Blaschak vs. ?

Ok, might not be the right forum for this question but I know that I'll get a ton of feedback...

I've been burning Anth for months now and have gotten most of it in the town that I work in. It's branded by the local, guy that sells it, seems to burn ok, is shiny black like black glass.

From time to time I've gotten coal in the town that I live in, it's clearly Blaschak (the Santa coal). Blaschak isn't nearly as shiny as this other stuff that I've been buying, it's a buck more a bag but seems to burn a lot longer. I typically run through 80 pounds of the other stuff a day when we're down between the 30s and 20s, about twice that when we're around 0 but with the Blaschak I seem to only kill a bag and a half a day instead of 2 a day with comparable temps.

So... what gives, what's the difference between the two and why does one seem to last longer. May be a total noob question but it's still making me scratch my head.

You can't judge a book by its cover, and just because some coal is dull or dusty doesn't mean it won't burn well. The Santa coal might have a little more "kick"...but don't write off your other supplier. Next season he might have the better product (just saying that because coal is a variable product).

Oh I'm fine buying either one and honestly the town that I work in is pretty small and the economy is much worse than where I live so I tend to throw the guys around here as much business as I can. I know that ever little bit helps them and since I work here I'll spread the wealth. Just didn't know what the difference would be. At 6 bucks for the shiny stuff and 7 bucks a bag for the Blaschak I'm good either way.

I've been burning UAE nut(8 ton) the last 2 yrs, and just picked up 600 lbs of blaschak,300 lb nut and 300 lb stove size. I mixed 50%/50% and now 100% stove and not finished experimenting yet.The blaschak is white ash and seems to have good heat and the ash content is more than UAE,but not all that much more.
I've burned STCP the first year(4 ton) and each seperate load was completly different,burned different,lots of ash with rocks and shale.
I can't comment too much since i'm only testing the Blaschak for next year,but most people seem to like it.

I haven't found any trash in what I've been buying, the occasional small stick but nothing that won't burn. My stove gets pretty hot sometimes so I do have a fair amount of clinkers but I don't notice more with one brand than the other. Both put out good heat and I'm satisfied with both. Headed over to pick a few bags up after work tonight to take me to Friday night when I'll pick more up.

I would have bought in bulk but I had intended on burning wood only this winter, discovered the joys of coal too late in the season to plan for a bulk buy.

mudnut wrote:..................
I would have bought in bulk but I had intended on burning wood only this winter, discovered the joys of coal too late in the season to plan for a bulk buy.

You watch you language around here. We don't take too kindly to anyone discouraging bulk buys !!!!

Seriously it doesn't matter when you buy bulk. It will not go bad, it will not lose its punch, it just lays there on a pile.........

My dad always plans a bulk delivery in the coldest part of the year. To get to his bin, you drive across some loose soil/gravel mix. So he wants the ground frozen before the truck pulls up with 4 ton on the back. We get ours at home whenever we need it, although we do try to avoid any wet time since they drive across the lawn to shoot it through the window into the basement bin.

And if you get a load now, you will already have some when you decide to fire up next season.

If you got the cash, get it now.



Rick

"If you got the cash, get it now."

Yeah there in lies the issue, budgeted for wood and not enough of that LOL. Believe me next fall I'll have enough wood and coal for the season, pallets or loose if I end up building a coal bin. 10 to 20 bags at a time this season. It's our first year in this house so I wasn't sure what to expect.