What to do with coal slack?

I have a large quantity of residual coal slack in the bottom of the coal bunker. Placed directly on the domestic fire it tends to put it out. I believe that there is some simple way to bind the slack and burn it like coal. But does anyone know how? I have a vague memory of something to do with small plastic bags. But I could be wrong!! Any suggestions appreciated. Dee

Reply to
Dee
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Mix with a small amount of PVA and water just enough to bind the slack together, make into round balls about the size of a peach. When dry and set put them on well lit fire .

Reply to
keith_765

You use it to keep the fire in over night. Lots of slack last thing at night, shut down the air supply and close the damper. Get up in the morning open the air supply and damper away she goes...

At least that is my childhood memory from 30+ years ago when we had an open fire with back boiler.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

If there's enough slack, mix it with ordinary cement at about

12:1 (the mixture should be *just* damp), and shovel it into bags and flatten it, or leave it to set in a layer on a sheet of stuff. Bash it gently after a week or two, and burn it. If you've only a pail or three, use it for banking up, or feed it piecemeal onto a good fire.
Reply to
Chris Bacon

That takes me back in years :-(

My father used to do that. The slack, like the OP says, can dampen a fire, but that is good if you wanted the fire to stay lit overnight. You came down from the bedroom and there was a fire just waiting to be woken up :-)

Dave

Reply to
Dave

Back in my childhood we used to put the coal slack in stout paper bags and put one on the fire last thing at night. It would keep the fire in till morning when the larger stuff took over. If the fire had burnt down fairly low before you put it on the contents of the bag would coalesce into a lump and burn slowly.

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Thanks folks - that's enough to work on!! I like the PVA and/or cement ideas the best. Dee

Reply to
Dee

I vaguely remember something of that sort in the depths of winter. Something about adding ash to it too?

Works wonders on the atmosphere apparently. We don't get sulphides like that anymore. Nowadays you have to use some sort of unguent crap on your roses to cure blackspot.

If you can get hold of sawdust, a fifty fity mix will burn a treat.

Reply to
Weatherlawyer

feed it piecemeal into a fire without the whole malarky you described.

Reply to
Suz

Take the finest of it to fill a drinking straw, and blow it over a lit candle (while wearing a blast suit).

Reply to
Phil

Depends on how much she's got.. if it's half a ton of slack and she's only got one fire...

Reply to
Chris Bacon

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