Great tutorial! I wish I had seen it 45 years ago when I was a senior in college. My last year in undergrad, I rented a room from a lady and she had a coal burning stove in the room for heat. It was an upstairs bedroom in an old house. I got the stove going with wood, because I remembered my grandmother operating her stove that way. But I did not really know what I was doing. I filled it full of coal and opened the damper and grate, but nothing seemed to happen. The room was really cold and so I went downstairs for an hour or so where it was warmer. The woman of the house was already abed and so I did not want to bother her. When I returned to the room, the sides of the stove and the chimney near the stovetop was a dull red color. It was so hot in the room that my laundry basket was literally getting droopy. I opened the windows to no avail. I opened the door of the furnace and it was like looking into a dragon's mouth! I was really afraid that a fire was about to start and burn the house down. Then I had a "brilliant" idea. I cringe as I think back on this memory! I got a pail of water, opened the door of the stove, stood back to be clear of any steam, and tossed the pail of water into the open mouth of the stove!!! There was a loud whooshing noise, and soot and ash blew back at me, along with a cloud of steam. As proof of God's protection of babies (I was 21 though) and fools (more likely), I was not flash burned by the steam, the stove did not crack, and the house did not burn down. It actually worked to slow down the fire. By 4 in the morning, it had cooled down enough, with the windows open and 15 degrees outside, to be able finally to go to bed. This is a totally true story, by the way. My guardian angel was truly watching out for me that time! My experience is a perfect example of what not to do when burning anthracite coal!!
This is hilarious! I can picture it all. You were lucky. Unfortunately they say even one over firing can warp a stove. Hope it was okay, and good thing you didn't burn the place down. Fire needs three things remember... eliminate the o2 and it dies down.
This is one of the best "coal fire" instruction videos on all of RUclips. Coal stoves can over-fire with too much air, and maybe in larger stoves, the temperature can get to ridiculous high levels. There are stories of people having to open windows to let in cold air. On the other hand, a newbie may not want to do what he does here in this video, .... he very quickly cut the air down very low in the front, and in the back damper. Don't turn the air off too soon until you know your setup. For example, his pipe and chimney may "pull" much better than yours. His chimney may be able to pull through a closed damper and yours may not pull so well. For new people, you really need to pay close attention to learn your system, the first five times you burn a coal stove. And.. as he said, patience is the key... It won't react up or down like a wood stove. Great video.
Possibly the absolute BEST information video I’ve seen on YT. No yappy-look-how-fabulous-I-am narration. No hemming & hawing. If you used the words “guys” & “stuff” I didn’t notice . Plus you dispensed important info I NEEDED. Bravo Sir. 👍🏼
Good Morning! I'm very happy that you found my video interesting. That's what I like to hear. Are you looking to install an anthracite stove at your place? Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and the chance to ask me questions.
Fine video showing how much more complicated heating with anthracite has become compared to when as a 12 year old I was responsible for stoking the coal furnace in the basement of our 9 room home in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. I built the fire in the fall and then through the winter I shoveled 10 tons of coal from the coal bin in the front of the basement to the furnace in the rear. Shook the furnace every now and then and carried the ashes outside into ash cans where the ash man picked the up once a week. Today that would be considered child abuse, but in the 1940s in the coal region it was routine. Thanks for the video.
I did the same when 11 or 12 in Oklahoma. Dad got it going every morning about 5am. But the night before it was my job to fill up the bucket. I also cleaned out the ashes and dad would bank it up for the night. We used lots of blankets on our beds. Wore long handles and sock hats in bed. Many mornings my water glass beside the bed would be froze. I got up at 5am too but I had to saddle up the horse and go get the cows. We had a dairy.
I had a Chubby in my house when I bought it and used it for four years. As noted the shaker gate is very important to a coal stove. The one in the Chubby does NOT work. It kept jamming no matter what I did. Also as shown you have to lay on your back to look up and clean the slots. I researched different designs and replaced it with a Harman Mark II. It worked so much better it was amazing. I have now been using the Harman for over 20 years.
Love the video! I burn anthracite on my TRIANCO TRG45 here in England, and had it since the mid 80s. It's a gravity feed boiler, looking like a slim white fridge, and loaded with coal will last nearly two days without touching it. Sadly all the coalmines here in the UK are gone, and recently been having the fuel imported. I knew something was wrong as soon as the coalmen delivered it about 2 months ago..the anthracite grains looked very dull and dusty as heck. Couldn't light my boiler as the coal was snuffing it out, so I threw the whole delivery outside, and called the fuel department. They apologised and explained where it had come from...PERU! It had not been washed or checked, so they sent me the last stored batch from Wales. I now have changed my supply from tiny anthracite grains, to beans..they are larger. After getting my boiler engineer out to service it, he altered the fan plate so there now is a stronger draught blowing on the poorer quality fuel. I worked at Harworth Colliery here in England, till I became too ill, and had to retire on ill health at the age of 39. I ended up still getting my full allowance of coal free for life, which is a blessing, a anthracite over here costs a fortune.
Veeeery helpful and rare take on burning anthracite. I just started burning it in homemade woodstove in which I inserted a homemade grate for the coal. The stove was made to take 5 foot slabs off my saw, so there's plenty of room for both the wood fire and the coal grate to live together... wood fire in the front for quick heat... coal burning in the middle for longevity. And Wow!... like you say, being used to burning wood, this anthracite is a challenge!! I've given up twice and figured it just wouldn't work but I kept coming back to it because it was SOOO nice when it did give the good, hot glow. But that glow would disappear for no apparent reason, seemingly just to spite me when I opened the door to admire it (too much air, as you say). Watched a ton of videos about starting/burning anthracite online but yours is the ONE that finally made all my mistakes understandable to me. I realize now that the airflow is absolutely critical with this stuff... It's got to be 'Goldilocks'... Juuust right. Thanks very much for this very thorough and careful explanation. If I hadn't watched it, I might indeed have given up, but with your insights about burning this great fuel, I believe I'm finally on my way to that elusive 'all night fire' that I could never get with wood. Thanks again from Northern Maine.
