# McClary No 45



## Donkeynuts (Dec 28, 2018)

Hey all I’m a newb to the forum and have purchased a McClary No 45 heater and was wondering if anyone had any info on these stoves like the year value and operation and such. I’m in the process of restoring it for my ice shack and can’t believe how great of shape it’s in!! I’ve searched the web and haven’t found diddly!

Cheers


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## begreen (Dec 29, 2018)

Looks like a late 20's stove. General Steel Wares was formed in 1927. McClary was one of the parts of the company.

*In October, 1927, General Steel Wares was born through the merger of the following companies:

The McClary Manufacturing Company of London, Ontario (founded 1847) 
The Sheet Metal Products (SMP) Company of Canada Limited of Toronto (founded 1867) 
The Thomas Davidson Manufacturing Company Limited of Montreal (founded 1858) 
The E. T. Wright Limited of Hamilton (founded 1881) 
The A. Aubry et fils Limitée of Montreal (founded 1874) 
The Happy Thought Foundry Company of Brantford (founded 1855)

Beatty Brothers Limited, a metal farm implement company established in 1873 at Fergus, Ontario, gained a controlling interest in GSW in 1962 through a reverse takeover, thereby merging these two companies under the GSW name. There is a fonds at McMaster University Archives for the General Steel Wares Limited that would have more details about the company.

The name General Steel Wares Limited is 1969+.*
https://greyroots.pastperfectonline.com/bycreator?keyword=General+Steel+Wares

A google search on mcclary quebec heater brings up several hits and images.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 29, 2018)

Looks like an oak style stove. Join the Coal Pail forums and you will probably find everything you want to know.


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 29, 2018)

Oh wow late 20’s sweet! Thanks for the info, I did find a bit on Mcclary but thought their would have been more. Found a site that asked for your serial number but the link was no good. So I take it this stove was used primarily as a coal burner hence the clinker grinder? Took it all apart and cleaned and polished it all up and it disassembled like a dream for being 90 ish years old!! Just need to put the feet on her and she’s good to go!


begreen said:


> Looks like a late 20's stove. General Steel Wares was formed in 1927. McClary was one of the parts of the company.
> 
> *In October, 1927, General Steel Wares was born through the merger of the following companies:
> 
> ...


 late


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## begreen (Dec 29, 2018)

Yes, it is for coal and it looks to be in great condition.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 29, 2018)

You can put a wood burning grate in it if you want.


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 29, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> You can put a wood burning grate in it if you want.


Ya the firebox is pristine, must have been stored somewhere warm and dry. Oh I see so justvtake an old bbq grate and cut it to size or something of the like and lay it across the grinders? All assembled and ready to roll!! Used imperial stove polish on it that stuff is the bomb!!


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## SpaceBus (Dec 29, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Ya the firebox is pristine, must have been stored somewhere warm and dry. Oh I see so justvtake an old bbq grate and cut it to size or something of the like and lay it across the grinders? All assembled and ready to roll!! Used imperial stove polish on it that stuff is the bomb!!



No, not quite. The coal grates allow too much air for burning wood. You need something to reduce the airflow. Bryant stoves in Maine could probably find you one that will fit. You could also check Barnstable and the Antique Stove Doctor. I really wanted a small diameter oak stove for my home, but we needed a stove ASAP and didn't have time to look for a good antique stove.


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 29, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> No, not quite. The coal grates allow too much air for burning wood. You need something to reduce the airflow. Bryant stoves in Maine could probably find you one that will fit. You could also check Barnstable and the Antique Stove Doctor. I really wanted a small diameter oak stove for my home, but we needed a stove ASAP and didn't have time to look for a good antique stove.



Ah I see. So you can’t close off the air intake enough and your wood burns too quickly? I have lots of 1/8” steel panel so I’ll likely just do some research and build my own. Thanks for the contacts that may come in handy. I do have coal also so I don’t want to make the plate too permanent but for what I’m using it for (ice fishing) I think wood will be my best bet as coal likely takes longer to get going? So just out of curiosity and not that I’m selling it what do you think the stove would be worth? Thanks for all the help appreciate it! Cheers!


