Iron Fireman for Ky Coal?

Maybe just try to find a boiler to copy..........

On page two, near the bottom of the page are several photos of the inside of the waterjacket area of an EFM boiler.

If you can creat the bent tubes to make the 'comb' type heat exchanger you will have a very good boiler.

Read this thread at least 5 times Chris already did what you're wanting to do,, Let his experience and expertice guide you on your project.


Link: EFM = Electric Fireman (new project alert)


Greg L

So, With those comb style, how does the chimney pipe factor in? I take it there's no firetubes then? The pictures don't show that....

FWIW, I was in the process of reading through that thread...

If I can dig out my EFM boiler I'll try to get you some photos.

Those photos are of the inside of the boiler vessel

The chimney pipe/flue is part of the base. Look in the EFM section of this forum.. you should find lots of phtos to orient you with the
addtional photos from the project that Chris completed.

Greg L

OK. The guy that I found with that $200 Iron Fireman dropped off the planet. I talked to him a few times, then he just quit answering my phone calls....

BUT, I found a unit in Southern Illinois for $600. Comes with a forced air furnace. Owners father bought it in 1967 brand new. Been in the family ever since. Comes with an extra auger, gearbox, and blower. Owner says the sheet metal is in excellent shape (pictures I've seen look good)

Sound like a fair price? I'm thinking, depending on how the furnace is made, maybe just using that as a start to a boiler vessel.... If nothing else, I can cut the front off it and use it on the boiler I build so that I don't have to design doors and what not from scratch........

If you all think it sounds good; I'll be jumping on it next weekend. I've got a ton of KY Stoker coal in the bed of my truck as we speak.

That's a DEAL !! the extra parts make it a super deal!

I think you 'l find that you will need to build a strong base to support the very heavy boiler, the furnace will probably be made from
.100" metal at best, and you need .250+ for a pressurized boiler.

BUT don't let that stoker get away!!

Greg L

deerefanatic wrote:(pictures I've seen look good)

Could you post photos of it?

These are the photos from the craigslist add. The gentleman is supposed to be getting me more pictures soon. It's now apart from the furnace. He had to disassemble it to get it out of his garage. Ready for transport. Looking like I'll be going down for it next saturday... Here's hoping.

Looks really clean to me.

Quick question. What's everybody's thoughts on making a rotating burn ring around the pot on the Iron Fireman and letting the ash fall into a drawer vs the whole clinker thing.... Kinda like Mikes Supply did on their EFM Bituminous conversion.. I know I'd have to have a different motor to drive the ring... but 3 phase gear reduction motors aren't that expensive and then I could use a VFD to control speed.. Seems like the burn ring on the one that Marks Supply did only made a full rotation every couple of minutes.....

The more complicated a devise becomes the less reliable it becomes.

I understand that. But Prill and some others have had good success with rotating burnheads. Just wondering if the Ky coal will work well in that arrangement.

To have that work you will have to watch the ash fusion temp of the coal you get. When dad had a coal boiler in the farmhouse sometimes he would have to put glass in the firebox to get the ash to clinker so it could be pulled out. What you will have to do to keep it from clinkering would be to play with the air entering the fire every time you get coal with a lower AFT.

Even if it starts to clinker, wouldn't the constant rotating action of the burn head keep the small bits knocked apart and off into the ash pan? Maybe not... Maybe just a big huge mess?

Untill you try burning your area's available coal, you wion't knwo what will be the best setup.

I had some 'mystery' Bit coal, the would make the most amazing 'coke trees' they would grow out of the firepot 12-16" then fall over, Taking the fire attached to the base of the 'tree' with it.. and the fire was out, but the stoker kept stoking,, so the ashpan filled with fesh coal..

With this type of coal, you need a lot of reflectors in the fire chamber to reflect the heat back into the fire, burning the coke, and you need a deep pile of ash around the firepot to let the coke tree fall over onto, so it won't take the fire out of the pot.. This type of coal would clinker well if the ash and firepot was just right.

There are other Bit coals that burn like anthracite but better, very little ash, and no coke trees or clinkers.. but, getting that coal to your location can be a problem..

The beauty of anthracite is that while there are some differences, it basicly burns the same. and it is easier to make a stoker burn any Anth. coal.

If you are going to burn Bit, plan on wanting to make clinkers and removing them every day. make a flat refractory area around the firepot
for the ash to collect on and get melted to clinkers for easy removal.

Greg L