Ran Out of Coal Early This Year

Carbon12 wrote:Yup everyone I tell about my burning coal are like, really, people still do that??? They don't believe how little I spend to keep my house truly warm. We have friends that are heating there new house for the first time. They have a heat pump with electric back up,.....ouch! He wants to put in propane. I've offered to help him put in coal. He's not at all interested. He currently has some sort of off peak hour electric hot water system to provide help to the heat pump. That system would be perfect converted to a small coal boiler!

Your friend could do well to listen to you. He can put in propane for cooking and hot water, etc, but if he has half a brain he should listen to you for a coal installation!

Hambden Bob wrote:Here's hoping that Wonderful 1930's/1940's Kitchen Helper in your Avatar comes with that Dreamshot Cooking Stove! Those Girls always struck me with their Elegance and Stunning Style!

Haha she does ! It's my wife .

Although she isn't as enthusiastic about a cool stove as I am there are a few things that are a one way decision like me getting my Dog , owning a lot of antique vehicles and a cook stove. Everything else is negotiable but not those lol.

But I have always loved that era and how they portrayed women! I mean that was the ultimate picture perfect woman ! I don't know what they are thinking these days but a pinup girl of old is still very sexy !

VigIIPeaBurner wrote:

Smokeyja wrote: I thought the tailgate would come off easier than it does because I didn't bring the torx tools to take it off .

Isn't there keyhole shaped eyelets on the end of the cables that slip over the body mounted studs? The studs have torx drive on them but the keyhole eyelet slips over the stud's head once the flat spring retainer is pushed out so the eyelet can clear the stud.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0aQ28Frw91s

I was stupid and forgot how to take a truck tailgate off . I haven't done it in so many years . There is always one pin holder that the gate pivots on that you can pivot the tailgate out with. And of course I did remember how to get the cables off . Getting older I guess and my brain is pushing information out lol.

Next time I shall be prepared .

davidmcbeth3 wrote:I see the boss in the pic .... no sudden stops now

Yup her and the little boy were with me . She says she has to close her eyes when I drive in traffic. I get rather irritated in traffic and especially in a truck with a manual six speed .

jjs777_fzr wrote:

Smokeyja wrote:So I ran out of coal this past Thursday. Usually I can make it through the winter on one pallet but it looks like it's gonna be a two pallet thing from now on . Which is about 2400lbs I believe .
A 2008 F250 superduty 4x4 6 speed manual (real transmission )
Now I just need to buy a trailer to hold a few pallets then we would be in business .
Josh

Quote above edited for space.

If the pallet holds 40 bags @ 50lbs per bag then you're at 2000lbs (short ton).
If the pallet holds 56 bags @40lbs per bag then you're at 2240lbs (long ton).
So two pallets of either of the above would be at least 2 tons or more.

A trailer would have to be fairly decent to hold 2 tons (4000lbs) of cargo - so you'd probably be looking at a tandem axle trailer.

Ha! F250 ? I was looking at used ones online last week. Really like the look of the 250's.

Since there's alot of available options on the F250 - you could determine what the weight of the truck is by driving it on weigh scale (like recycling/refuse places have or drag racing venues) and then minus the actual truck weight from the GVWR rating on your door decal. The difference is your payload capacity. (Assuming you didn't want to assume how much the truck could safely carry). So if the truck weighed 5000lbs and the gvwr was 7900 then your payload capacity is 2900lbs or about 900 lbs more than a short ton.

Gone are the days of calling a truck a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton or 1 ton.

I believe it is an even 60 bags on the pallet it wasn't a ton or a long ton . Guess they just chose an even number . That's where I get the 2400lbs from. I am trying to find my ticket so I can see if it was on there . It is a long ton or more for sure though.

I did do the calculation on GVWR and curb weight giving me a actual payload of 2908 . Ford gives a max 2800 lbs payload . Of course those are the ratings given from ford . Actual weight I'm sure will differ and especially having my wife and child the payload went down a little .

9000 GVWR and 6092 curb weight . The payload on my 250 is 900lbs less than that of a 2wd f250 because of the 4x4 components.

The trailers I'm looking at will be able to hold my tow capacity . I'm looking at over the axle dual axle trailers capable of holding large heavy equipment . I can always borrow my neighbors for the time being . My current trailer axle is rated only for something like 1800lbs . I have an obsession with vehicles so an old dump truck is always in my back of my mind . Thinking ahead at stock piling a lot of bit coal for my blacksmithing and heating if need be .

