Not seeing many NEW people

Talk abt discussions with MA people on coal, group from Boston came down to our company (Hartford area) and to make idle chit chat last year at lunch I mentioned I burn coal, well as if I grew HORNS in 1 microsecond, they all pretty much hated me after that............

Yeah no surprise there ...

Well, I have found that ANTHRACITE draws a blank. If you say coal, they think bituminous, power plants, old trains etc.
I am setting up my pioneer in my Green House at work and we will see how it goes. Nothing like burning one to show how
clean they really are. The anthracite advantage.

It definitely is all about education. Coal was no secret to our folks and grandparents. But in the quest to"Grow" our society, trains and coal lost out to trucks and petro fuels. No doubt it is easier to have an unseen truck deliver propane or oil, and you do nothing, know nothing and simply pay a computerized bill or budget payment.

On the ultimate quest to capture the BTU advantage, coal has no equal....hydro, nukie, solar and wind are out for the happy homeowner. I'm obviously in a wood burning area of the globe, but after many years of 18 to 20 cords a year, I smartened up. That was in 1972, any I've never looked back.

I have determined that I have not used over 380,000 gallons of fuel at properties I converted to coal. Each and every pne pf them still burns coal and will probably forever. It's not just the independence of being able to speak with a real person from PA to order it, it's the reassurance that when you call the NEPA for a current price and a delivery, they have a pleasant PA accent, are friendly, and don't blow you off. Put down the phone and in a couple days in drives a TT unit, gets paid, says thank you, you tip him or her, they drive off, you relax for the next year. How hard is that?

If any of you has a time share in Qatar....then "BITE ME". Other than that, I'm trying my best to get responsible people to try the coal advantage, and keep the money right here in the USA.

New members are looking over their shoulders, reading to educate themselves about 'girlie men', 'Stoker Heads', base burners and trying to figure out what the 'H' is the furnace/boiler issue. Rice, pea, buck,nut, stove, etc.

Let em try pellets for awhile, the next group of pellet burners will get good deals when those folks move on to coal.
If you think paying 290/ton for compressed sawdust is a good deal, then go for it! Just go to Richards post on the fuel cost/btu calculator and do the math. If's free, try it out. Also AHS has a calc on their website, same thing.

New members....keep spreading the word, they will arrive, better educated (we hope) and able to make sensible decisions.

It looks like over 150 members joined in October.

I see a lot of one year old stokers for sale, why? Is it just laziness, low nat. gas prices or dust from ash removal? The dealers i see in this area do not run ads comparing wood pellets to coal because most sell both. I think you could sell a lot of people on coal just mention one fact, 1 ton of coal = 1.6 tons of wood pellets.

efo141 wrote: low nat. gas prices .

That would probably be the major reason why, everyone panicked last year and now the gas is as cheap or even cheaper than coal in some areas and they have no need for them. Might be the economy too with people trying to get some money. 2 or 3 years from now it will happen again and those same people will be scrambling to find alternative.

Richard S. wrote:

efo141 wrote: low nat. gas prices .

That would probably be the major reason why, everyone panicked last year and now the gas is as cheap or even cheaper than coal in some areas and they have no need for them. Might be the economy too with people trying to get some money. 2 or 3 years from now it will happen again and those same people will be scrambling to find alternative.

my natural gas prices have gone up from last year about 13 percent. Whos or where are NG prices falling. thats seems highly unlikely.

whistlenut wrote:It definitely is all about education. Coal was no secret to our folks and grandparents. But in the quest to"Grow" our society, trains and coal lost out to trucks and petro fuels. No doubt it is easier to have an unseen truck deliver propane or oil, and you do nothing, know nothing and simply pay a computerized bill or budget payment.

On the ultimate quest to capture the BTU advantage, coal has no equal....hydro, nukie, solar and wind are out for the happy homeowner. I'm obviously in a wood burning area of the globe, but after many years of 18 to 20 cords a year, I smartened up. That was in 1972, any I've never looked back.

