Hand Fired: The right tools for the job?
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Nearly 40 years ago, and for wood burning, I purchased a cheap set of tools that includes a rather small hod, a brush, a poker, and a flimsy/narrow shovel. The brush, poker, and shovel have roughly 18-20 inch length shafts. I bought this kit mainly as a decoration to sit beside the stove and look nice, though I've used the hod and shovel for ash removal. Before I attempt burning anthracite coal in my DS ComfortMax stove (which does not have a hopper), what "real" tools should I acquire?
As an aside, how are you getting your 'bagged' coal into your living room stove area? Do you bring bags right into your living room, or load a few hods or pails from the bags and bring them to the stove area?
As an aside, how are you getting your 'bagged' coal into your living room stove area? Do you bring bags right into your living room, or load a few hods or pails from the bags and bring them to the stove area?
- McGiever
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- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Coal is bagged wet and handling bags are sometimes prone to drip or ooze black 'juice'.
Momma ain't gona like that.
Momma ain't gona like that.
- warminmn
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- Location: Land of 11,842 lakes
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Junior, Efel Nestor Martin, Riteway 37
- Coal Size/Type: nut and stove anthracite, lignite
- Other Heating: Wood and wear a wool shirt
Load the hods outside or at least in an outbuilding.
Using a scoop to put coal in a stove works ok but is a little more dusty. You could oil the coal to stop that. One of Lightnings videos probably shows how he dumps a pail into his stove and that is more/less the same way I do it. Do it quickly.
Not really many special tools needed other than a poker. I havent made one yet but a container to sit your ash pan into with a cover would be nice for taking ash out.
Using a scoop to put coal in a stove works ok but is a little more dusty. You could oil the coal to stop that. One of Lightnings videos probably shows how he dumps a pail into his stove and that is more/less the same way I do it. Do it quickly.
Not really many special tools needed other than a poker. I havent made one yet but a container to sit your ash pan into with a cover would be nice for taking ash out.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Remember wet bagged coal can freeze if left outdoors when cold enough.
Could you get a scoop of dryer bulk coal in your pickup truck?
Could you get a scoop of dryer bulk coal in your pickup truck?
Last edited by McGiever on Tue. Feb. 06, 2018 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Another member acquired this to "slide" rather than "tumble" the coal into the stove:
- Lightning
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- Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
- Location: Olean, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
- Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite
Here's another option, I've seen guys use (I think I saw one on Larry Trainer's Chubby video) an aluminum animal feed scoop or one of those big aluminum ice scoops. You could store some coal in a tote near the stove area and scoop into the stove directly. Keep the tote covered so the coal stays damp to limit dust.
Attachments
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Any idea how many pounds of nut this coal scuttle will hold? Will this work well for feeding a front loading coal stove?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BZJ5K4/ref= ... _qh_dp_hza
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BZJ5K4/ref= ... _qh_dp_hza
- Sunny Boy
- Member
- Posts: 25567
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: Central NY
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
- Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
- Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace
Larry,
With the top hand grip of that Amazon bucket that close to the open end, I don't see that one being able to get the coal much past the stove's door sill. Even with a glove on, as you tip it your hand is going to have to be inside the stove. That type is better for top loading stoves.
Even an old coal bucket will dump the coal further into a front loading stove than that one. As you tip a regular coal bucket, the bail handle swings back away from the tapered snout of the bucket, letting the bucket reach further in without your hand having to go in, too.
Only type that reaches further in is one like Mac pictured above
Paul
With the top hand grip of that Amazon bucket that close to the open end, I don't see that one being able to get the coal much past the stove's door sill. Even with a glove on, as you tip it your hand is going to have to be inside the stove. That type is better for top loading stoves.
Even an old coal bucket will dump the coal further into a front loading stove than that one. As you tip a regular coal bucket, the bail handle swings back away from the tapered snout of the bucket, letting the bucket reach further in without your hand having to go in, too.
Only type that reaches further in is one like Mac pictured above
Paul
Last edited by Sunny Boy on Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- windyhill4.2
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- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
I'll guess around 15 #lsayre wrote: ↑Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 2:59 pmAny idea how many pounds of nut this coal scuttle will hold? Will this work well for feeding a front loading coal stove?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BZJ5K4/ref= ... _qh_dp_hza
- Sunny Boy
- Member
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- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: Central NY
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
- Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
- Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
My firebox is only 12" deep (inside the fire bricks).Sunny Boy wrote: ↑Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 3:11 pmLarry,
With the top hand grip of that Amazon bucket that close to the open end, I don't see that one being able to get the coal much past the stove's door sill. Even with a glove on, as you tip it your hand is going to have to be inside the stove. That type is better for top loading stoves.
Paul
- lsayre
- Member
- Posts: 21781
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
- Location: Ohio
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
- Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
- Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75
Would this coal scuttle work any better? I was thinking that the top handle designed one (above) would make it easier to carry when full with coal.
https://www.amazon.com/Minuteman-International-CC ... al+Scuttle
https://www.amazon.com/Minuteman-International-CC ... al+Scuttle
- windyhill4.2
- Member
- Posts: 6072
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
That would be a bit better,But.. i think Sunnyboy has a very valid point about the "reach" of those .Might need to pop rivet an extension on similar to what Lightning did to a bucket.Then you could drop the coal into the stove precisely where you want it.lsayre wrote: ↑Wed. Feb. 07, 2018 3:21 pmWould this coal scuttle work any better? I was thinking that the top handle designed one (above) would make it easier to carry when full with coal.
https://www.amazon.com/Minuteman-International-CC ... al+Scuttle