1900 Era Fireplace Insert

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 11:22 am

Vonda,
Yes, the kerosene is not as volatile as gasoline. It will burn, but it won't explode at room temps.

If the chimney is pre-warmed with a wad of newspaper stuffed up into the chimney and lit before the BBQ bricks are, you shouldn't get kero stink in the house.

And you don't need any more kero than what will soak into the BBQ bricks. Splashing it all over the fireplace floor is way too much. It might be better to first put the BBQ bricks in a metal container and then sprinkle the kero over them and let it soak in. Then there's no chance of have too much kero dumped into the fireplace.

DO NOT ever add kero after lighting a fire !!!!! Even if you think it did not light. There could be a flash flair-up that could hurt you.

Anytime I didn't add enough kero and needed to boost the charcoal with more, rather than risk the danger of adding the kero to the firebox, I put some more charcoal bricks in a metal coffee can and added the kero to those. I let the bricks absorb all the kero, then using long BBQ tongs, I placed the soaked BBQ bricks one at a time on the fire. If they didn't light right away from the existing fire, I'd use the gas-grill lighter again. No risk of flare-up then.

Some guys just use "match light" type BBQ charcoal with the lighter fluid already in the charcoal. But, I've found it is more expensive and this late in the BBQ season the lighter fluid in it is often dried out and won't light without adding more lighter fluid, or kero. A gallon of kero being far cheaper than the quart cans of BBQ lighter fluid.

Sometimes Lowes has very good sales on twin packs of Kingsford charcoal. That's what I stock up when it's on sale. One 20 pound bag is enough to fill the 7 x 15 inch firebox of my range 6-7 start-up times, and at least two BBQ bricks deep each time.

However, if you've been using wood fires in the basket, you might be better off for now just staying with using wood until you get the hang of using it to start an anthracite fire in that basket. Then progress to BBQ bricks and kero later ?

Paul


 
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Post by Vonda » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 11:31 am

Thanks I have all those items in back yard. I think I will soak the charcoal now for tonight

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 11:43 am

Vonda wrote:Thanks I have all those items in back yard. I think I will soak the charcoal now for tonight
Good luck.
And remember what is often said on here,..... without pictures it didn't happen. :D

Paul

 
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Post by Vonda » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 11:23 pm

The first pic is when the fire first started, the second is with Bit and Anathacite. Mostly Bit. The third is after I put more Anthacite. I think I have to clear ashes
I definitely need to research how to maintain a coal fireplace. I really like the blue flame of the anthracite

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Post by Photog200 » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 6:35 am

I thought I would turn the anthracite shot for you. It looks like you are starting to get the hang of coal. One thing I would suggest is slowly adding more coal by layers. Let each layer catch good before adding more. Keep doing this until you get at least 6" deep coal bed. Coal likes a nice deep fire bed or it tends to go out easier. That is why that basket is as deep as it is, I would fill it right up and see how it goes.

Best wishes,
Randy

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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 8:23 am

Welcome to the club. Lots of us love to watch the "Blue Ladies" do their hypnotic dance. ;)

What Randy said, build up in layers, let each layer get burning, and make the firebed deeper. The depth of the firebed gives it the high heat inside the firebed to burn the coal more completely, plus more heat volume output to make a strong draft up through the coal bed and chimney to sustain itself. Too thin a layer and it can't produce enough heat volume, so the draft is weak, slowly getting weaker, until the fire goes out.

Any pictures I've seen of Victorian era coal baskets in use, the coal is up to the top of the basket at the front and mounded even higher toward the rear.

Love the baking pan ash pan ! :D If you want an ash pan that will catch more of the ash around the edges, our member "Freddy" makes them to order.

Paul

 
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Post by Vonda » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 9:07 am

Hi Randy,
When I layer more coal, it seems like I'm dousing the fire. But maybe I am doing it wrong.
I stoke the fire by bringing the hot coals off the bottom of grate then add the coal. Should I just leave the fire alone and add coal? I thought I needed to get rid of thrashes because anathecite doesn't like ashes.


 
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Post by Vonda » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 9:10 am

Thanks Paul. I will check Freddy out. I got the baking pan idea from a tube video.
Possible more pictures to come, with a high coal bed. It's going to be in the twenties tonight in GA.

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 10:10 am

As Randy said, your getting the hang of it.

A little more time spent building that firebed deeper and you should really get some heat from it, plus it will sustain a good fire. Then, just check it about every hour, or so, to see how it's burning and if it needs more coal, or ashes removed from below.

If you don't have one, a poker with a right-angle bend is good for reaching under the basket and up through the mesh to scrap/loosen ash and any clinkers trying to form. Coal stove pokers turn up on eBay. The picture below are two coal stove pokers. That type typically are about 18-20 inches long. But just a piece of steel rod with a right-angle bend at one end and a loop formed for a handle at the other end will work.

