Best Furnace for My Application?

I am wondering what the experienced would recommend for my application...

I have a workshop (gambrel roof barn, insulated) that is about 45' x 35' of FLOORSPACE but 16' tall ceilings, all open..There is also a smaller second floor to be heated when desired. The shop is not to be heated 24/7. I would like to be able to come home, turn the heat up and be comfortable in decent time (maybe someday work full time in the shop)..There is already two (8"?) ducts run from about 10' off the floor, out and up the (tall) chimney.

I have only been looking at furnaces etc 130,000+ BTU but you tell me..

I would like an automatic stoker unit, but also be able to burn wood (if possible) as I have quite a stock that needs splitting. A window on the unit would great but not a factor. I don't need hot water really.

Was looking at Keystoker Koker unit, stoker boilers, Harman SF-260 but it seems everything is a compromise. That's life..

I would just go for a hand fired unit and forget the stoker but I have the impression it would be a pain to light everyday, idk! And everyone likes the set-it-and-forget factor!

What do you think?? What kind of btu's?

Coal takes time to come up to temp, Don't expect them to Heat up quickly, better off setting them at a temp and leaving them there. You can back them down to idle, but it will take a good 30mins to an hour to get up to temps on most any stoker type stove.

The stokers would be just that, Stoker stoves only. Normally not able to burn wood, with the design. hand fed ones, some can burn both.
There is someone on here that took a good woodstove and added a stoker assembly to it.

The Koker or LL Hyfires are good stoves for a lot of btus.

A lot options for you. Just depending on like you said, what you are willing to do and what you want the stove to do.

For your application, I would recommend a Clayton 1600 hand fired furnace. Here is a few posts for you to check out. I think that they will help you in making an educated decision. Clayton Furnace Fired on Wood Slow Blue Dancing With Red Dressed Ladies in a Clayton Clayton Furnace With Dual Reading Stokers With this furnace and proper ducting, you will not be cold and it will burn a long time with each loading, with a barometric draft regulator correctly weighted. It doesn't take that long from a cold start to get it going if you do it right. Save your news papers, phone books, and put some of the wood bark chips in a barrel, to facilitate a faster fire starting. Once you learn how to burn, you can light one match in the fall and put it out in the spring with moderate fuel consumption, or light it when ever you are there, letting it go out and start over the next time. You can get one cranking in 15-30 minutes. I recommend one of these, even with no power, you'll still have heat.

If you have any questions on how to duct or modify one, I be happy to answer them.

Thanx for the reponses guys. More opinions welcomed.

I love the idea of being able to burn wood shifting me toward the Clayton/Harmon SF direction.

However I think I might be best taking the stoker route and letting it idle..

__What is overkill for my space??

__Should I be looking at any stoker boilers?

__Is an EFM 520 a bit overkill?

In any case what would I be looking at as far as ducting/circulation for such an open space/separate upstairs?

It really all depends on your budget for the project, what you intend to accomplish, and what fuel you want to burn.

If you want to go coal stoker, you could run that also 24/7. Any of the coal stoker boilers made in the U.S.A. are great.

What you have to decide, is what you want to do. I'm still looking to install a coal stoker boiler in addition to my Claytons, for year round domestic hot water, and to take the load off the Claytons, in the below zero temperatures. This will save me fuel and provide a more complete burn, plus allow me to burn anthracite all year long and tinker with my stoves.

The only thing I would add to what Doug has said is that if your thinking about not using the space all the time I would recommend staying with a stove or furnace and not even consider a boiler. A boiler you would have to keep going all the time just to prevent freeze ups.

That's a good point too..

Ok, I think I've narrowed it down to a large standard style stoker coal stove..

Here are a few pictures of the shop that might help..







Ok, so I guess the pipes are a little higher than 10'





You can see the second floor/rafters..I plan to sheetrock the ceiling and cellulose insulate it in order to break up the space and regulate the hot air a little better..



The second floor..I'll then use fiberglass roll insulation for the exterior shell ceiling..







One to see the type of construction..



What kind of BTU's do you think? Ductwork? Any good ideas? Plan flaws/potholes?

.

Can't open the pics!!!!bummer

Cag, I'm heating my shop with a Chubby, have only had a kindling fire so far this year. Outside temp was 55* and damp and the shop was warm in about 1/2 an hour. Shop is 24'x28' first floor. If I open the door to the loft the heat just naturally rises up there. I'm looking forward to cold weather to see how the chubby will do. I don't plan on running any duct work around, maybe a fan behind the stove if needed.

Oh, now I can see the pics! I'd say put in the stove of your choice and a cuople of paddle fans in that loft area to push the hot air down to ground level and you should be fine.

Ya imageshack changed around the way they give you the URL's, you should be able to see them now!

I was planning on putting up a sheetrock ceiling to keep all the hot air from rising and so I don't have to heat the whole space if I don't want to..There isn't really a door or anything to close off the steps though. Suppose I could put in a trap door at the top of the steps..Then maybe put in a duct that I can open/close that goes to the upstairs? Love to hear the thoughts on this

Yup, I would loose all my heat on the first floor level until I closed off the stairway to the second level. That ceiling looks high enuf to still put in a couple of paddle fans to keep the heat even around the shop. You set the fans blowing up so they move the air across the ceiling and down the outside walls. Works great.

What area are you from...how cold does it get?

Well, since you have now narrowed down to a anthracite coal stoker, with all that I've learned from this great site and the experiences from playing with coal appliances, I would still think that you will be much happier with an anthracite coal stoker furnace over a anthracite coal stoker stove. I would seriously consider a Keystoker hot air stoker furnace for your shop. http://www.keystoker.com/products.php#waf

I've built a stoker hot air furnace. I had a great time designing and fabricating that furnace and it works awesome. But, after you add up all of the parts and special made pieces, it comes out to be about what it would cost to purchase one of the smaller Keystoker hot air furnaces. So, if you don't want a project, buy one already made.

The reason I argue for a hot air furnace over a stove, is the fact that it has the air system already for movement. Then, all you have to do is supply some duct work. The duct work can be designed to run to your loft and you can install a manual or automatic damper in the duct, to heat it or shut it off to the loft, as you see fit.

The reason that I suggest a Keystoker over the other brands, stoker stove/furnaces, is that the jacket and the blower fan are designed for it, in my opinion, not just a stove with an furnace after thought.

The only other stoker hot air furnace that I would look into is from EFM. http://www.efmheating.com/stokerfiredfurnace.html Once again for the same reason.

Well that is my two cents worth, regarding a stoker stove. I still like the idea of a hand fired furnace though. It is nice to be able to burn scraps up and free wood, if you have it, while having the ability to burn anthracite too.

Although it doesn't answer your original question....sell the wood and buy more coal...unless you really like splitting all that wood. Coal is definitely the way to go