We heated our home in Enfield, CT for years in the 80s with a full size chubby. Fantastic product. Great memories having hot water and dinner on the stove as well.
This is the best instructional video I have seen on burning coal. I inherited a knock off chubby stove (Penn Coal Stove) that is almost the same design. I have never burned coal and this video was extremely helpful, thank you!
I just got a 100 year old coal stove thinking I would just try to burn wood in it. This is so exciting! Maybe our forefathers had it figured out! I’m super excited that this is how it works and i can still use it that way.
I was watching this video late into the night, and I was falling asleep from his soothing voice and great explanation on how this beautiful stove works. I was startled awake at 6:30, when he started talking about moving from side to side to shake that ash down. I am a DJ and I thought the party was getting started, and I was wide awake again. Thanks for the informative video.
This video is fantastic. Thank you for teaching this. Our house stays much warmer now that we learned to burn coal! Wood did the job but burning coal is a way better option for our situation, thank you!
I remember back in the 40's and 50's my parents used coal and we had a coal bin out back where my mother kept our potatoes. My dad went to oil because he did not have to haul the coal. When he was younger he worked hauling coal all winter and ice all summer. I think he had enough of hauling, lol.
Very informative and probably the best tutorial on RUclips concerning anthracite. I've tried burning it on my multifuel stove and realise now what I've been doing wrong and why the fire went out. However, due to the exorbitant price of anthracite here in the UK, I've worked out that it's cheaper to use natural gas central heating. It's roughly £700 a ton in the UK depending on where you live ( about $884?).. I believe it's a lot cheaper in the USA?
Great video! Excellent overview of the Chubby stove and how to use it! I have so much more confidence in coal stoves and their general operations than I did before watching this well put together tutorial!! Thank You Sir!
I got my Chubby stove last year from Larry. I had 2 Harman stoves before, and I did like them, but this Chubby I like better. easier to use, and puts out more BTU than the Harman's. I watched Larry video on how to use his stove and he says, " to shake first and then use the poker". I will try poking first this year, I like that way. I live in a townhouse in the Poconos, PA now that had a prefab fireplace. I removed part of it to fit the Chubby, The fireplace company said,, I needed a stainless steal insulating liner to use the Chubby stove, so I got one. Then they said I would need to have it cleaned every year before I use it to remove the Fly Ash, because it's very corrosive to the Liner. My two Harmans, I never cleaned the chimney, now it was a clay liner, maybe that's the deference. Now I did take the stove pipe off every year and brushed it out.
Love everything about this stove! Excellent presentation! I would like to buy one but I only have a tiny space. Wish they were made smaller. Thanks for the education!
Good Morning Tony! Thanks for your kind words. I've burned wood for 40 years too, but anthracite is more economical for people who buy firewood. If you have any issues getting your Chubby working nicely, send me an email at steve@stevemaxwell.ca. Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people. Bye for now and thanks for watching! Steve
I have watched numerous videos about anthracite coal stoves/fireplaces. My application is somewhat different than most. I have built a house truck/gypsy wagon. I intend to use anthracite to heat. The heater I have is 1960’s ratelco cole 1655 of which minimal info is obtainable. It is multi hard fuel, wood or coal. Its design is very good as its application design is initially in a sailboat. Your info may be the key to starting my heater properly and maintain it for the anthracite. I look forward to experimenting with it.
Another Great coal starting tip... Use one scoop of match light charcoal it burns very hot, you wont get creosote in your pipe from the wood or paper you may use and it takes about 15 mins to burn hot enough to ignite the anthracite. I have 2 of these stoves one at each end of my home in Massachusetts. The person I bought the stoves from told me "these arent very good wood stoves", I said yes you are right..;) If you do buy one make sure that they are the blower model! Buy your coal in the summer when its cheap One stove burns approx 2 tons of coal! Enjoy
This is an excellent video that provides clear instructions on how to use anthracite coal in a wood or coal-burning stove. I have a Vigilant stove and learning how to use coal in it before winter sets in Wyoming! I appreciate you for making this video.
I've watched a lot of videos on coal stoves and this is by far the best. Answered all my questions without annoying over the top production. Thank you. Just added you to my subscription list
We had a large coal fire furnace. I don't know what type of coal we used but we had to use long pinchers to remove Klinger (ash) that built up inside the furnace. We had a coal room with a coal shoot and coal was delivered by a dump truck. The coal moved from the coal room by means of a worm or screw that automatically moved the coal into the furnace. There were 3 of us boys in the family who were large enough to operate the pinchers to remove the clinkers which was an awsome fun job to have. It was a great furnace.
This is one of the best instructional videos I have seen on how to use a coal stove. Since the coal stoves release a much lower temperature excuse, is it worth it to use a "Magic Heat" blower on the flue to extract more heat from the stove? I see they are used quite often on a wood stove. Again, thanks for the video.
Glad it was helpful! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people. Bye for now and thanks for watching! Steve
Good Morning Barrett! Thanks for your note and kind words. That calibrated draft makes all the difference. It's not needed with woodstoves, but is important for this kind of coal stove. Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and videos of interest to hands-on, how-to people. Bye for now and thanks for watching! Steve
Wow!! You sir are a blessing. What a nicely presented, very educational video. You have sold me on anthracite as my source of fuel instead of going with wood. You earned a subscriber. Awesome job. Two thumbs up
Loved the video. I've always been curious about my late grandmother's coal stove that I've always heard come up in so many stories over the years. Hers was a full sized cook stove and oven, but the functionality was probably the same.
