Looking at a used Alaska stove for my shop

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Wed. Dec. 13, 2017 11:54 am

I need a good heat source for my shop, but can't spend the price of a new coal stoker. So, I've been watching the local listings for a good used stove. I'd really like to find a good used Leisure Line, since I've already got a Pocono & love it. The problem is, they don't show up very often. And when they do, they're either really rusted & beat or they want close to the price of a new one.

So anyway, i found a used Alaska stove for a decent price. I really don't know anything about the Alaska stoves, other than I hear the name a lot. The guy that has it doesn't know the model of it, but says that it's rated for 90,000 BTU's.

Anybody got any advise about them?
What kind of things should I look out for when I go to look at it?

Here's a pic from his for sale listing....
Image

Thanks for any help.


 
User avatar
freetown fred
Member
Posts: 30293
Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
Location: Freetown,NY 13803
Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut

Post by freetown fred » Wed. Dec. 13, 2017 1:32 pm

P, all I've HEARD is they're built well & can put out some heat. How big is your shop?

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Wed. Dec. 13, 2017 1:41 pm

It's not real big, just under 600 square feet, with two drafty overhead doors & an open loft. I started to insulate the walls, but only got about half way done.

 
Pacowy
Member
Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Wed. Dec. 13, 2017 3:06 pm

Can somebody confirm the stove in the pic is even an Alaska? I don't know of any of their stokers that looked like that, but maybe I missed it.

AFAIK their older stoves had 70k btu carpet-type stokers, and the newer ones have 85k paddle-type stokers. Again, I've never heard of an Alaska stoker stove w/a 90k stoker.

If it is an Alaska, they aren't super heavy duty, but are generally easy to maintain. I've had several of them and they have performed fine.

Mike

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Wed. Dec. 13, 2017 7:49 pm

Earlier, I compared the pic to the stoves on the Alaska web site. The closest match was the Kodiak, but the one in the pic looks taller & narrower. I didn't know if that was just because of the angle of the pic or design changes from older ones or if it was a completely different stove.

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 5:25 pm

The more I look at the Alaska web site, I think it looks more like the Channing. I've got to actually go look at the stove that's for sale when he gets available.

This post has been viewed over 80 times now. Doesn't anyone have any more advise?

 
Pacowy
Member
Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 5:34 pm

I have 2 Channing III's sitting here and that's not a Channing III (or II, which I also have run).

There should be a nameplate on that unit to identify the mfgr, model and possibly clearance requirements.

Mike


 
Pacowy
Member
Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 11:08 pm

I just saw a picture of an Alaska "Liberty", which does not appear on the Alaska website, and apparently is no longer produced. It bears a resemblance to the stove in your pic. Has 85k stoker.

Mike

 
User avatar
Pauliewog
Member
Posts: 1824
Joined: Mon. Dec. 02, 2013 12:15 am
Location: Pittston, Pennsylvania
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Alaska 140 Dual Paddle Feed
Baseburners & Antiques: Fame Rosemont #20, Home Stove Works #25, Glenwood #6, Happy Thought Oak, Merry Bride #214, Sunnyside, Worlds Argand #114, New Golden Sun , & About 30 others.
Coal Size/Type: Stove, Chesnut, Pea, Rice / Anthracite

Post by Pauliewog » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 11:52 pm

Pacowy wrote:
Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 11:08 pm
I just saw a picture of an Alaska "Liberty", which does not appear on the Alaska website, and apparently is no longer produced. It bears a resemblance to the stove in your pic. Has 85k stoker.

Mike
Thanks Mike ! Here is a link with the specs for the Liberty that might help him out.
http://www.centralmainecoal.com/products.html

Paulie

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 6:30 am

Thanks guys.
I just looked at that link & found the Liberty you mentioned. It doesn't really look like that either. The base is different & there isn't a large hole in the top where the stovepipe comes thru. I'm really swaying toward not even going to look at this one. He's at least 45 minutes away & wants $450 for a stove that he doesn't really seem to know anything about.