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## ShawnLiNY (Dec 29, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Ah I see. So you can’t close off the air intake enough and your wood burns too quickly? I have lots of 1/8” steel panel so I’ll likely just do some research and build my own. Thanks for the contacts that may come in handy. I do have coal also so I don’t want to make the plate too permanent but for what I’m using it for (ice fishing) I think wood will be my best bet as coal likely takes longer to get going? So just out of curiosity and not that I’m selling it what do you think the stove would be worth? Thanks for all the help appreciate it! Cheers!


Plate steel cut to fit works for wood only


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> You can put a wood burning grate in it if you want.


And then you would have a pretty poor wood burner


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> No, not quite. The coal grates allow too much air for burning wood. You need something to reduce the airflow. Bryant stoves in Maine could probably find you one that will fit. You could also check Barnstable and the Antique Stove Doctor. I really wanted a small diameter oak stove for my home, but we needed a stove ASAP and didn't have time to look for a good antique stove.


Why would you want to use an antique stove?  The performance is just so far behind what we have now i cant see any reason to use one.


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Ah I see. So you can’t close off the air intake enough and your wood burns too quickly? I have lots of 1/8” steel panel so I’ll likely just do some research and build my own. Thanks for the contacts that may come in handy. I do have coal also so I don’t want to make the plate too permanent but for what I’m using it for (ice fishing) I think wood will be my best bet as coal likely takes longer to get going? So just out of curiosity and not that I’m selling it what do you think the stove would be worth? Thanks for all the help appreciate it! Cheers!


How will you mert the 36" clearance requirements in an ice fishing shack?


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 30, 2018)

bholler said:


> Why would you want to use an antique stove?  The performance is just so far behind what we have now i cant see any reason to use one.


Oh sorry I forgot to specify, I was looking for useful info only.


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## ct01r (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkey, Welcome to the Forum!  I'm pretty new myself, and there's LOTS of info and help here.  BTW, NICE fish!  Muskie?  Curt


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Oh sorry I forgot to specify, I was looking for useful info only.


In your case other than the problem of meeting clearances I don't see a problem using an old stove.  You just want some heat not much worry about burn times or many of the other problems stoves like this would pose heating a home.  I was responding to space bus and his desire to use an antique to heat his house.


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Oh sorry I forgot to specify, I was looking for useful info only.


But using. A coal stove as a wood stove it will burn very hot and very fast.   if you can handle that ammout of heat safely in your space go for it


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 30, 2018)

ct01r said:


> Donkey, Welcome to the Forum!  I'm pretty new myself, and there's LOTS of info and help here.  BTW, NICE fish!  Muskie?  Curt


Yes indeed there is. Thanks it’s a northern pike.


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 30, 2018)

bholler said:


> But using. A coal stove as a wood stove it will burn very hot and very fast.   if you can handle that ammout of heat safely in your space go for it


Yes well I’m going to do the best I can for clearances and I’m putting up tin on the walls and ceiling where the stove will sit. I have a stove pipe thermometer so hopefully I can find the sweet spot in getting the right grate built. Cheers


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Yes well I’m going to do the best I can for clearances and I’m putting up tin on the walls and ceiling where the stove will sit. I have a stove pipe thermometer so hopefully I can find the sweet spot in getting the right grate built. Cheers


It needs to be spaced off the wall an inch and space top and bottom to allow for air circulation.  

No matter what you do with a grate it won't change the air feeding the fire from underneath.  That is what coal needs but is horrible for wood.


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 30, 2018)

bholler said:


> It needs to be spaced off the wall an inch and space top and bottom to allow for air circulation.
> 
> No matter what you do with a grate it won't change the air feeding the fire from underneath.  That is what coal needs but is horrible for wood.


Yes I have just over a foot of space from both walls so should be good. So even with the intake closed right off there is still too much air leaking by? Would putting a damper in the stovepipe help at all? Horrible for wood as in burns too hot and fast?


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## SpaceBus (Dec 30, 2018)

Donkeynuts said:


> Yes I have just over a foot of space from both walls so should be good. So even with the intake closed right off there is still too much air leaking by? Would putting a damper in the stovepipe help at all? Horrible for wood as in burns too hot and fast?



