Coal Hole Teaser ?

Anyone create a contraption that moves the coal around a bit to fill in the coal hole made after several hrs? Came home from work, a good 120 lbs (~14" high) was in the hoppa with a coal hole just about 5-6" from the bottom hole.

This rice is bone dry so wetness is not the issue, I'm sure this is shared by a lot of stoves regardless of make.

Maybe your idea is patentable !!

Comments from the sage all knowing ?

By the way, I love my Pocono! Great (BIG) ash pan!

I keep a piece of wood that is about 3/4 x 3 x 9 by the stove.
I just move the corners toward the center. If I'm loading coal
anyway, I just pour into the hole. My coal is also dry as dust.

Steal the wifes vibrater and duct tape it to the hopper.

Make a piece of angled sheet metal to force the coal towards the feeder.

I did this on my keystoker, it helps a little, but the angle needs to be more, but you get the concept. Yes, you loose a bit of space, but works for me.

Coal hopper modification

ken wrote:Steal the wifes vibrater and duct tape it to the hopper.

That's the first thing that came into my twisted mind as well

Of course - we know I don't fuel with coal -- so my material is lighter.

That written ---- I recently began to blend pellets made from waste paper,into the fuel. Just like the big coal plants or Wisconsin Going Green

Ya Right -- there were cheep - that's the reason.

With that mix came fuel bridging above the appliance hopper fall out --

So I bought a 1rpm motor from Grainger -- attached it as close to the bottom of the hopper as would fit - made a 8 inch shaft to fit on - attached two 10x24 2-1/2 inch long machine screws 2 and 3 inches from the near end and two 1 inch further up

WaLA -- no more drama.

In fact I just did this last night -- sorry no pics -- I was too busy getting it done while I listened to the NG back up boiler firing.

To make sure the primary control of the feed augers wasn't over loaded - I placed a IceCube relay in line that I had laying around -- Nothing better than the feeling of accomplishment after a few crappy life days. Spent about 100.00 bucks - the amount I figured I saved - so far - burning the paper. So its a wash for now- but now I can confidently go get more paper.

I have been thinking of that. I would like to get a steel rod that is twisted like a cork screw and attach it to a small motor mounted to the hopper. put it on a timer maybe to turn ever 2 hrs or so. It would have to be a hefty little motor though i needs to be mounted close to the bottom and there will be quite a bit of weight on the rod. I would also have to beef up the sides of the hopper with a scab patch in that area to handle the torque. what use is a 200 lb hopper if we can only use 100 lbs. not to mention i only bur 1 side of my HYFIRE II most of the time.

it really doesn't take much to break a fuel bridge and keep the material flowing.

This is what I used and its working perfectly

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1LNG2

With 50 lbs of rating for over hung weight and 100 inch lbs of tork, the long pins I have on the 8 inch shaft stirring my light fuel doesn't even load it. In your dense fuel - if you simply slipped a collar onto the short shaft as it penetrates the bin ( as low as you can fit it) - and lock that collar on with like a 1-1/4 common bolt -- that bolt revolving, will set up enough of an "earth quake" undulation in the bin to keep the fuel falling.

Thanks that sounds like it will work great. I have that project somewhere on my list of things to do.