Just bought used Harmon Mark II

This is the best forum I've ever seen. Well run and I learn something every time I come here. Have been lurking off and on for a couple of years, finally decided to register. Now I can ask all my dumb questions. We also have a Harman Mark II, just finished the 5th heating season with it. Used wood for thirty years up till then, will never go back. Coal is great heat. Actually have a couple of questions. The first is about the Rust Killer mentioned a few post back. Is it called One Step Rust KIller? And, once dry and painted over, the heat of the stove doesn't bother it? Thanks for any and all information

Bruce aka bmt66

Uglysquirrel wrote:I'm starting to miss coal burning !!!!!!!!!!

I have to goto the coal bin every day, and just hold a couple chunks for a couple minutes. Keeps me from going coal-crazie.

Uglysquirrel wrote:I'm starting to miss coal burning !!!!!!!!!!

"I have to goto the coal bin every day, and just hold a couple chunks for a couple minutes. Keeps me from going coal-crazie."

I'm with you guys. Get this - my husband was actually surprised I was already thinking of what to do for next year so that I could get the most out of our coal usage and reduce the level of effort. My daughter "introduced" us, asking him “have you met my mother?” At least he has put the purchase of our winter's coal in the budget for July. Lisa

The post by qball with the pic, is the thread i was talking about, but you get the idea. I don't know how they ended though. A 50-93 is a bigger stove than a mark II. I do notice that you do have other methods of heating so this won't have to do all the work. My thoughts are still keep an eye for something with a heat jacket i.e. furnace type unit. You paid almost what a new hitzer 82 runs. Or use this until you want to upgrade to a stoker (alot of guys get there feet wet with a hand fired then go stoker after there confident in coal). These projects are constant and on going. I am going to add another 8" run off of my heat jacket to another vent in the kitchen.

Also on that thead you'll see how the heat collector method works, my only problem is not enough fan yet. I plan on adjusting that so i can get it all upstairs and save me from running the stove so hard.

Lowfog, i have been saving up so i dont have to do bags this year, gonna get a load (bout 3 ton) delivered. Cheaper and less work.

sharkman8810 wrote:Lowfog, i have been saving up so i dont have to do bags this year, gonna get a load (bout 3 ton) delivered. Cheaper and less work.

Yeah, I know - sigh - I wish I could see a way to get anyone to deliver any coal for a reasonable price much less bulk to the metro (just outside the beltway) Northern VA area. Heaven knows I’ve looked into it. Besides not having a way to get between the houses to put the bulk coal in the only area I could put a coal bin in - we don't have a basement - the projected delivery cost are prohibitive. The closest dealer of any kind is about 50 miles away; I asked him if he would deliver and he would for a lot more then it cost me to make 3 trips and use my truck. It's frustrating, I know I could save more on my energy bill by using my friend's dump trailer and getting bulk but again the issue of getting it between the houses and in the only spot we have for a coal bin is a lot more work then either my husband’s or my back can do at this point in our lives. So at least until we move from this house we are stuck with getting bagged coal. Bummer, but at least we are saving what we are using coal versus our natural gas furnace.

lowfog01 wrote:- I wish I could see a way to get anyone to deliver any coal for a reasonable price much less bulk to the metro (just outside the beltway) Northern VA area.

Lisa, time to move North! Buy a place in the country, in NEPA. Either that, or move a few hundred miles SOUTH, and you won't have to worry about heating at all.

bmt66 wrote:The first is about the Rust Killer mentioned a few post back. Is it called One Step Rust KIller? And, once dry and painted over, the heat of the stove doesn't bother it? Thanks for any and all information [Bruce aka bmt66

I am sorry to have taken so long to respond. Don't you just hate it when life gets in the way if what you really want to do?

I use a product I found on the internet; Rust Killer. My husband is a Naval Engineer for the DON. He looked at it and said it's similar to what they use on their ships. I didn't put a complete coat on my stove. I just did spot treatments inside the burn box. That was the only area that had any sign of rust. I did not put a coat of paint on it either. This stuff dries black and blends in with the paint. I figured that any thing I put inside the stove would burn off when I light up in the fall and spending time and effort to paint the inside seemed a waste of time. The label does not have any warnings about being a fire hazard so I'm not worried. I'll just make sure the windows are open when I light up. Lisa

DVC500 at last wrote:]
Lisa, time to move North! Buy a place in the country, in NEPA. Either that, or move a few hundred miles SOUTH, and you won't have to worry about heating at all.

I'm using a different computer and somehow posted this by mistake, sorry. Lisa

lowfog01 wrote:

I use a product I found on the internet; Rust Killer.