This stove appears to be a coal only stove. The Modern Glenwood Oak stoves are much better for burning wood compared to most other oak stoves. You would be better off burning coal in it, the wood grate won't help much. I think you will end up using too much wood. Make an account on the coal pail forum and talk to the folks there. They know these stoves really well and will tell you everything about it, I could be mistaken.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 30, 2018)

bholler said:


> Why would you want to use an antique stove?  The performance is just so far behind what we have now i cant see any reason to use one.



Some of the high end oak stoves did have a secondary burn capability and weren't much less efficient than current EPA stoves. I also liked the ability to burn coal. That being said, we have no regrets about our Morso. I think I saw you say that in Europe they do burn coal in them and the bottom draft cap is adjustable. Couldn't I just make my bottom draft cap adjustable and burn coal?


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## bholler (Dec 30, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> Some of the high end oak stoves did have a secondary burn capability and weren't much less efficient than current EPA stoves. I also liked the ability to burn coal. That being said, we have no regrets about our Morso. I think I saw you say that in Europe they do burn coal in them and the bottom draft cap is adjustable. Couldn't I just make my bottom draft cap adjustable and burn coal?


I am curious who did the efficency testing on those old stoves to tell you that?  

As far as burning coal in your moroso I have no idea if there are other differences between the us and European models.  If not it should work.  But modifying the stove will void the ul listing making your clearances invalid.  And burning coal improperly can be extremely dangerous due to the large amount of co produced.


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## SpaceBus (Dec 30, 2018)

bholler said:


> I am curious who did the efficency testing on those old stoves to tell you that?
> 
> As far as burning coal in your moroso I have no idea if there are other differences between the us and European models.  If not it should work.  But modifying the stove will void the ul listing making your clearances invalid.  And burning coal improperly can be extremely dangerous due to the large amount of co produced.



Good point about modifying the stove. I was more curious than anything. My wife wouldn't let me do it anyway. 

Of course there hasn't been official testing, and even the best antique stove won't have as few emissions as a new EPA stove, but they were better than the 70's pre EPA stoves.


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## ShawnLiNY (Dec 30, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> Good point about modifying the stove. I was more curious than anything. My wife wouldn't let me do it anyway.
> 
> Of course there hasn't been official testing, and even the best antique stove won't have as few emissions as a new EPA stove, but they were better than the 70's pre EPA stoves.


I agree As far as Emissions , obviously  newer designs are going to produce less particulate and be cleaner burning and use less fuel . But the coal baseburners  of the 1870s- 1920s  are heating machines  , these stoves where not designed to burn efficiently on fuel saving , or air quality  standards  they were designed to be the visual Centerpiece of the parlor or the entire house  and to be a functional heater


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## Donkeynuts (Dec 30, 2018)

SpaceBus said:


> This stove appears to be a coal only stove. The Modern Glenwood Oak stoves are much better for burning wood compared to most other oak stoves. You would be better off burning coal in it, the wood grate won't help much. I think you will end up using too much wood. Make an account on the coal pail forum and talk to the folks there. They know these stoves really well and will tell you everything about it, I could be mistaken.


Thanks I have the question out on coalpail and I’ll see what they have to say. This is the diffuser/grate I built and will get to trying it out next week possibly. So if I was going to burn coal you have to start with a small wood fire first I take it then add coal once it gets going?


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## SpaceBus (Dec 30, 2018)

I don't know how to start a coal fire to be honest.


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## begreen (Dec 30, 2018)

Another coal forum can be found at nepacrossroads.com


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## ct01r (Dec 31, 2018)

Since we (you'se) are talking about wood versus coal, here's a question I've often mulled over: if there are air vents in the bottom of the stove and air vents in the door of the stove (where you feed the fuel in), couldn't one use the upper door vent for wood, and the bottom vent for coal?  While I'm asking; for those of us that have an old stove, is there a catalytic converter that after market that can be added?  I have an old Mountain Oak stove that has great sentimental value that we're fixing up.  It'll go out in the shop and used intermittently.  The woods free, so it doesn't have to be super efficient, but it should look great when it's done.