Can you do a video on piping and clearances? I've heard many different opinions on both. Looking to put my coal stove in a nook. Has oval flue. Many different opinions on how to adapt oval
Can you give an Amazon link to the large aluminum scoop you show? Excellent how to video! I now realize how much heat I'm sending up the chimney without a flu damper and barometric damper. Thank you for your time and expertise.
Thanks for the video! Waiting for my coal/woodstove to arrive in a couple of weeks. Won't be this one, but a Saey 92 one... Looking forward to some heat!
Top O' the Morning' to you Thomas! Thanks for your kind words. I appreciate that! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
Hello everyone! I've got one of these stoves, family has had it for over 40 years. Mine's an original non fan model. I love it! I run both coal and wood, and the inventor of the stove told me two good things among many. Use good coal, no tractor supply type stuff. If you do burn wood, put a steel plate down to choke the air. I have a scrap 1/2" plate aboot 5x7 and the wood burns amazing with that.
@@joel-ud3fg Yea man. I don't have a chubby, but coal you can leave and go to work and come home and just tend it as soon as you get home if its been that long. Coal is dangerous tho if you let it over fire. Make sure the dampers are adjusted almost closed and you don't leave a door to the thing open or anything.
I have a wood pro 2000. I live in south Carolina. I have had my wood stove for 4 years. I have always done well cleaning the chimney once before the start of the winter
Yeah me too, I have a Fisher 76 and once a year is plenty for me and I burn constantly from early fall - Late Spring 7-10 cord per winter.. central PA and as long as I've got good dry wood Locust/Oak/Ash/Sugar/Apple it doesn't smoke or get creosote in it really at all.. most important is to keep a efficient hot flaming fire and not smoldering. I'd still like to get a (tiny) coal stove for the basement, though it's awful hard to find coal this year
I have a question about the heat that's produced by the Chubby coal stove. Is the heat produced and circulated, produced by a fan blowing across the burning coal, OR, is heat circulated by a fan that blows in a heat exchanger - heat box built in the stove that the coal warms up? Thank you.
Good Morning Bob! The fan blows air through two tubes that extend across the inside of the fire box. So in a sense this is like a simple heat exchanger. The fan makes a big difference in heat output and also heat distribution. Thanks for watching my stuff!
I currently have a small wood burning stove, BUT, I absoulely love this Chubby coal burning stove. We have a five room ranch, and the wood stove does heat fairly well, but this Chubby is THEE anser for us. We live in Western Massachusetts and it gets really cold during the winter. I'm saving up for this beauty, and for my wife and I going on 80, I honestly believe this is the answer to our heating needs. Great video by the way. I watch this video and the others that you make, over and over. @@baileylineroad
Glad it was helpful! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people. Bye for now and thanks for watching! Steve
Excellent presentation of the "chubby Coal Stove" I believe it is easy to get coal probably in your area . . . here it is "Peabody Coal Company" These Porcelain Parlor stoves have a spirit of their own that capitates you or warms your heart, you just have to have one . . . . no matter the cost.
Thank you for all that info. Very useful. I love the idea of low maintenance and long burning aspects of this stove as well as its consistant heat output. Really there isn’t anything negative it would seem. I moved to my cottage in Northern, Ontario and currently have a wood stove that heats cottage, i was thinking on a propane heater to solve issue of night time heating but i think this will be a cleaner and more economical choice. On another note iliked your wood slider double pane window next to stove and wondered where you got it. I need top replace my single pane windows at the cottage but wanted to maintain a cottage feel which yours do. I also thought about just getting single pane and doing storm windows in winter like the old days just to maintain the look that could come out in spring and swap for bug screen. Love al your videos and very helpful practical info. Thanks again.
Somehow the advice on too much air putting the fire off also correlates to composting in the winter. On a sidenote we had coal cox briquettes stored under my grandfathers summerhouse, as teenagers we filled a cast iron stove with them in the fall when it was around 0c and the uninsulated cabin kept a steady temp of +40c the whole night 😅
I was thinking about replacing my wood stove with a coal stove, but the cost of coal has went up so much in the last few years, guess I'm splitting wood.... Great video though, I would really like to have a coal stove, maybe in the future.
I really enjoyed your video i live in coal country pa and have been looking for a new stove, i must say i really like these, they are modern yet traditional. most new stoves look like ugly boxes with no character but yours is beautiful
what a great video, really good... i would get a chubby now, but we live in central oregon and i have looked and looked for coal here and can not find coal anywhere in this area. we use a wood stove and it is a pain in the but and very dirty. thanks again for the great video.
That's a great question, John! I'm not near the stove now to measure, but I'd say 10" or so. Depth of the coal bed is key to keep anthracite burning. Too shallow and it goes out. Bye for now, and thanks for watching! Steve
This was great...thanks for sharing your experience with us. I have a question, though, please. If the stove is (or were) airtight would you still need the flue damper? I'm not sure why a damper above the stove would be necessary if the air intake, below the fire, was regulated. My old Estate stove claims to be air tight, but I haven't installed it yet...so I'm wondering if and why the turn damper in the flue would be necessary. Thanks!