I actually tried to research the meaning of truck numbers and so on. It's all a game it seems and they all started adding zeros to sale more . Used to be a ford was F1 F2 F3 F4
But the numbers never meant the weight they could carry. So weird .

I am in love with this F250 btw . If you are looking for one I would seriously recommend it over any of the other brands . I'm not a diesel but either so I appreciate the 5.4 gas motor.

DennisH wrote:One thing this winter has taught me is that when you prepare for the worst (stockpile coal) people laugh at you. When the worst does happen, like the cold this winter, all of the sudden you're a genius. I'm the only coal burner in my area, so while most others are scrambling for more firewood (because they didn't put up enough for even a "mild" winter) or paying out the a** for propane or heating oil, I just quietly shovel more on the fire and enjoy the warmth. I've had a LOT of locals asking me about burning coal, so maybe this year will be a lesson in thinking about alternatives to what they've always done before.

I really want to stock pile . If I had my way I would bring in a tractor trailer full of pallets and store them on my property. I have the space for a lot ! What kept me from buying two pallets in 2013 was money. I just didn't have the money. I have a lot of cut hard word so I was prepared for the winter and even though I ran out of coal we did not go cold . I just starting chucking in oak and hickory instead and it gets us by just fine. Sure isn't convenient like coal but it's free and I have years worth. But we had the money so I bought another pallet.

I think it's funny when the news was urging folks to conserve energy and turn down their thermostats ... Hahah I always have to laugh because I keep my house what ever temp I want! Can't same the same for the summer as we have no AC . Just one window unit in the bedroom I forced myself to put in last year .

But rest assure that when I have some extra cash I'm gonna get as much coal delivered as I can afford .

Carbon12 wrote:Yup everyone I tell about my burning coal are like, really, people still do that??? They don't believe how little I spend to keep my house truly warm. We have friends that are heating there new house for the first time. They have a heat pump with electric back up,.....ouch! He wants to put in propane. I've offered to help him put in coal. He's not at all interested. He currently has some sort of off peak hour electric hot water system to provide help to the heat pump. That system would be perfect converted to a small coal boiler!

What is it with people and propane or NG ... It stinks, it's expensive and the BTUs are way less per volume than even wood.

Not to mention how dangerous it is. Growing up I've had 3 houses explode on either NG or propane . Not small explosions either , like the house is gone explosions and debris is miles away. I refuse to even cool on a gas stove . I do have a gas grill but that was given to me by my folks and I have a forge that runs on propane but that's only because I haven't built my coal forge lol.

whistlenut wrote:Nice update, Josh! Hey, you can rent a UHaul dual axle trailer with surge brakes for short money. That would allow a couple pallets more....and one in the truck. It will be interesting to see how much additional fuel we all used this winter season, but we can be thankful it was not Oil or ProPain. I sure see a lot of condensing boilers when I enter homes and businesses these days. Wait until they have out of warranty repairs to do. Burning wood will probably be their back-up plan. Good to hear from you and glad the work status is a smile in your favor.

Hey, Fred has even grabbed some Santa Coal out there on the hill.......now that is a statement!.

Hey C-12, I was fueling up at 4 pm yesterday and had the trailer on with 3 tons of buck (one ton sacks) and the guy behind me said the same thing....It ain't Christmas, so there is no need to stock up.
I enlightened him and he said he had never heard of that. He said coal went the way of the Dodo birds. OK Homer, I replied, see you over at the VERNON NUKE plant............

Thanks for the tip on the uhaul ! I could always do that if need be . I just might do that if I can't get a hold of my neighbors trailer next year. Wonder if anyone rents a dump trailer because I've been meaning to make my way to WV for down cheap but coal as well .
Yes work has picked up even though it's slow for a lot of folks this time of year. That means that spring is going to kill me with work! It's millwright season! Never thought if go union but I have to say I'm very happy with it and how my local functions .

Some people I tell you! Man if people only new how coal revolutionized the world! I want to stock pile on coal for metal working purposes when the sh*t hits the fan! If there's no electricity there will be no welding well I can has weld but if there is no electricity the plants can't produce the has I need to weld that means I'll be the one people call to to FORGE WELD and rivet primitive machinery . That's the only true self sufficient metal working source . Bit coal !