Used Baker

I picked up this old Baker Contender today, a little paint, remove the fireplace shiled (its a insert) and I'll bring it in for a try. This thing is built like a tank, circa maybe 80's, don't know. The guy said it was his Granddad's and he didn't use it much. For $200 I had to give it a try.
Ray

It looks like many of the early (modern) coal stoves, in so much, as it looks like a modified wood stove. The steel in the front of the extra wide loading door and the small ash pan. My Russo is much the same, as the ash pan is small. None the less, it burns coal good.

Ray,
I finally got to visit the Baker shop yesterday. Mrs. Baker was most informative and very friendly, to say nothing of the personal warmth and honesty she conveyed. A most pleasant visit.
The product.
I got the "A" ticket tour of the shop and saw all the details of the Baker units, the materials and process involved. I would have to agree with your comment about being built like a tank, all the components are heavy and quite well finished inside and out. All my questions were given straight answers and usually more detail than I asked for. I found it interesting that the Baker stoves have air inlets in the upper door, she said it was to allow the coal gas to vent. Most of what I read here indicates that you should only vent a coal fire form the bottom. ?????

My instinct is that I would be most happy with one of their units, as far as hand fired goes. They are having issues with the stoker unit they build, problems getting the motor/burn-tray assembly from the supplier, hence long lead times. She also indicated that they have seen failure issues with the motor itself. Hand fires units can be had in 2-3 weeks. And doing business with them would cause me no concern.

My issue is that the location that I intend to install a stove is more suited to a lower rear power vent/direct vent application. The room has windows all the way around, and I tend to be hesitant about venting through the roof because of the gable location.

I really want to check out Leisure Line a little more. My local dealer had one unit (Econo Sidewinder) that really isn't what I want. So I will probably make a trip to Leisure's show room on Tuesday to get the low down, and lay some hand on. I'll sniff out some of the other brands too I guess.

Your Used Baker.
If your unit was black it could have come off the showroom floor. They had on that looks exactly like the one you bought, on display. So other than the color you appear to be up to date!!

Thoughts, comments?

Al

Read some of the threads in the bituminous section,I'm thinking this stove may burn either anth or bitum or wood,the upper vent has a purpose with wood or bitum from what I've read,but only when reloading?No experience with bitum or wood.RichB

Carbon Unit wrote:Ray,
I finally got to visit the Baker shop yesterday. Mrs. Baker was most informative and very friendly, to say nothing of the personal warmth and honesty she conveyed. A most pleasant visit.
The product.
I got the "A" ticket tour of the shop and saw all the details of the Baker units, the materials and process involved. I would have to agree with your comment about being built like a tank, all the components are heavy and quite well finished inside and out. All my questions were given straight answers and usually more detail than I asked for. I found it interesting that the Baker stoves have air inlets in the upper door, she said it was to allow the coal gas to vent. Most of what I read here indicates that you should only vent a coal fire form the bottom. ?????

My instinct is that I would be most happy with one of their units, as far as hand fired goes. They are having issues with the stoker unit they build, problems getting the motor/burn-tray assembly from the supplier, hence long lead times. She also indicated that they have seen failure issues with the motor itself. Hand fires units can be had in 2-3 weeks. And doing business with them would cause me no concern.

My issue is that the location that I intend to install a stove is more suited to a lower rear power vent/direct vent application. The room has windows all the way around, and I tend to be hesitant about venting through the roof because of the gable location.

I really want to check out Leisure Line a little more. My local dealer had one unit (Econo Sidewinder) that really isn't what I want. So I will probably make a trip to Leisure's show room on Tuesday to get the low down, and lay some hand on. I'll sniff out some of the other brands too I guess.

Your Used Baker.
If your unit was black it could have come off the showroom floor. They had on that looks exactly like the one you bought, on display. So other than the color you appear to be up to date!!

Thoughts, comments?

Al

What she was talking about venting coal gases from the top air knobs is when you load a fresh load of coal on a hand fed
stove you should crack the top knobs to help take the gases up the chimney if you do not you will have a small explosion
when the flames reach the top of the coal bed and hit the gases All of the combo wood and coal stoves had them
early Alaska Harman and so on had them and some companies still use them You have to remember that most of theses coal stoves designs started out as wood stoves so some companies stayed with the top air knobs you still need to use the air vents in the ash door to burn athracite coal also for the people that use coal stoves that do not have the air knobs or

vents on there loading doors you can keep the loading door crack open to get the same effect once the flames are at the top of the fire bed and it burns off the gases then you can shut the door same goes for the stoves with the air knobs on the loading door like the bakers you can shut then and should you only need to use them when you put fresh coal on once the gases are burned off you do not need to keep them open As Far as the baker stoker stoves They buy the stoker units off of Jerry from L.L. Stoves

bustedwing wrote:Read some of the threads in the bituminous section,I'm thinking this stove may burn either anth or bitum or wood,the upper vent has a purpose with wood or bitum from what I've read,but only when reloading?No experience with bitum or wood.RichB

No bit coal in a baker the air knobs in the loading door is for wood burning and getting rid of the coal gases when you put on a fresh load of coal it stop the small explosion you get from coal in a hand fed stove the top air knobes where a carry over from when the where wood stoves some companies keep them on the coal stoves and some did not also they where
called wood & coal combo stoves You still need the air vent in the ash door to burn Anthracite coal with out bottom air
Anthracite will not burn

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