Puts out more heat with the damper closed cause less of it rises out through the chimney and it causes a sort of "push" of thermal energy through the walls of the stove into the room. Closing a damper and the extra heat output is something that can really be quickly noticed with a wood stove, I know with mine it's really noticeable, you'd think it'd be slowing the burn so less heat but no.. same amount of burn more or less but more heat push. Hope that helps, he did mention that
I also have an old siegler oil furnace that heats our home up very well, running on kerosene. Chimney just feels warm to touch and I clean the fire box once a season. The chimney never needs cleaning at all on my siegler
Very informative sir. I burn a Petite Godin upright cylinder type coal/wood stove from the 70’s Bought it for 100 dollars in near new condition years ago and I love it. I only occasionally burn it and only hop it up with coal on very cold nights and extended cold snaps I did have issues with morning snuff outs after servicing but I now no what I have to do to keep it burning … thank you kindly Happy coal burning
Thinking of coal as a back up heat. We have gas but has to be hooked up to electric for forced air. I'm thinking of some wall heaters but want 1 source of heat able to cook too. I really wanted a wood burning cook stove but not much room for that and limited wood supply and wood is more work. Can always do gas range. But i grew up with wood heat and it was my job to tend the fire, so i like the idea of coal. I like the idea of coal and gas and that way I have multiple options in winter and during power outage
Hi everyone. I was wondering if the dumper is required for a coal stove. I live in Easthern Europe, Romania more exactly and since the gas get very expensive because of the war between Ukraine and Russia, I decided to get a coal stove. I've got an very old coal stove yesterday ( Ulefos 115 ) similiar to Jotul 806 and it is an incorporated stove. I have a traditional chimney made from bricks into the wall, so basically I just have to get a pipe 50 mm long to connect into the wall ( where the chimney is ). Basically the chimney is made inside the wall, a hole to the top of the house. I don't even have acces to the damper because the stove will be incorporated. Am I wrong ? Does anyone knows that model of stove ?
Im new to this wood/coal so This is a good video thanks for the info. And Its also good to know not to run non insulated pipe straight out as thats how i have it now will have to upgrade this coming spring/summer
I'm switching to coal this season, this video was very informative. I've always been a wood burner, but over the decades of burning wood I have had 3 runaway fire's. After you see this and kill the draft I put my boots on and jacket (middle of the bloody winter) walk out at 2 am and look up at the chimney, and you get a son-of-a *#$ moment. A chimney fire, dang it so up goes the ladder, I grab a half 5 gallon bucket of granulated salt (feeding cattle) to dump down the chimney, smothered it ever time. So coal this year will be interesting.
Get a twenty or even forty pound fire extinguisher and the next time you get a chimney fire put the extinguisher right up the ash door and empty it. The draft will pull the extinguishing agent right into the fire and knock it down.
@@anooseholay That might not be true for everyone, each chimney and draft are different. Tried and true way that small, local fire departments use is to fill quart size zip lock bags of dry chemical and drop it down from the top. Keeps the house free of the dry chemical dust that is bound to spill out if you discharge that extinguisher inside.
@@phwhitefly good point. I think the reason they did it the way I described was because my chimney top is so far up in this old colonial style house. What learned that was most important for me that evening was my firewood was not well seasoned enough and I needed a chimney liner. All we had before the liner was installed was just the bricks the chimney had been made of all those years ago.
i live in the tropic weather and probably wont need this kind of heating 🤣 but watched from start to finish and learn about what a good heating solution this that lasted for 12hrs just for that amount of coal
Where did you get that metal bin that you have coal in. I have 3 identical bins that I use to catch ashes on my van wert coal stocker. 3 bins just cannot keep up in the winter time.
I live in the UK I have a stove with a riddling system but the stove isn't fitted with a turn damper is it absolutely necessary to have one fitted thanks gary
I used that a tub very similarfor storing my coal in and it to rustted out the bottom. Curious what that one is and where you got it? I've been heating my home with that exact stove but not with the blower for 3 years.
Tractor Supply Company advertises 40lb bags of Anthracite coal in Oklahoma. Does anyone know if they sell 50 bag pallets too? The bag sells for $9.99 and soft or hard pellets sell for $6.19 per bag. However the coal bag produces 4X more BTU’s.
Great tutorial! I wish I had seen it 45 years ago when I was a senior in college. My last year in undergrad, I rented a room from a lady and she had a coal burning stove in the room for heat. It was an upstairs bedroom in an old house. I got the stove going with wood, because I remembered my grandmother operating her stove that way. But I did not really know what I was doing. I filled it full of coal and opened the damper and grate, but nothing seemed to happen. The room was really cold and so I went downstairs for an hour or so where it was warmer. The woman of the house was already abed and so I did not want to bother her. When I returned to the room, the sides of the stove and the chimney near the stovetop was a dull red color. It was so hot in the room that my laundry basket was literally getting droopy. I opened the windows to no avail. I opened the door of the furnace and it was like looking into a dragon's mouth! I was really afraid that a fire was about to start and burn the house down. Then I had a "brilliant" idea. I cringe as I think back on this memory! I got a pail of water, opened the door of the stove, stood back to be clear of any steam, and tossed the pail of water into the open mouth of the stove!!! There was a loud whooshing noise, and soot and ash blew back at me, along with a cloud of steam. As proof of God's protection of babies (I was 21 though) and fools (more likely), I was not flash burned by the steam, the stove did not crack, and the house did not burn down. It actually worked to slow down the fire. By 4 in the morning, it had cooled down enough, with the windows open and 15 degrees outside, to be able finally to go to bed. This is a totally true story, by the way. My guardian angel was truly watching out for me that time! My experience is a perfect example of what not to do when burning anthracite coal!!
This is hilarious! I can picture it all. You were lucky. Unfortunately they say even one over firing can warp a stove. Hope it was okay, and good thing you didn't burn the place down. Fire needs three things remember... eliminate the o2 and it dies down.
Dude. I believe your story. You're damn lucky. Must've stank to high heaven in there...🤣
@@jessepacheco6020 It sure did! I had to keep the door shut do the old lady wouldn’t smell it. If she knew anything, she never let on.
