Bit coal in Central Illinois
Hey folks! I’m new here, thanks for letting me join.
I have an open fireplace and we had enjoyed burning wood, works well for that. But wood is pricey and takes up a lot of room. So I found an old coal grate, at least I think it is, online. Went to my local TSC and grabbed a bag of Ant. coal. Grinning ear to ear all the way home. Coal?! Who burns that anymore? I DO!! I was way excited. It didn’t last. I tried everything I’d read about. I just couldn’t get it to go in an open fireplace like that. So I kept reading. Come to find out, Illinois is Bit Coal central. Lots of it around here. But finding it, oh boy, a challenge it has been. I’ve called everywhere I can think of. Nothing. No leads, no hints. Nothing.
So, my 2 questions to you, the experts. Can I even get bit coal to burn in my fireplace? Is it worth it? Should I just stick with wood?
And-
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS STUFF!!!! I’ve had 4 people tell me just jump on to the rail cars and get it from there! Ha! No.... so please, any place I can get like, 100-200 lbs of this stuff is all I need. Nut or larger I think....
Thanks again!
I have an open fireplace and we had enjoyed burning wood, works well for that. But wood is pricey and takes up a lot of room. So I found an old coal grate, at least I think it is, online. Went to my local TSC and grabbed a bag of Ant. coal. Grinning ear to ear all the way home. Coal?! Who burns that anymore? I DO!! I was way excited. It didn’t last. I tried everything I’d read about. I just couldn’t get it to go in an open fireplace like that. So I kept reading. Come to find out, Illinois is Bit Coal central. Lots of it around here. But finding it, oh boy, a challenge it has been. I’ve called everywhere I can think of. Nothing. No leads, no hints. Nothing.
So, my 2 questions to you, the experts. Can I even get bit coal to burn in my fireplace? Is it worth it? Should I just stick with wood?
And-
WHERE CAN I FIND THIS STUFF!!!! I’ve had 4 people tell me just jump on to the rail cars and get it from there! Ha! No.... so please, any place I can get like, 100-200 lbs of this stuff is all I need. Nut or larger I think....
Thanks again!
Last edited by lrobb97 on Sun. Nov. 01, 2020 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- freetown fred
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How bout those pix of fireplace & hearth areas?? GOTCHA in other post.
Last edited by freetown fred on Sun. Nov. 01, 2020 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Certainly! One is a log fire, the other is my second or 3 attempt at an Ant. fire.
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Viper coal mine in Williamsville Illinois. Don’t know if I’d want to burn it in an open fireplace. Definitely worth hooking a stove up for though. $70 a ton at the moment. 1 ton minimum.
- warminmn
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Is it Vonda who burns ant in a fireplace??? not sure on the name. Theres a topic on here somewhere about it.
- carlherrnstein
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I have not burned anthracite only Ohio bituminous coal so keep that in mind. I think ant almost has to be burned in a stove where the air comes up through the bed of coals. If air can bypass the bed it will and the fire doesn't get enough air and it goes out. Bit can burn in a fireplace because it burns similar to wood in the sense that it has a two stage burn, volatile compounds burn off first then the coke(coal charcoal) burns.
I can find bit coal anywhere in Illinois. Do you know where I could find it?carlherrnstein wrote: ↑Tue. Nov. 10, 2020 6:56 pmI have not burned anthracite only Ohio bituminous coal so keep that in mind. I think ant almost has to be burned in a stove where the air comes up through the bed of coals. If air can bypass the bed it will and the fire doesn't get enough air and it goes out. Bit can burn in a fireplace because it burns similar to wood in the sense that it has a two stage burn, volatile compounds burn off first then the coke(coal charcoal) burns.
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Where are you.
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- Posts: 1137
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- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF360
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- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Clayton 7.1/DS Machine basement stove/ Harman SF1500
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Viper coalmine in Elkhart by williamsville will sell it. That’s about as close as you can get. They have a one ton minimum. $70 a ton.
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Yeah, I 100% don’t need a whole ton.... I may give them a call tomorrow and see if they’d make an exception lol. Max, 2-3 hundred pounds would be it....