Blaschak / Reading / ??????

I've spent the last week trying all the coal "brands" I can find around my area. Blaschak, Reading and "Mystery Coal" from one of the local retailers. I burned 100 pounds of each and really just observed the ash and burn temps. I didn't notice any real differences in the burn temps at what appeared to be similar "burns" but there were significant differences in the ash and fly ash produced. The Reading and the "Mystery Coal" (which I think is just Reading) seemed to burn about the same with the same ash and similar fly ash buildup on the glass, etc. Ash was mostly tan in color. The Blaschak was different. First of all it it was slightly larger pieces than the other coal. This may sound weird, but it "sounded" different than the other coal when I scooped it and dumped it in the hopper. It sounded like it was "ceramic" or glass where the other coal sounded more "dead"...does that make any sense at all? The ash was much more red than the other coal and there was less unburnt coal in the pan. The flyash seemed about the same, easily cleaned off the glass with a wet paper towel. The first coal I had was 150 pounds of this stuff from a dealer in Ovid, NY... a buddy loaned me a few bags to get started. I did not like this coal as compared to the others. Lots more ash (tan), flyash was a pain to get off the glass, etc.

I know this isn't very scientific, but from my observations, I think I'm going to go get 500 pounds of the Blaschak to burn. Seemed to me to be the best of the bunch. I suppose that each bag of even the same bag could have different characteristics depending on how it's blended and where it came from. Correct or not?

Thanks

av8r wrote:This may sound weird, but it "sounded" different than the other coal when I scooped it and dumped it in the hopper. It sounded like it was "ceramic" or glass where the other coal sounded more "dead"...does that make any sense at all?

Thats what good coal sounds like.

coaledsweat wrote:

av8r wrote:This may sound weird, but it "sounded" different than the other coal when I scooped it and dumped it in the hopper. It sounded like it was "ceramic" or glass where the other coal sounded more "dead"...does that make any sense at all?

Thats what good coal sounds like.

I learned something today...Thanks!

If it aint glass it aint *censored*! The good stuff will make a tinkling sound as you shovel it, ahhhhhhhhhhh sweet music.

Rocks don't sound like that.

av
for what its worth the guy in Ovid sells Blaschak. he buys it in bulk and bags it himself. I've been burning that coal exclusively, your sure right about the flyash on the window ,I've about given up on cleaning it.

regards

I learned something this weekend also, I wanted to get a half ton a Reading to see how it burned but Readings breaker ain’t open on Sat . So *censored* it, I headed over to good Ole Blaschak and backed up along the chutes pulled up to the one fer Pea and by the time I opened the door I had 3 quarter ton on so took a quick look at it gave a nod of approval and a wave then headed fer the scale .
Now Blaschak may ship that coal all around the U.S. and it a pretty good sized outfit but it is still a family run Business the guy that leans out the window at the chutes and the gal in the scale house are the same folks that have been there for as long as I've been going there, she knows her coal and she stands there stare'in out the window at my pick up looks at me and asks if its Buckwheat I tell her no its Pea, she laughs and explains to me that they just replaced the sizing screens and it's gona take a while fer her ta get used to it . Now she got me going I go out and look at it and Damn it is small so I get out a Quarter to do some measuring but the Damn stuff is right on the money so to speak . So what I learned is the coal tends to slowly change size over time by wearing at the screens makes sense but I never thought about it before . Also its not that this is small it’s that the other stuff was bigger .
Burns nice as always, ashes look a tad bit more reddish than the last batch I got, kicks a lot'a heat . Might be the last I get this year I got a pretty good supply now . Heard the Cold's coming back this weekend

Av8r, if you have to buy commercially bagged coal instead of bulk, Blaschak is good stuff. I wouldn't buy Reading... too much junk in the baggs. I prefer the less expensive method of buying bulk and if bagged is needed then bag it myself. MUCH cheaper...

Some truely excellent coal is available for around $130-140/ton bulk at the breakers [for now] and getting some used feed bags and making a 'bag-O-matic' to bag it yourself is virtually free, Just some work...

Considering the cost of commercially bagged coal, I make about $75/hour bagging my coal.

Note: I no longer use bagged coal, I'm strickly a bulk-by-the-truckload guy now.

If you get a chance go visit Matthaus and buy a few bags of His Buck from Superior and see what you think, I would be interested in a bag-to-bag comparisson.

Greg

cosmo wrote:av
for what its worth the guy in Ovid sells Blaschak. he buys it in bulk and bags it himself. I've been burning that coal exclusively, your sure right about the flyash on the window ,I've about given up on cleaning it.

regards

No kidding! I guess even buying from the same broker you can get different coal depending on where they got it.

It all burns, but I can't help running little experiments

LsFarm wrote:If you get a chance go visit Matthaus and buy a few bags of His Buck from Superior and see what you think, I would be interested in a bag-to-bag comparison.
Greg

I wonder can I burn buck in my LL stoker? Thought Jerry said 30% mix with rice, no?

av8r wrote:I wonder can I burn buck in my LL stoker? Thought Jerry said 30% mix with rice, no?

Here is what Jerry had to say.

By: Leisure Line On: Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:51 pm

Hi Don,
You can burn a mix of about 30% buck with rice. I think if you look at the UL tag it states rice coal only. If you went with buck, there's no fear of a hopper fire, but you would need to recalculate the min/max.
Jer

LsFarm wrote:Some truely excellent coal is available for around $130-140/ton bulk at the breakers [for now] and getting some used feed bags and making a 'bag-O-matic' to bag it yourself is virtually free, Just some work...

What exactly are you referring to as a Bag-o-matic? I've bagged a few tons of coal myself and just shoveled it into bags. It takes some fuss to keep the bags open when doing it yourself though. I was going to cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and place that in the bags but it was a little too big.

mufwapo wrote:...I was going to cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and place that in the bags but it was a little too big.

That is a bag-o-matic, as Greg said if you don't have bags to fit, pick up some empty 50# feed bags they work perfectly.

The Bag-O-matic is exactly what you describe, but it isn't too big for my reclaimed feed bags... some are a little tight, but fit. Try a regular 2 gallon bucket. Just shoveling coal into a bag that wants to close or flop over etc. is a real pain. The five gallon bucket stands up for filling.

Greg L.

av8r wrote:

LsFarm wrote:If you get a chance go visit Matthaus and buy a few bags of His Buck from Superior and see what you think, I would be interested in a bag-to-bag comparison.
Greg

I wonder can I burn buck in my LL stoker? Thought Jerry said 30% mix with rice, no?

The design of the LL is not that different from the Alaskas I burn Buck in, My feeling is it is OK but I would give Karen or Jerry a call and confirm. The buck seems to be less dusty, burns hotter and is easier to burn well at low settings. AS suggested by others you will have to change the min and max, so from that perspective is a hassle.

Let me know if you want some, I'll even give you a free sample (to get you hooked ).

av8tor

west of you in waverly,ny/sayre,pa bishops fuel has summit coal. found them loading a tractor trailer with bulk when i was at the summit breaker with coalberner. i havent talked locally hear in towanda. i was kinda wondering if they are bagging there own coal and selling it in Ulster pa truevalue and fairchilds truevalue in towanda..... maybe Horns... in the valley. I dont know if you can pick up directly in sayre or not..... havent been up to ulster yet to talk to the brothers on how they are doing there coal... will find out later.....