1900 Era Fireplace Insert

 
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jrivard
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Post by jrivard » Thu. Jan. 01, 2009 4:49 pm

Here is a picture of my coal fire basket in my fire place. The picture isn't very good, but you get the gist.

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eelhc
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Post by eelhc » Fri. Jan. 02, 2009 12:05 pm

Very Interesting. I may have to look into this. Soooo much easier and less space buying+storing Coal vswood. Let us know how you've made out at the end of the season. My only concern left is the ash management with such a setup. Anthricite does produce more ash and the ash becomes easily airborne.

 
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Vonda
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Post by Vonda » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 10:15 am

jrivard wrote:Here is a picture of my coal fire basket in my fire place. The picture isn't very good, but you get the gist.
Jrivardwhat do you do in order to get the anthracite to burn? I have a coal burning open fire place . I bought nut size coal from TSC . I can't seem to get it to ignite. Any help would be appreciated . I new to this coal burning stuff . Thanks

 
corey
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Post by corey » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 10:57 am

Welcome.

Here's a good read.
Burning Bit and Anthracite Together...

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 11:01 am

Vonda wrote:
jrivard wrote:Here is a picture of my coal fire basket in my fire place. The picture isn't very good, but you get the gist.
Jrivardwhat do you do in order to get the anthracite to burn? I have a coal burning open fire place . I bought nut size coal from TSC . I can't seem to get it to ignite. Any help would be appreciated . I new to this coal burning stuff . Thanks
Vonda,
Have you tried getting a wood fire going in the grate and when it starts to build up a hot bed of embers, slowly start adding one layer at a time of the anthracite nut ? Anthracite needs a very hot fire to get it going. Often, even a fresh wood fire isn't hot enough, like a good bed of wood embers is.

Or start with a few layers of BBQ charcoal and when that's all turned gray and burning pretty well, start adding on the anthracite.

Don't be tempted to pile it on either, it will just bury the fire before it can heat and light the coal. Just add more coal once the previous layer of coal is burning well.

Paul

 
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Vonda
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Post by Vonda » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 1:51 pm

No, I haven't tried charcoal . I watched you tube and tried a firestarter with some shims and paper. . After hours of trying I did get some blue flame that I extinguished by accident . I realized they were using Bit not anthracite . it is hard to get decent Bit here (GA) and expense. I did get a fifty lb bag of welder coal. I was told it would be nut cold but it was more like rice. Anyway, I was able to get a lame fire going that lasted about 6 hours ( my fire lighting skills are bad). I rather burn anthracite . I thought of using an electric fire starter. Any thoughts on that? I will try charcoal and wood. Any advice on keeping the fire going? The fire was 95% Bit coal.

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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 2:32 pm

I doubt the electric fire starter will do anything with anthracite. I've tried a MAPP gas torch that burns hotter than pro-pain and it didn't work. The flame was plenty hot, but not enough heat volume, too.

You not only need the high heat of bed of embers that are a couple of inches deep, you need a good volume of that high heat for it to work. Fill that basket with a good wood fire,..... or couple of inches deep of charcoal and use your electric fire starter on the charcoal. Let it burn to a bed of bright embers, then start adding your anthracite. You may have to add some more wood as you feed in coal so that the bed of embers stays healthy until there is a layer at least a couple of inches thick of well burning coal. And you may want to use a fireplace screen until the layers of coal stop popping and spitting little pieces as they heat up trapped gases inside them.

Unlike wood, coal burns from the bottom up. Make sure air can always get in under the fire.

And it burns best built up to a deep firebed of at least 4 inches depth. The deeper it is the better it will maintain a good fire that will put out plenty of heat.

I can't help with the bit coal, but there's a lot of guys on here who use bit. They'll be along to answer your questions soon.

Paul


 
corey
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Post by corey » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 2:49 pm

With bit coal the big lumps are best for a longer fire.

 
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Vonda
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Post by Vonda » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 3:29 pm

Thanks Bit cost $17 per bag and ant $5 per bag. I going to see if I can make any work

 
corey
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Post by corey » Sun. Dec. 11, 2016 3:53 pm

Vonda wrote:Thanks Bit cost $17 per bag and ant $5 per bag. I going to see if I can make any work
Wow. Sounds like anthracite would be a better choice here. Ky Speedracer has had success with anthracite in a fireplace. Lot of info in the link I posted.

 
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Post by ddahlgren » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 12:03 am

Anthracite needs over 1180 degrees to light off a bit beyond a wood fire but not wood coals.

 
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Vonda
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Post by Vonda » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 12:14 am

Not sure I understand. Are you saying anthracite and get ignited from Bit but not from wood?

 
corey
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Post by corey » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 6:13 am

Vonda wrote:Not sure I understand. Are you saying anthracite and get ignited from Bit but not from wood?
A deep bed of wood embers.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 9:38 am

Vonda wrote:Not sure I understand. Are you saying anthracite and get ignited from Bit but not from wood?
Vonda,
Dave can be a "bit" cryptic at times. :D

He meant the other form of, "bit" as in "slight". As you did, it would help the newbies if we capitalize the "B" whenever speaking of Bit coal.

When a wood fire is still at the flame stage, it is not near as hot as anthracite needs to be heated to as when that same wood fire burns down to a thick bed of glowing embers. Those embers are then hot enough, and producing a great enough volume of that high heat, to get anthracite burning. You've likely noticed that increased heat output when sitting near a campfire.

And, a BBQ charcoal fire will get to that high-heat stage sooner than a wood fire. Many of us use charcoal to start our coal stoves. It's not only faster, it's especially good for stoves with glass, or mica windows because it won't soot up the windows like wood does.

I used wood for many years to start my kitchen range. I had to keep a pile of dry wood and papers. Then I read about starting with charcoal. Now, no dry wood worries, or time spent breaking up sticks, setting enough paper and sticks, and feeding in more and bigger pieces of wood to get it to a good bed of embers.

I just dump in a layer of BBQ charcoal 2-3 bricks thick over the entire bottom of the firebox. Sprinkle some kerosene over the bricks, let it soak in a few seconds, then light it with a long stem BBQ lighter.

My time to get a full firebox of burning coal went from an hour with wood, to 30-35 minutes with BBQ charcoal. And the bag of charcoal and a small can of kerosene takes up far less room, with less mess, than the amount of paper, sticks, and wood I had to store indoors to keep it dry.

Paul

 
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Vonda
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Post by Vonda » Tue. Dec. 13, 2016 10:19 am

Paul
Is that safe to do in an open coal fireplace? It was exactly what I was going to do but wasn't sure if it was safe
Ps thanks for explanation . I so green when it comes to these things.


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