Raven

[Karl F]

Stove(s)
Have a Lopi Endeavor on the first floor.. heats first and second floor, tend it 2-3 times a day. Advertised to be a ten hour burn, but lasts longer, once you get to know the stove.
http://lopistoves.com/product.asp?dept_id=4&sku=33
Have an old small Trolla 104 in the shop in the basement, does the trick nicely.
Two Flue chimney, center of house, no fireplace, just thimbles for the stoves. Built the house in '83 with the idea of heating with wood. 2X6 frame, R19 in the walls, R30 in the attic, Anderson high performance windows. House is pretty tight, still.

Chimney tools.. I had to buy two different brushes, as I have a two flue chimney, they were around 20 bucks a piece, plus enough 4 foot sections of flexible rod to reach the basement, prolly around a C-note for everything.
I spend about 45 minutes doing both flues, and then empty the cleanouts.. I know the first year I did it, I got more crap outta there than any sweep I had ever did, has not been that bad since.
got the stuff through my True Value store.

[justplugit]

Heatalators work good and nice to see a big blaze. Karl, you could heat your house with a candle with that insulation.

I had a Garrison stove i bought in 76, when we had the oil /gas shortages, and used it for 20 years. Did the whole house but lost my supply of wood and buying it became to much $$$.

[gone fishin]

Karl -- I just re read this thread and wanted to make a comment about what happened this past week at my Camp up North. It got pretty chilly and I decided to light up the woodstove to get comfy. I havn't used the camp for a couple of years and my brother in law has. When the fire got hot and stoked fairly well I smelled a stink like I never smelled before - The stovepipe was actually running with creosote and the smoke it was building would kill you on the spot. I shut the fire down immediately and will have to chisel the buildup off the chimney pipes before lighting that stove again. Scared the Hell out of me as I have seen chimney fires go in the past.

It is so important to clean a chimney at least yearly to prevent this from happening. Also - burn the proper wood for heat!

[Raven]

i gave this lecture to my younger brother
about how not to use a woodstove.....

not to make a joke of your flue fire gone fishin....

i said dude.....the one thing you DON'T want to do is
to pack it so damn full of wood ....and expect to sleep
the whole night thru without having to add an extra log.

so......... thats just what he....did...

i also said: the worst thing you can do is to get that
sucker (woodstove) glowing so red hot that you can see
how it was made.... then while its so hot ...it'll prevent you
from waking up ...and you'll burn the place down.

i'll never forget that terrified look in his eyes.....
as he ran for help...a little to late...i might add...

my fireman friend and i were sittin there all buzzed.....
and he says real fast like... ....with a panic stricken voice
you and you come with me right now!!!!! lol

he burnt the place down to the ground ......to ashes....

[justplugit]

Sorry to hear that Rav. It can happen so fast. One Sunday i was watching footall after i had loaded up the stove. Went upstairs at 1/2 time and when i came down the 2 cast iron doors were cherry red. Luckily i was able to get to the vents and close them down. Another 5-10 mins, it would have been all over.

[Raven]

but he was ok! the main thing
and the trailer was old , a fire trap
and not worth very much thank goodness....

[Raven]

catching up to ya Karl on the wood pile....
(just got in from cutting a trailer 's worth)

only thing is....i accidentilly dropped a 8 foot oak log
on my big right toe......booom....throb throb ...

thats it.....i'm buying friggan steel toed boots....
third time this month i smashed it....

i've had enough...
as i sit here with a bag of frozen veggies
sitting on top of my big purple toe....

ow....