New to us before Chistmas/ Plus

[Snowy Rivers]

Here are Piccy's of our little Whitfield Prodigy.

Bought it off Craigs list for $200 and got the floor pad with it too for the price.

Cleaned it, serviced things well and modified the burn pot with a scatter probe
(To spread the nut shells I feed it)

This little stove answered the call to heat the place in the more moderate temps.
Above 40-45 and the big stove will run us out and I hate to use the Quad with pricey pellets if I dont have to.

I can keep the place warm with the Prodigy on shells for about $1 (One dollar) a day.

Keeps the place at an even temp instead of the up and down with the T stat on the Quad.

Here is the latest critter to come home.

I have it ready to go now and it will replace our 20 year old Earthstove WP50

The old earth stove has done well but its time to move on.

 

[preacherbiggin]

looks good! killer price too! what kind of shells are ya burning and where do ya get them? just a particular shell work?

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Hazel nuts (Filberts out here in Oregon)


I buy them from the local shelling company.

I am in the dump trucking business to I just get a truck full and fill up 50 gallon food grade drums with the stuff and store it in the basement.

Walnut shells, Hazel nut shells, Olive pits, pecan shells and all sorts of other biomass stuff work well.

Thinking about buying a small pellet mill and turning all my junk mail, leaves and other stuff into fuel.

For now the Nut shells are the cheapest heat source for us. $50 a ton picked up.

I have to screen the stuff to clean out any sticks and crap so it does not get in to the stove and wreck things. (ASK ME HOW I KNOW THIS)

Snowy

 

[preacherbiggin]

NOW thats thinking. sweet price for fuel!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

There are $$$$$ issues to be calculated.

The small pellet mill costs about $2300 add to this the fact that you have to gather and process all the materials to run through the mill.

You have to want to do this.

Its like recycling at the curb, do you want to take the time to sort all the different stuff and place it by the curb in plastic tubs or just toss it in the trash.

I hate seeing a large fuel bill every month so I am motivated to save where I can.

The Nut shells are a fairly good savings so we have done that for over 18 years now.

The small pellet mills will process up to 400 pounds in an hour.

If one does their homework they could probably do most of the winter fuel in a couple weekends during the summer.

In my business we get tons of JUNK mail and boxes that we have to get rid of.
Seemed like a good plan to use this FREE garbage to heat the home.

Still the cost of the machinery has to be taken into account and amortizedout to see if it is cost effective.

The Nut shells are cheap and come every year in the fall.


Snowy

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

I'd say you got yourself a nice deal.

It looks like the drapes there are the lighter background version of the fabric that my wife made into drapes for our patio door to the deck.

Enjoy the heat.

 

[Xena]

Nice find enjoy it!

 

[tinkabranc]

Cute stove! Enjoy!

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Thanks

The little Prodigy is indeed "Cute"

Heats very well for such a compact stove.

 

[Pellet-King]

Whitfield forever, new to me..... nutshell's? hard to light or keep lightred, whats your settings?

 

[Snowy Rivers]

When I light em up, I start with a handful of pellets in the pot and then turn the draft fan/exhaust on
Next I stuff the propane torch into the thing to light the pellets.

Once the pellets are burning I close the door and allow the pellets to get going good.

Once there is fire I turn on the feed to number 2 or 3 and allow things to get going real good.

The nut shells are from 1/8th square (sort of) to 1/4" poeces with some larger and some fines.

Totally unlike pellets. Feeds different and burns different.

I install a "spreader" bar in the center of the pot using the slot for the tool. This must be aligned wuth the drop of fuel so it spreads it evenly over the fire area.

A little fooling with the trimmer controls is needed to get the burn correct.

Once the fire is up and going good and there is a bed of coals the stuff burns great.

The Whitfield grate with the bars needs to have a stainless plate with holes drilled in it to close up the grate area some. The fines of the shells will fall right through the grate otherwise.

Once setup the stuff burns very good.
On a low setting at times the auger will dump a bunch of shells in and sort of smother the fire a little and there will be some smoke for a second or two and then it burns again.
On 2 and above it burns real fine but with about twice the fly ash.

The issue is COST for me.
The shells cost so much less than pellets.

Hope this helps.


Snowy