Sorry if this is inappropriate (since we typically don't talk about coal).  Moderators, please fell free to delete if it isn't   Thanks!  Curt


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## SpaceBus (Dec 31, 2018)

ct01r said:


> Since we (you'se) are talking about wood versus coal, here's a question I've often mulled over: if there are air vents in the bottom of the stove and air vents in the door of the stove (where you feed the fuel in), couldn't one use the upper door vent for wood, and the bottom vent for coal?  While I'm asking; for those of us that have an old stove, is there a catalytic converter that after market that can be added?  I have an old Mountain Oak stove that has great sentimental value that we're fixing up.  It'll go out in the shop and used intermittently.  The woods free, so it doesn't have to be super efficient, but it should look great when it's done.
> 
> Sorry if this is inappropriate (since we typically don't talk about coal).  Moderators, please fell free to delete if it isn't   Thanks!  Curt


It depends on the stove. On the OP's stove it doesn't appear to accommodate wood at all. On the Modern Glenwood Oak I've seen, the door intakes have a plate with metered holes on the inside for air dispersion for secondary burn. You could also try and fabricate some sort of baffle out of metal or firebrick to help keep the wood gasses in the burn chamber longer for a more compete burn. Does your stove have a back pipe? Some back pipe stoves have another intake for additional burning of the smoke and wood gases.


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## begreen (Jan 1, 2019)

ct01r said:


> Since we (you'se) are talking about wood versus coal, here's a question I've often mulled over: if there are air vents in the bottom of the stove and air vents in the door of the stove (where you feed the fuel in), couldn't one use the upper door vent for wood, and the bottom vent for coal?  While I'm asking; for those of us that have an old stove, is there a catalytic converter that after market that can be added?  I have an old Mountain Oak stove that has great sentimental value that we're fixing up.  It'll go out in the shop and used intermittently.  The woods free, so it doesn't have to be super efficient, but it should look great when it's done.
> 
> Sorry if this is inappropriate (since we typically don't talk about coal).  Moderators, please fell free to delete if it isn't   Thanks!  Curt


You are correct, that is the way that many wood/coal burners are setup and some with exchangeable grates too. The compromise being that they usually don't burn as well as a dedicated wood or coal stove.


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## ShawnLiNY (Jan 1, 2019)

ct01r said:


> Since we (you'se) are talking about wood versus coal, here's a question I've often mulled over: if there are air vents in the bottom of the stove and air vents in the door of the stove (where you feed the fuel in), couldn't one use the upper door vent for wood, and the bottom vent for coal?  While I'm asking; for those of us that have an old stove, is there a catalytic converter that after market that can be added?  I have an old Mountain Oak stove that has great sentimental value that we're fixing up.  It'll go out in the shop and used intermittently.  The woods free, so it doesn't have to be super efficient, but it should look great when it's done. As far as adding a catalyst  to make an antique EPA compliant  I don’t see this working out at all
> 
> Sorry if this is inappropriate (since we typically don't talk about coal).  Moderators, please fell free to delete if it isn't   Thanks!  Curt


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## ct01r (Jan 2, 2019)

Thanks for the replies!  As always, your help is greatly appreciated!  Curt


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## wooduser (Jan 2, 2019)

SpaceBus said:


> Looks like an oak style stove. Join the Coal Pail forums and you will probably find everything you want to know.




Looks like you can get bagged coal at Tractor Supply if you have one near you.  Looks like very high quality anthracite coal,  too.

Why not burn the coal the stove was designed to use?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/search/coal


And I'd be glad to hear something about your ice house and the conditions in which you use it!


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## bholler (Jan 2, 2019)

wooduser said:


> Looks like you can get bagged coal at Tractor Supply if you have one near you.  Looks like very high quality anthracite coal,  too.
> 
> Why not burn the coal the stove was designed to use?
> 
> ...


Wow that is expensive.   But I guess for an ice house you probably wouldn't burn that much.  

But the low draft due to a short chimney combined with a small space and the extremely high levels of co put out by coal doesn't sound like a great idea to me.