This is one of the best "coal fire" instruction videos on all of RUclips. Coal stoves can over-fire with too much air, and maybe in larger stoves, the temperature can get to ridiculous high levels. There are stories of people having to open windows to let in cold air. On the other hand, a newbie may not want to do what he does here in this video, .... he very quickly cut the air down very low in the front, and in the back damper. Don't turn the air off too soon until you know your setup. For example, his pipe and chimney may "pull" much better than yours. His chimney may be able to pull through a closed damper and yours may not pull so well. For new people, you really need to pay close attention to learn your system, the first five times you burn a coal stove. And.. as he said, patience is the key... It won't react up or down like a wood stove. Great video.
Possibly the absolute BEST information video I’ve seen on YT. No yappy-look-how-fabulous-I-am narration. No hemming & hawing. If you used the words “guys” & “stuff” I didn’t notice . Plus you dispensed important info I NEEDED. Bravo Sir.
👍🏼
Good Morning! I'm very happy that you found my video interesting. That's what I like to hear. Are you looking to install an anthracite stove at your place? Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and the chance to ask me questions.
This was such an informative video, it was so enjoyable to watch! I want this man to teach me everything. He is OUR dad now!
Yes!!!!! I kept thinking of my late father in law Fred. He was just such a soft spoken and very clever man. I miss him dearly.
Fine video showing how much more complicated heating with anthracite has become compared to when as a 12 year old I was responsible for stoking the coal furnace in the basement of our 9 room home in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. I built the fire in the fall and then through the winter I shoveled 10 tons of coal from the coal bin in the front of the basement to the furnace in the rear. Shook the furnace every now and then and carried the ashes outside into ash cans where the ash man picked the up once a week. Today that would be considered child abuse, but in the 1940s in the coal region it was routine. Thanks for the video.
I did the same when 11 or 12 in Oklahoma. Dad got it going every morning about 5am. But the night before it was my job to fill up the bucket. I also cleaned out the ashes and dad would bank it up for the night. We used lots of blankets on our beds. Wore long handles and sock hats in bed. Many mornings my water glass beside the bed would be froze. I got up at 5am too but I had to saddle up the horse and go get the cows. We had a dairy.
I had a Chubby in my house when I bought it and used it for four years. As noted the shaker gate is very important to a coal stove. The one in the Chubby does NOT work. It kept jamming no matter what I did. Also as shown you have to lay on your back to look up and clean the slots.
I researched different designs and replaced it with a Harman Mark II. It worked so much better it was amazing. I have now been using the Harman for over 20 years.
Every minute of this tutorial is invaluable!
Love the video!
I burn anthracite on my TRIANCO TRG45 here in England, and had it since the mid 80s.
It's a gravity feed boiler, looking like a slim white fridge, and loaded with coal will last nearly two days without touching it.
Sadly all the coalmines here in the UK are gone, and recently been having the fuel imported.
I knew something was wrong as soon as the coalmen delivered it about 2 months ago..the anthracite grains looked very dull and dusty as heck.
Couldn't light my boiler as the coal was snuffing it out, so I threw the whole delivery outside, and called the fuel department.
They apologised and explained where it had come from...PERU!
It had not been washed or checked, so they sent me the last stored batch from Wales.
I now have changed my supply from tiny anthracite grains, to beans..they are larger.
After getting my boiler engineer out to service it, he altered the fan plate so there now is a stronger draught blowing on the poorer quality fuel.
I worked at Harworth Colliery here in England, till I became too ill, and had to retire on ill health at the age of 39.
I ended up still getting my full allowance of coal free for life, which is a blessing, a anthracite over here costs a fortune.
Veeeery helpful and rare take on burning anthracite. I just started burning it in homemade woodstove in which I inserted a homemade grate for the coal. The stove was made to take 5 foot slabs off my saw, so there's plenty of room for both the wood fire and the coal grate to live together... wood fire in the front for quick heat... coal burning in the middle for longevity. And Wow!... like you say, being used to burning wood, this anthracite is a challenge!! I've given up twice and figured it just wouldn't work but I kept coming back to it because it was SOOO nice when it did give the good, hot glow. But that glow would disappear for no apparent reason, seemingly just to spite me when I opened the door to admire it (too much air, as you say). Watched a ton of videos about starting/burning anthracite online but yours is the ONE that finally made all my mistakes understandable to me. I realize now that the airflow is absolutely critical with this stuff... It's got to be 'Goldilocks'... Juuust right. Thanks very much for this very thorough and careful explanation. If I hadn't watched it, I might indeed have given up, but with your insights about burning this great fuel, I believe I'm finally on my way to that elusive 'all night fire' that I could never get with wood. Thanks again from Northern Maine.
We heated our home in Enfield, CT for years in the 80s with a full size chubby. Fantastic product. Great memories having hot water and dinner on the stove as well.
This is the best instructional video I have seen on burning coal. I inherited a knock off chubby stove (Penn Coal Stove) that is almost the same design. I have never burned coal and this video was extremely helpful, thank you!
i have one as well…but have yet to ever get anthracite to start and burn steadily. very very hard to start😕
Stunning Stove; I Grew Up In Pittston The Centre Of Anthracite Country Back In The Day. Thanx For The Tutorial!
I just got a 100 year old coal stove thinking I would just try to burn wood in it. This is so exciting! Maybe our forefathers had it figured out! I’m super excited that this is how it works and i can still use it that way.
I was watching this video late into the night, and I was falling asleep from his soothing voice and great explanation on how this beautiful stove works. I was startled awake at 6:30, when he started talking about moving from side to side to shake that ash down. I am a DJ and I thought the party was getting started, and I was wide awake again. Thanks for the informative video.
This video is fantastic. Thank you for teaching this. Our house stays much warmer now that we learned to burn coal! Wood did the job but burning coal is a way better option for our situation, thank you!
What a great video. I would not be the least bit surprised if you have been on the radio before.
Very well explained video. My issue may be convincing my wife and daughters that the coal stove is plenty safe enough. Thanks for the great video.
