Hi everyone, I've just bought a Pither Stove and would appreciate any assistance/tips with operating / restoring / installation.
Having admired them for many years from afar for their modernist appearance, I now also wonder if their green credentials could be improved using biomass pelleted fuel. Scanning t'internet briefly what I can gather is that anthracite (like other coals) needs to be burned in a grate so air from underneath assists the combustion whereas wood burns best on an a flat ash bed. Wood also ignites at a lower temperature than mineral fuel so most wood pellet burners are auger fed in order to separate and prevent the un-burnt fuel in the hopper also from igniting. I assume that the anthracite beads gradually disintegrate as they burn falling down over/through the horizontal elements in the grate somehow and into ash pan creating more room at the top in a controlled burn/feed cycle. Websites seem to indicate that if wood pellets were to be used in the grate (as opposed to a flat ash bed), the additional air would cause the biomass to burn too quickly in an uncontrolled way. I understand that you need the fire bricks from Grenadier set into the grate to prevent beads that have not yet fully combusted falling into the ash pan. All this would indicate that its unlikely that the wood pellets will work effectively but I will give it a go when the stove arrives and I have had a look at it in action - but this will definitely be outside and with a fire extinguisher at the ready!
If anyone can tell me how to contact Bill Tierney I would appreciate that. Previous posts indicate he was around in 2016 but then in his late seventies. I was unable to access the information in the link previously listed that he had fwdd to a contributor then. I may try to see if Genadier can put me in contact with him.
If anyone has any experience of renovating/maintaining a Pither I would be grateful for any advice.
My email is neilgquinton@gmail.com
