Coalpail.com Forum

Ok...I will take a look.

I see one problem right off the bat, and that is depth...which is my biggest issue. I need to be as close as ten inches to my hearth from the back of the stove and even then the depth of the stove will likely hurt me because I only have 42” of depth to work with. That is aggravating to say the least...and even with my current stove and set-up I likely would not meet code. I’m not worried about that, but if I sell this house in the future I’d like it to pass code for the next person.

Do you have crete board w/ ceramic spacers behind your stove??

Hoytman wrote: ↑

Wed. Jan. 29, 2020 5:00 pm

Ok...I will take a look.

I see one problem right off the bat, and that is depth...which is my biggest issue. I need to be as close as ten inches to my hearth from the back of the stove and even then the depth of the stove will likely hurt me because I only have 42” of depth to work with. That is aggravating to say the least...and even with my current stove and set-up I likely would not meet code. I’m not worried about that, but if I sell this house in the future I’d like it to pass code for the next person.

The ranges are only about 30-32 inches front to back, so you've got plenty of room if you follow the Nat Fire Code recommendations for reducing clearance (listed in announcements at the top of this section). You can reduce the clearance down to about 9 inches behind the range. I did with mine by making a simple sheet metal box to enclose the back of the oven an the firebox and then lined it with two layers of rock wool. I moved it back out few inches because it made it easier to reach behind the range to clean.

This has all been covered in detail in this thread, so rather than make me repeat it all just read the thread. That's why I started it - to answer all these questions. And, every question you could have about using a range has been covered, and more.

Paul

Ok...sorry. I’m pretty sure I had read it, but it’s been a long time ago. I’ll review it, no problem.

Sunny Boy wrote: ↑

Wed. Jan. 29, 2020 9:00 am

Thanks Reid.

I don't see mention of it in the AGA literature. What , and where, is the "diatomaceous earth", and what is it's purpose ?

Paul

The diatomaceous earth as used as insulation. All internal castings (oven casting, firebox, magazine and flues) are surrounded by this insulation. Newer ones used vermiculite instead. Basically the enclosure is filled to the brim with this fine powdery insulation, then topped with a layer of mineral wool that resides under the top casting. The insulating lids over the boiling and simmering plates contain a layer of mineral wool insulation.
AGA called it a heat storage cooker. I don't know that it could store much heat, but I suspect the tempuratures of the ovens would be be more consistent and stable with less BTUs.

Reid

A scan of the installation manual for the post war coal AGAs can be found a at the site address below. The post war models are not much different from prewar in design, but little if any parts are interchangeable.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56a84c07bf ... re1972.pdf

Reid

This mention of DE is something I had not read about it this thread until now...because I’ve likely missed a lot of the thread, but...

Breathing diatomaceous earth from any leaks/cracks in castings could be as detrimental to a persons lung function as asbestos, maybe worse. It is not something you want to be breathing.

Hoytman wrote: ↑

Wed. Jan. 29, 2020 9:16 pm

Breathing diatomaceous earth from any leaks/cracks in castings could be as detrimental to a persons lung function as asbestos, maybe worse. It is not something you want to be breathing.

Diatomaceous earth, is a lung and nasal passage irritant. Should wear a mask if exposed to the dust. OSHA has had DE tested and it is not considered a carcinogen.
The AGA is pretty well sealed as DE flows almost like a liquid when stove hot.
Regardless, mineral wool insulation, another irritant, has had me in the emergency ward 30 years ago, leaving me less than impressed with fiberglass or mineral wool insulation.

Reid

Carcinogen never crossed my mind. If DE can cut the bodies of insects to death, literally, then I’m sure you are aware it can do the same to a persons lungs...others may not know, but they do now.

Went up into the attic of my old house to do some wiring...supposedly that old news paper insulation with 45 years of dust on top of it. In less than 4 minutes, even with a high quality rubber 3M mask, I started coughing and choking. I was sick for a month afterwards. Somehow I finished the job later on and never went back up there again. I hate blown in insulation of any kind.

