Russo CW1

Hello,

I have never used coal before, always have had wood stoves. I bought a used keystoker hearth 90, which is for sale as I felt I did not like the look.

I want to try coal in something before I buy a brand new one to get the feel of it. I found a Russo CW1. In great condition. They owner did not have the coal basket. Do I need that? Can I have one made or does someone know where I could get one. Also I see there is a small barometric dampener of some sort built into the side. Would I still need to add a barometric dampener before hooking up to my stainless steel liner? I appreciate all they help here. I like the hitzer insert and would love to buy it. But felt I really need to see how this whole coal burning works before I buy new.

Hi NDC and welcome to the forum. This question might be better asked up on the hand fired thread as I think this is more so a website issue oriented forum, but hopefully someone can move the thread over. Traffic here has gotten a little slow this past week (I think maybe guys have gotten up from there fires to open windows and realized it was getting nice out) but there will be more knowledgeable people along to help out. I'll try to give some input or point you in the right direction.

I think the Keystoker you first mention is a stoker stove which would have an auto feeder to it (I might be wrong). I'm under the impression (from a quick google search) that the Russo is a hand-fired stove. These are two completely different methods of burning coal so keep that in mind. Decide which route you want to go first or just try out what you have a while and see if you like that type before buying new.

With that said, if you have burnt wood in the past, coal is a totally different ball game and there is a steep learning curve to it, don't give up if you get frustrated, it is worth it. Coal requires under-fire air so there has to be a grate system and primary air control (so I'm guessing the russo would have to have the basket/grate) I would suggest starting out by using the search box in the upper right hand corner and doing a search on the stoves you are asking about. Then try reading over the stickies in the hand fired and stoker forums for now maybe starting
here >>> Introduction to Coal Burning
here >>> Basics of a Hand Fired Coal Stove
and here >>> Common Stoker Terminology

The other thing to do is fill out your profile info, at least a basic location area that you are in. It does help sometimes in answering questions. Say you live in the more southern part of the coal burning world, today you're gonna have a hard time getting a reasonable impression of what coal can do, etc.

Coal is a wonderful way to heat, it's worth the effort to learn how and once the puzzle fits together you'll wonder why you didn't go to the dark side sooner...

You are not going to be able to make the coal components necesarry to burn coal. Most times coal requires cast iron components to withstand the heat demands of coal. My sister ran a CW1 many years ago. She was pretty good at it but her hiusband not so much. The hand feds stoves like the CW1 have a somewhat steep learning curve. Feel free to keep the questions coming.

Yep, the CW1 is NOT a good stove to base coal burning on. Again, finish your profile--ya gonna burn Bit--Anth. ? Ya want looks, check out the CHUBBY's, etc I was never a big insert fan --ya want it for décor or heat? The HITZER insert in my opinion is the best ya can buy.

Well this stove does have the grates for coal. Do you think I would need a coal basket?
And thank you replying. I need all the help I can get. I would really like to use the Russo Cw1 as it fits my house better. And how do I update my profile on here?

At the top left of the page you will see a link for "user control panel" click on that and go to the tab named profile, fill out what you can/want to and click submit.

I'm not sure what a basket would be for if it already has grates for coal, hopefully it's not for building up the bed of coal but maybe more of a conversion to help burn bit coal as opposed to anthracite. Anthracite is "hard" coal and is what most burn. Bituminous is "soft" coal and burns a little more like wood but has some other issues to deal with. The area you are in can determine what coal you burn.

With all do respect I do not believe bit was on Russo's horizon. I think they mentioned anthracite or wood.

Can you post a pic of this basket? We need to see this thing.

Here is a link I found >>> https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/russo_manual-jpg.7613/

Appears in the CW1 a basket is a necessity. It seems to be used to give depth to the bed of coal.

I would agree.

If you look on this link it shows the coal basket...a 3 sided box that sits in your stove. The back of your stove providing the 4th side of the box.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/russo_manual-jpg.7613/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/help-with-russo-stove.13337/#315248

...sorry for the redundancy, just saw your post BC.

What I have has something just like what you generious people have posted. I hope you guys.can bear with me till I get the hang of all this.what I have is three sided but not in one piece. It is three pieces. Front, left and right. Now the front has fire brick and both sides have fire brick and the back as well. Now these metal pieces are behind the fire brick. If this makes sense, what I am saying.

Now to give you some back round here. I have a ranch style home, about 2100 sq foot. I have a 700 sq foot finished basement with a slider door down there. The other half of basement is work shop like area and laundry. I have two inserts now,one in the basement and one in my living room. This year I only ran basement. Once or twice did I have the need to run both. It was a mild year. I bought a keystoker hearth 90 used. I got in trouble, for getting that. She does not like the look. So I found this Russo insert.

The question was asked for looks or heat. I really want an insert. I love the hitzer 983 insert. But feel I need to get the feel of this before I can buy new. The inserts for wood I have now heat like crazy. Like open the doors. I can keep the whole place at 70 when it's cold out no problem. I would like this for both. Maybe I'm asking too much. I get a logging truck every other year. It's about 10 to 12 cords last 2 years, I keep a head so it ages. And now that's where I am getting old too and felt I would try anthracite coal.

Never done coal wrote:I like the hitzer insert and would love to buy it. But felt I really need to see how this whole coal burning works before I buy new.

I don't think anthracite burning will work out with a Russo CW1. So you won't see how it SHOULD work even if you try it with the coal basket. I wonder if the coal basket is for bituminous rather than anthracite??? In the diagrams linked to above, I don’t see any evidence of shaker grates with the CW1. Does yours look more like the CW2 in those pictures?

If you have done well burning wood, you can trust us that burning coal WILL work if you get a proper stove. I had a Russo CW1 way back, for wood, and it was a good stove, but not for coal. Take Fred’s advice and get a Hitzer – I don’t think anyone is unhappy with Hitzer – as long as the fashion police approve of its looks.

P.S. I'm not sure why you call the Russo an insert -- I don't recall mine being designed as such, though maybe it would fit in a fireplace opening.

I should have found this site before! It has a tool for shaking the grates, it's not handel like the picture for the CW2. Can you tell me how to upload a picture? I felt I would take the cheaper way of trying out coal. But now I wish I just bought new. I think I will put the keystoker and the Russo CW2 on cragslist and unload them and go for the Hitzer

Never done coal wrote:I should have found this site before! It has a tool for shaking the grates, it's not handel like the picture for the CW2. Can you tell me how to upload a picture? I felt I would take the cheaper way of trying out coal. But now I wish I just bought new. I think I will put the keystoker and the Russo CW2 on cragslist and unload them and go for the Hitzer

To upload a picture click on "Post reply" then scroll down to "Upload Attachment" scroll down to "choose file"this will open the files, (pictures on your computer), click on the picture you want to upload and in that window click on "open", then click on "add the file" ...your picture will be added to your post.

The cheapest way to find out about burning coal is with a stove designed for it. You won't be disappointed with a Hitzer stove.