We've got gas hot water, so no tank! But the hot water and gas hob only use a cylinder ($100) about every 6 months anyway so less than $4 a week. We just wanted the range for cooking. Could run a hot water radiator off it I guess, and useful for heat if there's a power cut.
.jillybeen.,
May 15, 5:44am
Thanks for the replies.How often do they have to be cleaned out. I have all the original brushes etc.Chimney sweep is going to clean it out later this week.So its going to be cool to try and light it.
m.pat,
May 15, 6:19am
we had coal range for years it will be great when you learn how to use the dampers to get the max out of it small fires turn up are better that big fires turned down .Damper down with ash at night /lovely hot water to run no cost
skin1235,
May 15, 6:32am
the frequency of cleaning is more about the fuel used and the state of the fire - really dry wood and not choked down there will very little ash and soot to clean ( not choked does not mean fully open though - fully open will create fly ash all through it ) but good dry wood sensibly burned will require a scape out from under the oven against the firebox side about once a month, damp wood choked down at night will need it every week choking down should be avoided on all fires - don't be lazy, learn how to damp a fire down properly , take the hot lower ashes and fully cover the fuel, cut back the air inflow but not fully off - and on a coalrange you can also 3/4 close the flue damper - they don't often have much in the way of air in controls so if the seals are stuffed they will tend to smoke into the room if you shut the flue damper too much
light it with the flue damper fully open and the oven top shutter fully open, leave it that way for at least the first 15 minutes
.jillybeen.,
May 15, 6:44am
what is an oven top shutter.skin1235 is that along sort of bar that slides above the oven door.
skin1235,
May 15, 6:52am
yep, that lever connects to and opens a flap at the base of the flue so the fire goes a short distance across then escapes into the flue - generally must be open to get the fire started (create draw), close it and the heat has to travel down the side of the oven and across the bottom of the oven before it can get to the lower flue opening basically you are turning the oven on or off - but a coalrange works on draw into the chimney, and if that is not hot enough to draw all that distance the fire will be cold and smokey lift the ring above that lever and check the flap is there at all, and that the lever opens and closes it properly
.jillybeen.,
May 15, 7:26am
Thanks for the info it soundscomplecated,I gess if my great grand mother could do it so can I.Fancy cooking on the same coal range, how awsome is that.Chimney sweep said it was in great condition no rust.
ttgirl,
May 15, 7:51am
It's not that complicated and you will work it out as you go along. I have one and it heats our hot water so used every day. I clean it about once a month and they burn anything.If you burn off cuts from ITM you will be cleaning the coal range weekly (assuming it gets used daily) as the treated wood leaves lots of spiderweb soot around the oven. You can burn treated wood (like the ITM stuff) but better off using untreated. Don't collect drift wood from the beach, that will rust it out so clean wood is best. Currently going through 60 bags of pine cones I collected and the oven is off the scale.lol Great for cooking too!
spotdit,
May 18, 7:18am
gee are u sure u can burn treated wood!
adornments,
May 18, 7:48am
They are AWESOME! heats your house, can cook on it and if you have a wet back on it free hot water. I learnt to cook on a coal range and I so miss it. Food just taste better and they are the best thing to cook a Pav in, lol,you get it cranking hot, put the Pav in and let the range go out, by the time that happens you have a perfectly cooked Pav. Oh and don't get me started on cooking roast in them, fantastic! There is just something so wholesome about coal ranges, We used to find the Manuka is the best for burning and although the name would suggest coal is the go it does tend to clog them up pretty quick where wood not so fast.Pine cone for lighting them are brilliant too. As ttgirl said, stay away from drift wood as yes it does rust then out but don't burn treated wood ever!, especially if you plan to cook food in it. If you have a good cast Iron or copper kettle just put it to the side and you will have boiling hot water for cuppas when ever you want. So as you can gather I am most defiantly pro the coal range and wish we still had a house with one.Oh and if it one that has a wrack over the top it is great for drying washing or keeping ya shoes dried out and warm, lol :)
mrfxit,
May 18, 7:51am
Legalities & environmental concerns have NOTHING to do with what WILL & what WON'T burn in a coal range. I was brought up with a coal range & my own place still has it's original range from 1948 & used on a daily basis until about 1992 when I installed an electric hot water cylinder & even then, it still got used most days.
mrfxit,
May 18, 7:54am
LOL yea, damp swamp Kauri kept me busy cleaning the range, but blimin heck, when that stuff's DRY . WHEEeeeewww **** Rimu was ok depending if it was heart or not. Dry pine's basically just slower burning then paper, Old shoes . LMAO . Burn baby Burn & stand back with the dampers wide open
adornments,
May 18, 7:57am
Oh and be careful what polish you use (if it is one of the black cast ones, ours was a camp) as we used one that rust ours quite badly. It took ages with a wire brush to get it back to good condition. It turns out that we used a water based cleaning polish,I think from memory it was called granny's! Who would make a polish with water in it designed for an object made of cast iron! doh. but our bad for not read the ingredients, lol
adornments,
May 18, 7:59am
I don't think it is a case of what will or won't burn in them , It's a case of EEww yuk inhaling chemicals from treated wood(and or painted wood for that matter) and having it contaminate food, lol
mrfxit,
May 18, 8:03am
If the range is working correctly & you are operating it correctly according to what you are burning, then theres very little smell or otherwise.
