Wood burning stove -advise

mongrel · Post by **mongrel** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:48 pm

We've at last managed to buy a good second hand stove. so we have a solid cast iron wood burning stove, advise needed, first the seller insisted we layer the bottom of the stove with sand? is that correct? and why?
secondly the price of wood seems to be about £80 a cubic meter round here, is that good and just how much will we burn? my wifes a chitter so the fire will be on a lot.

Thanks in advance looking forward to seeing real flames in our living room for the first time.

the-gnole · Post by **the-gnole** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:54 pm

Get it fitted properly.

Get three years worth of wood stored ASAP, one year for burning now, and two more years for drying and seasoning, then fill from the back end.

Sand stops the bottom burning through I believe, but it will fill with ash and cinders so needs looking after.

Enjoy it

The-Great-Nothing · Post by **The-Great-Nothing** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:03 pm

Hi

Good news for you

wood burners are great

£80 a cube sounds good to me. £90-£110 round here. Make sure it is good quality and fully seasoned tho. A lot of cr#p wood is being sold. You want barn seasoned ash really. I would use a supplier that has been recommended by a friend.

The amount is very hard to say - really as much as you can afford & have room to store!

If there is someone home all day and this is your main heat source - you could go thru LOTS. My friends use is evenings only - she got 2 cubes of ash, not sure it will get her thru winter.

I source, cut, process and season all mine myself, so not always the best woods (whatever I can get!) - Which means I get thru more. Pallets are a free source. I will be going on some runs for them soon and breaking down with a circular saw - when my 3 cubes is gone (evenings only again).

This is what I am enjoying now (and the dog

)

Can't beat it

Cheers

Matt

the-gnole · Post by **the-gnole** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:21 pm

Ash is one of the few woods that is as good unseasoned as seasoned.

Logs to Burn, Logs to burn, Logs to burn,
Logs to save the coal a turn,
Here's a word to make you wise,
When you hear the woodman's cries.

Never heed his usual tale,
That he has good logs for sale,
But read these lines and really learn,
The proper kind of logs to burn.

Oak logs will warm you well,
If they're old and dry.
Larch logs of pine will smell,
But the sparks will fly.

Beech logs for Christmas time,
Yew logs heat well.
"Scotch" logs it is a crime,
For anyone to sell.

Birch logs will burn too fast,
Chestnut scarce at all.
Hawthorn logs are good to last,
If you cut them in the fall.

Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green,
Elm logs like smouldering flax,
No flame to be seen.

Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room,
Cherry logs across the dogs,
Smell like flowers in bloom.

But ash logs, all smooth and grey,
Burn them green or old;
Buy up all that come your way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

bulldogeagle · Post by **bulldogeagle** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:30 am

imho a wood burning stove should do 2 things, first it shouldn't just burn wood, what i would want is a "multi fuel" stove so that i can also use coal & coke when cheap and available, 2nd, it shouldn't just be for heating, if i cant also put a pan of stew or a kettle on it then its no good to me, i need to be able to use it in an emergency when the power goes off not just in the good times, just my personal opinion.

mongrel · Post by **mongrel** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:57 pm

I couldn't agree more, we choose this one because it's high efficiency and ability to burn coal or wood or anything else. the flue's at the back, so the flat top is able to take a large pan or a kettle without an issue.

This gives us heating and simple cooking when required combined with our wind turbine we would be able to cope "off grid" that was the point in the first place!
The big task now is to collect wood and store it, the recent storms have helped in that direction, next project is to buy and learn to use a chain saw

Mongrel

TeeDee · Post by **TeeDee** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:04 pm

I've got a multifuel burner , but can anyone tell me if those little Fans that work off the thermal heat and then turn to move the heat around the room actually make a significant difference??

These things.
http://www.theselfsufficiencyshop.co.uk ... urner-fans

Gimmick or not??

nickdutch · Post by **nickdutch** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:08 pm

TeeDee wrote:I've got a multifuel burner , but can anyone tell me if those little Fans that work off the thermal heat and then turn to move the heat around the room actually make a significant difference??

These things.
http://www.theselfsufficiencyshop.co.uk ... urner-fans

Gimmick or not??

I have herd of them.
I have not got one and haven't used any of them.
I don't know anyone who has used one of them.

(that was the disclaimer by the way!)

I "believe" in them and the thermoelectric technology that they operate off is REAL and I have strong faith int he technology. Whether the model that you buy is any god or not is another issue.

You can (if you have the money) get a TEG (thermo electric generator) device that can generate 50 watts off a wood burner or pellet stove. Enough to run a few CFL light bulbs maybe?

TeeDee · Post by **TeeDee** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:13 pm

nickdutch wrote: You can (if you have the money) get a TEG (thermo electric generator) device that can generate 50 watts off a wood burner or pellet stove. Enough to run a few CFL light bulbs maybe?

Ohh! linky?? please.

the-gnole · Post by **the-gnole** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:17 pm

TeeDee wrote:
nickdutch wrote: You can (if you have the money) get a TEG (thermo electric generator) device that can generate 50 watts off a wood burner or pellet stove. Enough to run a few CFL light bulbs maybe?

Ohh! linky?? please.

http://www.tegpower.com/

uk-preppers.co.uk