My idea, first post, and some questions
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- Member
- Posts: 4837
- Joined: Wed. Apr. 03, 2013 1:24 pm
- Location: Elkhart county, IN.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: 1 comforter stove works all iron coal box stove, seventies.
- Baseburners & Antiques: 2014 DTS C17 Base Burner, GW #6, GW 113 formerly Sir Williams, maybe others at Pauliewog’s I’ve forgotten about
- Coal Size/Type: Nut Anth.
- Other Heating: none
for your requirements i would say a Warm Morning 414 or 617. the 414 being the best choice, you wouldn't need more. there a few of both rattling around the forum.
you mentioned boat coal stoves, they are very good, hardy heaters but not sure any of them have the volume of capacity to go over 12 hrs. of burn time if that.
i burned coal for 25 seasons in one very early design who's originators are no longer in business but the same design is still being built by at least 2 companies currently. then i got a crazy idea to retire it and buy an new era built for coal only box stove, ran it one season and then used it as the base for a custom upgrade rebuild, ran it one season and built a second custom using a warm morning No. 120 as the platform and ran it for a season. right now i'm back to the custom box stove for simplicity.
can you build a stove from scratch, hit a home run and be good to go for yrs ? you have the foresight to look at past and present designs and ask questions, pretty good start in my book.
best of luck and keep posting there are lots of people here that will be glad to follow your efforts and help as they can.
steve
you mentioned boat coal stoves, they are very good, hardy heaters but not sure any of them have the volume of capacity to go over 12 hrs. of burn time if that.
i burned coal for 25 seasons in one very early design who's originators are no longer in business but the same design is still being built by at least 2 companies currently. then i got a crazy idea to retire it and buy an new era built for coal only box stove, ran it one season and then used it as the base for a custom upgrade rebuild, ran it one season and built a second custom using a warm morning No. 120 as the platform and ran it for a season. right now i'm back to the custom box stove for simplicity.
can you build a stove from scratch, hit a home run and be good to go for yrs ? you have the foresight to look at past and present designs and ask questions, pretty good start in my book.
best of luck and keep posting there are lots of people here that will be glad to follow your efforts and help as they can.
steve
- Sunny Boy
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- Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
- Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace
A lot of how well your stove meets your needs is what design of other stoves you look at. Some are designed to get a lot of heat out, so they tend to have wide firebeds that are not overly deep and hopper fed to get longer burn times.
But, to get long burns with not too much heat output, in a simple, easy to build design, you'll need a narrow, tall firebed. Like many of the European style tall, skinny stoves. There are many members who have, or had used that type who can help advise you on their good and bad points for your application.
Depth of firebed is one of the critical things of a coal stove to how well, and how long it will burn. Then coal size for that firebed also becomes a factor.
Going by examples of successful stove designs, pipe size is one of the least critical elements. Height of chimney and placement to surrounding objects is more critical. Too short and you get a weak draft and have to run the stove hotter to make up for it. But, no one ever complains about having too tall a chimney except when it comes time to clean it.
As mentioned already, cast iron grates are a must with coal. But you can likely incorporate reproduction cast iron grates in your design that are sold by suppliers, such as, "Woodman's Parts" in Maine. http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/Parts/Wood-and-C ... 65649.html
Paul
But, to get long burns with not too much heat output, in a simple, easy to build design, you'll need a narrow, tall firebed. Like many of the European style tall, skinny stoves. There are many members who have, or had used that type who can help advise you on their good and bad points for your application.
Depth of firebed is one of the critical things of a coal stove to how well, and how long it will burn. Then coal size for that firebed also becomes a factor.
Going by examples of successful stove designs, pipe size is one of the least critical elements. Height of chimney and placement to surrounding objects is more critical. Too short and you get a weak draft and have to run the stove hotter to make up for it. But, no one ever complains about having too tall a chimney except when it comes time to clean it.
As mentioned already, cast iron grates are a must with coal. But you can likely incorporate reproduction cast iron grates in your design that are sold by suppliers, such as, "Woodman's Parts" in Maine. http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/Parts/Wood-and-C ... 65649.html
Paul
- Ky Speedracer
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- Coal Size/Type: Ky Lump & Anthracite Nut
- Other Heating: Oil
There is a guy in Canada that either builds or use to build his own coal stoves and sells them.
Lawson Stoves. I'm not sure he still builds a completed stove and sells it but, he does appear to still sell stove parts such as grates, doors, etc. on eBay.
I don't know anything about the quality of his parts or stoves but they appear reasonably thought out.
Maybe a place to start exploring...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lawson-Grate-Ring-Assemb ... 0752.m1982
https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Lawson-door-kit-to-con ... 0752.m1982
Lawson Stoves. I'm not sure he still builds a completed stove and sells it but, he does appear to still sell stove parts such as grates, doors, etc. on eBay.
