Coal Forum Peeper

Hello everyone, I have been a lurker on this forum for several months gleaning gems of wisdom from the many experienced coal sages who have been kind enough to share. I have owned an Alaska 140 for several years for my business and purchased another last month, but have been heating my home with wood pellets (12 tons which I purchased right after Katrina when they were on sale for $168/ton)

I am so stoked!!! (Sorry, I just had to us that skateboarder term in this instance) I just bought, what I think must be the last new in stock Harman VF3000 coal boiler on the planet. (January seems to be the earliest factory delivery date available) Ordered a tractor trailer load of rice coal which should be coming in a week or so if all goes well.

After talking to a multitude of dealers I think it will be difficult to find a coal fired stove by Fall. Most dealer I talked to are on allocation and are frantic for inventory of stoves of any kind. And escalating prices and outright gouging is soon to follow. Tried to buy a hybrid car lately?

Most people don't have a clue how hard their heat bill is going to hit them this winter, I would think heating oil will soon be a thing of the past.

Thanks again for all those that take the time to share on this forum

Mitch

Congratulations on a good find.. I'm sure you will like the Harman Boiler.

Greg L.

Thanks. Does the coal BTU content deteriorate sitting on the ground sandwiched between 2 tarps for several years?

If it is tarped, no.. and for only several years probably not even if untarped... Keeping it tarped keeps cats and animals from using it as a litter box, and keeps the rain and snow from freezing the whole pile into a frozen lump.

The sun baking the coal does evaporate some volitility from the coal but I don't think a few years would have much effect.

Greg L

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Nope, the coal I have now was sitting around for about 7-8 years at least and its the best coal I ever burned.

Thats great to hear. Seven years! Who's coal is it?

That is the problem, I have no idea.

coalmeister wrote:Who's coal is it?

It's HIS!

Mining coal in the Northeast comes with a few problems.
The pockets are fairly small, qualities vary greatly and is nearly impossible to determine the quality before mining.
However the price is usually very low.

meister

I had a post going short time ago asking about the shortage of stoves,etc. You just confirmed again what my local dealers are saying about how their out straight.

I went by my dealer and his piles of pellets,coal,are gone.

I was worried about my SS chimmey coming in I ordered from Lowes but it came in yesterday. So I should be all set for the winter now. I bought 2 pallets of nut but I should by one more. I'm not quite sure how much I'll need to burn. I can pick up coal anywere I guess eventually.

Maybe when I go to the Cape on my jobs. Were do you by yours CapeCoaler?

I do some residential basement mining and get the rest from my coal dealer in Hyannis.
They have been using a coal broker and the coal was decent to burn but they want to get 'the good stuff' after I pestered them about Superior Coal quality.
The bins are empty now because it is summer and there is a frenzy on the sales floor when it is usually slow.
They will have nut in all winter and will get a load of bulk rice in during the early summer if they feel there is enough call for it from folks who want to fill bins now.
Depending on how the mine prices go and if trucking expenses stabilize they were going to charge $260-280 ton for the Superior bulk picked up, which is fair from what I have seen posted on the forum.
The stove shortage is going to really hit the late shoppers.
They actually had a Mark III in the shop last week and a guy way debating about buying at the regular price.
I told him to put a deposit down and to ask other dealers if they had any and then to check out this forum to see how easy coal is to use. He made the purchase.

CapeCoaler wrote:Depending on how the mine prices go and if trucking expenses stabilize they were going to charge $260-280 ton for the Superior bulk picked up, which is fair from what I have seen posted on the forum.

Please keep us posted. I would love to try some Superior Coal & would even build a bin!

I am making a list of those who are interested in the Superior Nut or Rice and how much they want.
As soon as I have a commitment for a truck of 24 tons they will order it up.
PM with what you want and I will stay in touch.
I am doing this because I did not have the room for a truckload myself but wanted the good stuff. They have the scale,loader and the room!
Others have mentioned the same problem or wanted to try it out before committing to a big load and hopefully this will help some folks out.

Where are all you MassHoles located? I live out in the western half myself. If there are people interested out my way I could make a run out that way for a good size load if we split the fuel cost. It could be anywhere from 3 or 4 ton in the pick up or larger in the Tri-axle, but that might get costly.

Nothing cheaper any distance from NEPA than a tri-axle load of coal, you just save more money over a longer course of time.