Hoytman wrote: ↑

Wed. Jan. 29, 2020 6:57 pm

Ok...sorry. I’m pretty sure I had read it, but it’s been a long time ago. I’ll review it, no problem.

Not to discourage you, just that there's a lot of very good info in there that a lot of people have put effort into. And if your nibbling at the bait of having a coal range,..... just maybe,.... by reading it, you'll get hooked, too ?

One of the best parts about having a coal range,..... you can have your cake and heat it, too !

Paul

Sunny Boy wrote: ↑

Thu. Jan. 30, 2020 9:38 am

Not to discourage you, just that there's a lot of very good info in there that a lot of people have put effort into. And if your nibbling at the bait of having a coal range,..... just maybe,.... by reading it, you'll get hooked, too ?

One of the best parts about having a coal range,..... you can have your cake and heat it, too !

Paul

No problem.

Soooo, who's gonna be doin all the cookin if you go this route?

My boy is 13...been in front of a stove since he was old enough to stand in a chair and flip an egg. He’s cooking more and more and I’m thinking he might like to go to cooking school. We all cook in our house.

ReidH wrote: ↑

Wed. Jan. 29, 2020 7:59 pm

The diatomaceous earth as used as insulation. All internal castings (oven casting, firebox, magazine and flues) are surrounded by this insulation. Newer ones used vermiculite instead. Basically the enclosure is filled to the brim with this fine powdery insulation, then topped with a layer of mineral wool that resides under the top casting. The insulating lids over the boiling and simmering plates contain a layer of mineral wool insulation.
AGA called it a heat storage cooker. I don't know that it could store much heat, but I suspect the tempuratures of the ovens would be be more consistent and stable with less BTUs.

Reid

Thanks Reid. More unique about the design.

I see DE is also used in animal feed. https://www.chewy.com/harris-diatomaceous-earth-f ... /dp/226383 And as a Flea powder.

Agreed. By "storing" the heat with a lot of the stove's exterior well insulated it's not releasing it as well into the room. So then, most likely it sends quite a bit up the chimney ? Good for cooking baking without working the firebed as hard, but not as good for heating the house.

When I made the back heat shield box for my range, the intension was to be able to safely move the range closer to the wall, plus not send heat to an outside wall. With many ranges, the back of the oven is the only single wall. There is no double thickness like the door and a heat source surrounding it with the firebox and flues covering the top, sides, and bottom, so the oven looses heat out the back.

By enclosing the entire back of the oven and firebox with a sheet metal "box" and adding two layers of one inch thick rock wool sheets, held inside the box with long cotter pins, the oven temps went up and the heat distribution inside the oven became more even, thus not needing to open the oven door to turn baking items as often and then having the oven need more time to recover that heat lost with the door open. So not only is less heat being lost to an outside wall, plus the oven was hotter without needing the firebed working hotter, the baking times were also reduced.

Another trick I learned was from Melissa's Mother, who was a school home economics teacher. The oven door has a tin plated panel inside it to reflect heat back in. After 100+ years the tin plating is pretty well gone. Melissa's Mother covered the inside of the oven door with Heavy duty aluminum foil to reflect heat back into the oven.

I removed the oven door panel and wrapped it with two layers of HD aluminum foil and that helped raise the oven temp, also.

Paul

Hoytman wrote: ↑

Thu. Jan. 30, 2020 10:40 am

My boy is 13...been in front of a stove since he was old enough to stand in a chair and flip an egg. He’s cooking more and more and I’m thinking he might like to go to cooking school. We all cook in our house.

Good to start 'em young.

Melissa grew up learning to cook on an early 1900 coal range. We enjoy using our coal range so much that Melissa and I sometimes argue over who's turn it is to cook. I never cared much for cooking, but something about the range has made me want to learn more about cooking. And it's a great excuse to be where it's nice and warm.

My daughters love helping cook on the range when they come to dinner.

Paul