Poking
-
- Member
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 17, 2007 12:55 pm
- Location: Central New England
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
Anyone poke their stoves on a regular basis? I usually poke my Hitzer when it builds up some dead ash in the corners. Started poking the whole bed lately and seems to burn much better and of course no ash build up in the corners. Do you poke before or after shaking? I do it before.
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30292
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
I might poke corners once a month--works well for me. PS---before also
- Sunny Boy
- Member
- Posts: 25517
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: Central NY
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
- Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
- Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace
Pheww ...... I thought Fred was sure gonna take this thread in another direction.
Well, with a rectangular firebox and coal that varies in size, I gotta work ash from at least one of the four corners each day.
Paul
Well, with a rectangular firebox and coal that varies in size, I gotta work ash from at least one of the four corners each day.
Paul
- 2001Sierra
- Member
- Posts: 2211
- Joined: Wed. May. 20, 2009 8:09 am
- Location: Wynantskill NY, 10 miles from Albany
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90 Chimney vent
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Other Heating: Buderus Oil Boiler 3115-34
I always poked my old Buderus after shaking. The fact poking has positive results makes it right. I had a shaker grate that was prone to dead spots on the sides, or really ends of the fire.
- freetown fred
- Member
- Posts: 30292
- Joined: Thu. Dec. 31, 2009 12:33 pm
- Location: Freetown,NY 13803
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: HITZER 50-93
- Coal Size/Type: BLASCHAK Nut
Don't think for a second I wasn't tempted! This is the fine tunin where whatever works best for each individual stove is surely the route to stick with.
Sunny Boy wrote:Pheww ...... I thought Fred was sure gonna take this thread in another direction.
Well, with a rectangular firebox and coal that varies in size, I gotta work ash from at least one of the four corners each day.
Paul
- johnjoseph
- Member
- Posts: 9299
- Joined: Mon. Sep. 15, 2014 6:05 pm
- Location: Aroostook County, Maine
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KA-6
- Other Heating: pellet stove, oil boiler
I poke my dishwasher regularly. ..does that count.freetown fred wrote:Don't think for a second I wasn't tempted! This is the fine tunin where whatever works best for each individual stove is surely the route to stick with.Sunny Boy wrote:Pheww ...... I thought Fred was sure gonna take this thread in another direction.
Well, with a rectangular firebox and coal that varies in size, I gotta work ash from at least one of the four corners each day.
Paul
- Sunny Boy
- Member
- Posts: 25517
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
- Location: Central NY
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
- Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
- Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace
Well, there goes our "PG-13" rating.johnjoseph wrote:I poke my dishwasher regularly. ..does that count.freetown fred wrote:Don't think for a second I wasn't tempted! This is the fine tunin where whatever works best for each individual stove is surely the route to stick with.
Paul
- oliver power
- Member
- Posts: 2970
- Joined: Sun. Apr. 16, 2006 9:28 am
- Location: Near Dansville, NY
- Stoker Coal Boiler: KEYSTOKER Kaa-2
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93 & 30-95, Vigilant (pre-2310), D.S. 1600 Circulator, Hitzer 254
I poke when needed. For optimal performance, I poke daily. For shoulder months, I poke less. I've poked before shaking, and after shaking. If poking after shaking, I shake again. Both ways work. However, If I poke, then shake, the fly ash is like a dense fog, covering the glass. If I shake first, most of the ash goes into the ash pan. The glass stays cleaner, longer.
- windyhill4.2
- Member
- Posts: 6072
- Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
- Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
- Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
I poke & slice from below,only. I shake the grates first & then poke/slice as needed to get the glow evenly across all the grates.
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1690
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
I have two names for my twice daily routine (twice during colder months, once during shoulder months). "Poke and Stoke" or the old "Shake and Rake". I shake first then poke//rake to clear the corners and then usually one rake down the middle once a day.
- davidmcbeth3
- Member
- Posts: 8505
- Joined: Sun. Jun. 14, 2009 2:31 pm
- Coal Size/Type: nut/pea/anthra
I never poke. I understand why people do -- I'm not an anti-poker guy. I'm just lazy I guess.
- 63roundbadge
- Member
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Fri. May. 23, 2008 9:43 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley PA
Dead corners are my way to throttle down the temp on warm days. I don't poke down the corners unless I need higher output. I found my Kodiak output temp easy to regulate this way.
But that's just me...
But that's just me...