Riddle Method for Ash Clearing

 
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joeq
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Post by joeq » Fri. Feb. 09, 2018 10:16 pm

So Lee, what is the size of the modified grate? Percentage wise, is the bigger grate 5% bigger? 10%? Will your burn time increase the same amount?
Glad it's working out for you. "Nice". :yes:
(Not again)


 
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Post by Lightning » Sat. Feb. 10, 2018 3:34 pm

Thanks Joe! You've got quite the knack for finding the top of the page lol. The grate isn't bigger in a way that would allow more coal volume, it's bigger in a way that there is more open area for combustion air to get up thru the fuel bed. With the shaker grates the only places available for combustion air were between the grates and grate frames. If I had to guess, I'd say the flat grate has about THREE TIMES the open area for combustion air to get up into the fuel bed. This translates into better heat output stamina before the flat grate ashes up enough to start inhibiting combustion air flow. ;)
So basically I can get longer burns before ashing up becomes a problem.

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 7:42 am

I should think the larger spaces in the grate would also help with clearing ash, too ?

Paul

 
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 8:12 am

Sunny Boy wrote:
Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 7:42 am
I should think the larger spaces in the grate would also help with clearing ash, too ?

Paul
Yes, when I tried the riddle method with the shaker grates installed, clearing ash was much more difficult.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 9:40 am

Huh???????????????????????

 
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 7:59 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 9:40 am
Huh???????????????????????
Before I totally took the plunge and replaced the shaker grates with a flat grate, I experimented with the riddling method. I actually ran it a full week like that before installing the flat grate. It worked, but was much more difficult than it is now.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 9:45 pm

So you got no shaker grates now with the flat grate?? You got a lot more patience with that stove then I would, gadgets or not although I believe they are the highlight. :)


 
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Post by warminmn » Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 10:21 pm

Having been a riddler (I much prefer the word slicer :lol) since day 1 of my coal burning, except for my Chubby, I will say slicing works good, real good, but I know for a fact when the right chance presents itself and I have the $$$ in my pocket I will have a shaker grate stove. I'm so sick of crawling around on my knees to slice that I cant describe it. I could describe it much better and in much better detail in FSC. :lol: But it does work.

This beast of a stove i use I can abuse the heck out of it, it will take anything i make it do and burn anything I throw in it and burn it pretty good so until I stop burning other forms of solid fuel I will probably use it.

 
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Post by Ky Speedracer » Thu. Nov. 29, 2018 8:15 pm

Hey Lee, I went back and dug this thread up and reread it pretty much front to back.
Question: your front liner, I saw the couple of pictures where you trimmed it to get your "ash destructer" in there - is the liner still blocked off above to prevent air from bypassing the coal bed? Do you just have some wadded up fiberglass insulation shoved up there?

Is this the grate that you used? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004V7F09Y/ref= ... UTF8&psc=1
If so, I assume you cut the feet off?

Any other thoughts or ideas of things you would do different if you had to do it over again starting from scratch?

My only local access for anthracite is from TSC https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/premium ... _vc=-10005
That's a little over $300 a ton. That's not horrible I don't think but almost twice what I can get bit coal for.

I'm considering giving this a go...

Thanks man!

 
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Post by fig » Thu. Nov. 28, 2019 1:17 pm

I wonder how the ash destroyer would work mounted to a sawzall?

 
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Post by Lightning » Thu. Nov. 28, 2019 7:22 pm

Ky Speedracer wrote:
Thu. Nov. 29, 2018 8:15 pm
is the liner still blocked off above to prevent air from bypassing the coal bed? Do you just have some wadded up fiberglass insulation shoved up there?
Yes, I kept the front bypass blocked with fiberglass.
Ky Speedracer wrote:
Thu. Nov. 29, 2018 8:15 pm
Is this the grate that you used? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004V7F09Y/ref= ... UTF8&psc=1
If so, I assume you cut the feet off?
The feet are bolted on, I simply didn't bolt them on. This is the grate I used, yes, but its not long enough. The solution is to add bars, or have another section of grate made, or buy two of them and cut one in half.
Ky Speedracer wrote:
Thu. Nov. 29, 2018 8:15 pm
Any other thoughts or ideas of things you would do different if you had to do it over again starting from scratch?
Find a grate that fits, or have one made, last resort would be buy two and cut one in half. CD industries can make a one peice out of half inch steel. He made peices for me which I used inconjuction with the G42 grate.
fig wrote:
Thu. Nov. 28, 2019 1:17 pm
I wonder how the ash destroyer would work mounted to a sawzall?
It might be a little too massive to effectively move it back and forth but might be worth a try.

 
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Post by fig » Fri. Nov. 29, 2019 9:39 am

Did it hold up to the heat? Several of the amazon reviews say it only lasts one season. A few pictures with those reviews show it badly warped.
I realize it could be people unfamiliar with their stoves over firing or not leaving enough ash to protect the grates, variations in quality etc. There are as many positive reviews as well. Just wondering how yours held up.

Btw. How is your new furnace working out for you?

 
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Post by Lightning » Fri. Nov. 29, 2019 9:52 am

The G42 grate held up fine. It did develop a little curve but not horrible. The steel grate parts that CD industries made for me didn't warp at all..

The Axe is doing great :) I'm very pleased with it. Don't pass it up if you run across one cheap!

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Fri. Nov. 29, 2019 10:34 am

Lightning wrote:
Fri. Nov. 29, 2019 9:52 am
The G42 grate held up fine. It did develop a little curve but not horrible. The steel grate parts that CD industries made for me didn't warp at all..

The Axe is doing great :) I'm very pleased with it. Don't pass it up if you run across one cheap!


Friend has an AA for about ten years now in his split-level house. Did a great job of zoning and plumbing. Has an attached two car garage with the AA in the basement right next to the garage wall. Turned one bay of the garage into a coal bin and ran the feed auger through the wall. Sweet setup.

He also picked up and restored a bunch of old cast iron radiators. Much more consistent at heat storage and radiation than the base board he took out. You won't see that one coming up forsale. ;)

Paul

 
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Post by fig » Fri. Nov. 29, 2019 10:44 am

35 years ago I bought an old building. It had a disassembled stoker up against the wall. I had no idea what it was. No clue about coal back then. It had an iron firemen gearbox. I sold the building a few years later. I kept the iron fireman gearbox. I thought it might come in handy for a project of some sort. Sure wish I knew what I had back then.


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