Ronald Raygun ) wibbled on Tuesday 04 January
2011 12:43:

Jim K wrote:

On Jan 4, 11:54 am, Ronald Raygun
wrote:

If you want heat with less
fuss, the stuff to burn is one of the manufactured solid fuels, like
Homefire or Phurnacite, then the stove will keep going 24/7 while
needing attention only 2-3 times a day.

as you trot in and out with buckets of red hot ashes....

Your ashes should never be red hot except after riddling. You should
empty the ashpan *before* riddling, when it will have had 8-12 hours to
cool down from the last riddling.

My routine was to remove the full ashpan and put it down underneath or in
front of the stove, onto the (relatively) cool hearth plinth for 20 mins
or so while making breakfast. Then they were cool enough to be tipped
into
a plastic bin. Then replace ashpan, riddle, top up fuel. Without this
cooling-down step, the ashes would have had to be tipped into a metal
bucket first, which generates quite a bit of dust.

I went to a lot of trouble to procure a metal bucket (they aren't in even
the most Arkwrighty of hardwaqre stores here). I keep it outside and carry
the ashpan and dump it there, red hot if needs be.

I learnt last year dumping ask inside was a bad idea...

and hoover the coal dust out of the carpets,

I get virtually no spillage - a little dust does accumulate near the stove
but I hoover that up when the stove is cold - or wipe it up with a damp
cloth.

True, alas. Better not to have carpet near the stove.

and wash your hands every time you
touch it - horiible filthy dusty stuff!

Try gloves. :-)

Ash comes off pretty easiliy IME - it's coal dust that gets ingrained...

IME we have to feed/tend it *more* when we burn coal based stuff.

That would have been the case if you used e.g. Coalite which is very
light,
or even actual coal. You need the dense stuff like Ancit or Phurnacite.

Yep - Phurnacite has the best energy density, easiest to light (with just
large chuck of firelighter) and best slumbering of several I tried
(Maxibrite, Anthracite, New Flame and wood). Antracite had the disadvntage
that it clickers up the grate which the manufacturered fuels don't.

--
Tim Watts