BIG Chunk in New Batch of Blaschak Rice

Post Reply
 
User avatar
europachris
Member
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sat. Dec. 09, 2006 5:54 pm
Location: N. Central Illinois

Post by europachris » Fri. Feb. 01, 2008 8:42 pm

I was scraping down the sides of the hopper to fill the hole over the pusher and found this "little" gem of a chunk floating around in there. Good thing I saw it or I'd have had a jam.

I notice this new batch of Blaschak rice is extremely wet, to the point of leaving large black puddles in the back of my Jetta TDI wagon when I brought a dozen bags home, and it really is sopping when I pour it into the hopper.

On the flip side, it seems to respond quicker than the last batch of Blaschak (bagged over a year ago at least) to the call for heat, and it produces a lot less residue on the glass. It also has much less of that "coal" odor when burning. Ash production seems to be similar, but there maybe are more bits of shale that appear to be partially or unburnt coal.

I'm still very happy with the way it burns, just making some observations. Now I'm going to toss this big chunk on the fire and let it burn - or should I save it for a stocking stuffer next year at Christmas???? :twisted:

 
lincolnmania
Member
Posts: 2681
Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Birdsboro PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: reading allegheny stoker
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: alaska kodiak stoker 1986. 1987 triburner, 1987 crane diamond
Coal Size/Type: rice

Post by lincolnmania » Fri. Feb. 01, 2008 8:54 pm

you call that a chunk lol? that would actually feed thru my efm.....the auger would chew it up......you got a cam drive don't you?
found this one and a bunch of others that are long since ash up in the woods up by newtown falls.....i'll bet it fell off the wagon 100 yrs ago lol

Attachments

DSCF2312.JPG
.JPG | 116.1KB | DSCF2312.JPG

 
ken
Member
Posts: 1259
Joined: Sat. Apr. 21, 2007 11:35 pm
Location: thompson , ohio

Post by ken » Fri. Feb. 01, 2008 11:27 pm

i never had one that big. :shock: when I mix the coal around in the hopper to get the wet stuff off the sides , I have found some nice size pcs. probaly would jammed things up. every once in awhile I hear some crunching going on in there. :D if I see a big pc I takem out and throw them in a coffee can. then later in the fire.


 
User avatar
Richard S.
Mayor
Posts: 15123
Joined: Fri. Oct. 01, 2004 8:35 pm
Location: NEPA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite

Post by Richard S. » Sat. Feb. 02, 2008 1:42 am

If you put a mesh screen over the hopper you can "filter" them out, might create some more dust... You should not have pieces like that but the fact is it's unavoidable. Too many places for it to get accidentally mixed in. That particular piece due to its roundness suggest it was tumbling around in piece a machinery for a while.

 
User avatar
europachris
Member
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sat. Dec. 09, 2006 5:54 pm
Location: N. Central Illinois

Post by europachris » Sat. Feb. 02, 2008 8:38 am

Richard S. wrote:If you put a mesh screen over the hopper you can "filter" them out, might create some more dust... You should not have pieces like that but the fact is it's unavoidable. Too many places for it to get accidentally mixed in. That particular piece due to its roundness suggest it was tumbling around in piece a machinery for a while.
That's what I thought when I saw it, it was pretty smooth for a piece of anthracite. This is the first piece I've found that was even remotely out of spec. in my Blaschak, so I'm not too concerned. Probably would have been crunched up in the stoker and I'd have never known about it.

Now, Lincolnmania's chunk....that's a whole 'nuther matter! I hope to never find THAT in a bag of rice, :shock:

 
Hammer8
Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 7:54 pm
Location: Hartford, WI

Post by Hammer8 » Sun. Feb. 03, 2008 8:25 am

I had a little smaller chunk in a bag of mine last week. At first I was thinking maybe they had a hole worn in the screen, but you're probably right about it being stuck in the bagging line. As a matter of fact, when I was unloading the pallet, I remember seeing 3 or 4 bags having rice coal in them, but marked pea. Must have been the first batch after they switches sizes.

I noticed the wetness also after having having a long black streak down my leg bringing a thawed bag inside. Good thing I was still in work clothes. I've been leaving the bags open by the stove for a day or two and then dumping the coal between some 5 gal. buckets leaving another day or so for more drying. It's not totally dry going into the hopper, but better than right out of the bag.