I don't know anything about the quality of his parts or stoves but they appear reasonably thought out.
Maybe a place to start exploring...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lawson-Grate-Ring-Assemb ... 0752.m1982
https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Lawson-door-kit-to-con ... 0752.m1982
- Hambden Bob
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Well..... Welcome to the Coal Board,MCR,and a Merry Christmas to You and Yours !
As the self-proclaimed resident knuckledragger/whack job around here,I've withheld reponding to Your 1st post until others with a much higher IQ chimed in ! Now it's time to let my keyboard dribble my thoughts across Your Thread. Here goes,Mate :
1.) This here Coal Board has been populated by those Unique Good Folks who posess a Pioneer Spirit. They hold a Free Will approach to Life. They have to be Self Sustaining,as it's simply in their blood. You have washed up on the right beach,here,in the Coal Zone !
2.) A couple of Vectors of Thought are appropriate for Your entry into the Coal Life. The fact that You don't live in some leaky,uninsulated structure is a Godsend for You. You can launch Your Coal Heat with an already built small stove of Your choosing,and Economics. That would give You time to get a design set,safety factors built in,and a trial and error testing phase to put Your Dreamshot,"Hell Yes I Built It" Little Marvel into play.
3.) With points 1&2 put into Your Blueprint for this project,I would encourage You to do Your Homework on installing the best,tailored to Your Structure,Masonry Chimney-Flu set up that Your Money will allow. You will have adequate draft for Your Weather Conditions and Geography for Your Specific Situation.
That's it from me. I applaud Your bold stroke of Independence. It's what We're All About. Now it's time to Spank this Deal out !
Take Care,stay in touch,and don't let the roll You're on lapse. Take Care !
As the self-proclaimed resident knuckledragger/whack job around here,I've withheld reponding to Your 1st post until others with a much higher IQ chimed in ! Now it's time to let my keyboard dribble my thoughts across Your Thread. Here goes,Mate :
1.) This here Coal Board has been populated by those Unique Good Folks who posess a Pioneer Spirit. They hold a Free Will approach to Life. They have to be Self Sustaining,as it's simply in their blood. You have washed up on the right beach,here,in the Coal Zone !
2.) A couple of Vectors of Thought are appropriate for Your entry into the Coal Life. The fact that You don't live in some leaky,uninsulated structure is a Godsend for You. You can launch Your Coal Heat with an already built small stove of Your choosing,and Economics. That would give You time to get a design set,safety factors built in,and a trial and error testing phase to put Your Dreamshot,"Hell Yes I Built It" Little Marvel into play.
3.) With points 1&2 put into Your Blueprint for this project,I would encourage You to do Your Homework on installing the best,tailored to Your Structure,Masonry Chimney-Flu set up that Your Money will allow. You will have adequate draft for Your Weather Conditions and Geography for Your Specific Situation.
That's it from me. I applaud Your bold stroke of Independence. It's what We're All About. Now it's time to Spank this Deal out !
Take Care,stay in touch,and don't let the roll You're on lapse. Take Care !
- McGiever
- Member
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
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- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
See that some of Lawson's cast parts can be adapted to a old propane tank to become a cylinder stove.Ky Speedracer wrote: ↑Sat. Dec. 23, 2017 9:29 amThere is a guy in Canada that either builds or use to build his own coal stoves and sells them.
Lawson Stoves. I'm not sure he still builds a completed stove and sells it but, he does appear to still sell stove parts such as grates, doors, etc. on eBay.
I don't know anything about the quality of his parts or stoves but they appear reasonably thought out.
Maybe a place to start exploring...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lawson-Grate-Ring-Assemb ... 0752.m1982
https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Lawson-door-kit-to-con ... 0752.m1982
- oliver power
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- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
Funny stuff Hambden Bob. Very Funny......... I'm sure every member on this site got a chuckle out of your message, including myself.
As funny as Bob's reply is, I believe most all members on this site would agree; Forget re-inventing the stove for now. Put all your thoughts / efforts / money into the super duper, custom engineered, hi tech, masonry chimney. Then you've got something...........
Now you can go back to playing with stove design............
I've had 4 different coal stoves. Every stove design was different, with different results. Yet, every one of my stoves would fit perfect in it's own application.
As funny as Bob's reply is, I believe most all members on this site would agree; Forget re-inventing the stove for now. Put all your thoughts / efforts / money into the super duper, custom engineered, hi tech, masonry chimney. Then you've got something...........
Now you can go back to playing with stove design............
I've had 4 different coal stoves. Every stove design was different, with different results. Yet, every one of my stoves would fit perfect in it's own application.