I've got a Chubby Stove. Does a nice job keeping us all warm. I like the idea of putting the coal in a washtub. Nice touch.
I remember back in the 40's and 50's my parents used coal and we had a coal bin out back where my mother kept our potatoes. My dad went to oil because he did not have to haul the coal. When he was younger he worked hauling coal all winter and ice all summer. I think he had enough of hauling, lol.
Very informative and probably the best tutorial on RUclips concerning anthracite. I've tried burning it on my multifuel stove and realise now what I've been doing wrong and why the fire went out. However, due to the exorbitant price of anthracite here in the UK, I've worked out that it's cheaper to use natural gas central heating. It's roughly £700 a ton in the UK depending on where you live ( about $884?).. I believe it's a lot cheaper in the USA?
I have been buying Anthracite for $6 USD per 40 lb bag
Or $300 per bagged Ton
Great video!
Excellent overview of the Chubby stove and how to use it!
I have so much more confidence in coal stoves and their general operations than I did before watching this well put together tutorial!! Thank You Sir!
I got my Chubby stove last year from Larry. I had 2 Harman stoves before, and I did like them, but this Chubby I like better. easier to use, and puts out more BTU than the Harman's.
I watched Larry video on how to use his stove and he says, " to shake first and then use the poker". I will try poking first this year, I like that way.
I live in a townhouse in the Poconos, PA now that had a prefab fireplace. I removed part of it to fit the Chubby,
The fireplace company said,, I needed a stainless steal insulating liner to use the Chubby stove, so I got one.
Then they said I would need to have it cleaned every year before I use it to remove the Fly Ash, because it's very corrosive to the Liner.
My two Harmans, I never cleaned the chimney, now it was a clay liner, maybe that's the deference. Now I did take the stove pipe off every year and brushed it out.
Excellent, you should be paid for this presentation!
You don't think he did??
Love everything about this stove! Excellent presentation! I would like to buy one but I only have a tiny space. Wish they were made smaller. Thanks for the education!
Easily. the most concise video I've ever watched on RUclips ! Job Well Done my friend !
Great video! This will help tremendously! This is my 1st year with the Chubby after burning wood for 40 years
Good Morning Tony! Thanks for your kind words. I've burned wood for 40 years too, but anthracite is more economical for people who buy firewood. If you have any issues getting your Chubby working nicely, send me an email at steve@stevemaxwell.ca.
Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
Bye for now and thanks for watching!
Steve
@@baileylineroaddoes the anthracite smell?
I have watched numerous videos about anthracite coal stoves/fireplaces. My application is somewhat different than most. I have built a house truck/gypsy wagon. I intend to use anthracite to heat. The heater I have is 1960’s ratelco cole 1655 of which minimal info is obtainable. It is multi hard fuel, wood or coal. Its design is very good as its application design is initially in a sailboat. Your info may be the key to starting my heater properly and maintain it for the anthracite. I look forward to experimenting with it.
Another Great coal starting tip... Use one scoop of match light charcoal it burns very hot, you wont get creosote in your pipe from the wood or paper you may use and it takes about 15 mins to burn hot enough to ignite the anthracite. I have 2 of these stoves one at each end of my home in Massachusetts. The person I bought the stoves from told me "these arent very good wood stoves", I said yes you are right..;) If you do buy one make sure that they are the blower model! Buy your coal in the summer when its cheap One stove burns approx 2 tons of coal! Enjoy
This is an excellent video that provides clear instructions on how to use anthracite coal in a wood or coal-burning stove. I have a Vigilant stove and learning how to use coal in it before winter sets in Wyoming! I appreciate you for making this video.
I've watched a lot of videos on coal stoves and this is by far the best. Answered all my questions without annoying over the top production. Thank you. Just added you to my subscription list
I agree.
We had a large coal fire furnace. I don't know what type of coal we used but we had to use long pinchers to remove Klinger (ash) that built up inside the furnace. We had a coal room with a coal shoot and coal was delivered by a dump truck. The coal moved from the coal room by means of a worm or screw that automatically moved the coal into the furnace. There were 3 of us boys in the family who were large enough to operate the pinchers to remove the clinkers which was an awsome fun job to have. It was a great furnace.
This is one of the best instructional videos I have seen on how to use a coal stove. Since the coal stoves release a much lower temperature excuse, is it worth it to use a "Magic Heat" blower on the flue to extract more heat from the stove? I see they are used quite often on a wood stove. Again, thanks for the video.
Glad it was helpful! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
Bye for now and thanks for watching!
Steve
I grew up in anthracite coal country. Just 5 miles from Blaschak coal company. Schuylkill county Pa. We had a similar stove called a heatrola.
Thank you for this very informative video! I don't have a Chubby stove, however all of the fundamentals helped me out with my stove, and burning coal!
FieldControls - Type RC Calibrated Draft Control is a fascinating concept that I never had seen before. Thank you for sharing that.
Good Morning Barrett! Thanks for your note and kind words. That calibrated draft makes all the difference. It's not needed with woodstoves, but is important for this kind of coal stove.
Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and videos of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
Bye for now and thanks for watching!
Steve
@@baileylineroad
Website link saved for future work and research! Thanks!
Wow!! You sir are a blessing. What a nicely presented, very educational video. You have sold me on anthracite as my source of fuel instead of going with wood. You earned a subscriber. Awesome job. Two thumbs up
Loved the video. I've always been curious about my late grandmother's coal stove that I've always heard come up in so many stories over the years. Hers was a full sized cook stove and oven, but the functionality was probably the same.
Can you do a video on piping and clearances? I've heard many different opinions on both. Looking to put my coal stove in a nook. Has oval flue. Many different opinions on how to adapt oval
Can you give an Amazon link to the large aluminum scoop you show? Excellent how to video! I now realize how much heat I'm sending up the chimney without a flu damper and barometric damper. Thank you for your time and expertise.