 
User avatar
europachris
Member
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sat. Dec. 09, 2006 5:54 pm
Location: N. Central Illinois

Post by europachris » Sun. Feb. 03, 2008 8:53 am

Hammer8 wrote:I had a little smaller chunk in a bag of mine last week. At first I was thinking maybe they had a hole worn in the screen, but you're probably right about it being stuck in the bagging line. As a matter of fact, when I was unloading the pallet, I remember seeing 3 or 4 bags having rice coal in them, but marked pea. Must have been the first batch after they switches sizes
Hey, Hammer 8 - I see you're in Hartford! I lived 10 years in West Bend before we moved down here. My wife's family is from Newburg. In fact, she's up there visiting today with our son, Nathan.

Where did you buy your stove and where are you getting your coal? I get my coal in Rockford from a stove shop that carries Harman coal stoves (they have a DVC-500 and a Magnum), along with all the usual pellet, corn, and wood stoves.

Chris

 
Hammer8
Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 7:54 pm
Location: Hartford, WI

Post by Hammer8 » Sun. Feb. 03, 2008 10:02 am

Hey there Chris! I'm originally from PA coal region (Schuylkill County), so I had the stove when I moved out here 2 years ago, but just started burning it again this year. I've been getting coal from the same place as you in Rockford. Kind of a long haul from here, but I can't find anywhere closer. There is a Reading stove/bagged coal dealer up by Ripon, but he only deals part time and seems more interested in selling coal to existing customers than supplying new. I'm seriously thinking about buying a trailer load of bagged this summer. Still need to to come up with some hauling rates, etc to see if it would be worth it. Going from bulk price at the breaker to bagged price out here was quite a shock.
I'll have to take a look at the DVC-500 next time I get down to Rockford. I have the Alaska set up right now in my garage, but would like something for the basement. It was finished when we moved in, and the old Kodiak seems a little too industrial for there. If I go with the full load of bags, I'll go with the stove downstairs also. Right now it isn't cost effective (price of coal + distance and cost to pick it up vs. price of natural gas) to try to help with heating the house with coal. It would be nice, but not practical.
Don

 
User avatar
europachris
Member
Posts: 1017
Joined: Sat. Dec. 09, 2006 5:54 pm
Location: N. Central Illinois

Post by europachris » Sun. Feb. 03, 2008 10:50 am

I'm in the exact same boat as you - current price of coal out here vs. the current price of natural gas. At current rates, I'm maybe just breaking even with the stove, which is in the media room in the finished basement. However, having a warm basement is certainly very nice. I could open up the heat vents down there, but I'd rather run the stove.

My problem is that there is no place near the furnace to get a vent outside without butchering the house up pretty badly, otherwise I'd install a KAA-2 Keystoker boiler and add a coil to my existing "furnasty". I grew up with electric baseboard in the 70's, then had steam or hot water (East coast) for many years, so I really hate hot air.

I talked with the dealer quite a bit, and he mentioned he's not making much money on the coal sales with the transportation cost to get it all the way out here. I don't know if we went direct that we'd save all that much. It's convenient for me as I just drive over on a Saturday and pick up a dozen or so bags. For you, not so much!

 
Hammer8
Member
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat. Jan. 05, 2008 7:54 pm
Location: Hartford, WI

Post by Hammer8 » Sun. Feb. 03, 2008 9:24 pm

Hammer8 wrote:
I talked with the dealer quite a bit, and he mentioned he's not making much money on the coal sales with the transportation cost to get it all the way out here. I don't know if we went direct that we'd save all that much.
Most likely, you're right. After looking around more on other threads on this site the price for bag coal really doesn't change all that much from east coast to here. Matter of fact one place (New England I think) was $8/bag, so I guess prices really could be worse out here. Even buying in quantity, transportation costs would even it out, and I really don't need a 8+ year supply at the house. Have you ever found a dealer anywhere close out here dealing in bulk coal? I have a 1 ton pickup, so hauling isn't a big deal for me.

Funny you mentioned your family going to visit in Newburg. I didn't think of it until later, but my wife and I looked at a house there before deciding on the one we bought in Hartford. Might have been neighbors with your in-laws!!

Post Reply

Return to “Coal News & General Coal Discussions”