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- Site Moderator
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I like that Lawson stove. Proper shaking grate and deep ash pan; two very important things to consider when building your own.
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Too much opportunity cost involved with DIY .... could be doing other things like earning $ or spending $ 🤪.
A Glenwood 109 is THE stove for this application...
A Glenwood 109 is THE stove for this application...
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- Member
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- Joined: Wed. Apr. 03, 2013 1:24 pm
- Location: Elkhart county, IN.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: 1 comforter stove works all iron coal box stove, seventies.
- Baseburners & Antiques: 2014 DTS C17 Base Burner, GW #6, GW 113 formerly Sir Williams, maybe others at Pauliewog’s I’ve forgotten about
- Coal Size/Type: Nut Anth.
- Other Heating: none
a G 109 ? really ?? where he is ???
he already said he don't want to spend money or drive across the county, he's going to be lucky to find a WM or a chubby as it is.
give 'im a break,
he already said he don't want to spend money or drive across the county, he's going to be lucky to find a WM or a chubby as it is.
give 'im a break,
- michaelanthony
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How much can a coal fire be damped in an airtight "box" before it goes out?
Coal cannot be burned in an "airtight box". You need combustion air coming from under the fire and secondary "over fire" air so the "volatiles" (combustible gasses from the burning coal) can be burned.....if no over fire air, a firebox explosion could take place. As someone
who has built two coal fired boilers I applaud your ambition. Can we assume you're doing this to add a source of heat that does not require electricity? To save money? If what you say is true about spending $30-$100/month on electricity, you're not going to save anything. I live in the heart of anthracite and pay $170/ton, on my truck. Anthracite in your area has to be much more expensive due to trucking costs. I don't know if bituminous is available in your area, but I wouldn't use it in my home, anyway. It's filthy, it smokes, and it stinks.
A masonry chimney is best(but cost more), the chimney is what creates the draft. Masonry gets warm and stays warm during low fire and pulls draft when the stove requires more air for a higher fire. Stainless double wall pipe has a tendency to cool off more during low fire.
For back-up or part time use, I recommend you buy a used stove, like a Harmon MK1, a small D.S. Machine, a Chubby even if you have to drive a few hours north to get one. Masonry, 1/4" boiler plate,cast iron grates (and shipping), fire brick, etc. IMO, is cost prohibitive. But if you want
to build a stove yourself, just to say you did, go for it. good luck. PB
Coal cannot be burned in an "airtight box". You need combustion air coming from under the fire and secondary "over fire" air so the "volatiles" (combustible gasses from the burning coal) can be burned.....if no over fire air, a firebox explosion could take place. As someone
who has built two coal fired boilers I applaud your ambition. Can we assume you're doing this to add a source of heat that does not require electricity? To save money? If what you say is true about spending $30-$100/month on electricity, you're not going to save anything. I live in the heart of anthracite and pay $170/ton, on my truck. Anthracite in your area has to be much more expensive due to trucking costs. I don't know if bituminous is available in your area, but I wouldn't use it in my home, anyway. It's filthy, it smokes, and it stinks.
A masonry chimney is best(but cost more), the chimney is what creates the draft. Masonry gets warm and stays warm during low fire and pulls draft when the stove requires more air for a higher fire. Stainless double wall pipe has a tendency to cool off more during low fire.
For back-up or part time use, I recommend you buy a used stove, like a Harmon MK1, a small D.S. Machine, a Chubby even if you have to drive a few hours north to get one. Masonry, 1/4" boiler plate,cast iron grates (and shipping), fire brick, etc. IMO, is cost prohibitive. But if you want
to build a stove yourself, just to say you did, go for it. good luck. PB
- Pauliewog
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- Coal Size/Type: Stove, Chesnut, Pea, Rice / Anthracite
How far are you from Monroe NC ?
Paulie
Paulie
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This story did not tell us the ending--I wonder.
Nobody mentioned it, but it might be easier to build a small fireplace than a stove... You can use it when you want to, as much fire as you want. Coal burning fireplaces were common until after World War II--smaller than wood fireplaces. I am not sure they would work with anthracite from Tractor Supply, unless mixed with bituminous coal or wood, because the chimney draft can pull air from the room rather than through the coal. More smoke, dust and soot than a stove....
Nobody mentioned it, but it might be easier to build a small fireplace than a stove... You can use it when you want to, as much fire as you want. Coal burning fireplaces were common until after World War II--smaller than wood fireplaces. I am not sure they would work with anthracite from Tractor Supply, unless mixed with bituminous coal or wood, because the chimney draft can pull air from the room rather than through the coal. More smoke, dust and soot than a stove....