They tried moving it in plastic trash bags but the nut sized coal ripped right through the bags so they stopped with two big bags worth. They got it to the church where we were holding an indoor flea market and we unloaded it to the sidewalk. I went home and got buckets and reloaded the coal into six five gallon buckets. I asked them how much more there was to which they replied "After seeing how much goes in a bucket, there is a LOT left."
The coal varies in size between nut and stove and is really dirty and it might just be soft coal. I won't know until I chuck some in the bucket a day and see what happens. It won't get used in my LL Econo 1 stoker for sure but it will get used in the bucket a day coal fired water heater. Since I only use about two buckets a month for heating water for my wife and I this coal should last us about over a year. I have some sizing screens so I'll wash it in the corner of the backyard and see what I have after that.
Now I can really get serious about hooking up the little bucket a day into the hot water heat system in the house via a plate type heat exchanger for supplying both hot water and some heat for the shoulder months. All with free coal that they will transport for me when I supply them with buckets. They said they have to clean it out and it might as well go to someone who can use it. They were concerned about how they were going to get it out and what they were going to do with the stuff, as they put it. They can put the "stuff" right into my buckets, set it on the sidewalk and I'll come get it.
So far this little bucket a day has burned up everything I shove into it that has BTU value. Even if it turns out to be low quality junky coal, the price is right. I love unexplored basement mines!!!
Rev. Larry