I have determined that I have not used over 380,000 gallons of fuel at properties I converted to coal. Each and every pne pf them still burns coal and will probably forever. It's not just the independence of being able to speak with a real person from PA to order it, it's the reassurance that when you call the NEPA for a current price and a delivery, they have a pleasant PA accent, are friendly, and don't blow you off. Put down the phone and in a couple days in drives a TT unit, gets paid, says thank you, you tip him or her, they drive off, you relax for the next year. How hard is that?

If any of you has a time share in Qatar....then "BITE ME". Other than that, I'm trying my best to get responsible people to try the coal advantage, and keep the money right here in the USA.

New members are looking over their shoulders, reading to educate themselves about 'girlie men', 'Stoker Heads', base burners and trying to figure out what the 'H' is the furnace/boiler issue. Rice, pea, buck,nut, stove, etc.

Let em try pellets for awhile, the next group of pellet burners will get good deals when those folks move on to coal.
If you think paying 290/ton for compressed sawdust is a good deal, then go for it! Just go to Richards post on the fuel cost/btu calculator and do the math. If's free, try it out. Also AHS has a calc on their website, same thing.

New members....keep spreading the word, they will arrive, better educated (we hope) and able to make sensible decisions.

Not paying the angry Mutaffa is huge to me. Saving a few bucks takes the pain of what little work is involved. I would
do it even if it was not cheaper. It is way more palatable to pay the PA guy than the Terrorist guy. Helps me sleep better

brckwlt wrote:

Richard S. wrote:

efo141 wrote: low nat. gas prices .

That would probably be the major reason why, everyone panicked last year and now the gas is as cheap or even cheaper than coal in some areas and they have no need for them. Might be the economy too with people trying to get some money. 2 or 3 years from now it will happen again and those same people will be scrambling to find alternative.

my natural gas prices have gone up from last year about 13 percent. Whos or where are NG prices falling. thats seems highly unlikely.

Just talked to my father in law in Green Bay WI .78 per therm after all fees, way down from last year. What are you paying in PA ?

efo141 wrote:
Just talked to my father in law in Green Bay WI .78 per therm after all fees, way down from last year. What are you paying in PA ?

I don't have gas but that cost would almost be approaching the cost of coal locally. Having said that I wouldn't expect that to last for long especially if we have a really cold winter as predicted.

efo141 wrote:I see a lot of one year old stokers for sale,

You hit that right on the head. Looking on Craigslist just locally and there are a number of them. Some at very good prices and only a year or two old.

Jeff

Guess I'm new (joined/been lurking for a while). Coal is king as far as I'm concerned. Had a not-to-good business dealing with one of the coal "masters" and his disciples, but that's in the past now. Caveat Emptor.

Brew Master wrote:Guess I'm new (joined/been lurking for a while). Coal is king as far as I'm concerned. Had a not-to-good business dealing with one of the coal "masters" and his disciples, but that's in the past now. Caveat Emptor.

Welcome! It's always good to here from a Brew Master! Hint hint. No need to lurk any longer. Feel free to jump in anytime. We are always eager to here from new folks.
Have you seen this thread yet? Favorite beer?

I'm here...just north of boston..mostly lurking - but then I just acquired/borrowed/stole this little bucket a day stove and it put a smile on my face ---> sears bucket coal stove - any info ?

I kept talkn coal to my brother-in-law in atkinson,nh - he has a pot belly and was only burning wood - poor soul

He finally picked up some bags of coal - he later remarked - hey that coal thing works - its nice cuz its still warm in the morning lol

Only gripe I have is...well....around here coal is expensive.
I only know of two places to src it from...out in braintree (williams) and right next door to me northeast nursery in peabody.

At nearly $9 per 50lb bag...well thats alot of cash or $310/ton.

I dont know about bulk delivery but it is something I would consider.
Now I just need a nice coal stove (not the bucket a day I'm playing with).
I been looking on CL to find one - sometimes they have a decent posting..but then timing isnt good for me money wise.

Anyways...coal is definitely on my radar.
I dont like paying money to countries 6k miles away that hate us.

Oh and to my buddy that I stole that small sears stove from...I aint giving it back quite yet - I aint done

-John