echoriath,
May 18, 9:20am
Yup, treated and painted wood belong in the tip and NOwhere else.
echoriath,
May 18, 9:25am
And, OP, we have a Shacklock Orion coal range. I was just looking into it, and it was designed to burn wood or coal. As mentioned, you have to get wood cut fairly short to fit into it depending on the size of the fire box. Personally, I abhor the smell of any coal.
What sort of polish should I use.Is there any brandname that anyone can tell me.
.jillybeen.,
May 18, 5:03pm
Info. is great.Is cleaning it hard !,I have the original tools but have no Idea what to do with them.
mrfxit,
May 18, 7:44pm
Cleaning is easy once you know how to do it. Theres lots of little places that most ppl miss particularly under the oven. Best to do it when the range has been cold for a couple of FULL days, then you can strip the top off & do a proper job.
All you need is the. A scraper (2 foot long rod with a blade across the end) A short blade tool is an advantage A hooked poker for lifting the round tops Hearth brush Hearth shovel An old vacuum cleaner is an advantage
Do it SLOWLY, the dusk is very light & will travel well on the house air currents. If you us a vacuum cleaner, be very sure to EMPTY it ASAP you finish & while using it BE AWARE to watch out for any smoke.
LOL, it's not as bad as it seems but quick actions are a MUST DO if theres a problem.
For a basic clean>> > Use the long blade tool to scrape out the 'inside top' first Then down the oven walls Then drag all the soot out the bottom through the hatch under the oven You can use the short blade tool to clean the chimney box (the damper plate will lift upwards & then off).
If the range hasn't been going for about a week & you are feelingconfidant, then you could remove the chimney box & clean out thechimney cavity above the chimney box (ceiling above the range) & the old vacuum wins there for sure.
Slow & steady . win / win Trying to do it in a hurry WILL create a big mess
.jillybeen.,
May 18, 8:43pm
Thanks Mrfxit as I get asthma I think it may be a job for the chimney sweep,
mrfxit,
May 18, 9:45pm
No problem. I have asthma & it's never worried me cleaning the range
bert37,
May 18, 10:37pm
guys treated wood smoke contains arsenic,not a good idea to burn it
mothergoose_nz,
May 20, 6:57am
i have managed to source some lovely dry old man pine this year and my fairburn heats up quickly. kept being supplied with dampish wood before.dry was hard to get here.was from the fast growing pines i think and was horrible.a struggle to get the oven to heat. however this oldman pine is fantastic.the fairburn as with all modern ranges has a large firebox so wood doesnt have to be cut small.
anne1955,
Apr 26, 6:01am
Hi skin1235 I probably was in bed :) I go and read warmer there lol. Yes beach for the pine cones and yes I have an electric chainsaw and most my tools are I had spinal surgery and have no real strength in arms now :(As for wiring hassles I hardly know where to start, for few weeks of them not getting back to my electrician when he rang the boss The guy the faxes emails and answerphone messages where going to had been dead for 6 weeks no not a joke. But had to see it as funny otherwise I'd have gone madder.We are now up to them promising Monday for new lines to 'hut' batch/crib.Then COV to be done again at added costs.Yes already thinking about beach commer.Fact was watching a dingy for sale I want it as a talking point for middle of the section, thought a couple of signs AA road type one saying North Pole the other some nice warm place, so I could sit in it and row to no where :)Went down today and my mate said comeone we can start doing outside things, I just looked at her! I was cold ok for her she'd just done 5kms running on the beach.This place may well be the death of me :) Thank heavens for the coal range.And we have a nude beach down at one end so I have been told and even have had a partaker pointed out to me ;) no might do that at home haha Nothing personal incase he comes across this post, I maybe old but with gleasses I can still see.(Now Anne that's naughty)Beauty is more than skin deep, which is probably why I live alone with the cat.Dn is really worth a visit all be it maybe in summer.Full of amazing things to see, and you are welcome come summer to come visit really welcome.I do tours for mates sometimes, mental instuations I have known finishes at the beach with fish & chips and has heaps of history well before my time :) I am also into cemeteries, and other out of they way places.Fact once had to do a piece of writing on where one would take people to see DN I won a prize for it.It had a few people of different ages and likes etc.We have a lot of first that happened in DN over the years.I am actually planning on being the 'new' strange person with all these scarecrows in her yard with those pek-e-boo children hiding in the trees as well.There's an amazing place in WA called Collie an ex mining town and this guy has knome city there No I haven't been but know people that have now thats sad.Oh well I'll be upsetting mrfixt if we keep this up.Though I would love to :) I like your humor, but excuse my sp mistakes :)
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