I have never even looked at an Alaska yet, but know the Leisure Line stoves.
There's a Leisure Line Pioneer for sale about 15-20 minutes from me. He wants more money & says that the hopper has pin holes in it. I checked the cost of a replacement hopper on the Leisure Line site & it's about $200. I'm going to try using that as a negotiating point to get the price down.

 
User avatar
Protrucker
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed. May. 07, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Binghamton, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: in the future....when home renovation is done. (radiant floor)
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Leisure Line Pocono, Keystoker & Leisure Line Li'l Heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning #523, Coal Chubby, Floral Gem #519 & one other Warm Morning stove
Coal Size/Type: Chestnut & Rice
Other Heating: Propane fired forced hot air

Post by Protrucker » Wed. Dec. 20, 2017 7:34 am

Well, my search continues....
I found a Keystoker for sale for a price that fits my budget for the shop. Other than seeing the name Keystoker mentioned here a lot, I don't know any more about them than Alaska stoves. Here's a pic of the Keystoker....
Image

He says, " it works good. Has a hole in the hopper with a patch on it but works fine."
When I asked him what model & how old it is he replied, "90 BTU maybe 7or 8 yrs. New blower and combustion fans."
The hopper doesn't look very big to me....

He wants $425 for it.
What do you all think?

 
lincolnmania
Member
Posts: 2684
Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Birdsboro PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: reading allegheny stoker
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: alaska kodiak stoker 1986. 1987 triburner, 1987 crane diamond
Coal Size/Type: rice

Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Dec. 20, 2017 2:25 pm

in my opinion 425 is decent if you can get 10 more yrs out of it. i bought three stoves this year, a 30,000 btu triburner for 150 bucks, a never used crane stoker with class a chimney for 400, a reading allegheny with coal trol for 350 and it came with a few hundred bricks and scrap metal.
make sure the stove body itself is not rusted out.
i live just outside of coal country (next county over, we have no coal) i cannot believe how cheap coal stoves are this year!! prices are way more in coal country.
i think i am going to pick up a efm 520 and run my whole property from one boiler rather than three stokers. been seeing used 520's for 500-900 .

i paid 700 dollars for my alaska kodiak stoker (channing III now) in 2006. now i see them all day long on facebook marketplace for 200 on up.

 
Pacowy
Member
Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Wed. Dec. 20, 2017 3:16 pm

I agree prices are somewhat lower than in the past, but even $200 may not be the bargain it seems if the unit needs a feed motor, hopper, glass, etc. (like one I saw locally).

Mike

 
lincolnmania
Member
Posts: 2684
Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Birdsboro PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: reading allegheny stoker
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: alaska kodiak stoker 1986. 1987 triburner, 1987 crane diamond
Coal Size/Type: rice

Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Dec. 20, 2017 6:46 pm

the old triburners are cheap to fix.
the feed motor i use a dayton 1 rpm gear motor, 54 bucks iirc.
the combustion motor is a broan bathroom fan 50 cfm fan.
the convection fan, yea that can get expensive.....the one on my alaska broke then got lost (one of my rromies scrapped it i think) i used a 15 dollar box fan behond the stove, workd fine for what i was using it for.
the triburner stoker i picked up has no fan. just a big metal box with a metal box around that.

 
Pacowy
Member
Posts: 3555
Joined: Tue. Sep. 04, 2007 10:14 pm
Location: Dalton, MA
Stoker Coal Boiler: H.B. Smith 350 Mills boiler/EFM 85R stoker
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/anthracite

Post by Pacowy » Wed. Dec. 20, 2017 7:40 pm

Do you know whether that gear motor would work on the feed for the Alaska 85k stoker? Does that fit right on the Alaska mount or does it need an adaptor?

Thanks.

Mike


Post Reply

Return to “Stoker Coal Furnaces & Stoves Using Anthracite (Hot Air)”