Anyone using a Keystoker HF70

 
tiogajoe
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Keystoker HFH 70/90
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Post by tiogajoe » Tue. Sep. 28, 2021 8:33 pm

Hoytman wrote:
Tue. Sep. 28, 2021 7:56 pm
What do you mean two stoves in one?

I’d like to see some up close internal and external pictures of the inside and outside of these. Not much info here about them, nor detailed photos.

My big Hitzer 354 sits 9” from my hearth wall. Granted it is a blower model, and the fact I never have to run it hotter than 350F, the hearth wall behind the stove is always cool, less than 125F and in places around 95F. Far less heat behind the stove than with my old wood stove. Not even close.
Keystokers hfh70/90 is a 70k btu stove if you remove the rear grate from being used while using the stove. It fills with ash by only allowing the front grate to operate. The hf 90 has three grates. Don said by disabling the the rear grate the stove would now have two grate like the hf 70. As far as clearances I am using the manufacturer specs for clearance to combustibles for the stove. Since I have to jog the flue pipe from behind the stove to meet the chimney on the ceiling a pipe heat shield will be used. This will allow to get as close as 9” to the wall. I realize that a coal stove does not have high glue temps. I am just staying in spec just in case I have a problem and my insurance would get involved. I was a career firefighter and I have seen first hand what can happen if things get too hot.


 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Tue. Sep. 28, 2021 11:05 pm

Understand the firefighter and insurance thing. Now here’s some re-assurance.

Edit:
No idea why one time this site will post pictures correctly and the next time the very same pictures will be upside down.

NOTE:
I believe that temp reading above the door was 299F. You’ll see a picture of my hand in the pipe. I could have left it there for half an hour and it would NOT have burned my hand. The wall behind is cool to the touch...even with my stove running at 350F over the doors.

I hope someone can flip these pictures for you, so you can see them and be left knowing your stove will run cool behind the stove. Of course, running it over 350F on up to 500-700 will make for warmer areas behind the stove...even hot, but at least you can use this as a gauge.
F801D8ED-EFEB-4B6A-807E-7B2FC6605A48.jpeg
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Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Tue. Sep. 28, 2021 11:12 pm

Staying in spec for insurance is just smart.

Knowing how your stove will run is also smart.

Grates...
I take it then that the 70 is only a two grate stove and one grate can be unhooked to run in one grate?

Sounded like you said the 90 had three grates and the back one could be unhooked to run on two grates?

I have been told the same can be done with other brand box stoves like Hitzer.

Also thought I read where one of the Keystoker models had some special feature...and I don’t think they were talking about unhooking they grates. I could be mistaken though.

They certainly are very nice looking stoves.

 
tiogajoe
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Post by tiogajoe » Wed. Sep. 29, 2021 6:37 am

Hoytman wrote:
Tue. Sep. 28, 2021 11:12 pm
Staying in spec for insurance is just smart.

Knowing how your stove will run is also smart.

Grates...
I take it then that the 70 is only a two grate stove and one grate can be unhooked to run in one grate?

Sounded like you said the 90 had three grates and the back one could be unhooked to run on two grates?

I have been told the same can be done with other brand box stoves like Hitzer.

Also thought I read where one of the Keystoker models had some special feature...and I don’t think they were talking about unhooking they grates. I could be mistaken though.

They certainly are very nice looking stoves.
Hoytman. Thanks for all the pictures and info. I figured these temps wouldn't be a problem. Yes the hf70 is a two grate stove. I would imagine you could also run it with one grate? The manual for the hfh 70/90 explain how to do this. Don told me about the hf90 being able to do the same thing? I still don't understand how the two grate hfh70/90 is rated at 90k btu and the two grate hf70 is only 70k btu??? I will give a detailed review when I get the stove.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Sep. 29, 2021 7:46 am

Sounds good!

