Help with Identification of Coal Stove NEW GUY ALERT!

Hi, total newbie here.

Just picked this up on the cheap. Thinking about replacing my pathetic sauna stove with this. Want to be able to keep a longer burn with out futzing with reloading a tiny stove(seriously, you couldn't get a 12-pack in this thing...gotta reload 4-5 times to get da'sauna warmed up). Worried about smell in small space but I have a similar sized wood stove in the on-deck circle if it doesn't work out.

Wondering if anyone knows the brand. There is a model number or something on the side but no brand name.

They guy I bought it from also had a pretty good load of large coal briquettes...shaped like Kingsford charcoal but at least double the size and pitch black. He was pretty sure it was coal. He never used it as it came with his house. I took a bucket full but if I think this is going to work out, he'd like me to take it all. Where do folks buy this? Coal is not really a thing here in the hinterlands of Northern Wisconsin.

Also came with Field Atmospheric Damper which I'm researching how to setup. Burned wood for 35 years but never used one of these.

Thanks for any help in identifying and advice for use. I was surprised I couldn't find this online as I've seen at least 4 of these listed for sale online locally in the last few months.

John,
Adding a few pictures of the interior and dimensions of firebox will help to identify how it will perform.
Leo

Welcome H. Can't remember where or when, but I think another member had a similar stove. Hopefully one of these younger guys that still have most of their mental facilities remaining will help.

LeoinRI wrote: ↑

Mon. Sep. 28, 2020 5:13 am

John,
Adding a few pictures of the interior and dimensions of firebox will help to identify how it will perform.
Leo

Ya, I was lazy last night and loaded the picture from the seller. Got it unloaded and down to my patio for a test run now. WIll take some pics and specs. Gotta get something to start it. Will probably just for testing pick up a bag of store-bought charcoal. I've read all about the starter mouse things.... Stay tuned.

Thanks.

Welcome John.

What you have is sometimes called a "kitchen heater". Usually used in small apartments where a full-sized range won't fit. The flat top was meant to be able to do cooking on, but no oven for baking. Later, replaced by electric hotplates.

Most I've seen, because of the small size of the firebox, were meant for coal, but if you only need a quick fire for cooking in warmer times of the year, they can also burn wood.

BTW, we love pictures of old stoves - inside and out.

Paul

Here ya go:

The firebox is about 16" long x 8" deep x 8" wide. 6" flue.

Again my goal is to be able to light it and have it burn for maybe a few hours in a smallish barrel sauna.

I think the firebox is barely/almost big enough to burn wood if the coal thing doesn't work out. I'm hoping that there is a good one-match solution for getting the coal started. I've read all about the various ways of starting coal. I understand that most people I read/talk to want coal fire to keep going because starting isn't very easy...we'll see.

Sunny Boy wrote: ↑

Mon. Sep. 28, 2020 9:01 am

Welcome John.

What you have is sometimes called a "kitchen heater". Usually used in small apartments where a full-sized range won't fit. The flat top was meant to be able to do cooking on, but no oven for baking. Later, replaced by electric hotplates.

Most I've seen, because of the small size of the firebox, were meant for coal, but if you only need a quick fire for cooking in warmer times of the year, they can also burn wood.

BTW, we love pictures of old stoves - inside and out.

Paul

Hillbilly John wrote: ↑

Mon. Sep. 28, 2020 10:56 am

Here ya go:

The firebox is about 16" long x 8" deep x 8" wide. 6" flue.

Again my goal is to be able to light it and have it burn for maybe a few hours in a smallish barrel sauna.

I think the firebox is barely/almost big enough to burn wood if the coal thing doesn't work out. I'm hoping that there is a good one-match solution for getting the coal started. I've read all about the various ways of starting coal. I understand that most people I read/talk to want coal fire to keep going because starting isn't very easy...we'll see.

