Coalpail.com Forum

Chubby Owners and Users... Imput needed...

With the winter largely gone.. (WE HOPE) I have been playing around with the proto chubby with burning a half a pot by using firebrick on one side of the firepot so the height of the coal could be maintained. It worked. But not as good as it could.

However what do you guys think about a Cast Iron or Heavy Steal constructed "Pot divider" that is specifically made to be inserted into the Chubby firepot and divide it in half. This product would allow for the burning of a half pot of coal at the regular firepot depth. Should be good for the early fall and spring shoulder times and save some coal as well.

I have read of other here on NEPA who have reduced their firepots and those threads got me thinking.

Thoughts?.. Suggestions? If one was made would you as a Chubby owner consider using one? Or should I call Freetown Fred and get the nearest room to him that is in the Psych Wing.. Bob... Don't answer that!

An insert that reduces the diameter would be better...
and easier to make...

CapeCoaler wrote:An insert that reduces the diameter would be better...
and easier to make...

I meant to mention that idea as well. Thanks for helping clean the cobwebs out of my brain!

Hi onedollar, maybe when your done with the frankenchubby you could show a picture of the fire pot all nice and spiffy and we can revisit the thread. WHAT THE HECK ELSE WE GONNA DO IN JUNE?

What ever is used will need to serve two purposes. To reduce the coal burning area and also seal that area so primary combustion air can't bypass the coal bed. I like the diameter reducing idea.

As a new Chubby owner....i think this is an excellent idea.

I would most certainly be interested in this.

You could also make a removable cast refractory liner. The right size flower pot for the inside mold and coat the pot with oil or aluminum foil to be able to remove. Minimum 1 inch wall thickness. The refractory will hold a small fire better because it is a better insulator.

Will work very well.
I made a liner for the Golden and it works so well. When the cement liner got dry, it could be just lift-up and removed. You can use some plastic mold and that gives you a nice and smooth finition, good to avoid ash build-up on the wall.

Mark...Coal Bin,,,Loony Bin,Hell,Who's keeping Track! These ideas could get you more Shoulder Months' Action from the Chubby,for sure......Try it !

Would a short length of the correct diameter terracota flue liner work?

Carbon12 wrote:Would a short length of the correct diameter terracota flue liner work?

Whatever winds up being used it has to be able to fit into the stove without taking the stove apart. That is why we are looking at the "divider" idea. I like the "round insert" idea but getting it installed could be an issue. As well as making sure it is secure.

Right now the temps up here are 50's during the day and 30's at night. (some variance of course) but there is still a need for heat but not tons of it. Reducing the overall coal burning area but keeping the needed depth is the plan.

M.A.

I am working on a "Proto Chubby" post that I hope to have up soon and just for you I will put in a pic of the firepot area!

If the pot tapers and is narrower at the bottom, like the brick liners in many of the old round pot stoves, the liner can be made in sections to fit through a loading door easily. With a tapered pot the sections will naturally wedge together sealing against the pot and each other.

Plus, if there's damage to one section, the entire liner won't need to be replaced, just that one section.

Paul

Some inside dimensions of the original Chubby fire pot would be helpful. Our fellow enthusiast d crane maybe of assistance in regards to the sectional fire bricks as his Crane 44 and 88 uses multiple curved fire bricks. As Sunny Boy stated replacing one brick instead of the entire pot is the way to go.
My other thought would be to contact Tomahawk Foundry and inquire about various size cast iron liners to sit inside the original, just my .02

michaelanthony wrote:Some inside dimensions of the original Chubby fire pot would be helpful. Our fellow enthusiast d crane maybe of assistance in regards to the sectional fire bricks as his Crane 44 and 88 uses multiple curved fire bricks. As Sunny Boy stated replacing one brick instead of the entire pot is the way to go.
My other thought would be to contact Tomahawk Foundry and inquire about various size cast iron liners to sit inside the original, just my .02

I have quite a bit of experience reducing firepot size as dad did include an option for cast iron "mini pot" liners for the Crane 404. Its good in theory but in reality its simply not very useful, productive or practical. The Chubby by virtue of being a pure & proper "coal stove" design (cylindrical, deep bed, 100% under grate exposure, etc) can be toned down to a very low burn cycle already, any gains that could be made by introducing a mini pot into it would be far outweighed by the cost & hassle of doing it. Swapping out, storing, cleaning, lifting in, lifting out, etc. are all involved with this process and the simple fact is most people just wont deal with that (even if they have a minipot option). The shape and design of the stove allows it to achieve a very low coal burn already (maybe not as low as true cylindrical, deep bed, baseburner which uses recirculating hot gasses to maintain the min. burn temp required to allow a coal bed to burn through its cycle)... but still VERY low by almost all other standards and a mini pot is just not needed 99% of the time (most would simply throw an oak log in it and turn it down low for those few nights you want to take the "edge" off). The chubby can maintain a 150 degree surface temp for days in fall and spring (if you need lower than that, burn some incense in the room )

I do agree for a non-proper coal design (large, flat, non-deep, square) stove, its much more difficult to achieve this slow, low burn cycle for days on end during spring/fall.

I have playing around with this idea by using firebrick on one side of the pot and the results are good. This is my third year toying with this. First with the Jr. Now with the proto unit.

I have taken this "idea" to Larry and he is on board with it. With "half a pot" the depth is maintained which is crucial for a good burn and the temps are still easy to control. The upside is 50% less coal is being used and I am still getting 12 plus hour burn times. I just don't see the point of putting 35 pounds of coal in when 17 will do the job during the shoulder months. Yes Chubby's are easy to control temp wise but why use more than you need?

Done right the results should be even better when the air is properly blocked off on the side that isn't being used.

The questions are what method will be the best to use to divide the pot? A "book end" type divider or a "cylinder type" insert and would Chubby owners and users besides moi be interested in such an option.