Thanks for the video!
Waiting for my coal/woodstove to arrive in a couple of weeks.
Won't be this one, but a Saey 92 one... Looking forward to some heat!
You are an excellent teacher Sir and very informative thank you for this excellent tutorial .Greetings From IRELAND
Top O' the Morning' to you Thomas! Thanks for your kind words. I appreciate that! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
nice to watch your video after 1 minute
Hello everyone!
I've got one of these stoves, family has had it for over 40 years. Mine's an original non fan model. I love it!
I run both coal and wood, and the inventor of the stove told me two good things among many. Use good coal, no tractor supply type stuff.
If you do burn wood, put a steel plate down to choke the air.
I have a scrap 1/2" plate aboot 5x7 and the wood burns amazing with that.
would you be ok with leaving the stove to work a 12 hour shift and nobody check the coal stove for 14 hours?
@@joel-ud3fg Yea man. I don't have a chubby, but coal you can leave and go to work and come home and just tend it as soon as you get home if its been that long. Coal is dangerous tho if you let it over fire. Make sure the dampers are adjusted almost closed and you don't leave a door to the thing open or anything.
Lodge, the cast iron pot and pan manufacturer, makes some amazing leather gloves. They’re thick and extend well past the wrist. They’re awesome.
Thanks for writing out the compound you are burning.
Great video. I have burned wood and coal in the past, and everything you said is spot on!👍
Nice and articulate explanation
Great video! You’re an excellent teacher!
Glad it was helpful!
I have a wood pro 2000. I live in south Carolina. I have had my wood stove for 4 years. I have always done well cleaning the chimney once before the start of the winter
Yeah me too, I have a Fisher 76 and once a year is plenty for me and I burn constantly from early fall - Late Spring 7-10 cord per winter.. central PA and as long as I've got good dry wood Locust/Oak/Ash/Sugar/Apple it doesn't smoke or get creosote in it really at all.. most important is to keep a efficient hot flaming fire and not smoldering. I'd still like to get a (tiny) coal stove for the basement, though it's awful hard to find coal this year
Awesome content I’ll be buying one of these later on but I don’t know how I’m gonna get it to Australia
Thanks you very much!! Greetings from Argentina!
Glad it helped!
Im going on my second season using this stove and I love it, very happy.
I have a question about the heat that's produced by the Chubby coal stove. Is the heat produced and circulated, produced by a fan blowing across the burning coal, OR, is heat
circulated by a fan that blows in a heat exchanger - heat box built in the stove that the coal
warms up? Thank you.
Good Morning Bob! The fan blows air through two tubes that extend across the inside of the fire box. So in a sense this is like a simple heat exchanger. The fan makes a big difference in heat output and also heat distribution. Thanks for watching my stuff!
I currently have a small wood burning stove, BUT, I absoulely love this Chubby coal burning stove. We have a five room ranch, and the wood stove does heat fairly well, but this Chubby is THEE anser for us. We live in Western Massachusetts and it gets really cold during the winter. I'm saving up for this beauty, and for my wife and I going on 80, I honestly believe this is the answer to our heating needs. Great video by the way. I watch this video and the others that you make, over and over.
@@baileylineroad
Excellent tutorial thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful! Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and lots of other stuff of interest to hands-on, how-to people.
Bye for now and thanks for watching!
Steve
helpful Coal fire instruction for a specific make called Chubby coal stove.
Excellent presentation of the "chubby Coal Stove" I believe it is easy to get coal probably in your area . . . here it is "Peabody Coal Company" These Porcelain Parlor stoves have a spirit of their own that capitates you or warms your heart, you just have to have one . . . . no matter the cost.
Thank you for all that info. Very useful. I love the idea of low maintenance and long burning aspects of this stove as well as its consistant heat output. Really there isn’t anything negative it would seem. I moved to my cottage in Northern, Ontario and currently have a wood stove that heats cottage, i was thinking on a propane heater to solve issue of night time heating but i think this will be a cleaner and more economical choice. On another note iliked your wood slider double pane window next to stove and wondered where you got it. I need top replace my single pane windows at the cottage but wanted to maintain a cottage feel which yours do. I also thought about just getting single pane and doing storm windows in winter like the old days just to maintain the look that could come out in spring and swap for bug screen. Love al your videos and very helpful practical info. Thanks again.
Somehow the advice on too much air putting the fire off also correlates to composting in the winter. On a sidenote we had coal cox briquettes stored under my grandfathers summerhouse, as teenagers we filled a cast iron stove with them in the fall when it was around 0c and the uninsulated cabin kept a steady temp of +40c the whole night 😅
Beautiful stove and a great tutorial.
Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated. Do you have a coal stove or plan to get one?
What a Beautiful stove thank you your video was very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Very interesting! I learned something new!
I was thinking about replacing my wood stove with a coal stove, but the cost of coal has went up so much in the last few years, guess I'm splitting wood....
Great video though, I would really like to have a coal stove, maybe in the future.
Great video sir!
Thank you so much 😊
Very informative!
Great, I'd love one. But I'd have to truck in anthracite from several states over. Couldn't find any in MN.
I really enjoyed your video i live in coal country pa and have been looking for a new stove, i must say i really like these, they are modern yet traditional. most new stoves look like ugly boxes with no character but yours is beautiful
what a great video, really good... i would get a chubby now, but we live in central oregon and i have looked and looked for coal here and can not find coal anywhere in this area. we use a wood stove and it is a pain in the but and very dirty. thanks again for the great video.
I don't even own a stove but the video held my attention right thru😯
Why did you choose the Chubby? I like it and the company. Considering one ourselves. Thanks!
