Coalpail.com Forum

I recently acquired a 18 year old Old Mill model OM-80 coal stove that my father had sucessfully used in his house for about 15 years.I hooked up the stove in my unfinished basement to a masonary chimney that was put in when my house was built 10 years ago. I have been having fits trying to keep a fire going for more than 48 hours.I have re lit the stove about five times in three weeks and I am very frustrated. I am not a complete rookie when it comes to the stove as I helped my father run it back when I lived at home.I have experimented with running the stove at various outputs and draft settings. The stove seems to be building up a large amount of ash very quickly which is smothering the fire from underneath. You just can't keep up with the ash unless you shake the grates every few hours.When the stove was in my fathers house it would run at least 8 or more hours unattended. I work long hours (Im usually gone 12 hours a day during the week) and I showed my wife how to shake the grates work the dampers and add a little coal to keep it going during the day.But the ash builds up very quickly and after the first 24 hours after lighting the fire starts to go out.
Could it be the coal quality? I have not tried another supplier as of yet.This was suggested to me.
I am about ready to throw in the towel with this stove. I would consider an auto matic stoker stove to replace it but I don't want to spend that kind of cash if I could get the OLd Mill working properly.
Any suggestions??????

First thing comes to my mind, maybe this unit designed for a very slow & subtle burn. Therefore creating less ash in a 12hr period? Could be the coal too. Some coal as low as 6% and go high as 14%, I think. I am currently burning low ash coal. But with less ash comes less heat. We really like pictures and you are sure to get at least 10 replies with a few images. Be sure to get some of the firebox & grates after you clean it out.
Good Luck

Dadasam,
Go over here VIDEO of My Method of Tending the Stove. and see if you can pick up any tips.

Just to give an update. I tried coal from a supplier which sells genuine Reading Anthracite. This is great quality coal and my stove has been burning great for two weeks continuously now.With the Reading Anthracite and finding the proper draft and damper settings it looks like I'll be able to keep her goin all winter long.
The Reading Anthracite burns hot and slow and produces less ash than the coal from the other supplier. It is worth the little extra cost.
Thanks for the advice.

samsdad22

Hi all,
I just thought Id check back one last time before the end of the heating season.
Just want to report that my stove has been burning continuously since my last post.
What I learned.>>>>
First off I was running my stove way too hot. That was why the ash was building up so fast.That was more of a factor than the actual coal itself.
Also the manual shaker parts are very worn (stove is almost twenty years old). I knew this. But it turns out I was not getting enough shaking action to bring down all the ash easily.I made a make shift repair with a part that I fabricated out of scrap steel form where I work and a pair of vice grip pliers to hold it in place. I plan on borrowing my buddies welder and making permanent reapairs when the stove is out for the season.The grates are in good shape and work fine but its the parts outside the stove that are worn.I should be able to make what I need to repair it to good working condition for next season.
Glad I kept on trying and didn't give up on the stove. I burned about 5 ton of coal this winter and only had a oil truck come once.And I still had a half tank and that was back in February .House was very comfortable all winter even when it was minus 11 back in January.
Guess I was more of a coal stove rookie than I thought. LOL!!! Thinking about letting it go out soon(on purpose) as it's starting to warm up outside.

Samsdad22

Well, Alrighty! We're glad you got it figured out and that it worked well for you.

Glad you got things sorted out a bit Samsdad22. Here's a thread on poking that I find works for me to get rid of ash. Poking

samsdad22 wrote:Guess I was more of a coal stove rookie than I thought. LOL!!! Thinking about letting it go out soon(on purpose) as it's starting to warm up outside.

I've been heating with a coal stove for almost 30 years & learn things every year!

Warn parts on Old Mill OM-80

Here are pics of my stove and the worn shaker parts I mentioned in my previous post. This to me seems like bad design by Old Mill.Lots of metal on metal!
Luckily for me I know how to weld and can make the parts I need.Old Mill stoves are long out of business and it would be very hard to buy these parts now.
I plan on making repairs after I shut down for the season.

Samsdad22

Sure looks like that stove is worth the effort to fix up. I like the two windows. Are those spinners on the load door? If so, it is probably a good wood burner too.

grizzly2 wrote:Sure looks like that stove is worth the effort to fix up. I like the two windows. Are those spinners on the load door? If so, it is probably a good wood burner too.

Yes they are on the load doors.
There is a small cast iron grate that goes across the front. It stays in for burning coal and can be removed to burn wood.