 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Wed. Sep. 29, 2021 12:38 pm

tiogajoe wrote:
Fri. Sep. 24, 2021 8:17 pm
Had my dealer suggest I get the hf 90. I still think this stove will be too big and harder to idle low?
You'll be surprised at how low and slow coal will idle. The challenge will be maintaining a draft during warm days.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Sep. 29, 2021 4:39 pm

He might be surprised at how much heat a big stove throws at idle too. I know I am. LOL! Yanking’ yer chain, Lee. Hope you and yours are well my friend.


 
tiogajoe
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Post by tiogajoe » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 6:49 am

My Dealer suggested a mix of nut and pea coal? Anyone try this?

 
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 7:35 am

That is called "range". Some people like it, but I would try a small quantity before commiting to a large delivery.

Maybe get some bagged nut and bagged pea, then you can try them separately and as a blend.

 
Hoytman
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Post by Hoytman » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 7:48 am

Could this “range” be used for better success with low burns in shoulder season? Is it better suited as a general yearly mix for all season?

I suppose the answers lies somewhere in the “it depends” category.

One of Hitzer’s employees, Mark, burns nit in his stoves. His brother swears by pea coal. I’ve heard Mark’s reasons why he liked nut, but I’ve not heard his brothers story on using pea coal yet.

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 8:58 am

Im unsure if the screwing around with a mix is worth it. Just try some nut then try some pea. There are way to many variables to know which will work better for each person. Blaschak nut runs a tiny bit small in size and is real consistent year to year. TSC nut you get everything from rice to stove size. It all burns. KISS

 
tiogajoe
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Post by tiogajoe » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 6:06 pm

My dealer has said that he had several customers that burn a mix of nut and pea in the hfh 70/90. Sounds like it allows better control of the fire???? I’m getting 2 tons of reading bagged nut and a ton of bagged pea.

 
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warminmn
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Post by warminmn » Wed. Oct. 06, 2021 6:15 pm

That should give you plenty to play with and see what works best with your setup. Some people have higher drafts so the mix or just pea will slow their fire down a little. Then the opposite, those with a low draft need to use nut. So the same stove can easily work different for different setups. You'll soon know.

 
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Post by charlesosborne2002 » Mon. Oct. 11, 2021 1:45 pm

tiogajoe wrote:
Tue. Sep. 21, 2021 9:07 pm
Can anyone comment on this stove. For several seasons I have wanted to replace my stoker with a Hand Fired stove. I finally have my Wife on board. I have it down to the Hitzer 254 or the Keystoker HF 70. A hopper stove is out of the question as I would have to move the stove too far forward on our Hearth. The Keystoker has better side clearance and would be plug and play. The 254 I would have to use a heat shield on the left side of the stove. I used 85 40lb bags of rice last season. I ran my stove from the 1st week of November till the 3rd week of March. In the shoulder seasons I use a Toyostove Laser 73 to heat. Any input would be great.
I had a wood stove with 8" back clearance, so when I changed to coal I had to move it forward a foot; that was an easy connection since the new coal stove could vent either up or back, so I used back-vent position with a double-wall T connector to the double wall pipe as is. This worked fine with the optional back shield mounted. This did bring the stove to the front of the hearth tile, but a simple 18" floor protector was all I needed in front of it. (It never gets hot to the touch because of the strong updraft, but furniture too close in front would be ruined.) I also used the optional bottom heat shield to be sure, but it never gets hot to the touch because the ash pan insulates the bottom, and I can take out the ash pan with my bare hands. Heat shields serve more than one purpose. For one, they make the stove safer if somebody walks close to it; but they also create an updraft as cooler air from the floor is pulled up the side or back of the stove, making the stove semi-convection, heating and circulating heated air--not just radiating quantum energy particles to objects nearby.

I'm sure both stoves are great stoves, take your pick. My stove has an effective cook-top directly over the coals, which is a consideration for me. The Alaska Kodiak stove is in the same class, 15K to 100K BTUs. Clearances on sides and back are 24", but 6" with optional shields. When I called them several years back, they offered to provide the shields free with purchase. It has choice of removable coal hopper or screen (for wood fireplace). When using the hopper, the heat output is reduced, which is good for the shoulder months. I wound up getting a different stove on sale.

 
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Post by Twisted shackle » Mon. Oct. 11, 2021 2:36 pm

A pic of my hf70 with the cook top option. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gfTE5zJvU6qCAWqGA


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