To Slope or Not?

When loading your hand-fired stoves, do any of you try to make the front of the coal bed’s height even with the height of the back bed (assuming your stove design permits this)? In other words, do your coal beds slope down from back to front, or is there only a gradual dip from back to front?

I started off sloping and have now found myself making the bed more even from back to front. I don’t know if there are advantages to either technique, I just wanted to get the forum’s view/experience on this topic.

Thanks!

I have never tried to deliberately slope the coal bed. Having said that, I have sloped when trying to cram in more coal than would fit below the window grates. (more coal to the back to keep it off the glass) I don't see any benefit to deliberatly trying to make a slope.

after I shake my stove down the bed goes down I have a metal water pipe its 3ft long and 3 1/4 thick I use that to tap the bed of coals not hard just enough to pack the bed down. then I use that same pole to lift up the metal flap that comes down when you open the door. and while holding the flap open I use my ash shovel to scoop up coal from my coal bucket and I start from the back one scoop at a time across the back tapping and smoothing with the shovel to even the bed out. I continue doing this until im at the front. by the time I get to the front there is a slope. naturaly there would be one and what occurs when I do this is theres always parts of the coal bed that arent coverd with fresh coal so I get that "banking " effect I also have a led headlight so I can see into the stove and I can make sure I have a good even full bed of coal in the stove. heres some pics of the "tools I use" they work for me.

the things I use

if you look at the pic of my stove I just posted. look at the pic with the door open, click the pic to see the bigger pic, and see the coal that isnt covered. see how I filler up. this is what the sf 250 can do. its a fine coal stove indeed. been running since november.

bigchunk wrote:i also have a led headlight so I can see into the stove and I can make sure I have a good even full bed of coal in the stove. heres some pics of the "tools I use" they work for me.

Wow

Stoker Stove Setup
The tent is for that poison dust

**Broken Image Link(s) Removed**

thats about it. imo, lol

Bigchunk,

Ironically, viewing the most recent post of the pic of your stove prompted me to post this quesion. My stove has a similar design as the Harman Magnafire Series stoves.

well this works for me. and who knows it could work for you too. when I started this whole coal burning thing it was new to me and I read as much as I could prior to actually doing it and using my stove non stop and shaking it down and filling it up twice a day has made me try to figure out the most efficent way to do this. and I figured this out myself and like I mentioned earlier this works for me. it may not work for others but ive burned my arm on the stove a few times before I had a revelation about using the pipe to hold up the flap. and not being able to see in the stove was rediculous so I tried hanging on to a flashlight and the pipe at the same time was a pain, so the head lamp was the answer. now again this is the way that works for me. and I havent had one problemb with my stove yet thank God.

Talking about trying to see into stove,I have a Harman SF150,basicly the same as a SF250,.I installed 14"long extensions on the legs to get the stove up to comfortable height to work on/with.
GW

bigchunk wrote:the things I use

That is some beautiful wooden flooring you have there

Big Chunk, you are the only coal burner I know of who 'packs' the coal bed... I would think that this would reduce the airflow through the coal... apparently it works for you...

When I was hand feeding my 'Big Bertha' boiler, I just tossed the coal in the firebox,, if anything I would use a poker to loosen up the firebed, to try to keep the coal 'open' and the airways around the pieces of coal open... My fire tended to get too compact and not burn hot enough when the fire was mature...

It's interesting to read about the different techniques...

Greg L

When I shovel it in it ends up higher in the back since the fire brick is higher than in the front. Also, this leaves some flames coming up in the front to ignite the gases so I don't get any surprise BOOM's.

As long as the firebox is square, don't slope - filler up!! I tend to put a little more in the back when retiring for the evening or being away from the house for more than 10 hrs................