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## Donkeynuts (Jan 4, 2019)

SpaceBus said:


> It depends on the stove. On the OP's stove it doesn't appear to accommodate wood at all. On the Modern Glenwood Oak I've seen, the door intakes have a plate with metered holes on the inside for air dispersion for secondary burn. You could also try and fabricate some sort of baffle out of metal or firebrick to help keep the wood gasses in the burn chamber longer for a more compete burn. Does your stove have a back pipe? Some back pipe stoves have another intake for additional burning of the smoke and wood gases.



No the stove doesn’t any sort of baffle between the firebox and the chimney. Would installing a damper in the chimney have the same effect?


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## Donkeynuts (Jan 4, 2019)

SpaceBus said:


> I don't know how to start a coal fire to be honest.



Haha love the honesty!! Me either but that how I envisioned it!


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## wooduser (Jan 4, 2019)

Lots of You Tube videos on starting coal fires...


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## Donkeynuts (Jan 4, 2019)

wooduser said:


> Looks like you can get bagged coal at Tractor Supply if you have one near you.  Looks like very high quality anthracite coal,  too.
> 
> Why not burn the coal the stove was designed to use?
> 
> ...



Well coal is going to be too messy for my liking and as was mentioned also co levels and smell I would think. Ice shack is fairly small, 13’x7’ inside dimensions, it’s an old 16’ camper that I’m converting. I live is Sask. 20 miles north of the US North Dakota border so your typical central US weather. Thanks for the input! Cheers


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## wooduser (Jan 4, 2019)

Very little dust or mess to anthracite coal.  More mess with wood,  I'd guess.

Since you have a stove designed for coal,  I'd spring for a $6 sack and give it a try,  myself,  before butching up the stover to make it something it isn't.

Wood stove smoke is very heavily carbon monoxide as well.  If a wood stove doesn't vent,  you'll get a lot of smoke in your ice house.  

Do you shove it out on a lake and use it for fishing?


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## bholler (Jan 4, 2019)

wooduser said:


> Very little dust or mess to anthracite coal.  More mess with wood,  I'd guess.
> 
> Since you have a stove designed for coal,  I'd spring for a $6 sack and give it a try,  myself,  before butching up the stover to make it something it isn't.
> 
> ...


How much coal have you burned?  I can tell you after burning coal and working in lots of houses that burn coal it is very dirty.  Yes wood has bark etc and some ash.  But much less ash than coal and bark is easy to clean coal dust is not.

Coal exhaust has way mor co throughout the entire burn than a properly working wood stove does.


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## bholler (Jan 4, 2019)

Donkeynuts said:


> Well coal is going to be too messy for my liking and as was mentioned also co levels and smell I would think. Ice shack is fairly small, 13’x7’ inside dimensions, it’s an old 16’ camper that I’m converting. I live is Sask. 20 miles north of the US North Dakota border so your typical central US weather. Thanks for the input! Cheers


That install has tons of pretty serious clearance problems btw.


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## wooduser (Jan 4, 2019)

bholler said:


> How much coal have you burned? I can tell you after burning coal and working in lots of houses that burn coal it is very dirty.




Was the coal you've encountered bituminous or anthracite coal?

You are in the middle of anthracite coal country.

My understanding is that anthracite coal is liked washed rocks.  It's bituminous coal that is famously dirty.

But if you are indeed familiar with anthracite coal,  please set me straight on that.  So far,  that's not clear.


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## SpaceBus (Jan 4, 2019)

I don't know what it's like post burn, but before you burn it anthracite coal is like a rock. Very minimal dust actually


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## bholler (Jan 4, 2019)

SpaceBus said:


> I don't know what it's like post burn, but before you burn it anthracite coal is like a rock. Very minimal dust actually


Stick your hand in a coal bin full of anthracite and see if it comes out clean.  Or dump a bucket full into a hopper or stove.  Yes anthracite is certainly cleaner than bituminous lignite or sub bituminous.  But still far from clean.




wooduser said:


> Was the coal you've encountered bituminous or anthracite coal?
> 
> You are in the middle of anthracite coal country.
> 
> ...


Yes I am very familiar with anthracite.  And yes it is clean after washing.  Untill it is moved and it breaks more creating more dust.


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