It's good to break up any clinkers before they get too firm. When they harden up to where they won't crumble and fall out, over time, they will accumulate and fill up the lower part of the basket. That not only reduces air flow, it also reduces the amount of burnable fuel depth making it tough to keep a fire going.

After some time, you will learn how often you'll need to add a fresh layer of coal on top as it burns down, and how often to use the poker to clear ashes away from the bottom and front.

FYI, ashes can trap heat under the basket. Make sure the level of ashes in the pan never get up near the basket. That can get the underside of the basket hot enough to warp, and/or, crack the basket. It's that cooler room air being drawn in under the basket to feed the firebed that also helps the cast iron stay at a safer temperature level.

Thanks for posting pictures. We look forward to more as you progress. We love pictures of all kinds of coal stoves in use ! ;)

Paul

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Post by Photog200 » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 4:47 pm

Vonda wrote:Hi Randy,
When I layer more coal, it seems like I'm dousing the fire. But maybe I am doing it wrong.
I stoke the fire by bringing the hot coals off the bottom of grate then add the coal. Should I just leave the fire alone and add coal? I thought I needed to get rid of thrashes because anathecite doesn't like ashes.
I would leave the coal bed alone, coal does not really like to be poked and prodded or moved. To remove the ashes, do so from underneath the coal basket with a tool similar to what was in the photo Paul posted. Just floss between the grates to remove the ash. Once the ash has been cleared, you can start adding more coal again to the fire. If there is enough of a coal bed still going well, you will not smother the fire as long as you just add a little at a time in layers. Clearing the ash properly is probably going to be the hardest part of maintaining your insert. Once you get the hang of that, you will be all set.

Randy

 
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Post by Pauliewog » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 6:11 pm

Very nice indeed! I just picked up on your thread, and there isn't really much I can add to the sound advice already given by everyone.

Match light Charcoal start up, maintain a deep bed of anthracite, floss from the bottom if you don't have coal grates, and enjoy the blue ladies.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Paulie

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Post by Vonda » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 7:33 pm

Pauline what does floss from bottom means. Is that all anthracite ? How long does it last?

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 8:25 pm

Vonda wrote:Pauline what does floss from bottom means. Is that all anthracite ? How long does it last?
By "floss" they mean scraping loose the ash and clinkers by reaching up in between the grillwork of the underside of the coal basket with the tip of a poker similar to one like I posted a picture of.

If you go to eBay and do a search of, "stove pokers" you'll a bunch of those early type pokers with a right angler bend near the tip. Like this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Fireplace-Coal-Wood- ... Swux5YSvgs
They are for reaching up in under the grate bars of coal stoves. The straight tipped ones are for wood stoves.

Hopefully, Paulie will explain the lights coming from that coal basket of his. :D

Paul

 
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Post by Pauliewog » Wed. Dec. 14, 2016 9:41 pm

Sunny Boy wrote:
By "floss" they mean scraping loose the ash and clinkers by reaching up in between the grillwork of the underside of the coal basket with the tip of a poker similar to one like I posted a picture of.

If you go to eBay and do a search of, "stove pokers" you'll a bunch of those early type pokers with a right angler bend near the tip. Like this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Fireplace-Coal-Wood- ... Swux5YSvgs
They are for reaching up in under the grate bars of coal stoves. The straight tipped ones are for wood stoves.

Hopefully, Paulie will explain the lights coming from that coal basket of his. :D

Paul
Good eye Paul ! :rofl: toothy Between relocating and downsizing the shop and helping out a former customer part time (A minimum of 60 hours a week) I didn't have time to finish the man cave or connect the Monarch insert to the flue.

The faux lights are a combination of a few flicker flame bulbs, a string of 25 red led and a few two many led blue ones, covered with a mix of rice, nut, and stove coal. :D

On the bright side, I set up an awesome whelebrator shot blast room , started high temperature powder coating my stove parts, and dug out the Bengal cook stove....... All in my spare time! Seems I have a lot less free time since I retired...... Hmmmm

Paulie

 
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Post by wsherrick » Thu. Dec. 15, 2016 12:23 pm

I spent many winter nights next to a fire in a Victorian Era fireplace such as described here. These can do quite a credible job of heating until the temperatures get below the single digits. The picture here was taken in a very large Queen Anne which was built in 1886.
The house had 15 fireplaces in it. All set up for coal usage. In warmer climates coal grates were often used rather than stoves.
You generally had a stove in the Foyer to distribute heat.
Here, enjoy this Christmas time photo from my days in Knoxville and those are big chunks of bituminous burning in the photo. Good Kentucky coal.

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A bright bituminous fire in a Victorian Era fireplace.

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