burning wood chips.

It would give me another excuse reason to buy a chipper.

I've never tried to do it at home, though we have relatives who live in a village that heats the village with sawdust and scraps from local wood and furniture companies. Isn't there a biomass power plant in southern NH somewhere?

Based on what I know of those two, I think that drying the chips might be a bit of extra work for a homeowner. If you can get or make dry chips, I think that getting enough combustion air focused on the chips would be important for high burn temperatures.

I would bear in mind the higher ash content and lower BTU content of bark, so if it were me, I would plan on avoiding twigs or wood pieces with a lot of bark.

All the best,

Peter