I am working on my RV this week and discovered that I needed to get a resupply of my rust killer "1st Step -Rust Killer". I discovered a couple of things when I started looking at it. First, it's called a rust converter and second the brand, "1st Step" I was using only comes in gallons with the corresponding higher price; I don't need a gallon. I went to Grainger and got a new brand "Rust Fix" by Dupli-Color. This brand does say not to expose it to heat during application as spontaneous igniting may occur and goes on to say not to use on surfaces that are exposed to 200* or more. I guess the moral of the story is to read the label before using anything. I wonder though if you did put it on the burn box would it just burn off like paint, having done its job of killing the rust over the summer. Just pondering the question, I did my stove with the last of the "1st Step” last month. Lisa

I bought a jug of rust killer, and have to remember tomorrow to bring it in out of the garage. It's that time of year again! But the weather's acting funny again this year.

Harmon Mark II is running well in the cellar since Saturday morning. Well, almost. I let it go out last night! Too tired, I guess -- looked like there was plenty in it to me, but there were only three burining embers in the morning. Had the draft too high, I'm sure. One thing I did figure out before I started was to have some high-quality kindling, so I did the unthinkable; I picked up a pack of compressed hardwood logs at the Tractor Supply. Works slick with one match (and a couple of firestarters).

I learned that you should not put a waxed-based fake log into any closed stove, they're made for open fireplaces only. I don't suppose vapors from them are that good for you to breathe anyway.

I am so impressed with this stove, especially now that it's painted and has new glass. I broke the glass putting a new gasket on it -- needed a new one anyway. Of course I really didn't have the hundred bucks to sprare. But anyway, I only wish I had more things in my life that were as well designed, and as rugged, as the Harmon Mark II.

We ended up keeping the pellet stove, and now have a spare woodstove. I suppose that still counts as real wealth, though I'd rather trade it towards another ton of coal! I'm now wondering if I overbought getting two tons of pellets.

I thought I'd put some of my 2 cents into this..
My Mark III is one hell of a stove. I have it in my basement off to one end of the house with the cellar stairs in the middle of the house. I got 2 90 deg. aluminum gutter elbows and cut them to cover the blower holes. Clamped them down to stove. Ran 3 or 4 in. metal flex to 6in. duct above stove then across basement to a vent/grate to upstairs I Betweeninstalled. Betwenn the cellar door open (which helps allow cold air return) and the ducting this gets the heat to upstairs even at 30 below 0 F.
Biggest thing for me is discovering of Pea coal. This stove burns it so nice. No jams and will simmer down very low on warm days. I think I'll burn it all winter. Easier to shovel in as well.
I'm in the 1 match club I hope as I fired it up Oct. 1 and it hasn't gone out yet.

Oh I have a MPD and a Baro installed as well. Baro set for wind drafts and Manual to give me more control options. I always had this combo for 14 years and have played with these.
After a season you'll find out what works best with you.

captcaper wrote:I thought I'd put some of my 2 cents into this..
My Mark III is one hell of a stove. I have it in my basement off to one end of the house with the cellar stairs in the middle of the house. I got 2 90 deg. aluminum gutter elbows and cut them to cover the blower holes. Clamped them down to stove. Ran 3 or 4 in. metal flex to 6in. duct above stove then across basement to a vent/grate to upstairs I Betweeninstalled. Betwenn the cellar door open (which helps allow cold air return) and the ducting this gets the heat to upstairs even at 30 below 0 F.
Biggest thing for me is discovering of Pea coal. This stove burns it so nice. No jams and will simmer down very low on warm days. I think I'll burn it all winter. Easier to shovel in as well.
I'm in the 1 match club I hope as I fired it up Oct. 1 and it hasn't gone out yet.

Oh I have a MPD and a Baro installed as well. Baro set for wind drafts and Manual to give me more control options. I always had this combo for 14 years and have played with these.
After a season you'll find out what works best with you.

Just so you know or maybe you do know Harman says do not use a MFD /MPD /MHD on there stove look under Venting & Chimney in the manual below Just want anybody new to burning a coal stove that Harman and most other stove
Companies do not want you to use a Manual Hand Damper Manual Flue Damper or Manual Pipe Damper or whatever you would like to call them Do not use them Always look and read owners manual for your type stove .

http://www.hearthnhome.com/downloads/in ... II_III.pdf

Didn't mean to start the flame war going again but this is the way it is. Going on second season with the Harman and my setup works real good. 14 years combo on Chubby. As I said I always have had a Baro since 1981 including a MPD I'll never run it without a MPD. The maual also say's if I remember right certified to burn coal only, a minium of 8x8 in flue is required. Probably other stuff in there too.

Cheers.