People think I'm crazy to switch to coal

e.alleg · By: **e.alleg** On: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:52 pm

The biggest problem is a ton of pellets weighs more than a ton of coal so you have to do more work to burn them. :idea:

gambler · By: **gambler** On: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:14 pm

e.alleg wrote:a ton of pellets weighs more than a ton of coal

Which weighs more a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?

coalmeister · By: **coalmeister** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:58 am

rberq wrote:The trouble with pellets in Maine seems to be price fluctuation, and sometimes short supply. Three months ago a friend was ordering them for bulk delivery at $200 per ton. Now I'm hearing $268 per ton for bagged. And mid-winter sometimes there are none to be had. We have a lot of trees, but when lumber demand is low the sawmills scale back, then there's less sawdust to turn into pellets.

Meanwhile I've been trying to convert one of my brothers to coal. "But I have free wood," he says, because he cuts it himself off his own land. Sure it's free, if you don't count the chain saws, hydraulic splitter, fuel, 4-wheel drive Kubota tractor, hours and hours of labor, and the danger of working in the woods -- one of the most dangerous of all jobs. Well, he's about 15 years younger than me. I suspect his wood hobby will sour a bit in another 10 years.

"and the danger of working in the woods -- one of the most dangerous of all jobs."

In 2003 my dad was almost killed wood cutting, he was given less than a 5% chance to live. He did live but he is totally messed up and in a wheelchair for life after getting hit by a large tree limb. He was a pro too, been cutting for 40 years. I feel this is a very big issue when considering cutting your own wood.

watkinsdr · By: **watkinsdr** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:33 am

Trust me: The naysayers are the ones who are crazy---and mathematically challenged too. Doesn't saving between 50 to 75 percent on your annual heating bill make sense? Plus the source of the fuel is good 'ole northeastern Pennsylvania? Guess they'd rather send their hard earned money to OPEC terrorists who have sworn to kill us, our children, and dance on our graves? And burning wood? Please---compared to coal? Now that's crazy talk...

Freddy · By: **Freddy** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:25 am

Freshman year math teacher asked "Which weighs more, a pound of gold or a pound of feathers". I answered the gold weighed more. She started to explain how a pound was a pound when I cut her off saying that gold is weighed on the troy scale which has 480 grains per ounce, while feathers are weighed on the avoirdupois scale which uses 437.5 grains per ounce, thus making a pound of gold heavier. She was not impressed. LOL

Adamiscold · By: **Adamiscold** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:20 am

Freddy that reminds me of when my Science teacher (heavily into rocks and birds) asked "what type of bird doesn't fly?" Me being the brilliant young student that I am answered "a dead one" Needless to say I got to visit the vice principle again :roll:

Mike Wilson · By: **Mike Wilson** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:26 am

An African Swallow or a European Swallow? 8-)

Adamiscold · By: **Adamiscold** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:52 am

An African Swallow or a European Swallow?

Alive or dead?

coaledsweat · By: **coaledsweat** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:08 am

Mike Wilson wrote:An African Swallow or a European Swallow?

Laden or unladen?

scottf · By: **scottf** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:27 am

My father tells me Im crazy for wanting to burn coal. He says as a youth he had to load the old coal boiler and clean the ashes every day and it was a dirty dusty chore with lots of work. This was back in the 40's . I think it is very different now but he doesnt understand how. He also complains of having to deal with the clinkers. My question is do we still have to deal with clinkers with the coal we burn today. Will this be an issue in my hand fired antique stove?

Richard S. · By: **Richard S.** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:36 am

Clinkers happen with bit. coal but it can happen with anthracite. Overall, no its not a problem. If you get then theits the coal which is rare or you're bunring the coal too hot.

LsFarm · By: **LsFarm** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:36 am

Clinkers are a problem with Bituminous coal.. where was your father or grandfather getting coal and where was the house?? Anthracite coal will ocassionally make clinkers in certain stoker stoves.. but they are not a problem, they are delt with automaticly by the stoker mechanism.

Dealing with loading and emptying an anthracite burning stove is not a big deal,, just a daily chore,, like feeding and walking the dog.

Greg L.

scottf · By: **scottf** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:45 pm

I dont know exactly where the coal was coming from but I do know his farm was in western pennsylvania and not too far from State College. Maybe its because it was bituminous coal.

LsFarm · By: **LsFarm** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:08 pm

Sounds right, western Pa would be closer to Bituminous coal than to Anthracite,, and Bituminous is usually cheaper.

Greg L

Rob R. · By: **Rob R.** On: Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:52 pm

I hear much of the same from people I know. "My grandfather used to have a coal stove in the basement, everything was covered with black soot and ash" etc, etc.

When someone tells you about the "black soot" they remember, chances are good it was from bituminous coal and not anthracite. It is rare to meet someone in my area that knows the difference between anthracite and bituminous coal.

When someone asks me why I burn coal, I tell them "it's not just coal, it's anthracite!".

People think I'm crazy to switch to coal

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