Very,very nice presentation. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
how deep is the firebox/tube that holds the coal
That's a great question, John! I'm not near the stove now to measure, but I'd say 10" or so. Depth of the coal bed is key to keep anthracite burning. Too shallow and it goes out.
Bye for now, and thanks for watching!
Steve
This was great...thanks for sharing your experience with us. I have a question, though, please. If the stove is (or were) airtight would you still need the flue damper? I'm not sure why a damper above the stove would be necessary if the air intake, below the fire, was regulated. My old Estate stove claims to be air tight, but I haven't installed it yet...so I'm wondering if and why the turn damper in the flue would be necessary. Thanks!
Puts out more heat with the damper closed cause less of it rises out through the chimney and it causes a sort of "push" of thermal energy through the walls of the stove into the room. Closing a damper and the extra heat output is something that can really be quickly noticed with a wood stove, I know with mine it's really noticeable, you'd think it'd be slowing the burn so less heat but no.. same amount of burn more or less but more heat push. Hope that helps, he did mention that
Super Cool Tutorial
Thanks for sharing 👍
Some of my bags of Anthracite are very wet. Must I allow the coal to dry out prior to filling the stove?
Superb presentation!
I also have an old siegler oil furnace that heats our home up very well, running on kerosene. Chimney just feels warm to touch and I clean the fire box once a season. The chimney never needs cleaning at all on my siegler
Very informative sir.
I burn a Petite Godin upright cylinder type coal/wood stove from the 70’s
Bought it for 100 dollars in near new condition years ago and I love it.
I only occasionally burn it and only hop it up with coal on very cold nights and extended cold snaps
I did have issues with morning snuff outs after servicing but I now no what I have to do to keep it burning … thank you kindly
Happy coal burning
Excellent presentation!
Excellent tutorial! Thank you for sharing:)
are you going to to giive us a new video on the chubby you done a dam good job on the first one keep them coming thank you .
Thinking of coal as a back up heat. We have gas but has to be hooked up to electric for forced air. I'm thinking of some wall heaters but want 1 source of heat able to cook too. I really wanted a wood burning cook stove but not much room for that and limited wood supply and wood is more work. Can always do gas range. But i grew up with wood heat and it was my job to tend the fire, so i like the idea of coal. I like the idea of coal and gas and that way I have multiple options in winter and during power outage
thank you this is so helpful
Very nice stove. It's definitely more work that what I thought it would be.
Thanks!
heating seoson coming oupon us sooner than you think well are we gonna get a update or check in thanx
Hi everyone. I was wondering if the dumper is required for a coal stove. I live in Easthern Europe, Romania more exactly and since the gas get very expensive because of the war between Ukraine and Russia, I decided to get a coal stove. I've got an very old coal stove yesterday ( Ulefos 115 ) similiar to Jotul 806 and it is an incorporated stove. I have a traditional chimney made from bricks into the wall, so basically I just have to get a pipe 50 mm long to connect into the wall ( where the chimney is ). Basically the chimney is made inside the wall, a hole to the top of the house. I don't even have acces to the damper because the stove will be incorporated. Am I wrong ? Does anyone knows that model of stove ?
What is the backing you have on the wall for fire protection and how far away should the stove be because I’m in the process of buying one
Wish I could buy it in the UK or something that looks like the same
Do these stoves need forced air (electric fan) to run properly? I see wiring behind your unit
Fantastic tutorial, very informative. Thank you!
Im new to this wood/coal so This is a good video thanks for the info. And Its also good to know not to run non insulated pipe straight out as thats how i have it now will have to upgrade this coming spring/summer
I'm switching to coal this season, this video was very informative.
I've always been a wood burner, but over the decades of burning wood I have had 3 runaway fire's. After you see this and kill the draft I put my boots on and jacket (middle of the bloody winter) walk out at 2 am and look up at the chimney, and you get a son-of-a *#$ moment.
A chimney fire, dang it so up goes the ladder, I grab a half 5 gallon bucket of granulated salt (feeding cattle) to dump down the chimney, smothered it ever time.
So coal this year will be interesting.
Get a twenty or even forty pound fire extinguisher and the next time you get a chimney fire put the extinguisher right up the ash door and empty it. The draft will pull the extinguishing agent right into the fire and knock it down.
@@anooseholay That might not be true for everyone, each chimney and draft are different. Tried and true way that small, local fire departments use is to fill quart size zip lock bags of dry chemical and drop it down from the top. Keeps the house free of the dry chemical dust that is bound to spill out if you discharge that extinguisher inside.
@@phwhitefly good point. I think the reason they did it the way I described was because my chimney top is so far up in this old colonial style house. What learned that was most important for me that evening was my firewood was not well seasoned enough and I needed a chimney liner. All we had before the liner was installed was just the bricks the chimney had been made of all those years ago.
i live in the tropic weather and probably wont need this kind of heating 🤣 but watched from start to finish and learn about what a good heating solution this that lasted for 12hrs just for that amount of coal
Thank you Bailey, as I said before you should have your own program in pbs, best wishes for you and thank you for teaching us all of this.
Where did you get that metal bin that you have coal in. I have 3 identical bins that I use to catch ashes on my van wert coal stocker. 3 bins just cannot keep up in the winter time.
I live in the UK I have a stove with a riddling system but the stove isn't fitted with a turn damper is it absolutely necessary to have one fitted thanks gary
Very informative, Bud.
I used that a tub very similarfor storing my coal in and it to rustted out the bottom. Curious what that one is and where you got it? I've been heating my home with that exact stove but not with the blower for 3 years.
Tractor Supply Company advertises 40lb bags of Anthracite coal in Oklahoma. Does anyone know if they sell 50 bag pallets too? The bag sells for $9.99 and soft or hard pellets sell for $6.19 per bag. However the coal bag produces 4X more BTU’s.
What a great video. Thank you so much.