I've tried getting my coal fires going with wood. Then I read where one very experienced, late member, William ( he even ran steam trains) only used BBQ charcoal, sprinkled with kerosene. Truly a one match start, and the fastest way I've yet to find to get a coal fire going. Cuts the starting time in half of using wood, and with less mess.

And an added benefit is, it does not soot up stove windows like wood does.

I've tried using the "Matchlight" BBQ charcoal, but found too much of the lighter fluid had evaporated out through the bag. I ended up using kerosene. And the Matchlight costs more than regular Kingsford BBQ charcoal that I buy on sale in twin packs of 20 lb. bags at Lowes, plus the kerosene.

Paul

Hillbilly John wrote: ↑

Mon. Sep. 28, 2020 10:56 am

Here ya go:

The firebox is about 16" long x 8" deep x 8" wide. 6" flue.

Again my goal is to be able to light it and have it burn for maybe a few hours in a smallish barrel sauna.

I think the firebox is barely/almost big enough to burn wood if the coal thing doesn't work out. I'm hoping that there is a good one-match solution for getting the coal started. I've read all about the various ways of starting coal. I understand that most people I read/talk to want coal fire to keep going because starting isn't very easy...we'll see.

Yup, those grates will work fine for coal, and work for wood, too.

That's about the same size firebox as my Glenwood kitchen range. Holds about 20-25 lbs of nut coal and will burn for 10-12 hours dampered-down to an idle, or about 5-6 hours running full hot.

If your only going to need it for just a few hours it won't burn well by only partially filling with coal. And filled and idled down, it can take 14-16 hours to burn out. Might be better to just stick (pun intended) with using wood. It will get going faster than coal, which has to be built up in layers or you'll smoother it. Then just throw another piece of wood in about every 45 minutes.

Paul

Thanks...your advice is kind of what I was expecting. I did just buy a small bag of match light just to run an experimental burn. I have a lot of birch wood which burns nice and hot so i'll try that too if I fall out of love with the coal. Will probably install it in sauna this weekend...starting to cool off here in the Northwoods.

Will report back.
Cheers

Incidentally, if your going to use coal, you'll need to block off that front loading door opening with a piece of firebrick. It's dangerous to pile a coal firebed up against that door.

FYI. Those round, covered openings in the side and rear are for water pipes to an optional cast iron water jacket to heat water by convection flow to a reservoir hot water tank - usually hanging on a wall nearby.

Paul

So then you top load coal? BTW - In case it wasn't painfully obvious to anyone, I didn't have the stove top on when I took the pictures.

Thanks again....John.

She'll clean up nice for ya H.

Hillbilly John wrote: ↑

Mon. Sep. 28, 2020 4:53 pm

So then you top load coal? BTW - In case it wasn't painfully obvious to anyone, I didn't have the stove top on when I took the pictures.

Thanks again....John.

Yes, top load coal.

Coal needs as deep a firebed as possible and in that size stove that means fill up the firebox up to the top of the side panels..

Plus, it has to be built up in layers, so you don't smoother the fire, slow the draft, and risk getting gas buildup and an explosion. Each layer only being added when the layer before it gets burning and stops snapping and crackling. That takes about 5 minutes per layer.

You always want some firebed flame exposed to burn off that gas.

Paul

Thanks again...Still planning a test burn but got 3 days of rain in the forecast and that seems like more of a sunny day activity.

Well got'er installed in the sauna and fired it up. Working great but on my first burn we got quite a smell. I used match-light charcoal to get the coal started. Plus while I was in the process of adding the coal briquettes to the glowing match-light, quite a few fumes came out, presumedly from adding fresh coal. Not sure if that's gonna cut it in a sauna. Pretty sure the other half ain'a gonna like it.

But I also burned wood one night and the stove worked great that way. Just gotta find a way to get rid of a couple of 55 gallon drums full of coal briquettes. Any problems with just chucking a few my normal wood-stove? I know that's not ideal way to burn coal but it's gotta produce some heat...right?

Thanks for the help all.
Hillbilly John in the Northwoods.