My Coal Quandary
- coaledsweat
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- Location: Guilford, Connecticut
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
I recieved about 2.5 tons of Lehigh pea for free from a generous benefactor. A local with a big Kubota loaded it up for me and I gave him $50 for his efforts. It was on a tarp in a gravel drive for years and unfortunately the tarp had given up. We were trying to avoid the dirt and stone from the drive but it looks like we captured a little stone and a lot of dirt with it. The stone itself isn't a problem, the Axeman will eat it right up and spit it out. The dirt however is going to be a problem when it settles at the augers mouth. Looking for suggestions to remedy this situation, any ideas? I'm thinking a sheet of expanded mesh and a garden hose sprayer. A Rube Goldberg device sounds like a win to me.
- Keepaeyeonit
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Well your free coal just got you some work , It all depends on how much dirt and what kind it is ( clay or topsoil ) is in the load, but I would try the screen first and see if the dirt falls through or at least you can sort it out if not then use the water! but I would use water as a last resort as it could make a giant mess of things.
Just my $.02's.
Just my $.02's.
- coaledsweat
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- Coal Size/Type: Pea
I think it's going to need water without a lot of mechanical agitation. Just looking for an easier way to do it. It's still on the trailer and I'm not worried about a mess. The JD 110 will cure that in a hurry.
- Keepaeyeonit
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You could make a screen table and do it by hand ( going to take time but it will clean up nicely ) or were you planning on dumping a loader bucket on the screen and rinsing it with water?
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If you can empty the trailer one layer at a time, i would hose done the top and then peel that away, then hose down the next layer and so on till a thin layer is left on the bottom, then decide how to handle that.
- McGiever
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- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
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A tall mesh runway angled ~45 degrees and gravity does all the work of letting dirt/fines filter out below the incline while bigger sizes continue down the mesh runway...save time, any excess handling and no water.
- coaledsweat
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- Coal Size/Type: Pea
Well I guess the first thing to do is get some mesh. I'm thinking make a couple of rockers for both ends to give me a way to agitate it.
- coaledsweat
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- Coal Size/Type: Pea
OK, any recommendations for size and style? I'm guessing 1/4" hole and probably something flat so if flows better. Expanded and screen will be lumpy and probably slow the flow over it.
- Keepaeyeonit
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True but will help with the separation of the dirt and small stones, I made one for cleaning fines from dirty loads, 2' x 3' and set at a 30° angle ( I only use 5 gal buckets ) works very good for me but you will need to upsize some.coaledsweat wrote: ↑Sun. Dec. 01, 2019 3:14 pmExpanded and screen will be lumpy and probably slow the flow over it.
- joeq
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I don't know how energetic you are, but are you gunna try and do the entire 2.5 tons at once?
If it were me, I'ld do a wheel barrow full at a time, or even a couple hods. That way, you can manufacture a smaller screened shaker, which should be easier to build and store. As you're loading your stove/furnace, shake the coals down then. It may take a while, but it'll keep you from working out in the cold for who knows how many hrs.
If it were me, I'ld do a wheel barrow full at a time, or even a couple hods. That way, you can manufacture a smaller screened shaker, which should be easier to build and store. As you're loading your stove/furnace, shake the coals down then. It may take a while, but it'll keep you from working out in the cold for who knows how many hrs.
- coaledsweat
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
LOL, trust me, I'm not working for hours! The end of the trailer is a beaver tail so there's my angle. Screw a cleat down and jig saw a rocker for whatever metal it turns out to be, screw it down to it and catch it on the cleat so it doesn't go anywhere. A little handle to rock it should be good, no? I'll do 4 pails a trip, maybe 4 trips a day. I'm getting too old for this!
- joeq
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If you keep this up, it'll ensure you'll "continue" to get older. Nothing like burning some calories, while keeping them ole muscles and joints exercised. Hope you'll post some pics of your coal pile, and shaker assy.
- coaledsweat
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
If I actually do it I will!
- Richard S.
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If for example you were going from the trailer to ground level basement window and have enough of angle from the trailer to the window you can create a chute out of screen. You are going to need at least 45 degrees, the coal will roll and bounce down the screen. Most of the dirt and fines should fall through the screen, if the coal is dry water may actually be detrimental because the dirt and fines will stick to the coal. If you are going to use water you need to use enough it's washing the debris out.
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The JD 110 have a bucket...
45* screen table setup over a tarp...
Wider than the bucket...
Side rails to keep the coal on the screen...
1/4" hardware cloth...
9' run...
3 passes of 36' cloth will do...
Overlap like roof shingles...
Load from behind if you don't have the reach from the front to hit the top...
Or do a smaller version and pour it by the 5 gal bucket...
45* screen table setup over a tarp...
Wider than the bucket...
Side rails to keep the coal on the screen...
1/4" hardware cloth...
9' run...
3 passes of 36' cloth will do...
Overlap like roof shingles...
Load from behind if you don't have the reach from the front to hit the top...
Or do a smaller version and pour it by the 5 gal bucket...